Floatapp

What is float

Float is a dedicated resource planning and team scheduling application that provides a visual calendar for allocating people to projects, tracking capacity, and managing time off. It centralizes assignments, enables drag-and-drop scheduling, and surfaces availability across teams so managers can make informed staffing decisions. Float is built for teams that run project-based work—digital agencies, professional services, product teams, and studios where balancing utilization and deadlines is critical.

The product focuses on clarity and speed: timelines and boards are designed to show who is booked when, what percentage of a person's time is allocated, and where gaps or overallocations exist. It integrates with common project management and time-tracking systems so scheduled work maps back to actual tracked hours. Float is delivered as a web app with native mobile support for iOS and Android, and it offers collaboration features like comments and simple notifications to keep people aligned on assignments.

Adoption scenarios range from small teams managing a handful of consultants to larger organizations coordinating dozens of people across many concurrent projects. The visual planning model is particularly helpful for agencies that need to balance client work, internal projects, and individual availability while avoiding double-booking and last-minute staffing problems.

Float features

Float's core feature set centers on scheduling, visibility, and lightweight reporting. The interface provides a timeline view for teams and projects, and each feature is designed to reduce the manual effort of keeping calendars and spreadsheets in sync.

Key features include:

• Visual timeline and calendar: Drag-and-drop scheduling for people, projects, and tasks with day, week, and month views.
• Capacity and availability indicators: Color-coded utilization that highlights overbookings and free capacity.
• Time off and holidays: Built-in support for vacations, public holidays, custom working hours, and partial-day availability.
• People and role management: Grouping by team, role, or location to quickly assign the right skills to work.
• Task-level breakdowns: Assignments can be tied to specific tasks or project phases, with estimated hours per assignment.
• Reporting and utilization analytics: Summary reports on utilization, project allocation, and historical capacity for planning conversations.
• Integrations and calendar sync: Two-way sync with Google Calendar and Outlook, plus connectors to project and time-tracking tools.

Float also provides collaboration tools such as commenting on assignments and simple notifications so stakeholders know when schedules change. Admin controls let managers lock bookings, set default work hours, and configure approval flows for large teams.

What does float do?

Float maps people to work across time so teams can see who is allocated and who is available. It replaces spreadsheets and manual calendars with a single source of truth for scheduling, showing both current assignments and future plans in an easy-to-scan timeline.

Managers use Float to schedule staff across multiple projects, plan staffing for upcoming sprints or campaign windows, and model the impact of time off or new work. Individual contributors use it to see what they'll be working on, request time off, and understand how their workload changes week to week.

The application also helps with capacity planning: by capturing estimated hours on assignments, Float calculates utilization percentages that inform hiring decisions, contractor needs, or reprioritization of work. Because it integrates with commonly used tools, scheduled assignments can be reconciled with actual tracked time for post-project analysis and billing accuracy.

Float pricing

Float offers these pricing plans:

• Starter: $5/month per user when billed annually; $6/month per user when billed monthly. Core scheduling, time off, and calendar sync for small teams.
• Professional: $10/month per user when billed annually; $12/month per user when billed monthly. Adds reporting, advanced permissions, and more integrations for growing teams.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for large organizations with SSO, dedicated support, and advanced security and compliance requirements.

Float commonly provides a free trial period for new accounts so teams can evaluate the product before committing. Check Float's current pricing for the latest rates, promotions, and enterprise options.

How much is float per month

Float starts at $5/month per user when billed annually for the Starter tier. Monthly billing is typically available at a slightly higher per-user rate (for example, $6/month per user) for customers who prefer month-to-month commitments rather than annual billing.

Beyond the Starter tier, mid-level plans that include reporting, integrations, and advanced permissions commonly fall in the $10–$15/month per user range when billed annually. Enterprise customers are quoted custom fees based on scale and required services.

How much is float per year

Float costs $60/year per user for the Starter plan when billed annually at $5/month per user. Annual billing is the most cost-effective option and is commonly used by teams that plan to run scheduling continuously.

Professional-level plans billed annually would typically cost in the $120–$180/year per user range depending on the specific features and any volume discounts negotiated with sales. Enterprise pricing is determined case-by-case and often includes commitments, onboarding fees, and optional professional services.

