Apps for sign up sheets in 2026: free and paid options

Nine apps for sign up sheets compared on what their free plans actually include, whether participants need an account, and how reminders and messaging work. Honest tradeoffs and the caveats that matter.

A sign up sheet does one job: it lets people claim a slot — a shift, a dish, a time, a task — without you chasing them one by one. The paper version on the fridge still works for a household. But once you’re coordinating a classroom snack rotation, a church potluck, a parent-teacher conference schedule, or a recurring volunteer crew, a digital sign up sheet saves real hours and stops the double-bookings. The right app depends on two questions. First: do people need to sign up from a public link without making an account, or are they a known group who’ll come back week after week? Second: do you just need the slots filled, or do you also need to talk to the people who claimed them? Those two questions split this list cleanly. This guide covers apps that handle sign up sheets well, from quick form builders to full coordination tools. Every app here has a free plan or free trial. Most are built for one-off, public, no-account signups. One of them — Zelos — is built for the opposite case: an ongoing team that comes back, where the sheet and the conversation live in the same place. We’ve put it last and been honest about where it doesn’t fit.

Google Forms

Quick, free signups for groups already on Google

Google Forms is the fastest way to throw together a basic sign up sheet at no cost. You build a form, share the link, and responses drop straight into a Google Sheet. There are no ads, no participant limits, and no account required for people to fill it in. For a simple “tell me your name and which slot you want” signup, it does the job in minutes. The catch is that it’s a general form builder, not a purpose-built sign up sheet. It won’t cap how many people pick the same slot, show real-time availability, or prevent overbooking. You manage all of that by hand in the spreadsheet. For a potluck where five people can claim “dessert,” that’s a problem. For a straightforward RSVP, it’s fine.

• Free plan: Unlimited forms and responses, no ads, no participant cap. Data lands in Google Sheets.
• Paid plans: Free with a personal Google account. Google Workspace plans (from around $6/user/month) add admin controls and storage but don’t change the form features.
• Public link: Yes. Share by link or embed; no indexing unless you choose.
• No account to sign up: Yes. Participants don’t need a Google account to respond.
• Built-in messaging: None. No reminders or chat; you’d email people separately.
• Best for: Groups already living in Google who want a fast, free, ad-free form and don’t need slot limits.
• Watch out for: No slot caps, no overbooking prevention, no reminders. You manage coordination manually.
• Platforms: Web, plus the Google ecosystem.

SignUpGenius

The most widely used public sign up sheet

SignUpGenius is the most recognised sign up sheet tool, especially for schools, churches, sports teams, and community events. The free Basic plan gives you unlimited signups with no participant cap, slot-based scheduling, automated email reminders, and a hosted page you can share by link. Participants don’t need an account — an email address is enough to claim a slot. The trade-off on the free plan is advertising: SignUpGenius shows ads on the signup pages your participants see. Paid plans remove the ads and add custom branding, SMS reminders, and reporting. For events that collect money, there’s Stripe-powered payment processing at 5% plus $0.50 per transaction.

• Free plan: Unlimited signups and participants (with ads), slot-based scheduling, email reminders, embeddable forms, payment collection via Stripe.
• Paid plans: From $8.99/month (Silver, annual). Higher tiers add SMS reminders, custom branding, and reporting. Enterprise on request.
• Public link: Yes. Hosted on SignUpGenius’s domain, shareable and indexable.
• No account to sign up: Yes. An email address is enough.
• Built-in messaging: Email reminders and notifications. SMS on paid plans. No team chat.
• Best for: Schools, churches, and community groups that want a recognisable public sign up sheet and don’t mind ads on the free tier.
• Watch out for: Ads on free signup pages. Communication is email-only; real-time conversation needs a separate tool.
• Platforms: Web, iOS, Android.

Signup.com

Private sign up sheets for closed groups Signup.com (formerly VolunteerSpot) creates private sign up pages for groups where you don’t want public discovery. Anyone with the link can sign up, but pages aren’t indexed by search engines. The free tier supports unlimited participants and unlimited signups, which makes it workable for a small or mid-sized group without paying. The free-plan catch: you can’t cap how many people sign up per slot. If you want exactly five people on snack duty, the free plan won’t enforce it. Paid plans add slot limits, waitlists, shift swapping, SMS reminders, and check-in tracking. A volunteer mobile app exists but costs participants $1.99 to download, which is unusual in this category.

• Free plan: Unlimited participants and signups, email reminders, no slot caps per task.
• Paid plans: Organization Plan around $599.99/year (annual) adds slot limits, waitlists, SMS, check-in, and reporting.
• Public link: Private link only. Pages aren’t indexed; you share directly.
• No account to sign up: Yes. Participants sign up from the link.
• Built-in messaging: Email reminders on all tiers; SMS on paid plans. No team chat.
• Best for: PTAs, sports teams, alumni networks, and neighbourhood groups that already know their members.
• Watch out for: No slot caps on the free plan. The mobile app costs participants $1.99, and the paid tier jumps straight to an annual commitment.
• Platforms: Web, iOS, Android.

