Deputy vs ShiftCal

Deputy is workforce management software for building schedules, recording time and coordinating teams. Its scheduling tools can create and fill shifts around business requirements and staff availability, with options for auto-scheduling, availability collection, open shifts, shift swaps and time-off management. Clock-in apps, geofencing, biometric clocking and timesheet auto-approvals cover time and attendance. Deputy AI is included in every plan to assist with schedules, workforce questions and everyday tasks. The service runs on Android, iOS and the web. Plans are Lite at $5 per user per month, Core at $6.50 per user per month, and Pro at $9 per user per month, excluding applicable taxes. Monthly Lite, Core and Pro invoices have a $30 USD minimum spend. There is no free plan, but the advertised trial lasts up to 31 days and requires no credit card. Integrations include payroll, point-of-sale and HR categories, with ADP, BambooHR, QuickBooks, Xero and Zapier among the listed options. Deputy also provides API documentation. It states that it is ISO 27001 and UK Cyber Essentials certified and SOC 2 Type II compliant.

ShiftCal provides shift scheduling, clock-ins by GPS or kiosk, time-off management, and payroll exports for shift-based businesses, including gyms. Its assistant and solver draft rosters around coverage, availability, rest, and fairness rules. Gym scheduling supports class-shaped shifts, instructors working across multiple gyms, and shift swaps to arrange cover. The assistant can extract roles, shifts, sites, rules, and coverage needs from Excel, PDF, CSV files, and schedule photos. A confirmation card appears before changes are applied or published. Employees can use Android and iOS apps for calendars, push notifications, clock-ins, leave requests, and shift swaps; the service also runs on the web. Timesheets and payroll can be exported in CSV, Excel, or PDF formats, but no specific payroll integrations are named. The free plan is listed at free for five people and one site, with no card required and cancellation anytime. The pricing note lists paid plans from €2.99/mo and a 14-day trial; the plan details also list Pro at €299 a month and Crew at €999 a month. Precise location is collected only at workplace clock-in, not tracked in the background.