How much is float in general

Float pricing ranges from $5 to $15+/month per user. Smaller teams can expect to pay at the lower end for basic scheduling and calendar sync, while larger teams or teams that need reporting, advanced permissions, and enterprise security will move toward higher per-user rates or custom enterprise contracts.

When estimating budget, include costs such as setup or migration time, potential professional services for larger rollouts, and any required integrations with other business systems. For the most current pricing and any promotional offers, consult Float's pricing details.

What is float used for

Float is used for resource planning, staff scheduling, and visibility into who is working on what and when. It is particularly useful for organizations that run multiple concurrent projects and need to balance limited team capacity across client work and internal initiatives.

Primary use cases include short-term scheduling for week-to-week assignments, mid-term capacity planning for staff utilization across a quarter, and long-term hiring projections based on forecasted demand. Teams also use Float to coordinate vacations and part-time schedules so project managers can make realistic promises to stakeholders.

Other common uses are: staffing for client proposals (quickly showing available people for a project window), optimizing utilization to avoid burnout, and creating simple, exportable reports for finance or leadership to support billing and forecasting conversations.

Pros and cons of float

Pros:

• Visual, easy-to-read timeline that reduces spreadsheet dependency and manual scheduling errors.
• Quick drag-and-drop scheduling and capacity indicators that make it simple to identify overallocations and free capacity.
• Lightweight integrations with calendars and project/time-tracking tools to keep schedules aligned with tracked work.
• Configurable working hours and time-offs that support part-time and flexible arrangements.

Cons:

• Not a full-featured project management suite—Float is focused on resource planning rather than task-level project tracking, so teams will still need a PM tool for task workflows.
• Reporting is intentionally lightweight; organizations that need deep analytics may require supplemental BI or time-tracking systems.
• Enterprise-level controls (SSO, advanced permissions, audit logs) are typically reserved for the highest tier, which means smaller teams get a simpler feature set.
• Some teams must configure multiple integrations to maintain parity between scheduled work and actual tracked time, which can add setup and maintenance overhead.

Float free trial

Float typically offers a trial period for new accounts so teams can test scheduling workflows and integrations before purchasing. The trial includes core scheduling features, capacity visualization, and calendar sync so you can validate real-world scenarios like managing holidays, partial days, and cross-project allocations.

During the trial you can invite teammates, import projects or people, and connect calendar integrations to see how Float maps planned work to existing calendars and tracked time. Trials are useful for demonstrating the product’s fit to stakeholders and for testing common workflows such as approving time off and reallocating resources when plans change.

To start a trial or see current trial lengths and conditions, view Float's sign-up and trial information.

Is float free

No, Float is not permanently free for most teams. Float usually provides a time-limited free trial for new users, but ongoing usage requires a paid subscription. Small evaluations and proof-of-concepts can be done in the trial period, after which teams choose a paid tier or enterprise agreement based on scale and security needs.

Float API

Float exposes developer interfaces that allow programmatic access to schedules, people, projects, assignments, and availability. The API enables automation of common tasks such as bulk imports, syncing assignments from a project management system, exporting utilization data for reporting, or building custom dashboards that combine Float data with other business metrics.

Typical API capabilities include REST endpoints for reading and writing bookings, endpoints for people and project metadata, and webhook support to notify external systems when schedules change. Authentication is commonly handled through API keys or OAuth flows depending on the integration type and the level of access required.

For developer details, rate limits, and sample integrations, consult Float's developer documentation and API reference.

10 float alternatives

• Resource Guru — A dedicated resource scheduling app with a strong focus on simplicity and utilization tracking.
• Mavenlink — Combines project management and resource planning with financial controls for professional services teams.
• Smartsheet — Flexible work and project management platform that can be configured for resource scheduling with sheets and dashboards.
• Asana — Project and work management solution that supports basic workload views and integrations with dedicated resource tools.
• Trello — Kanban-based tool that can be extended with power-ups for calendar and scheduling use cases.
• Teamwork — Project management suite with built-in resource scheduling and time-tracking features.
• Harvest — Primarily a time-tracking and invoicing tool that pairs well with separate scheduling apps for billable hours alignment.
• Wrike — Offers workload and capacity views alongside project timelines for mid-market teams.
• Forecast — Combines resource planning with project and financial forecasting in one product.
• Hub Planner — Strong resource management and scheduling tool focused on utilization and reporting.