PlanHero

Simple sign up sheets, no accounts for participants PlanHero is a straightforward sign up sheet tool focused on simplicity. Participants don’t create accounts or download apps — they click a link, pick a slot, and submit. Coordinators see real-time, colour-coded slot status. You can combine multiple days, time slots, and locations in one form. The free plan caps you at 1 active event with a 30-day duration limit and 1 group. Paid Essentials at $12/month removes those caps; Pro at $18/month supports up to 3 groups with separate public pages. Its positioning is church and community-group simplicity rather than feature depth.

• Free plan: 1 active event (out of 3 total), 30-day event duration, 1 group, email reminders.
• Paid plans: Essentials from $12/month (unlimited events). Pro from $18/month (3 groups). Enterprise custom for 15+ groups.
• Public link: Yes, with shareable links.
• No account to sign up: Yes. No participant accounts required.
• Built-in messaging: Email reminders on all plans; text bundles as an add-on.
• Best for: Churches, schools, and community groups that want clean sign up sheets without participant accounts.
• Watch out for: The free plan allows only 1 active event. Limited features beyond simple signups.
• Platforms: Web.

Lome

Ad-free sign up pages with polished templates Lome Lome is a web platform for creating public sign up pages with customisable templates, automatic reminders, payment integration, and a built-in image library. It positions itself as an alternative to SignUpGenius, Meal Train, and Evite, with the key differentiator being that it’s ad-free across every tier, including the free plan. The emphasis is on visual polish: pre-built templates and image assets for community organisations that want signups to look designed rather than utilitarian. The marketing focus is churches, schools, parent groups, and similar contexts.

• Free plan: 1 ad-free sign up form, 1 community board, email reminders, multi-date forms.
• Paid plans: Tiered subscriptions with annual savings; pricing is visible after creating an account.
• Public link: Yes, with template-driven design and built-in images.
• No account to sign up: Yes. Participants sign up from the link.
• Built-in messaging: In-app messaging, automated reminders, payment integration for paid events.
• Best for: Churches, schools, and parent groups that want polished, ad-free sign up pages.
• Watch out for: Pricing isn’t published without signing up. The free plan is limited to 1 active form.
• Platforms: Web.

Doodle

Finding a time everyone can make Doodle Doodle is built around one specific kind of sign up sheet: picking a time. You propose options, participants mark what works, and the best slot surfaces. For scheduling a meeting, a volunteer interview round, or a parent-teacher conference window, it’s faster than any general form. Participants don’t need an account to respond to a poll. It’s not a full sign up sheet for roles or quantities, though. You can’t say “I need three people to bring chairs and two to set up.” It answers “when,” not “who does what.” The free plan covers basic polls; paid plans remove ads, add branding, and connect to your calendar.

• Free plan: Group polls and basic meeting scheduling, with ads.
• Paid plans: From around $6.95/user/month (Pro) for ad-free use, branding, and calendar sync.
• Public link: Yes. Share a poll link with anyone.
• No account to sign up: Yes. Participants respond without an account.
• Built-in messaging: None beyond poll notifications.
• Best for: Coordinating a time across a group — meetings, interview slots, conference windows.
• Watch out for: It’s a scheduling poll, not a role- or quantity-based sign up sheet. Ads on the free tier.
• Platforms: Web, iOS, Android.

Perfect Potluck

Purpose-built for potlucks and meal trains Perfect Potluck does one thing and does it cleanly: coordinate who brings what to a shared meal. You set the categories (mains, sides, desserts, drinks), share the link, and participants claim a dish. It automatically balances categories so you don’t end up with nine desserts and no entrées. No account needed, and it’s free. It’s narrow by design. Outside of potlucks, meal trains, and dish-based events, it won’t help — there’s no shift scheduling, no hour tracking, no general slot building. But for the exact job it targets, it’s simpler than bending a general tool to fit.

• Free plan: Free for potluck and meal-train signups, with category balancing and email reminders.
• Paid plans: None for the core product; supported by optional donations and ads.
• Public link: Yes. Share by link; participants claim dishes.
• No account to sign up: Yes. No account required.
• Built-in messaging: Email reminders and notifications. No chat.
• Best for: Potlucks, meal trains, and dish-based community events.
• Watch out for: Single-purpose. Not a fit for shift scheduling, role coverage, or ongoing coordination.
• Platforms: Web.

Track It Forward

Sign up sheets plus hour tracking Track It Forward leads with hour tracking but includes solid sign up sheet features. Participants RSVP to events, check in via kiosk or mobile, and log hours through the app or web. Coordinators can verify hours with photos, GPS, or signatures. It’s common in K-12 schools managing student service-hour requirements, museums, libraries, and grant-funded nonprofits. The free plan is usable for small groups with under 25 participants, covering basic signups and hour tracking. Paid tiers add capacity and features, with school SIS, LMS, and SSO integrations on custom plans.

