Deputy App Exposed: Is This Scheduling App For You?

Whispers in the break room. Rants in user reviews threads. Glowing five-stars and furious one-stars.

Deputy, the employee scheduling app trusted by over a million shift workers, is either saving managers' sanity or driving teams up the wall.

So what’s the real story?

We looked past the glossy homepage and into the trenches: the features, the flaws, the price tag, and more.

Here’s what users really think about Deputy in 2025. Plus, a fantastic alternative worth considering if you’re feeling tempted to click on that “cancel subscription" button.

What is Deputy App?

Deputy is a scheduling tool for teams wanting to track work hours and manage shift planning.

Founded in 2008 in Sydney, Australia by Ashik Ahmed, Steve Shelley, and Erez Rachamim, Deputy started as a tool to solve problems in managing shift workers and quickly grew into one of the most popular names in employee scheduling.

Today, it’s trusted by many, from cafes and retail stores to hospitals and seasonal businesses.

Key features of this scheduling app: from shift scheduling to rest breaks

Deputy comes packed with workforce management tools. Most of them are geared toward saving you admin time and keeping your team in sync.

Here’s what the app is known for:

AI powered auto scheduling: helps you create schedules based on availability and labor costs.
Shift scheduling and swapping: you can assign and swap shifts without needing to message everyone manually.
Task management and shift planning: assign daily tasks and stay ahead of last-minute chaos.
Rest breaks and compliance: deputy helps businesses stick to local labor laws by tracking required rest breaks and logging them correctly.
Time tracking and attendance: built-in time and attendance tools mean no more guessing who’s late or forgot to clock in.

How Deputy saves time with real time insights and leave management tools

One of the big promises of Deputy is to help you get back your time. And it does that in a few key areas.

First, the real time insights. Managers can track attendance and last-minute schedule changes, all as they happen. If someone doesn’t clock in, you’ll know. If you’re overstaffed, you’ll see it live.

Second, the leave management tools are built into the same scheduling tool, so employees don’t need to email or text. They can simply request leave and check leave balances right from the mobile app or deputy kiosk app.

For businesses trying to keep shifts covered without stress, Deputy shows who’s available and where the gaps are, even across multiple locations or departments.

The app is especially helpful for seasonal businesses, where schedules can change fast and team members often work unpredictable hours.

And because it tracks everything in real time, there’s less back-and-forth, and less risk of missing something important.

Deputy pricing explained

Deputy splits its pricing into four main plans, all based on how many active users you have each month. You won’t be charged for archived or inactive team members, but the moment someone clocks in, they count.

#1 Scheduling or time & attendance - $4.50/user/month

Both of these starter plans cost the same, and yes, they include tools for shift planning, auto scheduling, leave management, and task management. You can also assign tasks and post updates in the news feed feature.

But here's the catch: you don’t get advanced reports unless you move up. Still, for basic shift handling on mobile devices, this works fine, especially if you're a small business.

#2 Premium plan - $6/user/month

This is the premium plan Deputy pushes the hardest. You get everything in the lower tiers, plus more detailed analytics and customization options for reporting. You can choose to pay yearly and drop the price to $5/month, but it locks you in for longer.

It’s the go-to pick for teams that want both scheduling and time tracking without switching between other websites or apps.

#3 Enterprise - custom pricing

Big team? More than 250 users? Deputy rolls out the red carpet here. You’ll get SSO, custom roles, deeper reporting, and even a training matrix. This plan is aimed at hospitals or franchises where compliance and structure matter.

They don’t list the price publicly, so you’ll need to talk to their sales team.

#4 Add-ons

Deputy HR: $2/user/month. Handles onboarding, contracts, and surveys.
Analytics+: $1.50/user/month. If you want serious reporting with automated sharing, this is it.

You can try both for free for 30 days. Just remember, these are extras, meaning they stack on top of your main plan.

All in all, Deputy’s pricing looks fair for smaller teams, especially if you like having multiple options and want to keep everything on one platform. But those extras can add up fast. Make sure to check if what Deputy offers matches your needs before you commit to that annual discount.

How good is Deputy’s customer support? We checked the review sites

Most users seem happy with the basics. Clove R., an HR manager, said, “The customer support experience is great too.” Others praised how easy it is to get started. Lynne S., from a small business, called it “very helpful customer support.”

But when things get complicated? That’s when the cracks show.

Mike H., a small-business CEO, shared a very different story. He wrote, “Deputy's tech support team is hands down the slowest and least effective I have ever encountered.” His issue started when Zapier integration stopped working - something his business relied on daily. It took four to five days just to get a generic email reply. Eventually, the support team admitted they didn’t have a fix and closed the ticket.

And here’s the real kicker: he wasn’t dealing with a small bug. According to Mike, the broken integration disrupted payroll, missed customer reminders, and wasted hours of staff time. After two weeks without real help, he switched to Connecteam.

Other users also pointed out the lack of live chat or phone support. For U.S. teams, Deputy’s Australia-based support team means slower replies, especially during U.S. business hours.

Still, not everyone had a bad time. Plenty of small and mid-sized businesses gave 4 or 5 stars, saying email-based support got the job done for their needs.

Bottom line? If you’re using Deputy for day-to-day workforce management, support might be fine. But if you hit a serious technical problem, be ready for long waits, and maybe some frustration.

Want fast support and more hands-on help? You might want to check other scheduling apps like Connecteam or Unrubble, which users often mention as more responsive.

