Deputy Review: Overview, Features, Pricing & Alternatives in 2025

Tired of juggling messy staff schedules?

If you’re researching Deputy, you’re probably stuck wasting hours on manual scheduling, chasing timecards, or dealing with last-minute shift swaps.

Let’s be honest—staffing headaches eat up your workday and leave you frustrated, especially when payroll errors or missed shifts cause even bigger problems.

Deputy tackles these pains with smart scheduling, precise time tracking, and easy in-app communication, so your team stays organized and compliance issues don’t trip you up. I’ve dug deep into every feature and uncovered what actually sets Deputy apart from every other workforce tool out there.

This review will walk you through how Deputy helps you save time and reduce manual work, whether you manage retail, hospitality, healthcare, or any shift-based business.

In this Deputy review, I’ll break down scheduling tools, time tracking, communication, reporting, pricing, and how Deputy stacks up against top 2025 alternatives to help you make the right call.

You’ll leave knowing the features you need to make the smartest software decision for your business.

Let’s get started.

Deputy Overview

Deputy is laser-focused on simplifying workforce management for businesses that rely on hourly employees. Based out of Sydney, Australia, they’ve been tackling this specific problem since 2008.

What I immediately noticed is their sharp focus on shift-based industries like retail, hospitality, and healthcare. They truly excel at serving businesses with complex hourly schedules, which sets them apart from more generic, one-size-fits-all platforms.

Their recent push into AI-powered auto-scheduling is a very smart move. As you’ll see through this Deputy review, it shows their commitment to solving real, complex staffing headaches.

Unlike broader HCM suites that do a bit of everything, Deputy isn’t your all-in-one HR system. They instead prioritize deep workforce management and compliance tools, which gives them a noticeable, practical edge.

I see them used in a huge range of organizations, from independent cafes and retail boutiques to larger, multi-location healthcare providers that absolutely depend on reliable shift coverage and accurate timekeeping.

From my perspective, their strategy is all about driving operational efficiency for you as a manager while ensuring fairness and transparency for your staff. This approach directly tackles major business costs.

Now, let’s examine their core capabilities.

Deputy Features

Is managing your hourly workforce a constant headache?

Deputy features are designed to streamline every aspect of workforce management, helping you transform how you manage your team. Here are the five main Deputy features that can transform how you manage your team.

1. Employee Scheduling

Tired of juggling spreadsheets for employee shifts?

Manual scheduling is a massive time sink and often leads to overstaffing or understaffing. This can frustrate both managers and employees alike.

Deputy’s scheduling feature uses a drag-and-drop interface or AI to build optimized schedules, which accounts for availability, skills, and labor laws. What I love is how the AI auto-scheduler truly simplifies complex staffing needs. This feature helps you ensure the right people are in the right place at the right time.

This means you can cut hours off scheduling each week and improve team morale with fair, consistent shifts.

2. Time & Attendance Tracking

Worried about inaccurate timesheets and “buddy punching”?

Inaccurate time tracking can lead to payroll errors, compliance issues, and lost money. This makes payroll a monthly nightmare.

This Deputy feature offers multiple clock-in options, including facial recognition and mobile GPS, which ensures precise time records. From my testing, the facial recognition clock-in is incredibly reliable for preventing time theft. This streamlines payroll integration and keeps you compliant with labor laws.

So you can say goodbye to manual timesheet reconciliation and gain confidence in your payroll accuracy.

3. Task Management

Do critical tasks slip through the cracks on busy shifts?

Without a clear system, tasks can be forgotten or duplicated, leading to operational inefficiencies. This impacts your service quality and team accountability.

Deputy’s task management allows you to assign specific tasks and subtasks to individuals or teams with due dates, which ensures nothing is missed. Here’s what I found: the real-time task progress tracking is invaluable for oversight. This feature promotes accountability and clear operational workflows.

This means your team always knows what needs to be done, improving overall efficiency and consistency.

4. Team Communication

Is internal communication scattered across different apps?

Fragmented communication leads to missed announcements and difficulties coordinating shift swaps. This creates confusion and delays in urgent situations.

The built-in team communication features, like a newsfeed and direct messaging, centralize all team interactions. This is where Deputy shines: centralized communication truly simplifies shift swaps and announcements. This feature reduces reliance on external platforms and ensures everyone stays informed.

This means faster, clearer communication across your entire workforce, no matter where your employees are.

5. Reporting & Analytics

Struggling to get insights from your workforce data?

Lacking proper reporting means you can’t identify staffing inefficiencies or control labor costs effectively. This can directly impact your bottom line.

Deputy offers robust reports comparing scheduled vs. actual hours, sales data, and labor costs, which informs better decision-making. From my evaluation, the custom report builder offers impressive flexibility for deep dives. This feature helps you optimize staffing, identify trends, and ensure compliance.