• Free plan: Groups with under 25 participants. Basic signups, tracking, and reporting.
• Paid plans: Basic from $12/month, Standard from $24/month, Advanced from $36/month. Custom plans for school integrations.
• Public link: Yes, with an event calendar and embeddable RSVP forms.
• No account to sign up: Yes for RSVP; an account is needed for hour logging.
• Built-in messaging: Mass email and text, automated event reminders.
• Best for: Schools tracking student service hours, museums, libraries, and nonprofits with hour-reporting needs.
• Watch out for: Hour tracking is the core feature; if you don’t need it, simpler tools fit better. Free plan caps at 25.
• Platforms: Web, iOS, Android, kiosk mode.

Zelos Team Management

A sign up board with chat built in, for teams that come back When every other tool here is a sign up sheet: one event, one public link, no account, done. Zelos is a sign up board: an ongoing list of tasks and shifts your team picks from, with a chat thread attached to each one. It’s built for the case where the same people come back week after week and you’re tired of rebuilding a form every time. Admins post shifts and tasks with location, time, skills, and notes. Team members get a push notification on the mobile app and claim what fits. Each task has its own conversation thread, so the briefing and questions stay attached to the work instead of scattering across a group chat. Member contact info is hidden from other members by design, and points and leaderboards are built in for teams that run on engagement.

• Free plan: Unlimited members and admins, 25 concurrent active tasks, last 100 tasks archived, 10,000 chat messages. No ads, no credit card.
• Paid plans: Pro from $99/month annual (flat, never per person). Adds unlimited tasks, CSV bulk upload, dynamic member segments, full archive, and a custom team URL. Enterprise from $999/month.
• Public link: No. Tasks are visible to logged-in members only; workspaces are invite-only by design.
• No account to sign up: No. Members create an account, which is what enables chat, profiles, and gamification.
• Built-in messaging: Per-task chat plus direct messages, admin-supervised, with push notifications.
• Best for: Recurring teams — regular shifts, repeat tasks — that want the sign up sheet and the conversation in one mobile-first place.
• Watch out for: No public sign up page. If you need a link to post on social media or share with strangers, you’ll need a different tool here, or run Zelos alongside one. Members must create an account.
• Platforms: Native iOS, Android, and web. EU-built, GDPR-compliant by default.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free app for sign up sheets?

It depends on what you’re coordinating. For a quick, ad-free, no-account form, Google Forms is the fastest if you don’t need slot limits. For a purpose-built public sign up sheet with slot-based scheduling and reminders, SignUpGenius is the most established (with ads on the free tier). For potlucks specifically, Perfect Potluck is free and built for exactly that. For an ongoing team that comes back and needs chat alongside signups, Zelos has a free plan with no ads and no participant cap.

Do participants need an account to sign up?

Usually no. Google Forms, SignUpGenius, Signup.com, PlanHero, Lome, Doodle, and Perfect Potluck all let people sign up from a link without creating an account. Zelos and the hour-logging side of Track It Forward require a profile, which is what enables messaging, history, and gamification but adds a step at the start. If you’re collecting one-time signups from people outside your group, a no-account tool removes friction.

What’s the difference between a sign up sheet app and a form builder?

A sign up sheet app is built around claiming slots — it shows real-time availability, caps how many people can take each slot, and prevents overbooking. A general form builder like Google Forms collects responses but doesn’t enforce slot limits or show what’s already taken. For a simple RSVP, a form builder is fine. For “I need exactly three people per shift,” a dedicated sign up sheet handles it without manual spreadsheet work.

Which app is best for a recurring team rather than a one-off event?

For a team that comes back week after week, a one-off public sheet means rebuilding a form every time and running communication in a separate app. A coordination tool like Zelos is built for that pattern: a standing board of tasks, push notifications, task-specific chat, and member profiles, so you post the next shift instead of starting over. The trade-off is that members create accounts and there’s no public link, so it’s for known teams, not public recruitment.

Are there ad-free apps for sign up sheets on the free plan?

Yes. Google Forms is free with no ads. Lome is ad-free across all tiers, including its free plan. Zelos shows no ads on any plan, including the free one. By contrast, SignUpGenius, Signup.com, and Doodle display ads on their free tiers and require a paid plan to remove them. If keeping ads away from your participants matters, those three are the ones to check.

Can I collect payments through a sign up sheet?

Some tools support it. SignUpGenius processes payments through Stripe at 5% plus $0.50 per transaction, and Signup.com and Lome offer payment integration on certain plans for paid events, tickets, or fundraising. Google Forms and Perfect Potluck don’t collect payments directly. If your signup involves money, check the per-transaction fee before committing, since it varies by tool.

Will a sign up sheet app work for a small group of under 50 people?

Yes, and you almost certainly won’t need to pay. Free plans from Google Forms, SignUpGenius, and Signup.com handle a 50-person group without an upgrade. Perfect Potluck is free for dish-based events of any size. Zelos’s free plan supports unlimited members with up to 25 concurrent active tasks. Most small groups never need a paid sign up tool at this scale.