Deputy
Deputy is a comprehensive workforce management software that simplifies employee scheduling, time tracking, and team communication to help you manage your shift-based staff and stay compliant with labor laws.
Sling
Sling is a comprehensive employee scheduling and time tracking software designed to help businesses manage shift-based workforces through integrated communication, task management, and labor cost optimization tools.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Deputy | Sling |
|---|---|---|
| Website | deputy.com | getsling.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $3.5/month | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 31 days free trial | ✓ 15 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2008 | 2015 |
| Headquarters | Sydney, Australia | New York, USA |
Overview
Deputy
Deputy is a versatile workforce management platform designed to take the headache out of managing shift-based teams. You can create optimized schedules in minutes, track employee hours with digital timesheets, and communicate with your entire staff through a single app. It helps you balance labor costs against your sales data while ensuring you stay compliant with local fair work regulations and break requirements.
Whether you run a single cafe or manage thousands of employees across multiple locations, you can use the platform to streamline your daily operations. You can easily handle leave requests, swap shifts, and export verified timesheets directly to your payroll provider. It eliminates manual data entry and reduces the risk of costly scheduling errors, allowing you to focus more on growing your business and less on administrative paperwork.
Sling
Sling is a specialized scheduling and workforce management platform built specifically for businesses with shift-based employees. You can move away from messy spreadsheets and paper schedules by using a drag-and-drop interface that accounts for employee availability, time-off requests, and labor costs in real-time. It helps you eliminate scheduling conflicts and ensures you always have the right people on the clock.
Beyond simple scheduling, you can track attendance with a built-in time clock, manage tasks, and communicate with your entire team through integrated messaging. Whether you run a single restaurant or manage multiple retail locations, the platform helps you stay under budget by alerting you to potential overtime. It simplifies the entire lifecycle of shift management from the moment you post a schedule to the final payroll export.
Overview
Deputy Features
- Auto-Scheduling Create perfect schedules in one click using AI to forecast your staffing needs based on historical sales and demand.
- Mobile Time Clock Turn any tablet or smartphone into a touchless photo-verified time clock to prevent buddy punching and track attendance accurately.
- Compliance Tools Stay protected with built-in labor law alerts that notify you about missed breaks, overtime risks, and fair workweek violations.
- Shift Swapping Empower your team to swap shifts or find coverage directly through the app, reducing your time spent on phone calls.
- Real-time Communication Send announcements and required reading to your staff via the Newsfeed to ensure everyone stays informed and accountable.
- Payroll Integration Sync your verified timesheets with popular payroll software like Xero, QuickBooks, or ADP to ensure fast and accurate payments.
Sling Features
- Shift Scheduling. Create and publish schedules in minutes using drag-and-drop tools that automatically flag overlapping shifts and double-bookings.
- Mobile Time Clock. Turn any smartphone or tablet into a digital punch-in station with GPS geofencing to ensure staff are on-site.
- Labor Cost Tracking. Monitor your labor spend as you build schedules to avoid costly overtime and stay within your weekly budget.
- Internal Messaging. Chat with individuals or specific groups without sharing phone numbers, keeping all professional communication in one secure place.
- Task Management. Assign specific to-do lists to shifts and track completion in real-time to ensure your standards are met.
- Time-Off Management. Review and approve leave requests directly within the app, which then automatically updates your scheduling availability.
Pricing Comparison
Deputy Pricing
- Unlimited shifts
- Auto-scheduling
- Leave management
- Shift swapping
- Newsfeed for team communication
- POS integrations
- Everything in Scheduling, plus:
- Time & attendance tracking
- Photo-verified tablet time clock
- Payroll integrations
- Advanced reporting
- Labor compliance tools
Sling Pricing
- Unlimited employees
- Unlimited locations
- Shift scheduling
- Time-off requests
- Long-term scheduling
- Mobile apps
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Mobile time clock
- GPS geofencing
- Labor cost monitoring
- Overtime alerts
- Timesheet exports
Pros & Cons
Deputy
Pros
- Intuitive mobile app for employees to check shifts
- Simplifies complex scheduling for multiple business locations
- Strong integration with major payroll and POS systems
- Effective photo-verification prevents time theft and errors
Cons
- Reporting features can feel limited for enterprise needs
- Initial setup of pay rates requires significant time
- Mobile app occasionally experiences lag during peak times
Sling
Pros
- Extremely generous free tier for basic scheduling
- Intuitive mobile app for employees to check shifts
- Easy shift swapping and coverage requests
- Effective labor cost warnings during schedule creation
Cons
- Mobile time clock occasionally has GPS lag
- Reporting features can feel limited for large enterprises
- Notification settings require manual tuning to avoid spam