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PeopleBridge vs HotSchedules (Fourth) · 2026

An honest comparison — including where HotSchedules wins.

HotSchedules (now part of Fourth) is an established restaurant scheduler used by many larger chains. PeopleBridge is built for independent and small multi-unit operators. Here's the honest read.

FeaturePeopleBridgeHotSchedules (Fourth)Notes
Free plan✅ Free forever: 1 location, up to 10 employees, no cardSee Fourth's site
Pricing✅ Public: Team: $29/mo incl. first location + 30 employees (+$10/location, +$1/employee past 30). Pro: $2 per employee + $10 per location, per monthSee Fourth's sitee.g. 3 locations with 30 employees = $90/mo on PeopleBridge Pro
Setup fee$0See Fourth's site
iPhone / Android app✅ iPhone + Android apps, plus the website✅ Native appsBoth have phone apps
POS integration✅ Toast, Square and Clover (Pro): sales, tips, tax, discounts. Other POS built for you for a flat $199✅ NativeBoth integrate with Toast; PeopleBridge also connects Square and Clover
Tip pool calculator✅ Pro: pro-rata by hours, Lock & Pay snapshot✅ Offered
Drag-and-drop scheduling✅ Free✅
Time clock✅ Free: phone time clock, works offline. Team and Pro add tablet kiosk with PIN and breaks✅ Offered
AI featuresAI setup assistant and Monday AI digest on Free; Ask PeopleBridge, schedule from a sentence, auto-translate on Pro⚠️ Some auto-scheduling
Import from other apps✅ Free: AI-assisted import wizard that reads Homebase, 7shifts, When I Work, Deputy and Sling exports (and matches columns from any other app), plus free technical support if you need it—
Onboarding (W-4, I-9, DD)✅ Pro: W-4, I-9, direct deposit, signed PDF✅ Via Fourth HR
Multi-location scheduling✅ $10 per extra location on Team or Pro✅ Designed for chainsHotSchedules is built for chains
Best fitIndependent SMB, 1–10 locationsRegional/national chainsDifferent fits
SupportEmail; priority support on ProTier-based SLA

PeopleBridge pricing as of October 2026. We only list competitor prices we could confirm on their own pricing page — check Fourth's website for current pricing.

The honest takeaway

Pick PeopleBridge if…

  • You're an independent or small-chain restaurant (1–10 locations)
  • You want public pricing: Free for 1 location and up to 10 employees, Team at $29/mo, or $2 per employee + $10 per location on Pro
  • You want to set it up yourself and be live in days
  • You don't need enterprise SSO or 100-location reporting (yet)

Pick HotSchedules (Fourth) if…

  • You're a 20+ location regional or national chain
  • You've already invested in the Fourth HR / Workforce ecosystem
  • Enterprise SSO, SCIM, and IT-procurement processes are required
  • You need multi-state compliance reporting

Common questions

Why do independent operators look at PeopleBridge instead of HotSchedules?
The reasons we hear most: public pricing, a setup they can do themselves in days, and an app their staff pick up quickly. Larger chains often value Fourth's broader enterprise tooling, and that's a fair trade for them.
How does pricing compare with HotSchedules / Fourth?
PeopleBridge publishes its pricing: Free for 1 location and up to 10 employees; Pro is $2 per employee + $10 per location a month, with no setup fee. For a 3-location, 30-employee operator that's $90/mo. We don't list Fourth's prices here — ask Fourth for a quote that matches your locations and modules, and compare.
Does PeopleBridge work for chains?
Today, well up to ~10 locations. Beyond that we don't have enterprise SSO, advanced role hierarchies, or multi-state compliance reporting at parity with Fourth. If you're 20+ locations and growing, Fourth's enterprise tooling may justify the cost; we're upfront about that.
How long does migration take?
For an independent operator on HotSchedules: roughly one week. Export your employee roster from HotSchedules, bulk-import to PeopleBridge, connect Toast, set GPS geofences, rebuild the first week's schedule. Most teams are live by Monday.
I'm mid-contract with Fourth. What's the move?
Try PeopleBridge on the Free plan at one location (up to 10 employees) alongside Fourth so you can compare on real operations. When your Fourth contract is up for renewal, you'll have hard data on which tool your staff actually used. Don't cancel early and double-pay.

Try both. See for yourself.

Free forever for 1 location and up to 10 employees, no credit card. If HotSchedules (Fourth) is the right fit for your team, we'll be the first to say so.

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