Best Employee Apps for Hospitality Businesses (2026)

An employee app for hospitality businesses is a phone app from a European vendor that connects hotel, restaurant and venue staff with head office and with each other through news, shift information, training and chat.

How we rank these tools — 4-step process
  1. 1
    European ownership, verified

    The company is headquartered and incorporated in the EU, EEA, the UK, Switzerland or Israel, and processes customer data in Europe or Israel. A US parent company disqualifies a tool from this page regardless of where its servers are.

  2. 2
    Category fit and hands-on review

    What the tool actually does, who it suits, and where it falls short — checked against the vendor’s own documentation, changelog and pricing page rather than its marketing copy.

  3. 3
    Compliance and pricing check

    GDPR posture, hosting location and the prices quoted on this page are verified against the vendor’s public pricing before publication, and re-checked when we revisit the category.

  4. 4
    Position on this page

    Placement on this page can be paid, and that can affect the order tools appear in. It never buys a listing: a tool that fails the checks above is not here at any price, and payment does not change the shortcomings we write about. A vendor can ask us to correct a factual error — not to remove a criticism.

Vendors can pay for visibility on this page. It never changes what an entry says about a product, including the criticism, and we earn nothing when you click through to a vendor. Vendors can pay for more visibility, higher up on the review pages; it never affects whether a tool is listed. Editorial policy

Editor Sebastiaan Smits

Published Last reviewed How we review

Key takeaways

  • Speakap ranks first because its hospitality page names Hotel Okura Amsterdam, Rank Group, Restaurant Company Europe and Puttshack UK, and covers instant updates, recognition and shift-cover messages in one app.
  • Shiftbase has the most open price table, with a free plan for up to 15 employees, and its pages list hotels and restaurants with the Vincent Hotel Group as a customer story.
  • Oak Engage names Five Guys, Burger King UK and Pizza Express on its hospitality page and lists AI translation into more than 127 languages, while Oneteam names hotel groups such as WestCord Hotels (1,500 or more employees, 16 locations) and asks for at least 100 users.
  • tamigo bills per location, from €15 a month on Essential, and describes retail and hospitality chains, restaurants and hotels.
  • CrewPlanner fits hospitality groups with flexible labour, but communication is a small part of it, and tamigo gives communication one line on its site.

Hotels and restaurants run on shifts, short notice and part-time staff, so the six tools here split into two kinds: communication apps (Speakap, Oak Engage, Oneteam) and rostering tools with a communication layer (Shiftbase, tamigo, CrewPlanner).

Every vendor on this page names hospitality as a sector on its own pages or in its customer stories, and we opened the Speakap, Oak Engage, Oneteam, Shiftbase and tamigo pages on 12 November 2026. The order weighs how well the tool reaches the whole workforce, how it handles shifts, and how openly it prices.

6 European frontline employee communication apps compared

PositionToolEstablishedEntry priceBest for
#1 Speakap Netherlands On request: a free demo first, then an offer based on needs; live in as little as 15 days after a contract is signed Hotel and restaurant groups that want news, recognition and onboarding in one app
#2 Shiftbase Netherlands Four tiers: Free (€0, 15 employees), Basic (€30 monthly with 6 staff, €4 for each further one), Premium (€72 with 12, €5 each further) and Enterprise (€336 with 48, €6 each further); a yearly contract takes 10% off; integrations need App Center+ at €20 a month Restaurants, cafes and hotels that want rosters, clocking and news with a visible price
#3 Oak Engage United Kingdom Quote on request; no price list published UK and Irish restaurant, pub and hotel groups with multilingual teams
#4 Oneteam Netherlands Three plans per user each month (€1.49, €2.99, €3.99), each with a floor of 100 users Hotel and restaurant groups with 100 or more staff across many locations
#5 tamigo Denmark Per site each month: Essential from €15, Standard from €30; Advanced and Premium are quoted individually Restaurant and hotel chains that staff each site with many part-timers
#6 CrewPlanner Belgium Monthly fee set by manager seats with no cap on employees: Essential €50 (1 manager), Classic €225 (3), Pro €900 (10); further managers cost €50, €75 or €90 depending on tier; guided onboarding is €490 extra Hospitality and event companies that work with flexible and temporary staff

The 6 tools reviewed

#1 Speakap

Amsterdam, Netherlands Founded 2011 On request: a free demo first, then an offer based on needs; live in as little as 15 days after a contract is signed Free demo, then an offer

Best for: Hotel and restaurant groups that want news, recognition and onboarding in one app

  • Operating company. Speakap B.V.
  • Jurisdiction. EU (Netherlands)
  • Where the data sits. Per its security page, data sits in a Speakap data centre in either the EU or the US, with no transfer between the two
  • Independent checks. ISO 27001:2013 stated by Speakap, with GDPR measures
  • Source code. Closed source
  • Replaces. SharePoint intranets, WhatsApp groups

Speakap, from Speakap B.V. in Amsterdam, publishes a hospitality page that lists Hotel Okura Amsterdam, Rank Group, Restaurant Company Europe, Puttshack UK and Pura Vida Miami. The Okura HR manager says the main gain was the speed at which last-minute changes to event schedules and special guest requests reach the relevant teams. The page also covers recognition and messages such as a request to cover a shift.

