Top 10 On-Call Scheduling Tools: Features, Pros, Cons and Comparison

Posted on February 21, 2026February 21, 2026 | by khushboo

Introduction

On-call scheduling tools are essential for managing teams responsible for responding to incidents and emergencies outside of regular business hours. These tools enable organizations to create and manage on-call rotations, alert team members when an incident occurs, and ensure that the right person is always available to address issues in real-time. With complex service infrastructures and 24/7 operational needs, an efficient on-call system is critical for maintaining system reliability and ensuring timely responses to incidents.

In today’s fast-paced, always-on world, businesses face growing pressures to ensure uptime and reliability. On-call scheduling tools allow teams to handle incidents, troubleshoot issues, and maintain system health around the clock, which is crucial for businesses relying on digital services. These tools provide visibility into team availability, simplify the scheduling process, and automate alerting workflows, making incident management much more efficient.

Common real-world use cases include managing on-call rotations, ensuring coverage for critical applications and services, alerting the right team members during outages, tracking on-call compliance, reducing burnout, and maintaining service-level agreements (SLAs).

What buyers should evaluate:

Flexibility of scheduling rotations (weekly, monthly, etc.)
Integration with incident management and monitoring tools
Alerting capabilities and escalation workflows
Mobile app support for real-time notifications
Coverage across different time zones and holidays
User interface and ease of use for non-technical users
Support for custom configurations, including shift patterns and exceptions
Reporting for compliance, overtime, and on-call analytics
Cost structure based on team size and usage
Security features, including role-based access control (RBAC)

Best for: IT operations teams, DevOps teams, site reliability engineers (SREs), and any team responsible for responding to critical system alerts and incidents.
Not ideal for: Small teams with limited on-call needs or organizations that do not require round-the-clock incident response.

Key Trends in On-Call Scheduling Tools

Increased integration with incident management platforms like PagerDuty and Opsgenie
Use of AI and automation to predict incident volume and optimize on-call schedules
Support for hybrid work environments with global on-call coverage
More mobile-first approaches for real-time notifications and updates
Greater emphasis on work-life balance with features that minimize on-call burnout
Improved reporting and analytics to monitor team performance and compliance
Integration with performance monitoring tools to alert the right person based on expertise
Increased focus on privacy and compliance features like audit logs and data masking
More customizable alerting and escalation workflows based on incident severity
Rise of cost-effective solutions for smaller teams and startups

How We Selected These Tools

Broad adoption across industries and teams with varying operational needs
Strong scheduling and alerting capabilities
Integration support with monitoring, incident management, and APM tools
Usability for both technical and non-technical team members
Scalability to support teams of all sizes and across time zones
Advanced reporting and compliance tracking for on-call management
Ability to manage complex shifts, on-call rotations, and exceptions
Security features such as RBAC, data protection, and secure authentication
Competitive pricing for different team sizes and needs
Documentation quality and customer support availability

Top 10 On-Call Scheduling Tools

1 — PagerDuty

PagerDuty is a popular incident management and on-call scheduling platform designed to help teams automate on-call rotations, incident notifications, and resolution workflows. It provides real-time alerts, escalations, and detailed analytics to ensure a smooth incident management process.

Key Features

Automated on-call scheduling and rotations
Real-time alerts and escalation workflows
Integration with monitoring and observability tools
Mobile app for on-the-go incident management
SLA tracking and compliance reporting
Customizable shift patterns and exceptions
Post-incident analysis and root cause tracking

Pros

Strong integration with observability and incident management platforms
Scalable to support large and complex on-call teams
Advanced reporting and post-incident analysis

Cons

Pricing can be expensive for smaller teams
Advanced configurations may require time to set up
Some advanced features are only available in higher plans

Platforms / Deployment

Web / Mobile
Cloud

Security and Compliance

RBAC, audit trails: Varies / Not publicly stated
Compliance certifications: Not publicly stated

Integrations and Ecosystem
PagerDuty integrates well with monitoring, alerting, and ticketing systems.

Integrates with Slack, Jira, Datadog, New Relic, and more
Supports multiple notification channels (email, SMS, voice)
APIs for automation and customization
Best for teams requiring advanced on-call management workflows

Support and Community
Strong support with comprehensive documentation and a large user community.

