Workzenly makes time clock, scheduling, PTO and payroll software, and it appears in this list as one option. We researched every product on its own website on November 7, 2026. No company paid to be included. Features and prices change, so check each vendor’s site before you buy.
The best Deputy alternatives for most US small businesses are When I Work for a lower per-user price, Homebase or Sling for a free plan, Connecteam for field crews and 7shifts for restaurants. This page compares eight apps like Deputy, with prices and limits checked on each vendor’s website.
Deputy is workforce management software for shift-based businesses. Lite costs $5 per user per month and includes scheduling, timesheets, time clocking, labor law compliance, shift swaps and leave management. Core, at $6.50, adds auto-scheduling, demand forecasting, wage budgets and biometric clocking; Pro is $9. Monthly plans carry a $30 minimum per invoice. US payroll, enabled by Paycor, is an add-on for annual Core and Pro customers at $8 per user per month plus a $49 base fee. There is a free trial of up to 31 days and no free plan.
Most people searching for Deputy competitors want to pay less per user, want a free plan for a small team, or want payroll without an annual commitment and a separate add-on. Each tool below says which buyer it suits.
Top picks at a glance
When I WorkBest for a lower per-user price
HomebaseBest for a free plan at one location
ConnecteamBest for field crews
SlingBest for a large free team
WorkzenlyBest for schedule, time, PTO and payroll in one app
7shiftsBest for restaurants
Deputy competitors compared
| Tool | Best for | Free plan or trial | Starting price | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| When I Work | a lower per-user price | 14-day free trial, no free plan | $2.50 per user/month (Essentials); time tracking is an add-on | Web, iOS, Android |
| Homebase | a free plan at one location | Free plan: 1 location, up to 10 employees | $24 per location/month billed annually ($30 monthly) | Web, iOS, Android, tablet time clock |
| Connecteam | field crews | Free for up to 10 users; 14-day trial | $29/month for the first 30 users, billed annually (Operations Basic) | Web, iOS, Android, kiosk app |
| Sling | a large free team | Free plan up to 30 users; 15-day trial of paid plans | $1.70 per user/month billed annually ($2 monthly) | Web, iOS, Android |
| Workzenly | schedule, time, PTO and payroll in one app | Book a demo | Book a demo | Employee app, shared tablet clock |
| 7shifts | restaurants | Free Comp plan: 1 location, up to 15 employees; 14-day trial | $39.99 per location/month billed annually (Essentials, teams up to 30) | Web, iOS, Android |
 Buddy Punch | accurate hours with GPS | 14-day free trial, no free plan | $4.99 per user/month + $19 base fee, billed annually | Web, iOS, Android, kiosk |
 QuickBooks Time | QuickBooks Online users | No free plan; 30-day free trial of the base fee | $20/month base + $10 per user/month (Time Premium) | Web, iOS, Android, kiosk |
- Best for
- a lower per-user price
- Free plan or trial
- 14-day free trial, no free plan
- Starting price
- $2.50 per user/month (Essentials); time tracking is an add-on
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android
When I Work is the closest like-for-like swap at a lower price. Essentials costs $2.50 per user per month, half of Deputy Lite, and includes auto scheduling, schedule templates, forecast tools, multi-week and multi-location scheduling, OpenShifts, shift swaps and team messaging.
Pro, at $5, adds scheduling rules, role permissions, labor sharing and custom reporting. The gaps: time tracking and attendance is an add-on you switch on, and there is no built-in payroll, only integrations. The 14-day free trial includes everything, with no credit card required.