Speakap does not build rosters, but its home page lists integrations with scheduling, HR, payroll and learning tools. Pricing is a quote on three plans, auto-translation to more than 100 languages starts on Premium, and journeys and task management need Premium Plus. The hospitality page cites that the sector loses up to 75 percent of its workforce yearly, a figure we have not checked.

What Speakap does well

  • Hospitality page with named hotel and restaurant customers
  • News with read acknowledgement, recognition and events
  • Auto-translation on Premium for international teams
  • Onboarding journeys and tasks on the top plan

Where Speakap falls short

  • No roster of its own
  • Quote-only pricing
  • EU or US data centre to confirm
  • Sector statistics on its page are not verified

Standout feature. Hotel and restaurant customers named on its own hospitality page, with a manager describing last-minute updates.

Read the full Speakap review Visit Speakap

#2 Shiftbase

Zoetermeer, Netherlands Four tiers: Free (€0, 15 employees), Basic (€30 monthly with 6 staff, €4 for each further one), Premium (€72 with 12, €5 each further) and Enterprise (€336 with 48, €6 each further); a yearly contract takes 10% off; integrations need App Center+ at €20 a month Showing arranged on request by the vendor

Best for: Restaurants, cafes and hotels that want rosters, clocking and news with a visible price

  • Operating company. Shiftbase B.V.
  • Jurisdiction. EU (Netherlands)
  • Where the data sits. Per its trust page, an EU location on Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud
  • Source code. Closed source
  • Replaces. Deputy, When I Work, Homebase

Shiftbase, from Zoetermeer, has industry pages for restaurants and hotels and a customer story from the Vincent Hotel Group. It covers rosters, time registration, absence and payroll preparation, with mobile apps for clocking in, swapping shifts and asking for leave. The Free plan includes news messages for 15 employees in one department, and chat is early access.

Prices are published: Free at €0, Basic at €30 a month with six staff and €4 for each further one, Premium at €72 with 12 and €5 each further, according to our tool page. Payroll links to AFAS, Nmbrs, Loket, Exact Online and SD Worx cost €20 a month more on lower plans. Hosting is on Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud in the EU.

What Shiftbase does well

  • Free plan and a full price table
  • Rosters, clocking and absence on the phone
  • Pages for restaurants and hotels
  • Auto-scheduling with reasons shown

Where Shiftbase falls short

  • Communication is news only on the Free plan
  • Chat is early access
  • US cloud providers in the EU
  • Payroll links cost extra on lower plans

Standout feature. The only tool here that shows a free plan and a full price table next to hospitality pages.

Read the full Shiftbase review Visit Shiftbase

#3 Oak Engage

Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom Founded 2017 Quote on request; no price list published No free trial stated; demo on request

Best for: UK and Irish restaurant, pub and hotel groups with multilingual teams

  • Operating company. Oak Engage Limited
  • Jurisdiction. United Kingdom (adequacy decision, outside the EEA)
  • Where the data sits. Microsoft Azure; region and subprocessors not stated on the pages read
  • Independent checks. ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus stated on the homepage
  • Source code. Closed source
  • Replaces. Workvivo

Oak Engage, from Newcastle upon Tyne, has a hospitality page that describes a mobile-first intranet for chefs, front of house and housekeeping, with updates, training, information and group chats and no desk or email required. It names Five Guys, Burger King UK and Pizza Express among its hospitality brands. AI translation into more than 127 languages and AI search for staff questions are listed, with AI content suggestions for last-minute changes.

An App Launcher puts rotas, payslips, HR tools and uniform ordering behind one login, which makes Oak a front door to a roster tool rather than a roster itself. ISO 27001 is stated, hosting is Microsoft Azure with no region named, and pricing is a quote request. The UK sits outside the EEA under an adequacy decision.

