As technology systems become more complex, the need for solid on-call management is more critical than ever for keeping services reliable and online. Teams often face common challenges like preventing burnout from too many alerts (alert fatigue), making sure no critical alerts are missed, and organizing a fast response when an incident happens. For teams responsible for keeping software running smoothly, like Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) and DevOps, effective on-call management is essential for quickly responding to incidents and maintaining system health [4].
Choosing the right on-call software is a crucial step in streamlining this process. This article will review and compare the best oncall software for teams in 2026 to help you find the right fit.
What Are the Key Features of On-Call Software?
The best on-call software does more than just send alerts. It provides a full set of tools to help you manage an incident from start to finish. When looking for on-call software for your team, here are the essential features to consider.
On-Call Scheduling and Rotations
On-call schedules can get complicated, so you need a tool that makes them flexible and easy to manage.
- Multi-person rotations and layered coverage: Set up schedules with primary, secondary, and even tertiary responders to ensure there's always someone available.
- Support for different time zones and business hours: Create schedules that work for globally distributed teams and follow specific business hours.
- Simple overrides and vacation-aware scheduling: Easily manage schedule handoffs for vacations or last-minute changes without complex workarounds.
- Automated rotation: Ensure on-call duties are shared fairly across the team without manual adjustments.
Alerting and Escalation Policies
The main job of on-call software is to make sure critical alerts get to the right person every time. An effective system doesn't just send a notification; it demands attention and assigns clear responsibility through various delivery modes [2].
- Multi-channel notifications: Receive alerts through various methods like voice calls, SMS, push notifications, email, and Slack messages.
- Customizable escalation policies: Create rules that page individuals, then teams, or entire services based on the alert's severity and how much time has passed.
- Urgency-based routing: Set up critical alerts to bypass "Do Not Disturb" settings on mobile devices so the most important issues are never missed.
Integrations and Collaboration
Your on-call software should fit perfectly into your team's existing tools and workflows. This avoids friction and keeps everyone on the same page.
- Native integrations with monitoring tools: Connect directly with the tools you already use, like Datadog, Grafana, and Sentry.
- Deep integration with communication platforms: Strong integration with tools like Slack allows teams to manage incidents where they already collaborate.
- Connection to project management tools: Link alerts and incidents to project management tools like Jira to track follow-up work seamlessly.
With Rootly, for example, all on-call paging activity is integrated directly into the incident management workflow, keeping everything in one place. You can see how these integrations create a seamless experience as you get started with the platform.
User Experience and Pricing
A tool is only useful if your team actually uses it. Look for software with an intuitive, modern user interface that is easy for everyone to use, not just engineers. Pricing should also be transparent and straightforward, without hidden fees or per-alert charges that can surprise you later.
Top On-Call Software for Teams in 2026
Here is a detailed look at the leading on-call management solutions available today.
1. Rootly: Best for All-in-One Incident Management
Rootly stands out as the top choice because it's a complete, end-to-end incident management platform, not just a paging tool. It brings together on-call schedules, escalation policies, and incident response into a single, unified system.
Key Features:
- Modern & Intuitive UI: Rootly is designed to be so easy to use that even non-technical team members can jump in, which helps break down communication barriers during an incident.
- Advanced Scheduling: It includes unique features like Schedule Gap Detection, which automatically finds and flags any gaps in your on-call coverage so nothing is missed.
- Seamless Collaboration in Slack: Teams can manage schedules, check who is on-call, and respond to incidents without ever needing to leave Slack.
- Transparent Pricing: Rootly offers clear, straightforward pricing that is often a fraction of the cost of competitors.
- Reliability: Built on a multi-cloud architecture, Rootly ensures alerts are delivered even if a major cloud provider experiences an outage.
As a complete solution, Rootly offers a more integrated approach compared to tools that only focus on alerting. You can see a direct PagerDuty vs. Rootly comparison to understand the advantages, which are praised by customers like the Engineering Director at Canva.
2. PagerDuty: The Established Incumbent
PagerDuty is a well-known leader in the on-call and digital operations space. Its powerful alerting and scheduling features have made it a popular choice for many large organizations. However, some users find its interface dated and its configuration complex. Its pricing model can also become very expensive as your team grows [3]. While PagerDuty is a strong alerting tool, it doesn't offer the same level of integrated incident management as more modern platforms.
3. Opsgenie (by Atlassian): Best for Atlassian-Centric Teams
Opsgenie is a great option, especially for teams already using the Atlassian suite of products like Jira and Confluence. Its deep integrations with other Atlassian tools can help streamline workflows for these teams [8]. It offers a solid set of features for on-call scheduling and alert management, making it a reliable choice for those heavily invested in the Atlassian ecosystem.
4. Other Notable Tools
To give you a full picture, here are a few other options to consider:
- Connecteam: This tool is positioned as an all-in-one solution that integrates scheduling and communication. It's suitable for a wide range of teams beyond just IT or DevOps [1].
- Open-Source Software (OSS): For teams with the technical skills and resources, open-source tools can be a cost-effective option. However, they require you to manage and maintain the software yourself, which adds operational overhead [7].
On-Call Software Comparison Table
Here’s a quick summary of the top tools to help you compare them at a glance.
Tool
Best For
Standout Feature
Pricing Model
Rootly
All-in-one incident management
Schedule Gap Detection
Transparent/Value-based
PagerDuty
Enterprise alerting
Widespread integrations
Per-user/Tiered
Opsgenie
Atlassian-centric teams
Deep Jira integration
Per-user/Tiered
Conclusion: Choose the On-Call Software That Empowers Your Team
While many tools can send an alert, the best oncall software for teams in 2026 empowers them to manage the entire incident lifecycle efficiently and with less stress. The right choice will depend on your team's size, the tools you already use, and your specific needs.
For teams looking for a modern, all-in-one platform that combines powerful on-call management with seamless incident response, deep collaboration features, and transparent pricing, Rootly is the top choice.
Ready to see how Rootly can improve your on-call process? Get started and learn more about Rootly's on-call capabilities.