A focused alternative for open shifts and task dispatch

Yes. Zelos is built around open-shift signup as the entire app, while Connecteam offers it as one feature within a fuller workforce platform that includes time clock, payroll, and HR.

Yes. Built-in messaging is Included in every plan, including free. You get task-specific channels, group chats, direct messages, and push notifications. The main difference is intent: all chat in Zelos includes admin oversight by design - there are no unsupervised one-to-one messaging between team members. Connecteam's chat is closer to a corporate messenger; Zelos's is closer to a coordination layer.

Yes. Post a job to a group, a skill, or a location filter; the right people get notified, claim what fits, and coordinate through built-in chat.

Yes, for teams built around self-signup rather than top-down scheduling. Zelos is a strong alternative if you coordinate volunteers, gig workers, contractors, or event staff. It's not a replacement if you depend on GPS time tracking, payroll integration, or compliance training, those are Connecteam strengths Zelos doesn't try to match.

No. Zelos doesn't have a time clock or payroll integration. Zelos is built around tasks and shifts that people sign up for, not hours that need to be paid. If payroll is part of your workflow, Connecteam (or a dedicated payroll tool) is the right fit.

No, never. The free tier includes unlimited team member accounts. The premium tier is a flat subscription starting $99/month for advanced features. Whether you have 50 or 5,000 people, the price doesn't change. Connecteam charges per user above 30 users, per hub.

There isn't one. The free plan includes unlimited members, unlimited admins, full self-signup, built-in messaging, push notifications, gamification, smart targeting, and CSV export. The limits are 25 concurrent active tasks, 100-task archive, and 10,000 chat messages. If you need more volume or features like CSV bulk upload, that's when Pro at $99/month makes sense.

Because people know their availability, skills, and preferences better than software does. Self-signup typically produces higher fill rates and lower no-show rates than auto-assignment, especially for non-employee teams (volunteers, contractors, gig workers). Zelos lets you target tasks to specific groups or skills, but the final pick is always made by the person.

You'll hit the 25 concurrent task limit before you hit any other limit. Pro lifts that to unlimited and adds CSV bulk upload, full task archive, and complete chat history. Pro is $99/month flat, regardless of how many team members you add.

Not directly. Zelos has built-in messaging, so most teams don't need a separate chat tool alongside it. CSV export of tasks and members is on every plan; REST API and webhooks are on Enterprise. Zapier is not currently supported.

Yes, and some teams do. For example, a service company might use Connecteam for their full-time W-2 staff (time clock, payroll, training) and Zelos for their on-call contractor pool (self-signup, no per-seat fees). The two products fit different parts of the workforce question.