Deputy
Deputy
Overview
Deputy is a cloud-based workforce scheduling and management platform trusted by over 390,000 workplaces worldwide. It is built to help small business owners in sectors such as cafés, gyms, hair salons, restaurants, and takeaways replace time-consuming spreadsheets with a modern, mobile-friendly system.
Key Features
Deputy covers staff scheduling, time and attendance tracking, and payroll automation in one place. It integrates with widely used tools including QuickBooks and Square, and its mobile app lets managers and employees handle shifts, leave requests, and clock-ins from anywhere — useful for busy owner-operators who are rarely desk-bound.
Pricing
Deputy offers a 31-day free trial with no credit card required, and paid plans start from $6 per seat per month (approximately £4.75 at current rates — confirm live GBP pricing on the Deputy website). Pricing is per active employee, so costs scale naturally as your team grows, which suits the variable staffing patterns common in UK hospitality and retail.
Ease of Use
Deputy is designed for owners with no dedicated HR team, and most users report getting up and running quickly without specialist training. The drag-and-drop scheduler and clear mobile interface mean staff can view rotas, accept shifts, and submit availability without any technical know-how.
Verdict
Deputy is a strong choice for UK small businesses in shift-based industries looking to save time on rota planning and reduce costly scheduling errors. Customers report cutting payroll processing from an entire weekend down to minutes and saving thousands of pounds annually in labour inefficiencies — a compelling return for a modest monthly outlay.
Deputy — Video Review
Pros
- ✓Quick to set up, no technical expertise needed
- ✓Mobile app great for on-the-go shift management
- ✓Saves significant time on payroll processing
- ✓Integrates with QuickBooks, Square, and more
- ✓31-day free trial, low per-seat pricing
- ✓Scales easily with variable team sizes
Cons
- ✗Pricing in USD, no confirmed GBP rate
- ✗No specific Making Tax Digital integration mentioned
- ✗Can get costly with larger, growing teams
- ✗Limited HR depth beyond scheduling and time tracking
Pricing Plans
Pricing tracked since 4 September 2026. Always check the vendor's site for the current price before buying.
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Lite | Contact sales |
| Core | Contact sales |
| Pro | Contact sales |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Deputy work with UK payroll and accounting software? ▼
Deputy integrates with popular tools including QuickBooks, which is widely used by UK small businesses. However, it does not have a direct Making Tax Digital (MTD) integration, so you may need to check compatibility with your specific UK payroll provider before committing.
Is my staff data handled in line with GDPR? ▼
Deputy operates under internationally recognised data protection standards, but as a US-headquartered company you should review their data processing agreement to confirm UK GDPR compliance. It is worth checking where your data is stored and whether a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) is available for UK customers.
Can Deputy handle zero-hours contracts and variable shift patterns? ▼
Yes — Deputy is particularly well suited to the flexible, variable scheduling common in UK hospitality, salons, and takeaways. Staff can set their availability, and managers can build rotas around it, making it practical for zero-hours and part-time arrangements.
Expert Reviews (5)
Deputy is a workforce scheduling and management platform designed specifically for small businesses, trusted by over 390,000 workplaces globally. Key strengths include intuitive scheduling that cuts planning time significantly, mobile app capabilities for on-the-go shift management, integrated time tracking and payroll automation, and seamless connections with popular business tools like QuickBooks, Square, and Gusto. The platform delivers measurable cost savings through reduced scheduling overlap and labor efficiency, with customers reporting annual savings of $11,000–$13,000 and payroll processing times cut from entire weekends to minutes. Deputy is ideally suited for small business owners seeking to replace manual spreadsheet scheduling with a modern, user-friendly system that streamlines both staff coordination and payroll compliance.
Deputy, the Australia-based scheduling solution, has the right combination of features and price to be our top pick for the best time and ...
Deputy serves customers of all sizes but is popular among small to midsize businesses (85% of reviewers come from firms with 2-200 employees). It's ideal for ...
130 people have already reviewed Deputy. Read about their experiences and share your own! | Read 81-100 Reviews out of 126.
Deputy includes reporting and workforce insights at several plan levels, including demand forecasting, labor optimization, and wage and labor ...