What Oak Engage does well

  • Hospitality page with named restaurant brands
  • AI translation into more than 127 languages
  • App Launcher for rotas, payslips and HR tools
  • ISO 27001 stated

Where Oak Engage falls short

  • No roster of its own
  • No published price and no trial
  • Azure region not stated
  • UK, outside the EEA

Standout feature. Built-in AI translation for kitchen and front-of-house teams who share no common language.

Read the full Oak Engage review Visit Oak Engage

#4 Oneteam

Rotterdam, Netherlands Three plans per user each month (€1.49, €2.99, €3.99), each with a floor of 100 users Showing arranged on request by the vendor

Best for: Hotel and restaurant groups with 100 or more staff across many locations

  • Operating company. Oneteam B.V.
  • Jurisdiction. EU (Netherlands)
  • Where the data sits. Processing inside the European Union per the privacy policy; no hosting provider named
  • Source code. Closed source

Oneteam, from Rotterdam, has a hospitality page that opens with the line that engaged service teams deliver better results, and its customer list includes WestCord Hotels, Amrath Hotels, Stayokay and Dudok Horeca. A customer quote on the page says only about 20 percent of staff could be reached before, because the rest lacked a business email address, and over 90 percent are reached now. Customer statements are not audited.

The app sorts chat by team, shift and location, adds forms, checklists, onboarding journeys, short courses and surveys, and integrates with Quinyx, Shiftbase, Tamigo and others for rosters. Prices are €1.49, €2.99 and €3.99 per user per month with a 100-user minimum, and integrations carry one-time charges.

What Oneteam does well

  • Hospitality page with hotel group customers
  • Chat by team, shift and location
  • Roster integrations including Shiftbase, Quinyx and Tamigo
  • Published prices

Where Oneteam falls short

  • 100-user minimum
  • One-time charges for integrations
  • Hosting provider and certifications not named
  • Reach figures are customer statements

Standout feature. Hotel groups such as WestCord Hotels, with 16 locations, on its customer list.

Read the full Oneteam review Visit Oneteam

#5 tamigo

Copenhagen, Denmark Founded 2006 Per site each month: Essential from €15, Standard from €30; Advanced and Premium are quoted individually Showing arranged on request by the vendor

Best for: Restaurant and hotel chains that staff each site with many part-timers

  • Operating company. tamigo ApS
  • Jurisdiction. EU (Denmark)
  • Where the data sits. Stated by tamigo as EU-only hosting; provider unnamed
  • Source code. Closed source
  • Replaces. Deputy, UKG, When I Work

tamigo, from Copenhagen, describes workforce management for retail and hospitality chains, restaurants and hotels, with hotel technology content on its site. Essential covers simple rosters, timesheets, leave and a payroll export, Standard adds shift bids and exchanges and the mobile time clock, and Advanced adds templates, a time bank and API access.

Communication gets one line on its site, which is why it ranks fourth. Prices are per location: Essential from €15 and Standard from €30 a month, with Advanced and Premium quoted. EU hosting is stated on its trust centre without a provider, and no certificate is listed.

What tamigo does well

  • Pricing per location
  • Shift bids and exchanges
  • Payroll connectors including ADP, DATEV and Visma
  • Hotel and restaurant content on its site

Where tamigo falls short

  • Communication is a single line
  • Advanced and Premium by quote
  • No certificate listed
  • Hosting provider not named

Standout feature. The bill follows the number of sites, not the number of staff.

Read the full tamigo review Visit tamigo

#6 CrewPlanner

Antwerp, Belgium Monthly fee set by manager seats with no cap on employees: Essential €50 (1 manager), Classic €225 (3), Pro €900 (10); further managers cost €50, €75 or €90 depending on tier; guided onboarding is €490 extra Showing arranged on request by the vendor

Best for: Hospitality and event companies that work with flexible and temporary staff

  • Operating company. CrewPlanner BV
  • Jurisdiction. EU (Belgium)
  • Source code. Closed source
  • Replaces. Deputy, When I Work, Planday

CrewPlanner, from Antwerp, targets sectors with flexible labour such as hospitality, events and staffing agencies. Planners sign up workers, store contracts and documents, build rosters, register hours and handle pay-outs and invoices. All plans have the employee app, and chat, SMS alerts and gamification arrive with Classic.

Fees follow managers, not staff: €50 for one manager on Essential, €225 for three on Classic, €900 for ten on Pro. The founder worked as a hospitality planner, per the about page. Assisted onboarding costs €490, and neither a hosting location nor a certificate is named. A hospitality group with many shift leaders pays for every manager seat.

