Paper forms. Phone calls. Endless spreadsheets. For too many airline ground teams, this is still the daily reality: stressful and packed with human error.
RosterApps stepped in to change that.
It promised smarter shift management and better coordination across teams.
But here’s the question: is RosterApps still the right tool for today or is it stuck in yesterday’s terminal?
We took a hard look at what it does well and where it’s falling behind. Let’s check in.
RosterApps - what is it?
RosterApps is a shift scheduling tool created for airline crew members and ground teams. It was developed by ARCOS LLC, based in Columbus, Ohio. ARCOS was founded in 2005, though the exact launch date of RosterApps is unclear.
The software focuses on helping organizations manage partial shift split scheduling, shift swaps, and PTO. It supports real-time updates and connects well with other systems.
It's mainly used by airlines like JetBlue, Piedmont, and United.
RosterApps - key features
These are the key features of this software:
Own shift bidding
Employees can bid for upcoming shifts using their electronic devices. This gives them more control and avoids confusing rosters.
Shift trading and swaps
Employees can swap or trade shifts directly in the app. Supervisors can approve or reject changes quickly.
Schedule creation and management
The tool helps teams create schedules and process time spent. They can also track shifts worked across locations. All data is stored in one place.
Employee dependability metrics
Supervisors can check attendance records and search for employee dependability metrics when making scheduling decisions.
Integration with existing system
RosterApps can work as a standalone system or be integrated using API logs to connect with your current tools.
RosterApps - pricing
RosterApps does not show its pricing publicly, which can make decision-making harder for small teams. You need to speak to a sales rep to get any details.
That means it’s not easy to compare costs with similar tools. This may lead to confusion or delays for teams that want to move fast. Pricing likely depends on the size of the organization, features used, and level of integration.
RosterApps - customer support
Support is available in two ways: by phone and through an online contact form. You can reach their support line directly by choosing option 3 when calling the main number.
If you prefer not to call, you can fill out a form with your contact info, job title, and interest in RosterApps Scheduling. There’s space to leave a detailed message, which may help solve problems without long back-and-forth.
Still, there’s no live chat or public help center visible, which can make small issues take longer to solve.
RosterApps - pros and cons
Having researched the tool extensively, here are the advantages and disadvantages that stood out for us:
RosterApps pros
Helps reduce mistakes in pay calculations
RosterApps connects scheduling with time cards. Each shift is automatically classified using rules like time, absence, overtime, and skill type. This makes it easier to get efficient paychecks intuitive to read and fix if needed.
Fits the real needs of airline ground staff
The tool supports partial shift split scheduling, as well as shift swaps and vacation bidding with company and union rules in mind. For airline crew members waiting on last-minute updates, this can reduce stress and confusion.
Works across teams and roles
Payroll admins, timekeepers, supervisors, and employees handle the same data without using piles of paper or scattered spreadsheets. Everyone can track changes and verify rules.
Built for vacation bidding
No more manual paper requests. Vacation awards can be generated automatically based on shift rules. Employees can submit once and update later if plans change.
Integrated and mobile-ready
Can be used as a standalone system or integrated with existing software through APIs. Notifications are sent to phones or emails for better communication and connection between workers and managers.
Accessible records for decision-makers
Supervisors can search past shifts and employee records. That means fewer surprises and more informed actions during schedule changes.
RosterApps cons
No current reviews
You won’t find any feedback from users on platforms like G2, Capterra, or Google. This makes it harder to understand how the app works in real companies or what real teams say about it.
Quiet online presence
There’s no product update blog or post to confirm how often features are updated. The last known social media post was more than a year ago. That raises questions about long-term support or the tool’s future.
May have a very limited user base
The app seems made for a very specific use case. That’s fine for large airlines, but smaller or growing teams might find the system too focused or difficult to understand without support.
Outdated visuals and unclear onboarding
The tool’s interface isn’t as user-friendly as others on the market. There’s no in-app tour or clear help center. Users may need to call support or send messages and wait, instead of fixing issues themselves with a few clicks of a mouse.
No self-serve trial or demo video
You can’t test the product without talking to sales first. This adds friction for teams who want to explore and compare, especially when better-documented tools exist with visible customer feedback.
Pros:
- Connects shift data to time cards for more accurate pay.
- Built for airline crew members waiting on shift changes or vacation bids.
- Helps employees handle time-off, PTO, infractions, and overtime in one place.
- Vacation slots are generated and assigned using shift rules.
- Integrated with existing systems, plus mobile notifications.
- Supervisors can search employee data and track schedule changes.
Cons:
- No reviews on G2, Capterra, or Google - hard to verify user experience.
