Manage your team more effectively with these top alternatives to Deputy. From creating and editing schedules to reducing no-shows, these Deputy alternatives save you time and money.
Quick, simple scheduling is essential for businesses with shift work or hourly employees. Manually organizing shifts in spreadsheets can be time-consuming and frustrating. Scheduling conflicts and errors are more likely to happen as well.
Thankfully, employee scheduling software solutions can help make scheduling easier. They can automatically detect conflicts and overtime, while features like drag-and-drop scheduling and weekly templates let you set up team schedules in minutes. Plus, scheduling apps let deskless workers check their schedules and request changes from anywhere.
What Is Deputy?
Deputy is one example of an employee scheduling software app. It lets you create shifts and send notices and video announcements of changes to work schedules. You can also make announcements about new company policies.
Your employees log into Deputy to clock in and out, see their shifts, and request shift swaps. You can set breaks or get alerts for overtime hours, ensuring you stay compliant with state and local laws. Once you’ve finished the week or month, you can export timesheets into payroll and pay your team.
Deputy doesn’t have a free plan, although it does offer a free trial. Its basic plan starts at $4.50 per month per user, and doesn’t include payroll integration.
Some people still use Deputy, but many have switched to other employee scheduling software solutions in seach for Deputy alternatives.
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
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The best Deputy alternative for employee scheduling
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Small teams who don’t need extra features
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Teams using Agile project management methods
Why trust us?
Our team of unbiased software reviewers follows strict editorial guidelines, and our methodology is clear and open to everyone.
See our complete methodology
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Why Are People Moving Away from Deputy?
While reviews of Deputy are positive for the most part, there seem to be some recurring issues.
Some reviews detail customer service delays and difficulty resolving problems. One reviewer went so far as to call Deputy’s customer service “atrocious,” although not all reviews are this negative.
Others have reported technical issues when using Deputy, with one describing experiencing “many glitches.”
Some users have also noted that Deputy lacks certain features they want in an employee scheduling app. One user reported that they “can only see available shifts for 1 week,” which “makes it difficult to plan ahead.”
Another shared the features they want Deputy to have: “I would like to be able to track timesheets [and] access tax documents in the same place where my schedule is made.”
Fortunately, there are many other employee scheduling software solutions out there. In this article, we review the five best alternatives to Deputy, so you can find the right employee scheduling app for your team.
The Best Deputy Alternatives & Competitors for Employee Scheduling Software
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Connecteam — The best Deputy alternative for employee scheduling
Connecteam is a feature-rich employee scheduling software—and so much more, making it the best Deputy alternative. Designed for deskless workers, Connecteam works on mobile devices to keep your team connected, no matter where they are.
Let’s take a closer look at the features that make Connecteam stand out.
Create one account for your entire team, no matter where they are
Unlike Deputy, Connecteam only requires you to create one account for your entire team, no matter where they’re located or stationed. Keep your entire staff under one user-base and maintain all of your manager responsibilities in one place so all information is consolidated to one admin dashboard. Staff can all clock in under one account so you have an entire overview of when they’re clocked in, no matter where they are located.
Organize your team with intuitive scheduling
Custom schedules let you enjoy 100% shift coverage. You can drag and drop shifts into a weekly calendar to make sure your entire team’s workweek is exactly the way you want it.
You can also import schedules or duplicate shifts so you don’t have to re-enter information you’ve already typed out. Premade shift templates help save you even more time.
Connecteam’s employee scheduling software also allows you to connect jobs and clients to shifts, and assign colors to each, so you can easily see who’s working on which projects. You can also set locations for each shift so your workers always know where they need to be.
Connecteam’s shift replacement feature lets your team easily trade shifts. You can set up shift swapping with or without admin approval. Save time by creating open shifts that anyone can claim, or by setting up ongoing or recurring shifts.
Keep everyone updated with shift notes and checklists, automated reminders, and chat
Automatic reminders can ensure your team members know about upcoming shifts, which can help reduce no-shows. Let your workers know about work relevant updates, such as changing weather, traffic, and any updates to their work tasks or schedule with push notifications to ensure no piece of information is missed.
Connecteam lets you attach files, checklists, and notes directly to shifts, too. Your workers won’t need to contact you or find a form to complete work tasks—what they need for each job is already in their schedule.
Connecteam’s built-in Chat makes it simple to stay connected with your team, no matter where or when they’re working. Your team can quickly and easily message you if they can’t access a jobsite, if they encounter problems while working, or if they simply need to ask questions.
Control labor costs and productivity with a digital time clock
Connecteam has a built-in time clock that syncs with your team’s schedules, meaning your employees can clock in and out right from their schedule, with just one click. You can see exactly when workers have started and ended their shifts.
The time clock’s GPS and geofencing features help reduce buddy punching and time theft. With geofencing, you can create a digital fence around a worksite and keep your workers from clocking in and out when they aren’t inside the fence. You can also use Breadcrumbs Live Tracking to get a live look at your employees’ locations, and see where they’ve recently been.
Connecteam also lets you control costs by letting you know when your team is approaching overtime. Track breaks, too, to make sure your workers are compliant with rest breaks.
Train and reward your workers
Unlike many other employee scheduling apps, Connecteam lets you create custom video training for onboarding and up-skilling. Create immersive training with links, videos, audio files, text, PDFs, and more.
With Connecteam, you can track who’s taken training. You can even create quizzes so you and your team can keep tabs on learning progress.
Connecteam has even more features. Offer employee rewards to keep your team motivated, and conduct surveys to get feedback from your employees.
Free trial and a free plan for small businesses
Connecteam offers a 14-day free trial so you can decide if it’s right for you and your team.