Deputy integrations: From payroll integrations to HR software

Deputy offers plenty of integrations, especially if your team’s already using tools for payroll, HR, and point of sale. No matter if you're tracking sales in Square or syncing hours to ADP, Deputy connects with multiple options to pull it all together.

The most popular names?

Square (POS)
ADP and Gusto (payroll software)
BambooHR (HR system)
QuickBooks (for time and payroll syncing)

That’s not all. You’ll also find integrations with Zapier, Salesforce, Xero, Microsoft Outlook, and even learning tools like EdApp or Allara Global. It also supports mobile devices and cloud storage services like Dropbox and Box for data backups and reports.

If you’re looking to assign tasks or track sales alongside work schedules, Deputy’s integrations aim to keep everything in sync. Just know that if something breaks (like the Zapier case from a G2 review), support might be slow to step in.

Still, with over 30 integrations listed, and more being added, it’s clear Deputy is building its scheduling tool to work nicely with other platforms. Just make sure the setup fits your business before diving in.

Deputy cons: what real users don't like about Deputy App

Let’s talk downsides - because even a top-rated app like Deputy has a few cracks under the surface. We scanned dozens of real user reviews on G2 to uncover what frustrates people the most. And while many enjoy the mobile app and time tracking, there’s no shortage of complaints either.

Glitches and late notifications

Users like Heidi R. mention being wrongly marked absent:

“It told me I was absent a few days later, even though I worked the shift.”

Others report bugs with clocking in or being randomly logged out on mobile devices.

Holiday requests don’t always go through

One hospitality worker shared that leave requests often never reach management. That’s a problem when you're depending on the system to handle time off, especially in seasonal businesses where employees clock in and out daily.

Interface needs work

The People tab left Lorenzo D. wanting more.

“I’d love to see an org chart from CEO down — sometimes I don’t even know who to contact in HR.”

Some users say the layout feels clunky when looking for information fast.

Too many alerts

Jenean R. appreciated the sync-to-calendar feature, but added:

“I feel like I get too many notifications from the app.”

Not everyone wants a buzz every time there's a minor shift change.

No live support and slow replies

Several users, including small-business owners and enterprise clients, mentioned the lack of live chat or real-time help. Support is mostly email-based, which can be frustrating during urgent situations or tech breakdowns.

Missed potential with integrations

Deputy promotes its wide range of integrations, but as Mike H. reported, when one broke (Zapier), his business operations were disrupted for days. Even worse? Support closed the ticket without fixing the issue. He called the experience a “significant waste of time and money.”

While these issues don’t affect everyone, they’re common enough to raise red flags, especially if you depend on the app daily to run your team.

Why Unrubble is a better scheduling software than Deputy

If you’re looking for more customization options, faster support, or a smoother all-in-one experience, it might be time to consider alternatives like Unrubble, where those missing features aren’t so hard to find.

Founded in Poland in 2015, Unrubble has one clear mission: to cut out the admin noise and give businesses a simple, powerful tool for employee scheduling, time tracking, and PTO management. Our solution is fast, flexible, and it actually listens to the users.

Packed with features that actually work

Here’s what you get out of the box:

✔ Work scheduling: drag-and-drop shifts, real-time updates, publishing drafts - no delays, no mess.

✔ Time tracking: track every minute with facial recognition, anti-spoofing, and browser-based options.

✔ PTO Tracker: approve leave requests, WFHs, and business trips with zero spreadsheets.

✔ Mobile Time Clock: fully mobile, fully smart, clock in from anywhere.

✔ Employee Self-Service App: employees handle their own schedules, shifts, and requests from their phones.

✔ Real-time timesheets: no more chasing paperwork, see everything live.

✔ Business trips tool: plan, track, and settle trips with file-sharing and trip chat built in.

✔ Live support: talk to someone fast via chat or email, no waiting days.

✔ Privacy first: GDPR compliant, encrypted, and no sneaky data selling.

Who is Unrubble for?

Unrubble is perfect for:

Small and mid-sized businesses
Remote or hybrid teams
Shift-based workplaces (retail, healthcare, hospitality)
Managers tired of manual spreadsheets
HR teams who want self-serve tools without chasing everyone

Pricing that’s built for humans

Unrubble keeps it clean:

Pay per active user
No setup fees
No hidden charges
Free trial (no credit card needed)

It’s flexible enough for a team of five and scalable enough for 500+.

Comparison: Deputy features

Scheduling tools - Basic + AI-powered auto scheduling
Time tracking - Yes, but limited offline options
Leave requests & PTO - Sometimes glitchy
Business trips - Not included
Integrations - 30+ tools (ADP, Square, etc.)
Mobile app - Yes, but can be buggy
Support - Email only, slow response reported
Customization options - Limited
Data privacy - GDPR-compliant, support issues
Starting price - $4.50/user/month
Best for - Enterprises

Comparison: Unrubble features

Scheduling tools - Drag & drop, drafts, real-time updates
Time tracking - Web, mobile, face recognition
Leave requests & PTO - Fully automated, real-time
Business trips - Built-in with planning + file sharing
Integrations - Payroll integrations, Zapier, API
Mobile app - Fast, smart, and self-serve
Support - Fast chat + email
Customization options - High, adaptable to your workflow
Data privacy - GDPR, no data sharing, full encryption
Starting price - Transparent, usage-based pricing, starting at $1/user/month
Best for - Small-to-mid teams + remote staff

Why switch?

While Deputy offers lots on paper, users regularly point to poor support, rigid features, and buggy mobile tools. Unrubble, on the other hand, feels made for teams who want to get stuff done without fighting the tech.

If you need a tool that’s: