Synchro

Overview

Synchro is physician coverage scheduling software for teams that need to account for availability and unequal shift burdens. It is especially compelling for hospital departments during the beta, when every feature is free with no department-user cap; outside that setting, its per-user fees call for a closer look at team size and billing term.

Key features

Automatic scheduling assigns shifts against team rules, weighting, and physician constraints. Nights, evenings, and weekends can carry different weights, and visible weighted totals give departments a more meaningful way to assess fairness than raw shift counts alone. That matters most where coverage burdens vary; teams that do not need weighted allocation may find this depth less central.

Physicians can submit preferences and unavailability in plain language, which Synchro converts into structured constraints. This gives clinicians a direct way to express scheduling needs, while the schedule remains bounded by the rules the team sets. When a physician releases a shift, an eligible colleague can claim it from an internal board; Synchro updates both the schedule and fairness counters, keeping the transfer reflected in distribution tracking.

Self-scheduling, availability management, open-shift handling, and shift templates support the broader scheduling workflow. Google Calendar sync is one-way; Apple Calendar and iCloud connect through an iCal URL. Those connections can keep calendars informed, but the Google integration does not sync changes both ways. CSV export is useful for analysis or archiving.

Synchro requires authentication, uses role-based access and automatic session timeouts, logs administrative actions, and retains daily backups for 30 days, according to its maker. It schedules professionals rather than storing patient data. It does not yet have externally audited SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certification, a meaningful consideration for organizations that require one.

Pricing

Hospital departments can use every feature for no cost throughout the hospital beta, with all department users included and no cap. For eligible departments, that removes the usual per-seat cost while the beta lasts; it is not a general free plan for other types of medical teams.

Family medicine groups can choose annual billing at C$10 a year, billed at $10 CAD per user per month once a year, or monthly billing at C$15 a month, billed at $15 CAD per user per month with no commitment. Both include every feature and a first month free. Annual billing lowers the monthly per-user rate but requires payment once a year; monthly billing costs more per user and avoids a commitment. The per-user structure makes team size relevant to either plan. Onboarding, training, and support are included, with onboarding offered onsite or by video call.

Platforms

Synchro runs on the web and offers a mobile-optimized web interface for iPhone and Android, rather than native apps to install. That keeps mobile access available without an app, but teams seeking native iOS or Android software should look elsewhere.

Who it's for

Synchro is aimed at hospital departments, family medicine groups, and medical clinics arranging physician coverage. Its weighted fairness counters and constraint handling suit teams balancing uneven shifts; the uncapped hospital beta is the strongest fit for departments able to use it. Teams that require an externally audited security certification or native mobile apps have clear reasons to consider another product.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Weighted shift totals make uneven night, evening, and weekend workloads visible.
• Pros: Internal shift claims update the schedule and fairness counters together.
• Pros: Hospital departments receive every feature without a user cap during the beta.
• Pros: Onboarding, training, and support are included in pricing.
• Cons: The mobile experience is web-based, with no native app to install.
• Cons: Google Calendar sync is one-way, and Apple Calendar or iCloud relies on an iCal URL.
• Cons: Synchro does not yet hold externally audited SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certification.

Alternatives

Browse Healthcare Staff Scheduling Software for more options across the category. CronShift is a freemium alternative with Android, iOS, and web access; its Starter plan includes status updates, though its feature details are unclear. RosterLab may suit teams looking for a free manual rostering tier with simple rule checks, dynamic statistics, colour-coded shifts, and an employee mobile app.

SimpleStaff is worth comparing for smaller teams: its free tier covers 15 team members and one team, with scheduling, shift swaps, time-off requests, and open-shift pickup. Infor Workforce Management is another paid workforce-management option. Lightning Bolt uses per-seat licenses, with additional licenses required when the number of scheduled individuals grows. Amion offers a Pro plan with up to 10 schedules and self-serve setup, as well as an Enterprise plan. HealthRota uses a usage-based fee model that can start with one department or expand trust-wide. Flexzo Rostering is another paid scheduling option.

Verdict

Synchro is a strong choice for physician teams that need constraints, weighted fairness, and orderly shift transfers, and its uncapped, all-feature hospital beta is especially attractive to departments that can use it. Family medicine groups get the same feature set at a per-user price, with a lower rate for annual billing. Look elsewhere if native mobile apps or externally audited SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certification are requirements.