Strengths
- Entry plan from $2.50 per user/month with unlimited users
- Auto scheduling, schedule templates and multi-week, multi-location scheduling on Essentials
- OpenShifts, shift swapping and in-app team messaging on every plan
- 14-day free trial of everything, no credit card required
Drawbacks
- No free plan
- Time tracking and attendance is a separate add-on you switch on per plan
- No built-in payroll; it connects to payroll providers instead
- Best for
- a free plan at one location
- Free plan or trial
- Free plan: 1 location, up to 10 employees
- Starting price
- $24 per location/month billed annually ($30 monthly)
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android, tablet time clock
Homebase is the free option for a single location. Its Basic plan includes scheduling and time tracking for one location with up to 10 employees, which Deputy does not offer at any price. Clock-ins work on phones or a shared tablet with PIN, photo and GPS options.
Paid plans are per location with unlimited employees: Essentials is $24 per location per month on annual billing, and Plus at $56 adds PTO controls, departments and permissions. Payroll is an add-on at $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid and works on every plan, without the annual-plan requirement Deputy sets for its payroll add-on.
Strengths
- Free Basic plan with scheduling and time tracking for one location and up to 10 employees
- Paid plans are priced per location with unlimited employees
- Payroll add-on for $49/month plus $6 per employee paid
- Hiring, team messaging, onboarding and HR tools in the same app
Drawbacks
- The free plan stops at 10 employees and one location
- PTO controls, departments and permissions start on the Plus plan ($56 per location/month billed annually)
- Payroll, Tip Manager ($25) and Task Manager ($13) cost extra each month
- Best for
- field crews
- Free plan or trial
- Free for up to 10 users; 14-day trial
- Starting price
- $29/month for the first 30 users, billed annually (Operations Basic)
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android, kiosk app
Connecteam suits businesses whose staff clock in at job sites: cleaning, home care, security and construction. It offers GPS-verified clock-ins, geofenced work areas, a shared-tablet kiosk app, and scheduling with shift templates, open shifts, swaps and AI auto-scheduling that considers availability, roles and labor laws.
Pricing is flat for the first 30 users. The free Small Business plan covers up to 10 users with all hubs, limited to one time clock and one schedule. The Operations hub then starts at $29 a month on annual billing for 30 users, plus a fee for each extra user, which can cost less than Deputy’s per-user fee for a team of about 30. Chat and HR are separate hubs.
Strengths
- Free Small Business plan for up to 10 users with all hubs, limited to one time clock and one schedule
- GPS-verified clock-ins, geofenced work areas and a shared-tablet kiosk app
- Shift templates, open shifts, shift swaps and AI auto-scheduling
- Separate hubs for team chat, HR documents and training
Drawbacks
- Priced per hub, so scheduling, chat and HR each add a subscription
- The free plan ends at 10 users
- Paid plans charge a flat fee for the first 30 users plus a fee for each extra user
- Best for
- a large free team
- Free plan or trial
- Free plan up to 30 users; 15-day trial of paid plans
- Starting price
- $1.70 per user/month billed annually ($2 monthly)
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android
Sling, now part of Toast, gives the largest free team on this list: shift scheduling, time-off requests, available shifts and messaging for up to 30 users at no cost. That makes it a practical Deputy alternative for a business that mainly needs the schedule published to phones.
Premium costs $1.70 per user per month on annual billing and adds the time clock with geofencing, timesheets, overtime tracking and labor budgets. Business, at $3.40, adds kiosk clock-in, attendance reports, PTO management and tasks. Sling does not run payroll and lacks Deputy’s compliance and forecasting depth.
Strengths
- Free plan for up to 30 users with shift scheduling, time-off requests and messaging
- Paid plans from $1.70 per user/month billed annually
- Labor cost tracking, overtime tracking and budgeting on Premium
- Now part of Toast, the restaurant point-of-sale company
Drawbacks
- Time clock, geofencing and timesheets need the paid Premium plan
- Kiosk clock-in, attendance reports and PTO management are on the Business plan
- No built-in payroll processing
- Best for
- schedule, time, PTO and payroll in one app
- Free plan or trial
- Book a demo
- Starting price
- Book a demo
- Platforms
- Employee app, shared tablet clock
Workzenly is our product. Where Deputy sells payroll and HR as add-ons, Workzenly keeps scheduling with swaps, a phone or shared-tablet time clock with GPS and geofencing, PTO tracking and payroll with pay stubs in one system for US employers.
