Deputy

Deputy is workforce-management software for businesses coordinating employee shifts, attendance and team operations. It is best suited to organizations that need scheduling tied closely to clock-ins and payroll workflows, especially where staff work across locations. Its broad feature set is compelling, but the minimum monthly invoice and paid-only model make it a considered purchase for small teams.

Overview

Deputy builds and fills shifts around business requirements and employee availability, then connects those plans to recorded hours. The platform also covers leave, open shifts, swaps, messaging and team administration, giving managers one place for routine workforce coordination. The product launched in 2008, and Deputy is headquartered in Sydney, Australia.

Its integrations span payroll, point-of-sale and human-resources systems, including ADP, BambooHR, QuickBooks, Xero and Zapier. API documentation supports organizations that need to connect Deputy with their own systems rather than rely solely on packaged integrations.

Key features

Scheduling and coverage: Managers can collect availability, manage time off, publish open shifts and handle shift swaps. Auto-scheduling is available, but it starts with Core rather than Lite, so the entry plan is better for businesses comfortable with more manual planning.

Attendance controls: Clock-in apps, geofencing and biometric clocking tie attendance to the workplace and scheduled shifts. Timesheet auto-approval is also available, although biometric clocking and automatic approvals are Core features; Lite provides a more basic time-clock workflow.

Deputy AI: AI is included in every plan to help build schedules, answer workforce questions and automate everyday tasks. That gives even entry-level subscribers assistance with routine work, while plan-level differences still determine the underlying scheduling and attendance controls.

Administration and connectivity: Labor-law compliance, reporting, messaging and leave management are part of the plan lineup. Organizations can extend the platform through listed integrations or its API documentation.

Security: Deputy says it supports multi-factor authentication for every account and single sign-on for corporate customers. Its stated certifications and compliance include ISO 27001, UK Cyber Essentials, SOC 2 Type II and TX-RAMP Level 2.

Pricing

Deputy is paid software with a free trial of up to 31 days and no credit card required. Monthly Lite, Core and Pro invoices have a USD $30 minimum, which can outweigh the per-user rate for very small workforces. Prices are in USD, exclude applicable taxes, and can be billed upfront or in monthly installments.

Lite — $5.00 per user per month

Lite covers basic scheduling and timesheets, basic time clocking, labor-law compliance, shift swaps and replacements, leave and availability management, and basic reporting. It suits smaller teams that need a central schedule and straightforward attendance records. It gives up advanced scheduling, biometric clocking and auto-approval capabilities reserved for Core.

Core — $6.50 per user per month

Core includes everything in Lite plus advanced scheduling, timesheet auto-approval, biometric time clocking, advanced labor-law compliance, micro-scheduling and auto-scheduling. It is the practical step up for managers dealing with variable demand or wanting less manual schedule maintenance.

Pro — $9.00 per user per month

Pro adds custom access levels, advanced timesheets, location hierarchies, pay centers, single sign-on, a sandbox environment, Analytics+ and messaging capabilities. It also includes 24/7 live chat and priority support, making it the strongest fit for multi-location or more controlled corporate deployments.

Platforms

Deputy runs on Android, iOS and the web, with mobile apps for staff clock-ins and manager tasks. Its API and integrations support connected payroll, point-of-sale and HR workflows.

Who it's for

Deputy fits hospitality, retail and other shift-based employers that need scheduling, attendance and team administration together. Core is the sensible choice when auto-scheduling or biometric clocks matter; Pro is aimed at organizations needing location structures, pay centers, sandbox access or corporate sign-on. Lite works for simpler operations, provided the $30 monthly minimum is acceptable.

Pros and cons

Pros

Scheduling, availability, leave, open shifts and swaps cover the operational cycle rather than just publishing a rota.

Geofencing, biometric clocking and timesheet automation can tighten attendance and payroll processes.

Deputy AI is included in every plan, and integrations plus an API support connected systems.

Multi-factor authentication is supported for every account, with enterprise-oriented compliance credentials and single sign-on on Pro.

Cons

There is no free plan, and the $30 monthly minimum raises the effective cost for small teams.

Useful controls such as auto-scheduling, biometric clocking and automatic timesheet approval require Core or higher.

Advanced permissions, location hierarchies, pay centers and sandbox access are confined to the $9 Pro tier.

Alternatives

Choose 7shifts when a freemium option with a free plan, one-location coverage and up to 15 employees is more important than Deputy's paid tier structure.

Sling is a better starting point for teams wanting a free plan supporting up to 30 users with scheduling, time-off requests and messaging.

Pick Homebase if a freemium restaurant-focused product and separately priced task or tip-management add-ons suit your operation.

Lineup.ai is the alternative for businesses prioritizing automated AI forecasts and labor budgets, with its Forecasts Only plan priced at $79.00 per month per location.

Consider Planday for a paid scheduling service whose Starter plan begins at £2.99 per user per month with a five-user minimum.

TimeForge offers paid workforce plans including enterprise retail coverage for 50 or more stores.

Choose When I Work when unlimited users, auto-scheduling and multi-location scheduling at $2.50 per user per month are the priority.

HotSchedules is another paid scheduling and team-management option with contact-sales pricing.

For category-specific comparisons, see Restaurant Labor Management Software, Restaurant Scheduling Software, HR Document Management Software, Gym Staff Scheduling Software, Time and Attendance Software and Attendance Tracking Software.

Verdict

Deputy is a strong choice for shift-based employers that want scheduling, attendance controls and team management in one mobile-and-web platform, with AI included from the first tier. Choose it when those integrated workflows justify the paid plans and $30 monthly minimum; look elsewhere if a free plan, a very small workforce or lower entry cost is the overriding requirement.