Deputy is a workforce scheduling and time-tracking platform for shift-based teams. Compare Deputy's pricing, features, and alternatives before you buy.
Category
Scheduling
Pricing
Subscription (per-user), from $5/user/month
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 18, 2026
Founded
2008
Headquarters
Sydney, Australia (dual HQ with Atlanta, Georgia, US)
Web AppiOSFree TrialAndroidAPI
Overview
Deputy is a workforce management platform purpose-built for businesses that schedule shift-based or hourly employees, such as retailers, restaurants, healthcare providers, and hospitality operators. It combines employee scheduling, time and attendance tracking, task management, and payroll integration into a single cloud-based system accessible from web and mobile apps.
Founded in Sydney in 2008 by Ashik Ahmed and Steve Shelley, Deputy has grown into a globally used platform serving tens of thousands of businesses, with dual headquarters in Sydney and Atlanta and total venture funding of roughly $143 million.
Key Features
Deputy's scheduling engine supports drag-and-drop rostering, auto-scheduling driven by demand forecasts, and self-service shift swaps for employees, all synced in real time across the web app and native iOS/Android apps.
Time and attendance is handled through mobile clock-in, kiosk mode on tablets, and GPS/photo verification, with timesheet data flowing directly into payroll providers like Gusto, QuickBooks, ADP, and Xero to eliminate manual re-entry.
Additional modules cover shift tasking and checklists, in-app team messaging, labor cost and wage budgeting analytics, and an HR add-on for onboarding and document management.
Pricing
Deputy offers three self-serve plans priced per user per month: Lite ($5) for core scheduling and time clocking, Core ($6.50) which adds auto-scheduling and labor forecasting, and Pro ($9) which adds SSO, custom access levels, and 24/7 support plus bundled analytics and messaging add-ons.
All plans include a free trial and roughly a 10% discount for annual billing, with a minimum monthly spend of around $30 per invoice applied across every tier.
Key Features
Auto-scheduling — Generates shift schedules automatically based on demand forecasts, labor budgets, and employee availability.
Mobile time clock — Employees clock in and out via mobile app or tablet kiosk with GPS and photo verification.
Payroll integrations — Native integrations with Gusto, QuickBooks, ADP, Xero, and Square Payroll sync timesheets directly to payroll runs.
Shift swapping and open shifts — Employees can request swaps or claim open shifts through the mobile app, subject to manager approval rules.
Tasking and checklists — Managers assign shift-specific tasks and checklists that employees complete and confirm from the mobile app.
Labor cost forecasting — Wage budgeting and demand forecasting tools help managers avoid overstaffing and control labor spend in real time.
Team messaging — A built-in news feed and messaging layer keeps shift teams informed without relying on outside chat apps.
Compliance alerts — Break-rule reminders, overtime alerts, and fair workweek notifications help reduce labor law compliance risk.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Strong mobile apps make scheduling and time clocking easy for frontline, non-desk employees.
Payroll-agnostic integrations let businesses keep their existing payroll provider instead of switching systems.
Auto-scheduling based on demand forecasting can meaningfully reduce overstaffing costs.
Transparent per-user pricing with a free trial makes it easy for small operators to get started.
Cons
A minimum monthly spend applies even to very small teams, raising the effective per-user cost for tiny businesses.
Advanced features like SSO and sandbox environments require the top Pro tier.
Some integrations and add-ons (Deputy HR, Analytics+) are priced separately from core plans.
Larger, more complex deployments often require custom enterprise pricing outside the published tiers.
Pricing
Lite $5/user/month Monthly or annual (annual discount available)
Core $6.50/user/month Monthly or annual (annual discount available)
Pro $9/user/month Monthly or annual (annual discount available)
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Deputy cost?
Deputy's self-serve plans start at $5 per user per month (Lite), with Core at $6.50 and Pro at $9 per user per month; a roughly 10% annual billing discount applies and a minimum monthly invoice spend of about $30 is charged across all plans.
Does Deputy integrate with payroll providers?
Yes, Deputy has native and partner integrations with payroll providers including Gusto, QuickBooks, ADP, Xero, and Square Payroll, allowing timesheet data to sync directly into payroll runs.
Is there a free trial of Deputy?
Yes, Deputy offers a free trial on all of its Lite, Core, and Pro plans.
Who founded Deputy and when?
Deputy was founded in 2008 in Sydney, Australia, by Ashik Ahmed and Steve Shelley.
What industries use Deputy?
Deputy is most commonly used in retail, hospitality, healthcare, and other shift-based, multi-location industries that need to schedule hourly employees.
Does Deputy have mobile apps?
Yes, Deputy has native iOS and Android apps for both employees and managers, covering scheduling, time clocking, shift swaps, and messaging.