If you’re stuck between choosing Spike vs. PagerDuty for your on-call management, you’re at the right place.
I wrote this blog post to end your confusion and help you make a better choice. I’ve presented a comparative analysis for these two tools across 4 key criteria (keep reading to find what they are).
For each criterion, there’s either a winner or a tie. When it’s a tie, each tool gets one point. If there’s a winner, that tool gets two points.
Dive in to see how each tool performed and who gets the most points.
Table of Contents
Spike vs. PagerDuty: My On-Call Comparison Criteria
Here’s what I focused on to compare Spike vs. PagerDuty for on-call management:
- On-Call Schedule Creation – How easy it is to create a new on-call schedule, and if there are any templates that help you get started
- On-Call Flexibility – How easy it is to have on-call schedules with weekday, weekend, and after-hours coverage; set up various on-call models; add new on-call members; update on-call shifts; and handle changes as your team evolves
- On-Call Dashboard & Visibility – How clearly you can see who’s currently on-call, who’s up next, and check your on-call schedules at any time
- On-Call Override Functionality – How quickly you can create or manage on-call overrides when you need last-minute coverage for things like a dentist appointment, your kid’s birthday, or an emergency
Spike vs. PagerDuty: On-Call Comparison
TL;DR
| Criteria | Spike | PagerDuty | Verdict |
| On-Call Schedule Creation | Side-by-side preview, ready-made templates, simple setup | Three-step process, layer duplication, bottom calendar preview | Tie |
| On-Call Flexibility | Clone schedules, favorites, instant layer addition, integrations | Manual editing, no cloning, no favorites | Spike wins |
| On-Call Dashboard & Visibility | Activity logs, override history, list/calendar views | Multiple timeline views, no activity logs | Tie |
| On-Call Override Functionality | Comments for context, work modes, override history | Basic overrides, no comments, no history | Spike wins |
On-Call Schedule Creation: Spike vs. PagerDuty
Creating an on-call schedule in Spike is simple and fast. Its live calendar preview right beside the configuration settings, shows changes instantly as you build. You can also use ready-made templates to get started in minutes.
PagerDuty uses a three-step process to build schedules: add users, set rotations, pick start times. You can duplicate layers to avoid setting them up again. The calendar preview is at the bottom, which can make it less convenient to see updates.
Who should pick what?
- Pick Spike if you want a simple setup, side-by-side preview, and ready-to-use templates
- Pick PagerDuty if you prefer more configuration options like duplicating layers
Verdict: It’s a tie. Both tools make it easy to create schedules from scratch. They just take slightly different approaches to get the job done.
On-Call Flexibility: Spike vs. PagerDuty
Managing on-call schedules in Spike is quick and flexible. You can clone entire schedules, mark favorites for instant access, and add new layers with one click. It also connects to Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Linear for seamless workflow integration.
PagerDuty lets you add new layers, but you have to open and edit each schedule—there’s no instant add-layer button. You can’t clone entire schedules or set favourites. This can slow down quick adjustments for your team.
Who should pick what?
- Pick Spike if you want fast edits, favorites, and easy cloning
- Pick PagerDuty if you need to duplicate specific layers but don’t mind the extra clicks
Verdict: Spike wins. The ability to clone schedules, set favorites, and add layers instantly makes day-to-day on-call management much faster.
On-Call Dashboard & Visibility: Spike vs. PagerDuty
Spike gives you a clear overview of all on-call schedules with list and calendar views. You can instantly see who’s on-call and who’s up next. You get a full history of activity logs and past overrides for each schedule. Spike also offers a Raycast extension to manage your on-call seamlessly.
PagerDuty shows your on-call shifts, escalation policies, and schedules at a glance. It offers multiple timeline views (1 day, 4 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 30 days) and calendar options to see coverage. However, you can’t see activity logs or past overrides.
Who should pick what?
- Pick Spike if you need a more clean simple view. Plus, it’s extremely handy to have everything at your fingertips on Raycast.
- Pick PagerDuty if you prefer multiple timeline views and don’t need past overrides.
Verdict: It’s a tie. Both tools give you good visibility into schedules. Spike wins on tracking history and Raycast extension, while PagerDuty offers more viewing options.
On-Call Override Functionality: Spike vs. PagerDuty
Creating overrides in Spike is fast and convenient. Just click the override button or Press O, select who covers for you, set the time, and add a comment for context. You can always see a full history of past overrides, so nothing slips through the cracks.
Spike also offers cooldown and out-of-office modes when you need a break or time off. You can simply activate the mode and all your on-call duties are handed over automatically.
PagerDuty also makes it easy to create overrides—just click the override button or directly on the calendar. However, it lacks comments for context and doesn’t show past override history. And if you need to step away, you’ll have to set each override manually.
Who should pick what?
- Pick Spike if you want a smooth, context-rich handoff and automated coverage for time off
- Pick PagerDuty if you only need basic shift swaps and don’t mind manual work
Verdict: Spike wins. Adding comments and the super-convenient “Out of Office” mode make managing last-minute changes much easier for everyone on the team.
Final Thoughts
After comparing Spike vs. PagerDuty across four key on-call management criteria, here’s how the points add up:
- On-Call Schedule Creation: Tie (1 point each)
- On-Call Flexibility: Spike wins (2 points)
- On-Call Dashboard & Visibility: Tie (1 point each)
- On-Call Override Functionality: Spike wins (2 points)
Final Score: Spike – 6, PagerDuty – 2
Spike takes the lead with its schedule cloning, favorites feature, and context-rich overrides. The Out of Office mode alone makes managing time off incredibly smooth for your entire team.
PagerDuty offers solid basics and works well if you need simple shift swaps. But if you want faster setup, better team convenience, and significant cost savings, Spike is the clear winner.