Connecteam is also free for life for small businesses with up to 10 users. Paid plans start at only $29/month for up to 30 users and additional users only cost $0.5 per seat.
Since Connecteam is an all-in-one solution, you don’t have to pay separately for mobile apps offering employee scheduling, messaging, and time clock features. Connecteam offers those and more, which makes it the overall best alternative to Deputy.
Connecteam also offers a free for life plan – Try Connecteam here!
Key Features
Add files to shifts, creating resources for each job
Open shifts allow any worker to claim them
Overtime notifications control labor costs
Receive automatic notifications about scheduling conflicts
Pros
Affordable, with a free plan for small businesses
Manage all workers in one app
User-friendly app doesn’t require tech knowledge
Fast and efficient customer support
Cons
Integrations are currently in development
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Start your free trial -
OnTheClock — Good for: Small teams who don’t need extra features
OnTheClock is a simple-to-use employee scheduling app designed for smaller teams, making it an alternative to Deputy. Drag and drop shifts into a weekly schedule, and hit “publish” once your schedule is ready. Emails are then sent to your employees, so they know when they’re scheduled to work. You can also save schedules that work for your team and easily recreate them later.
Workers can request time off right in the app, and you can easily approve requests. TimeClock also makes it simple to track the hours your employees work, so you can know when someone is approaching overtime.
Learn more about OnTheClockKey Features
- Employee surveys to poll your team
- GPS tracking and fingerprint sign-in
- Employee messaging
- Paid time off (PTO) tracking
Pros
- Time clock is included
- Payroll integration
Cons
- Free plan is only for two employees
- Expensive, even for smaller teams
Pricing
Starts at $102/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes — For up to 2 users
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Hubstaff — Good for: Teams using Agile project management methods
Hubstaff is another good Deputy alternative. This employee scheduling software solution is designed to let you schedule both teams and individual workers. Set limits on hours worked and overtime to control labor costs. Hubstaff also connects with Google Calendar, if you prefer to schedule in Google.
In Hubstaff, you can see at a glance which team members are on leave or vacation, who was early or on time for their shift, and who hasn’t clocked into their shift yet. Set all-day schedules and manage paid time off in the platform, too.
You can also use Hubstaff to break up work into “sprints.” The system will prompt you for regular check-ins and feedback.
Learn more about HubstaffKey Features
- Automated invoicing and payroll
- Worker productivity monitoring
- Time clock
- Time reporting to track a project’s profitability
Pros
- See employees’ online activity to track productivity
- Time reporting
Cons
- May be best for agile methods and in-person teams
- Free plan doesn’t include scheduling
Pricing
Starts at $4.99/user/month, 2 users minimum Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes — For one user only
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Sling — Good for: Controlling costs
Sling is an alternative to Deputy that lets you create work schedules using time blocks. Instantly see who’s available, who needs time off, and who has asked for shift trades. Create open shifts anyone can claim, or use templates to repeat shifts that work for your team. You’ll be automatically notified if you overlap shifts or double-book workers, so you can quickly fix the mistake.
Sling also lets you create a labor budget. You’ll get an automated notification if your schedule puts you over budget.
Learn more about SlingKey Features
- See labor costs for each shift as you create schedules
- Internal team communication
- Track employee time with built-in clock
- Easily edit timesheets
Pros
- Shift alarms notify workers when they have a shift
- Set up available shifts anyone can claim
Cons
- Free plan doesn’t include time tracking or task management
- No voice or video communication for employees
Pricing
Starts at $1.70/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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7shifts — Good for: Restaurants
Designed for restaurants, 7Shifts lets you create shift templates and set up schedules in minutes. Simply type in your workers’ names and assign each person a shift. You can see at a glance whether you have enough staff for each shift.
7Shifts’ built-in budget tools can help you forecast sales and predict labor costs, so you don’t waste money by overstaffing. Easily split shifts and keep your most experienced workers on during the most demanding times. You can also integrate your schedules with Point of Sale systems.
Learn more about 7shiftsKey Features
- Integrates with QuickBooks for payroll
- Time clock
- Video training for employees
- Tip pooling so workers get their share of tips
Pros
- Log books let managers share shift information
- Can manage multiple locations
Cons
- Some features may not be relevant outside restaurants
- Free version includes very few features
Pricing
Starts at $29.99/month/location, up to 30 employees Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes — Up to 1 location & 30 employees
Compare the Best Deputy alternativess
| Topic |
Start for free
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews |
  |
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| Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
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Starts at $102/month
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Starts at $4.99/user/month, 2 users minimum
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Starts at $1.70/user/month
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Starts at $29.99/month/location, up to 30 employees
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| Free Trial |
yes
14-day
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yes
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yes
14-day
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yes
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yes
14-day
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| Free Plan |
yes
Free Up to 10 users
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yes
For up to 2 users
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yes
For one user only
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yes
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yes
Up to 1 location & 30 employees
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| Use cases |
The best Deputy alternative for employee scheduling
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Good for: Small teams who don’t need extra features
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Good for: Teams using Agile project management methods
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Good for: Controlling costs
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Good for: Restaurants
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| Available on |
The Bottom Line on Alternatives to Deputy
Deputy is an employee scheduling software platform that can replace the time-consuming process of manual scheduling. While many have used the app without any problems, some have reported difficulty in reaching customer service. Others have said they’ve experienced technical issues, too.
After a careful review of alternatives, we found Connecteam to be the best all-in-one employee scheduling app and the best Deputy alternative. You can create schedules in minutes, and send notifications to workers about their shifts.
Connecteam includes a lot more than just employee scheduling, too. The platform offers a free trial and a free plan for small businesses, and includes highly rated customer support, time clock and chat features, and more.