RosterElf Review 2026
An honest self-assessment
An independent evaluation from the founder's desk. No inflated scores. No hype. Just practical insight into what RosterElf does well — and where it falls short.
Written by
Steve Harris
Workforce Management Expert
Overall Score
8.9/10
Transparency first
Before we dive in, let's be clear: this review is written by the RosterElf team. But it's not a marketing brochure.
We've published detailed comparisons and reviews of competitors like Deputy, Connecteam, and Employment Hero elsewhere on this site. For balance — and because many businesses ask "how does RosterElf really compare?" — this page gives you an honest look at RosterElf's strengths, weaknesses, and real-world fit.
Where appropriate, we point out where competitors excel, too. No inflated scores. No hype. Just practical insight.
What RosterElf is — at a glance
At its core, RosterElf helps Australian small and medium-sized businesses:
- Build rosters with award-aware compliance
- Track time and attendance from mobile or desktop
- Integrate timesheets with payroll systems (like Xero and MYOB)
- Manage HR records — from leave to documents
- Communicate with staff inside the app
It's all delivered in a single platform with flat-rate pricing: all core features included with no confusing add-ons or hidden costs.
How we evaluated RosterElf
To keep this fair, we applied the same criteria we use in our competitor reviews:
This aligns with how businesses actually choose software — not what marketers wish you would value.
Xero App Store ratings
RosterElf is a certified Xero-connected app. Here's what Xero users say about us in verified reviews on the Xero App Store:
89 verified reviews on Xero App Store
What Xero users highlight
- Seamless Xero integration — timesheets sync directly without manual exports
- Award interpretation accuracy — penalty rates and overtime calculated correctly
- Time saved on payroll — reduced manual data entry and errors
- Responsive support — Australian team that understands local requirements
Rostering & scheduling
Strengths
The rostering tools are built around how Australian businesses actually schedule people:
- Drag-and-drop shift builder lets you plan quickly and intuitively
- Award interpretation included — automatically applies Fair Work penalties and break rules
- Real-time labour cost visibility while building rosters
- Multi-location support, templates, and repeat patterns
- Perfect Match suggestions to reduce mismatches between availability and shifts
Compared with Employment Hero, which many users say feels more like a "tabletop" roster feature layered on top of HR tools, RosterElf's scheduling feels purpose-built and more complete.
Limitations
- For businesses with very advanced forecasting needs (e.g., AI-optimised demand planning), RosterElf is solid but not as deep as some enterprise tools
- Some larger enterprises may want extra automation around contracts or strategic labour planning
Rostering score: 9.0/10
Time & attendance
Strengths
The time and attendance tracking includes the features most businesses need:
- GPS clock-in/clock-out to ensure staff are where they say they are
- Photo proof on clock-in — deters buddy punching
- Automatic timesheet creation from clock data
- Break enforcement rules that align with award requirements
This level of accuracy reduces payroll discrepancies and the administrative work required to "fix" timesheets before pay runs.
Limitations
- Businesses with highly mobile, multi-site staff might need deeper geofencing or optional hardware integrations found in some enterprise systems
Time & Attendance score: 8.8/10
Payroll integrations
RosterElf's payroll integration plugs directly into popular systems used in Australia:
- Xero — seamless two-way sync
- MYOB — direct integration
Timesheets export cleanly to payroll software, saving hours each pay run. This matters: misaligned hours are one of the most common causes of payroll mistakes.
Where we fall short
RosterElf currently integrates with two payroll systems: Xero and MYOB. If your business uses a different payroll platform (e.g., KeyPay, Wage Easy, or QuickBooks), you'll need to export timesheets and import them manually. Some competitors offer broader payroll integration options — this is an area we're actively working to expand.
Payroll score: 9.1/10
HR & compliance
RosterElf includes meaningful HR features without overwhelming smaller teams:
- Centralised employee records
- Leave & availability workflows
- Document storage (contracts, licences, qualifications)
- Policy acknowledgements
Limitations
- Compared to a full HRIS (like BambooHR or ADP WorkForce Now), RosterElf's HR features stop short of recruiting, performance review cycles, or full talent management — though many of these are under active development in 2026
HR & Compliance score: 8.2/10
Ease of use
One area where we consistently hear positive feedback is how fast teams get up and running:
- Simple interface that non-technical users pick up quickly
- Guided setup and Australian award support
- CSV import makes migration from spreadsheets easy
This contrasts with some platforms that require weeks of training before teams feel comfortable.
Limitations
- No accessibility features — RosterElf currently lacks screen reader support, dark mode, or other accessibility options for users with visual or motor impairments
Ease of Use score: 9.0/10
Mobile experience
RosterElf's mobile apps let staff:
- Check schedules and availability
- Clock in/out securely
- Request leave
- Receive roster changes instantly
Managers can build rosters, approve timesheets and communicate with staff without desktop access. This is critical for hospitality, retail, healthcare, and service industries.