This means you get the data you need to make smarter business decisions, leading to significant cost savings and improved productivity.

These Deputy features work together to create a truly integrated workforce management system, helping you save time and cut costs.

Deputy Pricing

How much will you actually pay for Deputy?

Deputy pricing is notably transparent, offering clear per-user monthly rates and flexible plans, making it easy for you to budget for your workforce management needs.

Plan	Price & Features
Scheduling Plan	$4.50/user/month (billed monthly) • Unlimited shifts & auto-scheduling • POS integration • Leave management • Newsfeed & tasking
Time & Attendance Plan	$4.50/user/month (billed monthly) • Time clock & timesheets • Payroll integration • Leave management • Newsfeed & tasking
Premium Plan	$6/user/month (billed monthly); $5/user/month (billed annually) • All Scheduling & Time & Attendance features • Comprehensive workforce management • 24/7 email support • Minimum $25 monthly spend
Flexi Weekly Plan	$2.50/active user/week; $0.50/inactive user/week (billed monthly) • Ideal for seasonal/fluctuating staff • Pay only for active users • Workforce management essentials • Excellent for flexible teams
Enterprise Plan	Custom pricing (250+ employees) • All Premium features + SSO • Advanced reporting & analytics • Custom implementation & pay rates • Dedicated enterprise support

1. Value Assessment

Solid value for your budget.

From my cost analysis, Deputy’s tiered pricing offers great flexibility, especially with options like the Flexi Weekly Plan, which helps you avoid overpaying during off-peak times. This scales naturally with your active workforce, ensuring you only pay for what you actually use.

This means your monthly costs stay predictable, aligning precisely with your business’s operational rhythms and budget.

2. Trial/Demo Options

Try before you commit.

Deputy offers a very generous 31-day free trial that gives you full access to all features, with no credit card required upfront. What I found valuable is how this trial period allows comprehensive testing of auto-scheduling, time tracking, and integrations, ensuring it fits your workflow.

This lets you validate the system’s fit and value to your team before spending a single dollar on pricing.

3. Plan Comparison

Choosing the right plan matters.

For most small to mid-sized businesses, the Premium plan offers the best value, combining scheduling and time tracking features. What stands out is how the Flexi Weekly plan serves unique seasonal needs, providing a cost-effective solution for fluctuating staff numbers.

This tiered approach helps you match Deputy pricing to actual usage requirements, preventing you from overpaying for unused features.

My Take: Deputy’s pricing strategy focuses on flexibility and transparent per-user costs, making it ideal for businesses of all sizes, especially those with hourly or seasonal employees.

The overall Deputy pricing reflects transparent value aligned with your team’s needs.

Deputy Reviews

What do real customers actually think?

Analyzing Deputy reviews provides insight into real user experiences, helping you understand how it performs for businesses and what actual customers think about the software.

1. Overall User Satisfaction

Most users report high satisfaction.

Deputy consistently earns strong ratings, averaging 4.6 stars across major review platforms like GetApp and the Apple App Store. What I found in user feedback is that users consistently praise its ease of use, especially for daily scheduling and time tracking needs, making adoption straightforward.

This suggests you can expect a generally positive experience with the platform.

2. Common Praise Points

The intuitive interface consistently shines.

Users frequently highlight Deputy’s user-friendly interface and comprehensive scheduling capabilities as major strengths. From my review analysis, the AI-powered auto-scheduling feature is a standout, praised for saving significant time by optimizing shifts based on demand and availability.

This means you can streamline your scheduling, reducing administrative burden considerably.

3. Frequent Complaints

Some users desire more customization.

What stands out in customer feedback is a common desire for more customization options, particularly for recurring tasks and newsfeed features. Review-wise, some users reported mixed experiences with customer support, citing slow response times or the absence of phone support.

These issues are generally noted as minor annoyances rather than deal-breakers for core functionality.

The overall Deputy reviews reflect strong user satisfaction with minor areas for improvement in customization and support.

Best Deputy Alternatives

Considering other workforce management solutions?

The best Deputy alternatives include several strong options, each better suited for different business situations, priorities, and budget constraints. Let’s explore them.

1. Homebase

Seeking a free option for a single location?

Homebase stands out with its free plan for single locations and unlimited employees, making it incredibly attractive for very small businesses or those just starting out. What I found comparing options is that Homebase delivers essential features at no cost, though it lacks Deputy’s advanced auto-scheduling and detailed reporting.

Opt for Homebase if your small business has a single location and needs basic, budget-friendly scheduling and time tracking.

2. Connecteam

Need a comprehensive all-in-one employee platform?

Connecteam offers a broader “work OS” approach, providing robust internal communication, training, and engagement tools alongside scheduling. From my competitive analysis, Connecteam provides more holistic employee management, ideal for deskless teams needing more than just workforce scheduling.