2 — Opsgenie

Opsgenie, part of Atlassian, provides on-call scheduling and alert management with powerful incident response features. Opsgenie offers integrations with popular monitoring, APM, and ITSM tools to provide seamless on-call and escalation management for teams.

Key Features

Flexible on-call scheduling and rota management
Automated alert routing and escalation policies
Integration with major monitoring and observability tools
Mobile app support for managing incidents on the go
Incident collaboration tools for team communication
Detailed reporting and SLA tracking
Dynamic scheduling to handle on-call exceptions

Pros

Flexible scheduling and escalation workflows
Seamless integration with Atlassian tools like Jira
Highly customizable and easy to scale

Cons

Can become expensive for large teams
Some features may require additional configuration for optimal use
Limited reporting features in basic plans

Platforms / Deployment

Web / Mobile
Cloud

Security and Compliance

RBAC, audit logs: Varies / Not publicly stated
Compliance certifications: Not publicly stated

Integrations and Ecosystem
Opsgenie integrates with a broad set of tools for incident response.

Integrates with Jira, Slack, ServiceNow, and more
Works well with monitoring tools like Datadog and New Relic
APIs for automation and integration with existing workflows

Support and Community
Atlassian’s strong support and active community are available for Opsgenie.

3 — Splunk On-Call (formerly VictorOps)

Splunk On-Call, formerly known as VictorOps, is an incident management tool with a strong focus on real-time on-call scheduling and escalation workflows. It helps teams coordinate and resolve incidents quickly, with features tailored for DevOps and IT operations teams.

Key Features

On-call rotation and scheduling management
Automated alerting and escalation rules
Integration with monitoring, logging, and observability platforms
Mobile app for on-the-go incident management
Collaboration tools for incident response teams
Customizable notification workflows based on severity
Incident analytics and reporting

Pros

Excellent integration with Splunk and other observability tools
Real-time collaboration features for teams during incidents
Easy setup for on-call rotation management

Cons

Best suited for teams using Splunk; integration with other tools may require extra configuration
Some advanced features are only available in higher-tier plans
Pricing can be higher for large teams or enterprise environments

Platforms / Deployment

Web / Mobile
Cloud

Security and Compliance

RBAC, audit visibility: Varies / Not publicly stated
Compliance certifications: Not publicly stated

Integrations and Ecosystem
Splunk On-Call fits teams using Splunk for monitoring and incident response.

Integrates with Slack, Datadog, Jira, and more
Provides advanced alert routing and escalation rules
API support for automation and workflow integration

Support and Community
Comprehensive support from Splunk, with active community forums.

4 — xMatters

xMatters is a communications-based incident management platform designed to automate incident detection, escalation, and resolution. It integrates with monitoring and observability tools to ensure that incidents are addressed by the right person in real-time.

Key Features

Automated alerting and escalation based on severity
Collaboration tools for real-time communication during incidents
Integration with ITSM and observability tools
On-call scheduling and rotation management
Mobile app for incident management and notifications
Customizable workflows and routing rules
Post-incident analytics and reporting

Pros

Strong integration capabilities with a broad range of tools
Excellent communication and collaboration during incidents
Customizable escalation policies and alert routing

Cons

Best suited for larger organizations or enterprise teams
Pricing may be high for smaller teams
Requires setup for optimal workflows and integrations

Platforms / Deployment

Web / Mobile
Cloud

Security and Compliance

RBAC, audit logs: Varies / Not publicly stated
Compliance certifications: Not publicly stated

Integrations and Ecosystem
xMatters integrates with a wide range of tools across ITSM, monitoring, and observability.

Integrates with Jira, ServiceNow, Slack, Datadog, and more
Provides incident workflows with routing and escalation
APIs available for custom automation and reporting

Support and Community
Vendor support is strong, with extensive documentation and community resources.

5 — OnPage

OnPage is a cloud-based on-call management platform designed for healthcare and IT organizations. It provides a streamlined process for on-call scheduling, alerting, and incident resolution, ensuring that critical issues are addressed quickly.

Key Features

On-call scheduling and shift management
Real-time alerting with escalation options
Mobile app for instant notifications and response
Integration with ITSM and monitoring tools
Incident response tracking and reporting
High-priority notification workflows
HIPAA-compliant for healthcare applications

Pros

Tailored for healthcare and IT operations teams
Strong mobile capabilities for real-time incident response
Simple setup for smaller teams and use cases

Cons

Best suited for smaller organizations with less complex workflows
Lacks some advanced features compared to enterprise tools
Limited integrations compared to larger platforms

Platforms / Deployment

Web / Mobile
Cloud

Security and Compliance

HIPAA-compliant, audit logs, SSO: Varies / Not publicly stated
Compliance certifications: HIPAA, SOC 2

Integrations and Ecosystem
OnPage integrates with healthcare IT systems and observability platforms.

Integrates with ServiceNow, Datadog, and more
Supports alert escalation and incident resolution workflows
API for custom integrations and automation

Support and Community
Strong support, especially for healthcare and IT organizations, with focused documentation.

6 — AlertOps

AlertOps provides incident management and on-call scheduling with powerful escalation policies, real-time communication tools, and detailed reporting. It helps teams manage incidents efficiently and provides visibility into incident response performance.

Key Features

Incident creation, tracking, and resolution workflows
On-call scheduling and automated escalation rules
Integration with monitoring and observability tools
Mobile support for incident management on-the-go
Post-incident reporting and root cause analysis
Customizable workflows and notification paths
SLA tracking for incident resolution

Pros

Advanced integration capabilities with monitoring systems
Customizable workflows for different types of incidents
Useful reporting and post-incident analytics

Cons

Can be complex for smaller teams or startups
Requires configuration for full feature use
Some advanced integrations are limited in basic plans

Platforms / Deployment

Web / Mobile
Cloud

Security and Compliance

RBAC, audit logs: Varies / Not publicly stated
Compliance certifications: Not publicly stated

Integrations and Ecosystem
AlertOps integrates with monitoring, APM, and communication tools.

Integrates with Datadog, New Relic, Slack, PagerDuty, and more
Provides alert routing and escalation capabilities
APIs available for custom automation and reporting

Support and Community
Strong support and helpful documentation for setup and customization.

7 — ServiceNow On-Call Scheduling

ServiceNow provides a comprehensive ITSM suite, including incident management and on-call scheduling. It is ideal for organizations already using ServiceNow for IT operations, offering seamless integration with other ITSM processes.

Key Features

On-call scheduling and shift management
SLA tracking for incident resolution
Integration with ServiceNow’s full ITSM suite
Real-time alerting and escalation workflows
Incident resolution and root cause analysis tracking
Reporting and dashboards for on-call compliance
Mobile access for on-call staff

Pros

Seamless integration with ServiceNow’s ITSM ecosystem
Customizable workflows and SLAs
Strong reporting and compliance features

Cons

More complex than other tools for smaller teams
Expensive for organizations not already using ServiceNow
Requires careful configuration for full use

Platforms / Deployment

Web
Cloud / On-premises

Security and Compliance

RBAC, audit trails: Varies / Not publicly stated
Compliance certifications: Not publicly stated

Integrations and Ecosystem
ServiceNow fits large organizations looking for a full ITSM suite.

Integrates with monitoring, ticketing, and communication tools
Full-featured ITSM with incident, problem, and change management
APIs for integration and customization

Support and Community
Extensive support and a large user community for best practices.

8 — Freshservice On-Call Scheduling

Freshservice offers IT service management with on-call scheduling as part of its suite. It is designed for IT teams looking to streamline incident resolution and improve response times.

Key Features

Automated on-call scheduling and rotation management
SLA tracking and ticketing for incidents
Integration with monitoring tools and incident workflows
Mobile app support for on-call staff
Reporting and root cause analysis capabilities
Collaboration tools for incident response teams

Pros

Easy setup and intuitive user interface
Strong integrations with ITSM tools
Affordable for small to mid-sized teams

Cons

Limited advanced incident tracking features
Customization options are less flexible compared to larger platforms
Some integrations require higher-tier plans

Platforms / Deployment

Web / Mobile
Cloud

Security and Compliance

RBAC, audit logs: Varies / Not publicly stated
Compliance certifications: Not publicly stated

Integrations and Ecosystem
Freshservice fits teams with an existing ITSM focus.

Integrates with Slack, ServiceNow, Jira, and more
Supports mobile workflows for on-call teams
APIs for automation and reporting

Support and Community
Strong documentation and community-driven resources.

9 — Shiftboard

Shiftboard is an easy-to-use workforce scheduling tool that helps teams manage on-call rotations, shift planning, and incident response schedules. It’s ideal for operations teams that need detailed visibility into on-call staff schedules.

Key Features

Shift scheduling and on-call rotation management
Integration with payroll and HR systems
Automated shift notifications and alerts
Real-time visibility into team availability
Mobile app for schedule access and incident alerts
Reporting for compliance, hours worked, and shift performance

Pros

Easy-to-use for basic scheduling needs
Great for teams with rotating shifts or flexible hours
Supports real-time availability tracking

Cons

Lacks deep integrations with incident management tools
Limited advanced features for larger teams
May not scale well for complex, global organizations

Platforms / Deployment

Web / Mobile
Cloud

Security and Compliance

Not publicly stated

Integrations and Ecosystem
Shiftboard works well for teams focused on shift management.

Integrates with HR and payroll tools
Can be paired with incident management tools for full visibility
Best for teams needing straightforward scheduling

Support and Community
Support is available, but documentation may not be as robust for advanced use cases.

10 — WhenToWork

WhenToWork is a simple scheduling tool that focuses on managing on-call rotations and shift planning. It is ideal for small to medium-sized teams that need a flexible solution without the complexity of larger platforms.

Key Features

Shift scheduling and on-call rotation management
Mobile access for shift notifications and schedule updates
Employee availability tracking and shift swaps
Reports for shift performance and hours worked
Customizable scheduling rules and exceptions

Pros

Affordable and easy to set up
Great for small to mid-sized teams with straightforward needs
User-friendly interface for shift management

Cons

Lacks advanced incident management features
Limited integrations with monitoring or observability tools
Less scalability for larger, global teams

Platforms / Deployment

Web / Mobile
Cloud

Security and Compliance

Not publicly stated

Integrations and Ecosystem
WhenToWork is best for teams that need basic on-call scheduling.

Can be paired with incident management tools manually
Simple setup with basic reporting features

Support and Community
Support is available, with documentation focusing on core scheduling features.

Comparison Table

Tool Name	Best For	Platform(s) Supported	Deployment	Standout Feature	Public Rating
PagerDuty	Complex on-call management	Web / Mobile	Cloud, Hybrid	Real-time alerting and escalation	N/A
Opsgenie	Flexible on-call scheduling	Web / Mobile	Cloud	Customizable workflows	N/A
ServiceNow ITSM	Enterprise ITSM	Web	Cloud / On-premises	Full ITSM suite with incident management	N/A
Splunk On-Call	Real-time incident management	Web / Mobile	Cloud	Integration with Splunk ecosystem	N/A
xMatters	Incident coordination	Web / Mobile	Cloud / Hybrid	Intelligent routing and incident escalation	N/A
Zendesk	Customer support teams	Web / Mobile	Cloud	Incident ticketing and customer support	N/A
Freshservice	ITSM and incident resolution	Web / Mobile	Cloud	ITIL-aligned workflows	N/A
Incident.io	Real-time incident management	Web / Mobile	Cloud	Real-time collaboration during incidents	N/A
Atlassian Jira Service Management	ITSM and agile incident management	Web	Cloud / Self-hosted	Seamless integration with Jira	N/A
AlertOps	Incident management automation	Web / Mobile	Cloud	Multi-channel alerting and escalation	N/A

Evaluation and Scoring of On-Call Scheduling Tools

Scores use a 1–10 scale per criterion and a weighted total using these weights: Core features 25%, Ease of use 15%, Integrations and ecosystem 15%, Security and compliance 10%, Performance and reliability 10%, Support and community 10%, Price and

value 15%. Scores are comparative estimates to help shortlist, but pilots are essential for real-world validation.

Tool Name	Core (25%)	Ease (15%)	Integrations (15%)	Security (10%)	Performance (10%)	Support (10%)	Value (15%)	Weighted Total
PagerDuty	9	8	10	8	9	8	6	8.45
Opsgenie	8	9	9	7	8	8	7	8.10
ServiceNow ITSM	10	7	10	9	9	9	5	8.35
Splunk On-Call	8	7	9	8	9	7	6	7.85
xMatters	8	8	9	7	8	8	7	7.90
Zendesk	7	9	8	6	7	8	8	7.50
Freshservice	8	8	7	7	7	7	8	7.50
Incident.io	8	9	8	7	8	9	7	7.80
Atlassian Jira Service Management	9	7	10	8	8	7	6	7.85
AlertOps	8	8	9	7	8	8	7	7.85

How to interpret the scores:

Higher Core favors stronger on-call scheduling, alerting, and escalation workflows
Higher Ease favors easier setup and user-friendly interfaces
Higher Integrations favors better connections to incident management and observability tools
Security reflects access controls, privacy settings, and data protection
Weighted Total is useful for shortlisting, but a real pilot is the best proof of fit

Which On-Call Scheduling Tool Is Right for You

Solo / Freelancer
If you’re working on small projects, tools like Zendesk or Freshservice are simple to use, affordable, and provide enough features for basic incident management. They offer straightforward scheduling and ticketing with an easy-to-navigate interface.

SMB
For SMBs, Opsgenie and Freshservice offer a good balance of features, ease of use, and price. Opsgenie’s flexible on-call management works well for growing teams, while Freshservice’s ITIL-aligned workflows can help streamline your incident management processes.

Mid-Market
Mid-market teams may need a bit more customization and advanced integrations. PagerDuty and xMatters are good options, offering flexible escalation policies and integrations with observability platforms like Datadog and New Relic. Incident.io provides strong real-time collaboration during incidents.

Enterprise
Enterprises often need more robust workflows and governance. ServiceNow ITSM and Splunk On-Call are ideal for large organizations with complex needs. They integrate with other ITSM and observability tools and provide scalability for managing incidents across different teams and geographies.

Budget vs Premium
For teams with a tight budget, Zendesk and Freshservice offer solid features without the complexity of enterprise solutions. Premium tools like PagerDuty and ServiceNow ITSM provide more advanced features but come at a higher price point.

Feature Depth vs Ease of Use
If ease of use is critical, Freshservice and Zendesk are great choices. However, if your team requires more complex workflows and integrations, PagerDuty and xMatters provide more advanced incident management capabilities.

Integrations and Scalability
Choose tools that integrate well with your existing incident management, monitoring, and observability tools. PagerDuty and Opsgenie provide strong integrations with monitoring platforms, while ServiceNow ITSM offers comprehensive ITSM capabilities for larger organizations.

Security and Compliance Needs
For teams with strong security and compliance requirements, ServiceNow ITSM and PagerDuty offer detailed role-based access control (RBAC) and auditing capabilities to meet governance standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is on-call scheduling?
On-call scheduling involves creating and managing schedules for team members who are responsible for responding to incidents outside regular business hours.
How do on-call scheduling tools help with incident management?
They ensure that the right person is alerted at the right time, improving response times and reducing downtime during incidents.
Can on-call scheduling tools integrate with monitoring tools?
Yes, many on-call scheduling tools integrate with monitoring platforms like Datadog, New Relic, and Prometheus to automatically trigger alerts and notifications during incidents.
What features should I look for in an on-call scheduling tool?
Look for customizable shift patterns, automated escalation workflows, integration with monitoring tools, mobile support, and reporting features.
How can on-call scheduling tools reduce burnout?
By automating schedules and ensuring fair distribution of shifts, these tools can help prevent team members from being overworked and reduce on-call fatigue.
How does alert escalation work in these tools?
When an alert is triggered, it is escalated to the next person in the on-call rotation if the first person does not acknowledge or resolve the incident within a specified timeframe.
What is the difference between on-call scheduling and incident management?
On-call scheduling focuses on organizing and managing shifts for incident response, while incident management involves tracking, resolving, and reporting on incidents.
Can I use on-call scheduling tools for non-technical teams?
Yes, on-call scheduling tools can be used for any team that needs to respond to incidents, including customer support, security, and IT operations teams.
How do I track on-call performance?
Many tools provide reporting features that allow you to track on-call compliance, response times, and shift performance.
How do I choose the best on-call scheduling tool?
Consider your team size, complexity, integrations with existing tools, and the pricing model. A pilot phase can help determine the tool that best fits your needs.

Conclusion

On-call scheduling tools are essential for ensuring a timely and organized response to incidents, reducing downtime, and improving overall system reliability. PagerDuty and Opsgenie are ideal for larger, more complex teams needing advanced workflows and integrations. Zendesk and Freshservice provide simple, cost-effective solutions for small to mid-sized teams, while ServiceNow ITSM and Splunk On-Call offer enterprise-level capabilities. A practical next step is to pilot two or three tools, set up realistic scenarios, and evaluate their ease of use, integration capabilities, and alerting effectiveness in your organization.