Switch from TimeTabler to Academic Scheduler
TimeTabler is a deep, well-respected Windows program with more than 40 years of development and 2,200+ schools, most of them in the UK. Academic Scheduler takes a lighter route: one cloud app that runs in any browser and on phones, from $10/month, with a 14-day free trial and no credit card.
A browser-based TimeTabler alternative with published monthly pricing
Why schools look for a TimeTabler alternative
TimeTabler is a genuinely strong product, especially for UK secondary schools. These are the practical reasons it doesn't suit every school.
It's a Windows desktop program
TimeTabler runs on Windows PCs and laptops (Vista through Windows 11). Mac and Linux users run it through Parallels or a similar emulator, and the timetable lives on the machine where it was built rather than in a browser.
No price list on the website
TimeTabler doesn't publish its prices online. New customers order through a form or by email, and multi-academy trusts get a quote. Its own FAQ describes a new purchase as roughly three days' pay for a senior teacher.
An annual licence that renews every February
After the first purchase, TimeTabler needs an annual licence fee, and all TimeTabler licences are synchronised to expire in February. Options and StaffCover are separate programs on their own renewal dates (December and September).
Built for experienced timetablers
Curriculum diagrams, combing charts, staff deployment analysis and a conflict matrix are powerful, but they assume timetabling know-how. TimeTabler offers Gold-Start support, training courses, webinars and a book because many schools need them.
What Academic Scheduler does differently
Four areas where we've made different choices.
Runs in any browser, including phones
There's nothing to install and no Windows PC or emulator to keep running. Build and view timetables from any device, and share them with staff through password-protected read-only links and QR codes.
- Works in any modern browser and on phones
- Password-protected share links and QR codes
- Google sign-in and English or French interface
Published monthly pricing
Basic, Pro and Premium are listed with exact prices on our pricing page. You pay monthly, there's no quote to request, and there's no yearly licence date to work around.
- Basic $10/mo · Pro $15/mo · Premium $20/mo
- Monthly plans, no annual licence cycle
- 14-day free trial, no credit card
Timetable, cover and exams in one app
TimeTabler splits timetabling, option choices and staff cover across three programs. In Academic Scheduler, the timetable, substitution and exam timetables sit in the same app, depending on your plan.
- Substitution shows free teachers per period, same-subject first
- One-click email to the covering teacher
- Exam timetables with exam types, date ranges and PDF export
Simple setup with clash checks built in
Add periods, subjects, teachers (with allowed subjects and availability) and classes with weekly lessons per subject. Edit Mode blocks teacher double-booking and weekly subject limits, and AI fill can suggest lessons for empty periods for you to review before saving.
- Teacher double-booking blocked in Edit Mode
- AI fill of empty periods (plan feature, review before save)
- Copy last year into a new academic session
Academic Scheduler vs TimeTabler: Feature by Feature
| Feature | Academic Scheduler | TimeTabler |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing published publicly | Yes | No, order form or quote |
| Licence model | Monthly subscription | Purchase + annual licence (renews in February) |
| Free trial | 14 days, full access, no card | Free tutorial version (teacher names locked) |
| Platform | Any browser and phones | Windows desktop (Mac via Parallels) |
| Offline / desktop use | No | Yes |
| Rooms and room clash checks | No | Yes (up to 250 rooms) |
| Curriculum planning tools (curriculum diagram, combing charts, staff deployment) | No | Yes |
| Student option choices | No | Yes (separate Options program) |
| Cover for absent teachers | Yes (built in) | Yes (separate StaffCover program) |
| Export to UK MIS (SIMS, Arbor, Bromcom, iSAMS) | No | Yes, official file links |
| Import basic data from MIS or other software | No | Yes |
| Share timetable online | Password-protected link + QR code | Printouts as web pages |
| Multi-school / multi-branch use | Yes, organisation login | Yes, MAT pricing by quote |
| Track record | 350+ schools | 2,200+ schools, 40+ years |
A published monthly price vs a licence and an order form
Academic Scheduler costs $10–$20/month, listed publicly, with a 14-day free trial. TimeTabler is bought through an order form and then renewed with an annual licence fee each February, and its prices aren't listed on its website.
- Unlimited schedule generation
- Conflict & clash detection
- PDF & Excel export
- Secure shareable links
- Everything in Basic
- Collaborative sharing
- Substitution management
- Priority support
- Everything in Pro
- Exam timetable creation
- Exam clash prevention
- Analytics dashboard
TimeTabler: TimeTabler does not publish prices on its website. New customers order through an order form (in GBP, other currencies by email), Gold-Start support is included for the first 12 months, and an annual licence fee is due each February to keep using the software. Its FAQ describes a new purchase as roughly three days' pay for a senior teacher, and multi-academy trusts get special pricing by quote. Options and StaffCover are separate programs with their own licences (as listed on timetabler.com, October 2026).
Switch from TimeTabler to Academic Scheduler in 3 steps
Start your free trial
Sign up in your browser with email or Google. You get 14 days of full access with no credit card, and nothing to install.
Re-enter your school data
There's no import from TimeTabler or spreadsheets, so you add periods, subjects, teachers and classes through our setup screens. Keep your TimeTabler printouts open as a reference while you type.
Build and share your timetable
Fill the timetable in Edit Mode with clash checks, or let AI fill empty periods and review them before saving. Then share it with a password-protected link or QR code, or export to PDF and Excel.
No credit card required · 14-day free trial · Cancel anytime
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about switching from TimeTabler to Academic Scheduler.
Ready to Make the Switch?
Join 350+ institutions that create conflict-free timetables in hours, not days. No credit card required.
14-day free trial · No credit card · Cancel anytime