New hires sign onboarding forms in the same employee app, and documents and performance reviews live alongside schedules and pay. We do not publish prices or offer a self-serve free plan, and if you need demand forecasting, Deputy includes it on Core. Book a demo to see a week of your own schedule run through payroll.
Strengths
- Scheduling, time clock, PTO and payroll share one set of employee records
- Phone or shared-tablet clock-in with GPS and geofencing
- Pay stubs, e-signed onboarding forms and documents in the employee app
- Performance reviews in the same system
Drawbacks
- No published price; you get a quote on a demo call
- No self-serve free plan
- More than you need if you only want a free schedule for one small team
- Best for
- restaurants
- Free plan or trial
- Free Comp plan: 1 location, up to 15 employees; 14-day trial
- Starting price
- $39.99 per location/month billed annually (Essentials, teams up to 30)
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android
7shifts is built only for restaurants. Instead of Deputy’s general compliance rules, it offers restaurant tools: tip management, a manager log book, labor compliance and PTO accruals. The free Comp plan covers basic scheduling for one location with up to 15 employees.
Paid plans are per location, not per user. Essentials is $39.99 per location per month on annual billing and adds team messaging and basic time clocking for up to 30 employees; Pro at $79.99 adds labor compliance and advanced clocking for up to 60. 7shifts Payroll is a US-only add-on and is included in Premium at $134.99.
Strengths
- Built for restaurants, with tip management, labor compliance and a manager log book
- Free Comp plan for one location with up to 15 employees
- Labor compliance tools and PTO accruals on Pro ($79.99 per location/month billed annually for teams up to 30)
- US payroll add-on that turns timesheets, tips and PTO into pay runs
Drawbacks
- The free plan covers scheduling only; time clocking starts on Essentials
- Employee caps per location: 30 on Essentials and 60 on Pro
- Tip management and payroll are included only on Premium ($134.99 per location/month billed annually, or $179.99 for teams of 31 or more)
- Best for
- accurate hours with GPS
- Free plan or trial
- 14-day free trial, no free plan
- Starting price
- $4.99 per user/month + $19 base fee, billed annually
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android, kiosk
Buddy Punch is a time clock with scheduling added, a good fit if Deputy’s timesheets are what you use most. Starter includes GPS on punches, time-off tracking, alerts and payroll integrations. Pro adds geofencing, QR code scanning, PIN and kiosk punches, webcam photos on punches and offline mode.
Starter costs $4.99 per user per month plus a $19 base fee on annual billing; scheduling is a $1 per user add-on there and included on Pro at $6.99. That lands close to Deputy’s prices, so choose it for the punch controls rather than savings. There is a 14-day free trial and no free plan.
Strengths
- GPS on punches, time-off tracking and payroll integrations from the Starter plan
- Geofencing, QR code scanning and PIN or kiosk punches on Pro
- Scheduling included on Pro and a $1 per user add-on on Starter
- 14-day free trial with no credit card required
Drawbacks
- No free plan
- A $19 monthly base fee on every plan
- Real-time GPS tracking is a $2 per user add-on below the Advanced plan
- Best for
- QuickBooks Online users
- Free plan or trial
- No free plan; 30-day free trial of the base fee
- Starting price
- $20/month base + $10 per user/month (Time Premium)
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android, kiosk
QuickBooks Time is the Deputy alternative for businesses that run their books in QuickBooks Online, which it requires. Approved hours sync into QuickBooks payroll and invoicing, and both plans include scheduling, a time kiosk and the Workforce mobile app.
Time Premium lists at $20 a month base plus $10 per user per month, with the base fee discounted for the first three months at the time of writing, and both plans include time off and alerts. Time Elite costs $40 base plus $12 per user and adds project tracking, mileage tracking and timesheet signatures. It costs more per user than Deputy but removes a sync step.