- No visible updates or roadmap - last social media post was over a year ago.
- Very niche use case - may not work well for small teams or other industries.
- Interface is not very user friendly - some parts feel outdated.
- No self-service trial or product demo -contact with sales is required.
- Learning curve may be steep without strong onboarding content.
Top alternative to RosterApps to try in 2025 - Unrubble
For teams searching for a more responsive and modern employee scheduling platform, Unrubble stands out as a stronger fit than RosterApps, especially for small to mid-sized businesses in need of real-time clarity and fast team coordination.
While RosterApps focuses on airline crew members and strict union workflows, its use case is narrow.
- There are no customer reviews on trusted platforms like G2 or Capterra.
- No fresh product updates.
- The company hasn’t posted on social media in over a year.
This creates doubt around future development and support. It also means potential users can’t search for real feedback or verify how the product performs in day-to-day operations. For anyone outside the airline sector, or even within it, that’s a risk.
Unrubble, on the other hand, has a strong and active customer base, with public reviews highlighting how user friendly and intuitive the tool is.
Its dashboard and mobile apps are ready to use from day one.
The platform supports real-time time tracking, mobile clock-ins, PTO requests, and business trip planning, all with minimal setup. Employees handle requests through a clean interface, and managers can monitor updates without juggling spreadsheets or endless tabs.
You also get features RosterApps doesn’t offer, like:
✔️ Mobile time clocks with face recognition
✔️ Live changelogs with recent updates
✔️ Employee Self-Service App for real-time notifications
✔️ Timesheets generated automatically, viewable anytime
✔️ Integrated time tracking with reporting
Additionally, Unrubble makes it easy to work across teams, with drag-and-drop scheduling, publishing drafts, and batch actions. Features are built to reduce schedule changes chaos and let you say goodbye to outdated workflows.
No matter if you're managing office teams or hybrid workers, Unrubble fits better into flexible environments where decisions need to happen fast. It keeps your calendar and communication flowing without depending on legacy systems or airline-specific rules.
RosterApps:
- Target users - Built mainly for airline crew members and union-heavy teams
- Setup & onboarding - Requires contact with sales, no visible trial or self-onboarding
- User experience - Outdated UI, not fully mobile optimized
- Scheduling - Fixed rules with union-based logic, strong for aviation
- PTO & vacation handling - Built-in vacation bidding, but process-heavy
- Real-time updates - Email and text-based
- Time tracking - Connected to pay codes and accumulators
- Transparency - No reviews on G2, Capterra, or Google
- Product development - No visible changelog or update logs
- Support - Contact form or phone line only
- Data & reporting - Strong rule-based tracking and classification
- Pricing model - Hidden pricing, sales contact needed
- Community presence - Last social post over a year ago
- Long-term value - May be suitable only in specific aviation setups
Unrubble:
- Target users - Works across industries, ideal for SMBs, agencies, offices, retail, and remote teams
- Setup & onboarding - Quick setup, ready to use from minute one without extra help
- User experience - User friendly interface with mobile self-service app and real-time notifications
- Scheduling - Drag & drop scheduling, drafts, publishing, batch edits, built for flexibility
- PTO & vacation handling - PTOs, WFHs, sick days, and business trips handled in a few clicks
- Real-time updates - In-app, real-time alerts sent to mobile or desktop
- Time tracking - Real-time tracking, face recognition clock-ins, integrated timesheets
- Transparency - Dozens of reviews on public platforms with clear user feedback
- Product development - Public changelog, frequent updates, clear communication
- Support - Live chat and email support, with quick replies reported in user reviews
- Data & reporting - Integrated reports, easy exports, no more spreadsheets or paper piles
- Pricing model - Transparent plans, priced per user, free trial available anytime
- Community presence - Active blog, social media, and community updates
- Long-term value - Fits into flexible, growing workflows, adjusts as teams scale
Should you fill airline crew shifts with RosterApps?
RosterApps clearly serves a focused purpose. If you run a large airline operation and need strict union-based scheduling, especially for partial shift split scheduling or vacation bidding, this platform might tick your boxes.
But let’s be honest: the rest of the tech world has moved forward.
RosterApps hasn’t posted an update in over a year. There’s no self-service trial, no G2 reviews to search, and no clear signals about what’s coming next. For smaller or fast-moving teams, that’s like waiting at the gate without knowing if your flight will ever board.
If you're after real-time updates, intuitive mobile tools, and flexible scheduling without piles of paper or guesswork, it might be time to say goodbye to legacy tools and start looking ahead at tools like Unrubble.
After all, the future of shift management doesn’t wait.