Paid alternatives to float

• Resource Guru: Paid plans start with per-user pricing and emphasize quick scheduling, capacity views, and leave management for teams that need a simple replacement for spreadsheets.
• Mavenlink: Targeted at professional services teams with a heavier emphasis on financials, forecasting, and resource allocation tied to billing.
• Smartsheet: Paid tiers offer more configurability for enterprise use, letting organizations build bespoke resource trackers and dashboards.
• Wrike: Paid plans include workload and resource management, Gantt timelines, and advanced integrations for larger teams.
• Forecast: Paid offering that tightly couples resource planning with project budgets and forecasting for agencies and consultancies.

Open source alternatives to float

• OpenProject: An open source project management system with scheduling modules and resource planning extensions suitable for teams that want on-premise control.
• ERPNext: Open source ERP that includes project and resource planning modules; suitable when resource scheduling needs to tie into broader business processes.
• Odoo (Community): Modular open source suite where scheduling can be added via project and timesheet modules for a self-hosted solution.
• Redmine + plugins: Redmine with resource management plugins can be used for simple scheduling and availability tracking in an open source stack.
• Kimai: While primarily a time-tracking system, Kimai can be extended with scheduling plugins and integrations to approximate resource planning for smaller teams.

Frequently asked questions about Float

What is Float used for?

Float is used for resource planning and team scheduling. Teams use it to assign people to projects, visualize capacity, manage time off, and avoid overbooking. It provides a single timeline that helps project managers balance workload and make staffing decisions.

Does Float integrate with Google Calendar?

Yes, Float supports two-way Google Calendar syncing. You can sync user calendars to ensure personal events and existing appointments are visible alongside scheduled assignments, reducing double-bookings and keeping everyone aligned.

How much does Float cost per user per month?

Float starts at $5/month per user when billed annually for the Starter tier, with higher tiers in the $10–$15/month per user range depending on added features and support. Enterprise pricing is custom and depends on scale and requirements.

Is there a free version of Float?

Float does not offer an ongoing free tier for most teams. The company commonly provides a free trial period so organizations can evaluate scheduling workflows before subscribing to a paid plan.

Can Float handle part-time schedules and custom working hours?

Yes, Float supports part-time schedules and custom working hours. You can define different daily or weekly availability for individuals, handle fractional-day bookings, and set recurring working patterns for accurate capacity calculations.

Does Float integrate with Slack?

Yes, Float provides Slack integration options. Integrations typically allow notifications for schedule changes, time-off requests, and booking updates to be sent to Slack channels to keep teams informed without leaving their communication flow.

Is there an API for Float?

Yes, Float offers a developer API and webhooks. The API allows programmatic access to people, projects, bookings, and availability so teams can automate imports/exports, sync with PM or finance systems, and build custom dashboards. See Float's developer documentation and API reference for specifics.

Can I import data from Excel or CSV into Float?

Yes, Float supports importing people and project data via CSV. Import tools let you seed a schedule with existing assignments and user lists so you can get a working timeline quickly when migrating from spreadsheets.

How secure is Float for enterprise use?

Float offers enterprise-grade security options at higher tiers. Typical protections include HTTPS encryption, role-based access controls, SSO support for identity management on Enterprise plans, and options for stricter admin controls. For specific certifications and compliance details, review Float's security and enterprise features.

What reporting capabilities does Float provide?

Float provides utilization and allocation reports suitable for operational planning. Reports summarize booked hours, utilization by person or team, and project allocation over custom date ranges. For more advanced analytics, companies often export Float data to BI tools or pair Float with dedicated time-tracking systems.

float careers

Float hires across product, engineering, and customer-facing roles for teams focused on UX-driven scheduling and SaaS operations. Look for openings in product design, front-end and back-end engineering, customer success, and marketing. For current listings and recruiter contact information, view Float's careers pages on their site or company profiles on job boards.

float affiliate

Float does not commonly run a public affiliate program in the same way as consumer SaaS vendors, but they do maintain partner relationships with agencies and implementation partners for large rollouts. For partnership inquiries or reseller information, contact Float's sales or partnerships team through their website.

Where to find float reviews

Independent reviews for Float are available on software comparison sites and review aggregators where customers describe real-world use cases, pros and cons, and implementation experience. For third-party perspectives, search for Float reviews on major review platforms and read case studies and customer testimonials on Float's website to see example deployments and ROI summaries.