Strengths
- Hours flow into QuickBooks Online for payroll and invoicing
- Scheduling and a time kiosk are included on both Time plans
- Time off, alerts and photo attachments on Time Premium
- Project tracking, mileage tracking and timesheet signatures on Time Elite
Drawbacks
- Requires a QuickBooks Online account
- A monthly base fee on top of the per-user fee
- Time Elite costs $40/month base plus $12 per user/month
How we chose these tools
We gathered the products that US buyers compare with Deputy on review-site category pages and vendor comparison pages, then confirmed each one on its own website on November 7, 2026. Deputy itself is summarized in the introduction and not ranked, since every entry is one of the Deputy alternatives.
Our criteria
- Shift scheduling and a time clock for hourly employees, built in or as a clear add-on.
- A clear reason to choose it over Deputy: price, a free plan, industry tools or payroll.
- A US website with a published price, or a plain note when there is none.
- A mobile app for employees.
- No ratings or paid placements; drawbacks are facts from vendor pages.
How to choose between Deputy alternatives
Price your real team on each finalist. Deputy, When I Work, Sling and Buddy Punch charge per user; Homebase and 7shifts per location; Connecteam a flat fee for the first 30 users. Add any payroll, HR or messaging add-ons you would need, and check minimums and annual-only terms.
- Compliance depth. Deputy’s strength is labor law compliance. List the rules you rely on, such as overtime warnings, minor work-hour limits or break rules, and test each one during the trial.
- Overtime. The FLSA requires 1.5 times the regular rate for non-exempt hours over 40 in a workweek, and California adds daily overtime after 8 hours. Our guide to California overtime law covers daily and seventh-day rules.
- Predictive scheduling. Oregon and cities such as Seattle, San Francisco, New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia require advance notice of schedules for some employers. Ask how the app logs posting dates and late changes.
- Clock-in method. Deputy offers biometric clocking on Core. Alternatives usually use phone GPS, geofencing, PIN or photo on a shared tablet. Compare options in our list of free time clock apps.
- Records and exports. Keep payroll records for three years and time cards for two, as the FLSA requires. Download Deputy timesheets before you cancel.
- Payroll. Decide whether payroll should live in the scheduling app or stay with your current provider fed by exported hours.
For a broader list, see the best employee scheduling apps. To sketch your rota before a trial, use a free employee schedule template.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cheaper alternative to Deputy?
When I Work starts at $2.50 per user per month, half of Deputy Lite’s $5, and Sling’s Premium plan is $1.70 per user per month on annual billing. Homebase and Sling also have free plans: Homebase for one location with up to 10 employees, and Sling for up to 30 users without the time clock.
Deputy vs When I Work: which is better for small teams?
When I Work costs less per user and includes auto scheduling, forecasting and shift swaps on its $2.50 Essentials plan, with time tracking as an add-on. Deputy costs more but includes time clocking and labor law compliance on every plan and offers a US payroll add-on. Small teams with simple rules often choose When I Work.
Does Deputy have a free plan?
No. Deputy offers a free trial of up to 31 days with no credit card required, then paid plans from $5 per user per month. Monthly plans carry a $30 minimum per invoice. If you need a free plan, look at Homebase, Sling, Connecteam or 7shifts, each with its own team-size limits.
Which Deputy competitors include payroll?
Homebase sells payroll on every plan for $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid. 7shifts has a US payroll add-on that is included in Premium. Gusto runs payroll with scheduling on its Plus plan. Workzenly includes payroll with scheduling, the time clock and PTO tracking.
How do I switch from Deputy to another scheduling app?
Export your employee list, pay rates and timesheets from Deputy, then import the staff list into the new app as a spreadsheet. Rebuild one typical week as a template, run both systems for one pay period to compare hours, and keep the exported records for at least three years.