Shifton can be used for free and with no time limit if you work with a small team and the basic features are enough for you. There is nothing to enable or pay for separately: as long as you stay within the free conditions, no bill is issued.
What's included for free
Three conditions, and all three must be met at the same time:
- Up to 10 people on the team. Active company employees are counted.
- One project. The second and subsequent projects are paid.
- Only the "Basic functions" module is enabled. This is a separate module in the Company settings → Modules list, not a general name for the features. Any other enabled module takes the company out of the free conditions.
This is how it is described in the app itself: "If you use only basic functionality for one project and your team does not exceed 10 people, then all this functionality is provided to you absolutely free".
What happens when you go beyond the limits
The switch to a paid plan happens automatically, without separate consent and without stopping your work. Either of the two is enough:
- you enabled any module besides "Basic functions";
- the company now has more than 10 active employees.
Nothing is blocked and nothing disappears: the company simply starts counting as paid.
How the payment is calculated. You pay for every enabled module and for every employee — including those who fit within the free limits, and including "Basic functions" itself. It costs 1 dollar per month per employee; the prices of the other modules are listed in Company settings → Modules. Two examples:
- Eleven employees, only "Basic functions" enabled. You pay for it for all eleven — 11 dollars per month.
- Six employees, but one more module is enabled. You pay both for "Basic functions" for all six and for the second module — even though by the number of employees you fit within the free limits.
Important: the reverse transition is also possible. If you disable the extra modules and the number of employees no longer exceeds ten, the free usage conditions apply again.
How to tell that you are still within the free limits
- Count the employees yourself in the Employees section — there is no separate counter in the app.
- The number of projects — in the Projects section.
- The enabled modules — in Company settings → Modules. The price of each module is listed there as well.
Access rights
| Role | What they can do |
|---|---|
| Employee | Doesn't see the plan settings |
| Manager | Doesn't see the plan settings |
| Administrator | Sees the enabled modules and the list of employees |
| Owner | Full access, including billing |
Possible problems and solutions
| Problem | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| A bill appeared although nothing was purchased | A paid module is enabled or an eleventh employee was added | Open Company settings → Modules — it shows which modules are enabled. Count the employees yourself in the Employees section: there is no separate counter in the app |
| Enabled one module, but the bill also includes "Basic functions" | The payment is calculated for every enabled module and for every employee, including "Basic functions" itself | That's how billing works; to return to the free conditions, disable the extra module |
| The bill is higher than expected | The employee charges and the module prices add up | Count the active employees in the Employees section and check the list of enabled modules |
| A second project can't be created | One project is available under the free conditions | A second project switches the company to a paid plan |
| Disabled a module, but the bill remains | Billing is recalculated for the period in which the module was enabled | Wait for the next period |
FAQ
Question: Do I need to do anything to get the free plan? Answer: No. As long as the three conditions are met — one project, up to ten people, and only the "Basic functions" module enabled — usage is free.
Question: Is the free plan limited in time? Answer: No. It's not a trial period but permanent conditions.
Question: What is "Basic functions"? Answer: It's a separate module in the Company settings → Modules list. As long as only it is enabled, with one project and a team of no more than ten people, usage is free.
Question: What happens if I add an eleventh employee? Answer: The company will automatically switch to a paid plan. Work won't stop.
Question: How much does it cost if there are more than ten employees? Answer: 1 dollar per month for each employee. Enabled modules are paid on top of that, at their own prices.
Question: I enabled one module, but I only have six employees. What is the bill for? Answer: For every enabled module and for every employee. The bill will include both the new module and "Basic functions" at a dollar per month for each of the six.
Question: Can I return to the free conditions? Answer: Yes. Disable the extra modules, keep one project, and bring the number of employees down to ten or fewer.
Question: How many projects are available for free? Answer: One.
Question: Are dismissed employees counted? Answer: No, active company employees are counted.