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Build an employee app — time tracking, shift plans, internal communication

We build professional websites, apps, online shops and custom systems — with the quality of big agencies but without their overhead. Specialised in Germany's small and medium businesses.

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In short

A lean employee app starts at around €2,900 net setup (e.g. time tracking, shift plan, news, documents); more complex platforms are quoted individually. Funding of up to 50% is possible via programmes like go-digital.

When shift planning drowns in chat chaos, paper timesheets go missing and important updates never reach the right colleague, it costs real time and nerves every single month. A custom employee app brings time tracking, shift plans and internal communication into one place — on the smartphone everyone already carries.

Rhein Code builds employee apps and internal platforms for small and medium businesses in Germany: from trades with field teams to care services and multi-location retail. You get exactly the features your operation needs, without bloated off-the-shelf software and without a per-head licensing trap.

We deliver at a fixed price from 2,900 € net, GDPR- and BFSG-compliant, hosted on EU servers. You talk directly with the developer — in German, English or Arabic — and you keep all your data and full access in the end.

Typical challenges

Shift plans, sick notes and info run through WhatsApp chaos
Time tracking happens on paper or not at all (mandatory since the BAG ruling)
Enterprise platforms cost €5–15 per employee per month — too expensive

What we build for your team

Your own app (web/PWA or native) with per-employee login
Time tracking, shift plan, holiday & sick leave requests
Internal news, documents, push notifications
GDPR-compliant, data in Germany, no forced per-head subscription
Connection to existing systems (payroll, calendar) possible

Employee App & Platform

What your website or solution delivers

Digital time tracking

Employees clock in and out from the app, with optional GPS or location check for field work. Hours, breaks and overtime are captured automatically and exported cleanly, instead of being typed up by hand at month's end.

Shift and roster planning

Build rosters centrally and publish them with one click. The team always sees the current plan on their phone, can request swaps or leave, and gets notified automatically whenever something changes.

Internal communication

A secure channel for announcements, notices and targeted messages to specific teams or locations. Important information stops getting lost in private WhatsApp groups and lands where it belongs, traceable and reliable.

Leave and absence management

Employees request leave straight in the app, managers approve with a tap. Remaining leave, sick notes and absences live in one clear place instead of being scattered across spreadsheets.

Documents and onboarding

Provide work instructions, safety briefings, payslips or handbooks digitally. New hires follow a guided onboarding flow and confirm key documents in an audit-proof way.

Roles and permissions

Management, team leads and staff each see exactly what's relevant to them. Locations, departments and permissions are cleanly separated so sensitive data stays protected.

Tasks and checklists

Recurring tasks, handovers and checklists are assigned and ticked off digitally. You see at a glance what's done — a real win for distributed teams or multiple branches.

Admin web dashboard

The employee app is paired with a clear web dashboard for you. There you plan shifts, review hours, export reports and keep an overview of the entire team.

In practice

Real-world examples

A trade business with field teams

Installers clock in and out right at the site, and the boss sees in real time who is where. Endless WhatsApp messages and handwritten timesheets disappear, and payroll prep is cut in half.

A hospitality chain across several locations

Rosters for each branch are built centrally and the team swaps shifts themselves in the app. Sick notes and leave requests come in in an orderly way instead of trickling in by phone each morning.

A care service with decentralised routes

Carers see their route, document visits and get short-notice plan changes straight to their phone. Work instructions and training are always available and receipt is traceable.

A retail branch with many part-timers

Rotating part-time staff see their plan and tasks without having to call the store. Onboarding of new helpers runs digitally and consistently.

Rhein Code

Why Rhein Code for Employee App & Platform

Fixed price, not per head

You pay once from 2,900 € net for your app — no growing monthly fee that gets more expensive with every new hire. Costs stay predictable, even as your team grows.

Tailored to your operation

Instead of squeezing into generic software, you get your actual workflows mapped — whether care service, hospitality chain or trade with installation crews. Only the features you really use.

GDPR and BFSG from day one

Employee data is especially sensitive. We build data-minimal, documented and accessible per BFSG, hosted on EU servers — so your works council and data protection officer come along.

Direct contact with the developer

No support-ticket maze: you speak directly with the person building your app, in German, English or Arabic. Change requests reach someone who actually knows your system.

No lock-in, full data ownership

You own the app and your data — no lock-in, no export drama if you want to change something later. The source code is available on request.

Process

How we work

Requirements workshop
We clarify the key 3–5 functions — deliberately lean at the start.
Fixed-price quote
Clear MVP scope, clear price, clear timeline. Funding-eligibility checkable.
Agile development
You test a working version every 1–2 weeks.
Rollout & operation
Team onboarding, maintenance, gradual feature expansion.

Technology & standards

PWA / React
Flutter (native)
.NET / Node backend
PostgreSQL
Push (FCM)
EU servers

Fixed price

Transparent pricing

Fixed price before we start. All prices net, plus 19% German VAT. No hidden costs.

Starter Website

from €499

1–3 pages, mobile-optimized, GDPR-compliant

Standard Website

from €999

5–10 pages, blog, contact form

Online Shop

from €1,499

Shopify or WooCommerce, DHL/Hermes, PayPal/Klarna

Booking System

from €799

Online appointments, SMS/WhatsApp reminders

Optional maintenance from €29/month (updates, backups, small changes).

Free initial consultation & a fixed-price quote within 48 hours — no obligation.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What does an employee app cost?

We build a custom employee app at a fixed price from 2,900 € net (plus 19% VAT). The exact price depends on scope — time tracking, rostering and communication as a base, further modules as needed. You get a clear quote upfront with no hidden costs.

Are there monthly per-employee fees?

No. Unlike many SaaS tools, you don't pay a per-head licence that rises with every new hire. Only modest costs remain for EU-server hosting and optional maintenance.

How long does development take?

We typically deliver a first usable version within a few weeks, depending on scope. We often start with the core features and expand step by step, so your team can start working with it early.

Is the app GDPR-compliant?

Yes. We handle employee data with particular care: data-minimal, documented, with clear roles and permissions, hosted on servers in the EU. We provide the groundwork so you're properly set up toward data protection and your works council.

Does it run on iPhone and Android?

Yes. We use modern technology that runs on both platforms, plus a web dashboard for administration. No one needs a specific device, and you manage everything conveniently from the browser.

Can we manage content and plans ourselves?

Yes. You manage rosters, announcements, documents and employees yourself through the dashboard, without needing us for every change. We set everything up and show your team how it works.

Can the app connect to our payroll?

Usually yes. Recorded hours can be exported or, where an interface exists, handed directly to your payroll or ERP system. We clarify which integration is feasible upfront.

Do we own the app and the data?

Yes, fully. You own the app and your data, there is no lock-in, and the source code is available on request. You're not dependent on us if you later want to expand or move.

Let's talk

Tell us briefly about your project. We respond within 24 hours.