Limitations
- Auto-save latency — some users note a slight delay when making roster amendments as the system auto-saves each change
Mobile score: 8.9/10
Pricing
For full pricing details, see our pricing page. Here's a summary:
Save 30% with annual billing
Core
Rostering and time & attendance
Payroll-ready timesheets & awards
per employee per month
+ GST, billed annually
Start free trialCore features:
- Smart rostering & staff availability
- Time & attendance with GPS & photo proof
- Timesheet approvals
- Award interpretation
- Payroll-ready exports to Xero & MYOB
- Labour cost forecasting
- Team communication & shift swaps
Full Suite
Rostering, payroll & HR in one
Payroll & HR tools in one system
per employee per month
+ GST, billed annually
Start free trialEverything in Core, plus:
- HR Hub with employee profiles
- Digital onboarding & contracts
- Policies, certificates & compliance tracking
- Payroll sync with employee records
- Workwise AI compliance assistant
- Central document storage & management
- Leave management with approvals
HR
HR tools only
Onboarding, documents & policies
per employee per month
+ GST, billed annually
Start free trialHR features:
- HR Hub with employee profiles
- Digital onboarding workflows
- Contracts & policy management
- Certificates & compliance tracking
- Leave requests & balances
- Workwise AI compliance assistant
- Document storage
$25 minimum monthly spend applies to all plans. All prices exclude GST. Contact us for enterprise pricing (250+ employees).
Strengths
- Strong value for money — comprehensive feature set at competitive rates
- Simple pricing structure — only 3 plans with no complex tiers or multiple add-ons
- 30% discount for annual billing
Limitations
- No free plan — unlike competitors such as Connecteam who offer free access for teams under 10 employees
Pricing score: 9.3/10
Support
When we look at third-party reviews across G2, Xero App Store, and Capterra, one theme consistently stands out: support. It's one of the most frequently mentioned reasons customers choose and stay with RosterElf.
How to get help
- AI Support (24/7) — instant answers to common questions, available anytime
- Book a free support call — speak directly with our team for personalised help
- Submit a ticket — for detailed enquiries or technical issues
Strengths
- AI support for instant answers — get help immediately without waiting in a queue
- Free one-on-one calls — regardless of your account size or plan
- 100% Australian team — no overseas call centres, our team understands local awards and compliance
Support score: 9.4/10
Pros & cons — balanced summary
Pros
- Excellent award-aware rostering
- All-inclusive pricing — no hidden modules
- Strong payroll integrations
- Australian award compliance expertise
- Fast onboarding and simple user interface
Cons
- Not a full-feature HRIS
- Advanced forecasting and enterprise planning tools are limited
- Mobile features could be deeper compared to standalone communication apps
Score summary (2026)
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Rostering | 9.0 |
| Time & Attendance | 8.8 |
| Payroll | 9.1 |
| HR & Compliance | 8.2 |
| Ease of Use | 9.0 |
| Mobile Apps | 8.9 |
| Pricing | 9.3 |
| Support | 9.4 |
| Overall | 8.9/10 |
Who RosterElf is best for
RosterElf shines for:
- Small and medium Australian teams (5-200 staff)
- Hospitality, retail, healthcare, aged care, and NDIS providers
- Businesses who must comply with Australian awards
- Teams that want one platform, not many modules
When another tool makes sense:
- You're a large enterprise with advanced forecasting needs
- You need global multi-jurisdiction HRIS and workforce planning
- You want ultra-deep analytics separate from roster functions
Honest comparisons
RosterElf vs Deputy
Deputy is strong at scheduling and mobile tools, but its modular pricing adds complexity and cost for full workforce management. RosterElf offers a simpler all-in-one approach with award interpretation included — often better value for Australian SMBs.
Read full comparisonRosterElf vs Connecteam
Connecteam is affordable and flexible, but it lacks built-in award compliance — a non-negotiable for many Australian businesses. RosterElf includes this out of the box.
Read full comparisonRosterElf vs Employment Hero
Employment Hero excels in broader HR workflows, but its rostering feels like a secondary feature rather than core. RosterElf remains stronger for day-to-day roster building.
Read full comparisonFinal verdict
RosterElf scores 8.9/10 as an honest overall workplace management platform.
That reflects real strengths in rostering, compliance, and support — balanced with honest limitations in broader HR functionality.
If you want a single platform that keeps your staff rosters aligned with payroll and award rules — without surprises — RosterElf is a compelling choice for many Australian businesses.
RosterElf FAQ
- RosterElf is a cloud-based workforce management platform designed for Australian businesses. It handles rostering and scheduling, time and attendance tracking, payroll integration with Xero and MYOB, HR management, and team communication — all in one platform with built-in Australian award interpretation.
- Yes. RosterElf includes built-in award interpretation that automatically applies Fair Work penalties, break rules, and overtime calculations. This covers major awards including Hospitality Award, Retail Award, Nurses Award, SCHADS, and more.
- RosterElf is designed for small and medium Australian businesses with 5-200 staff. It works particularly well for hospitality, retail, healthcare, aged care, and childcare businesses that need award-compliant rostering.