Choose Connecteam if you require extensive communication, training, and engagement features beyond standard scheduling.

3. Sling

Prioritizing a free or extremely low-cost solution?

Sling provides a completely free plan that includes scheduling, time clock, and communication features, making it a strong alternative for businesses with very tight budgets. Alternative-wise, Sling is exceptionally cost-effective for core needs, though it doesn’t offer Deputy’s advanced compliance or deep integrations.

Select Sling if your primary concern is a free or minimal-cost solution for basic scheduling and team communication.

4. Paylocity

Are you a larger enterprise needing full HR integration?

Paylocity is a much broader Human Capital Management (HCM) platform that integrates payroll, HR, benefits, and talent management with workforce tools. From my analysis, Paylocity offers a fully integrated HCM suite, making it suitable for larger organizations seeking an all-in-one HR system.

Choose Paylocity if your larger organization needs a comprehensive, integrated HR and payroll solution from one vendor.

The best Deputy alternatives depend on your specific business size, budget, and feature priorities for workforce management.

Deputy Setup

Is Deputy implementation going to be a headache?

Deputy setup is designed to be straightforward for most businesses, but setting realistic expectations for your Deputy review and deployment is key to success.

1. Setup Complexity & Timeline

Don’t expect instant magic.

The initial Deputy implementation involves creating your account, setting up locations, areas, and adding all team members. What I found about deployment is that the time needed scales with your business size and the complexity of your scheduling needs, but it’s generally efficient.

You’ll want to prepare your employee data and organizational structure beforehand for a smoother, faster rollout.

2. Technical Requirements & Integration

Consider your current tech ecosystem.

Deputy is cloud-based, accessible via web browsers and mobile apps, integrating with hundreds of payroll, accounting, and POS systems. From my implementation analysis, integrating with your existing workflows is crucial and usually quite seamless, though offline functionality is limited.

Plan for quick checks on your current systems to ensure compatibility and leverage Deputy’s robust integration capabilities.

3. Training & Change Management

User adoption is critical for ROI.

While Deputy’s interface is intuitive, some users, especially those less tech-savvy, may need time to explore its full capabilities. My analysis shows consistent training prevents common adoption pitfalls and maximizes the benefits of the platform for your entire team.

Invest in dedicated training time using Deputy’s guides and video tutorials to ensure your staff become proficient users.

4. Support & Success Factors

Don’t underestimate the need for good support.

Deputy offers 24/7 email and chatbot support, which can be helpful during implementation, though phone support is generally not available for standard plans. What I found about deployment is that effective communication with support can minimize delays and resolve issues quickly, especially for Enterprise users.

For your implementation to succeed, actively engage with their resources and prepare a list of questions to leverage support effectively.

Overall, Deputy setup is designed for ease of use, but preparation ensures a smooth and effective rollout for your business.

Bottom Line

Is Deputy the right workforce management tool for you?

This Deputy review highlights a powerful, user-friendly solution ideal for businesses managing hourly or shift-based employees, excelling in scheduling, time tracking and compliance.

1. Who This Works Best For

Businesses reliant on hourly or shift-based employees.

Deputy perfectly suits retail, hospitality, healthcare, and manufacturing, particularly those with multiple locations or complex labor laws. From my user analysis, businesses with 25-250+ employees seeking an all-in-one platform for scheduling and time tracking will find immense value.

Your business will thrive with Deputy if you’re aiming to reduce manual scheduling errors and streamline payroll processes.

2. Overall Strengths

Comprehensive scheduling and accurate time tracking are key.

Deputy delivers exceptional AI-powered auto-scheduling, precise time and attendance with biometric verification, and seamless payroll integrations. From my comprehensive analysis, the mobile accessibility significantly enhances daily operations for both managers and employees on the go.

These strengths translate into substantial time savings and reduced labor costs, which directly benefit your bottom line and operational efficiency.

3. Key Limitations

Customization and advanced features need consideration.

While robust, some users desire more customization, and certain advanced features are confined to the Enterprise plan. Based on this review, customer support experiences can be inconsistent, particularly regarding phone support availability and response times for complex issues.

I find these limitations manageable if your core need is robust scheduling, but they become trade-offs if extensive customization or instant phone support are critical.

4. Final Recommendation

Deputy receives a strong, confident recommendation.

You should choose Deputy if your priority is optimizing workforce management for hourly employees, ensuring compliance, and reducing administrative overhead. From my analysis, this solution greatly benefits multi-location businesses and those needing strong legal compliance features for their workforce.

My confidence level is high that Deputy will deliver significant value and efficiencies for your shift-based operations.

This Deputy review confidently shows strong value for shift-based businesses, providing essential tools to streamline operations and ensure compliance.