What CrewPlanner does well

  • Unlimited employees on every plan
  • Contracts, documents and pay-outs for flexible staff
  • Founded by a hospitality planner
  • Links to Dimona and Belgian payroll providers

Where CrewPlanner falls short

  • The bill grows with managers
  • €490 assisted onboarding
  • No self-serve trial
  • No hosting location or certificate named

Standout feature. Built around flexible workers, with contracts and Dimona declarations.

Read the full CrewPlanner review Visit CrewPlanner

Do hotels and restaurants need a communication app or a rostering tool?

Start with the daily pain. If it is who works when and who covers a sick call, a rostering tool such as Shiftbase, tamigo or CrewPlanner is the first buy, and news can ride along. If it is that most staff never see head office messages, a communication app such as Speakap or Oneteam fits.

Larger groups often run both and connect them: Oneteam lists connectors to Shiftbase, Quinyx and Tamigo, Oak Engage opens rotas through its App Launcher, and Speakap lists scheduling integrations on its home page.

How do you pick for seasonal and agency staff?

CrewPlanner is built for flexible and temporary workers and prices by manager, so adding temporary staff does not add cost. Shiftbase's Free plan covers 15 employees in one department, which fits a single venue.

In communication apps, check how invitations work for people on short contracts. Oneteam charges per user with a 100-user floor, and Speakap quotes.

What does it cost to try?

Shiftbase publishes a Free plan and a 14-day trial of paid plans, CrewPlanner starts with a demo, and tamigo offers a free trial of Essential and Standard with no length stated. Speakap starts with a free demo, Oak Engage with a quote request, and Oneteam arranges a showing.

Budget for set-up too: Oneteam charges €500 for an existing integration partner and €2,500 for a new one, and CrewPlanner charges €490 for assisted onboarding.

Where is staff data held?

Shiftbase runs on Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud in an EU location, and tamigo and Oneteam promise EU processing without naming a provider. Speakap offers an EU or a US data centre with no transfer between them.

Rosters and personal messages of hourly staff are personal data, so ask each vendor for its subprocessor list and sign the EU option in the contract.

How we selected and ranked these 6 tools

Every tool on this page is in the European Purpose directory, which means the operating company is established in Europe and we have verified that from the company register or the vendor's own legal notice rather than from a marketing page. Tools headquartered outside Europe are not eligible, however good they are.

  1. Feature verification (weight: 40%). We check each capability against the vendor's own documentation and product pages, and record what the tool does rather than what the category is assumed to include.
  2. Ease of adoption (weight: 30%). Integrations, published API access, trial availability and how much configuration stands between signing and a usable result.
  3. Value and transparency (weight: 30%). Published pricing counts in a vendor's favour; quote-only pricing is recorded as quote-only rather than estimated. We weigh what a buyer gets for the entry price, not the headline feature count.
  4. Editorial review. Every page is researched and drafted with AI assistance, and the compliance and pricing claims are checked against the vendor's documentation before it is published under the founder's editorial responsibility. The three weights above decide the order; a position is a ranking against the other European tools in this category, not an absolute score.

Vendor-reported outcomes — ROI figures, margin uplift, time saved — are labelled as vendor claims wherever they appear on this page. We have not audited them, and neither has anyone else who quotes them. Read our full editorial process for how pages are re-verified.

Frequently asked questions

Speakap ranks first because its hospitality page lists hotel and restaurant customers and covers news, recognition, onboarding and shift-cover messages in one app. Shiftbase is the better start if the roster is the main problem and the price must be visible, Oak Engage suits multilingual teams, and Oneteam suits hotel groups with 100 or more staff.

On its own pages Oneteam names WestCord Hotels, Amrath Hotels, Stayokay and Dudok Horeca. Speakap names Hotel Okura Amsterdam, Rank Group, Restaurant Company Europe, Puttshack UK and Pura Vida Miami, and Oak Engage names Five Guys, Burger King UK and Pizza Express. These are vendor-published customer lists.

Shiftbase has a Free plan at €0 for up to 15 employees in one department and five teams, including news messages. Teamwire and Threema offer paid messengers at low prices, but neither is aimed at hospitality.

Speakap, Oak Engage and Oneteam replace the group with controlled news, chat and acknowledgements. Shiftbase handles shift swaps and cover requests inside the roster, and CrewPlanner adds chat and SMS alerts from Classic. A free group chat stays with the company only if the app is the place where shifts are agreed.

No. Speakap is a communication and engagement app, and its home page lists integrations with HR, payroll, scheduling and learning tools. Pair it with a roster tool if you need shift planning.

tamigo prices per location from €15 a month, so cost follows sites, and Oneteam has customers with 31 to 110 locations. Compare cost per active worker per year rather than the headline price.

Related comparisons

More buying guides