Comparison · Workforce / shift specialist
GetUp vs When I Work — which one runs your operation?
When I Work is a simple, mobile-first shift scheduling and team messaging tool for hourly teams. GetUp is the all-in-one operations panel for any company running multiple brands or multiple locations: shifts, tablet check-in, payroll, multi-company invoicing, KSeF e-invoicing, procurement, an external accountant portal and a built-in AI assistant — sector-agnostic, sized for SMBs.
The verdict in two lines
When I Work is the stronger pick when you have one location and only need shift scheduling + team messaging. GetUp is the stronger pick when you run multiple brands or locations and need shifts plus billing in one panel.
The honest summary: they aren't the same shape. When I Work is a workforce / shift specialist; GetUp is an operations panel for multi-brand / multi-location SMBs. Pick the one that matches the shape of your problem.
Feature-by-feature
How When I Work and GetUp compare
| Feature | When I Work | GetUp |
|---|---|---|
| Shift scheduling | Yes — simple, fast | Yes — weekly rota, swap, multi-location |
| Mobile shift swap | Yes — best-in-class UX | Yes |
| Tablet check-in | Mobile only by default | Yes — shared tablet at each location |
| Hourly payroll | Workforce add-on (US only) | Built-in, multi-company |
| Invoicing | No | Built-in, multi-company |
| KSeF (Poland) | No | Built-in |
| Accountant portal | No | Built-in, no seat fee |
| Procurement / shopping | No | Built-in |
| AI assistant on tenant data | No | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per-user | Flat per-month |
When each is the right pick
Pick When I Work when…
- You have one location and only need shift scheduling + team messaging
- Mobile-first UX for staff is your priority
- Your accounting + invoicing already live on a separate stack
Pick GetUp when…
- You run multiple brands or locations and need shifts plus billing in one panel
- You need invoicing, payroll and an accountant portal alongside shifts
- You operate in PL / TR / EU and need KSeF compliance
- Per-user fees are starting to bite as headcount grows
Pricing
How they price
When I Work
$2.50 per user / month
Per-user across Essentials, Pro and Premium. Payroll and advanced reporting sit on Pro+.
GetUp
€69 / $79 / 299 zł flat / month
Starter is flat per-month, all modules included. Pro is €129 / $139 / 499 zł. 14-day trial, no card. Per-user fees never apply.
Switching from When I Work
Employees and shifts export from When I Work via CSV; GetUp imports both. Cutover is usually done in a weekend.
See the full When I Work alternatives breakdownFAQ
Common questions
- Is GetUp a When I Work alternative?
- Yes for businesses that have outgrown shift-only scope. GetUp keeps the scheduling and tablet check-in but adds invoicing, payroll, procurement, an accountant portal and an AI assistant in the same panel.
- When I Work or GetUp for a single café?
- If shifts and team messaging are the only problem, When I Work's UX is hard to beat. GetUp earns its place when you also need invoicing, payroll and multi-location operations in one place.
- Can I import staff from When I Work into GetUp?
- Yes — CSV export from When I Work, CSV import into GetUp. Most teams cut over in one weekend.
- Does When I Work do invoicing?
- No. When I Work is workforce-scope only. Invoicing requires a separate tool — which is exactly what GetUp consolidates.
- Pricing comparison?
- When I Work starts at $2.50 per user / month for Essentials. GetUp Starter is €69 flat / month with all modules. The break-even is around 25-30 users on Essentials.
Try GetUp
Spin up GetUp on your own data — free for 14 days.
No card, no implementer, no Figma round-trip. If you're moving from When I Work, your CSVs import directly. You decide if it's the surface your operation has been waiting for.
Other comparisons