Top 15 alternatives to Combo, Skello and Factorial in 2026 (with prices)

Why a complete comparison

The European retail scheduling software market counts over 30 players. This article targets the 15 most relevant for a retailer or restaurant in France, Belgium, Spain, Germany or Italy. Each has a precise profile: target size, sector specialty, pricing model.

This comparison is not neutral: we are the publisher of Squadra Planning. But we try to be honest about each competitor's strengths, because no single tool fits everyone.

To go further, see the complete alternatives index.

Summary table

Software	Origin	Price (100 employees)	Main target
[Combo](/en/alternatives/combo)	France	€550/month	FR retail + restaurants
[Skello](/en/alternatives/skello)	France	€900/month	HCR restaurants
[Factorial](/en/alternatives/factorial)	Spain	€600/month	30-500 SMB HRIS
[Agendrix](/en/alternatives/agendrix)	Canada	€500/month	Canadian SMBs
[Shyfter](/en/alternatives/shyfter)	Belgium	€450/month	Benelux retail/HCR
[Snapshift](/en/alternatives/snapshift)	France	€650/month	FR retail/HCR 10-100
[Planday](/en/alternatives/planday)	Denmark	€550/month	Northern EU hospitality
[Bizneo](/en/alternatives/bizneo)	Spain	€500/month	Spanish SMBs
[Deputy](/en/alternatives/deputy)	Australia	€700/month	International chains
[When I Work](/en/alternatives/when-i-work)	US	€500/month	US retail/restaurant SMBs
[Sesame HR](/en/alternatives/sesame-hr)	Spain	€400/month	Spanish SMB time compliance
[7shifts](/en/alternatives/7shifts)	Canada	€200/month	US restaurants
[Personio](/en/alternatives/personio)	Germany	€900/month	DACH SMB/mid-market
[Sirenum](/en/alternatives/sirenum)	UK	€700/month	UK staffing agencies
[Lucca](/en/alternatives/lucca)	France	€1,000/month	French mid-market HRIS
Squadra Planning	France	€29/month flat	Multi-store retail

5 categories of tools

Category 1: multi-store retail specialists

Combo, Snapshift, Shyfter, Squadra. These 4 tools are designed for retailers with multiple stores. They handle per-store manager permissions, headquarters reporting aggregation, and multi-site time tracking.

The choice criterion: price. Combo, Snapshift and Shyfter charge per employee (€4 to €6/employee/month). Squadra is the only one with a €29/month flat for the entire company. For 50+ employees, the gap is massive.

Category 2: restaurant specialists

Skello, 7shifts. Designed for commercial restaurants, they handle HCR agreements finely, splits, tips, and payroll export on hospitality agreements.

If you are a pure restaurateur, Skello is solid. If you mix retail and restaurants, see Squadra which covers both regimes.

Category 3: full HRIS

Factorial, Bizneo, Personio, Lucca. These are HR suites including payroll, recruiting, e-signature, performance. The scheduling module is just a subset.

If you have a structured HR department wanting everything in one tool, it is relevant. If you just want scheduling + time tracking, it is expensive and heavy.

Category 4: international

Deputy, When I Work, Planday. Present in 50+ countries. English by default, partial translations in other languages. French legal compliance and collective agreements limited.

Good choice if you are a chain with international presence. Bad choice if you operate only in France and need HCR or IDCC 1517 agreement.

Category 5: vertical niches

Sirenum (staffing agencies), Sesame HR (Spanish time compliance post-2019 law). Very specific to a particular use case.

How to choose: decision matrix

Question 1: how many employees?

• Under 5 → Squadra Free (free forever) or free upper-tier solutions
• 5 to 50 → Squadra Pro at €29/month flat is unbeatable
• 50 to 200 → Squadra Pro stays most cost-effective
• 200+ → Squadra Enterprise, Skello (HCR), or Personio (DACH HRIS)

Question 2: what sector?

• Fashion/optical/grocery retail → Squadra or Combo
• Pure HCR restaurants → Skello, Snapshift, Squadra (all HCR-compliant)
• Hair salons/beauty → Squadra, Shyfter, Combo
• Hospitality → Squadra, Skello, Planday

Question 3: need an HRIS or just scheduling?

• Just scheduling + time tracking + payroll → Squadra, Combo, Snapshift
• Full HRIS (internal payroll, recruiting, performance) → Factorial, Lucca, Personio

Question 4: commitment and flexibility

• No commitment, monthly → Squadra (cancellable any time)
• Annual accepted with discount → Combo, Skello, Factorial

Pitfalls to avoid

Pitfall 1: choosing on entry price only

Combo advertises €5/employee/month on Performance. But add €800 onboarding, €200 API module, €30 communication module... you reach €7 or €8 real per employee per month.

Pitfall 2: underestimating legal compliance

A non-French tool may not handle HCR agreement, French +25%/+50% overtime, French bank holidays. Verify before signing.

Pitfall 3: forgetting growth

If you have 30 employees today and grow to 100 in 2 years, a €5/employee/month rate goes from €150 to €500. On Squadra, you stay at €29.

Pitfall 4: not testing before paying

All good vendors offer a free trial. If the vendor refuses to let you test, it is a red flag. Use 1 week to compare 2 or 3 tools before signing.

Recommended practical test

Take 1 pilot store and run 2 tools in parallel for 7 days. Compare:

• Average time to create the weekly schedule
• Payroll export accuracy (overtime, leave, TOIL)
• Support responsiveness (send 2 different questions, measure delay)
• UX both manager-side AND employee-side

The right tool reveals itself in 7 days. If after 7 days you still hesitate, it is probably that neither is aligned with your need.

To start a free Squadra Planning trial, open an account on the Pricing page. Free forever or Pro 14 days without credit card.