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How we compare with Deputy
Deputy is a strong rota and time-and-attendance platform with a polished UK rota page. Where this product differs for a UK operator: it has a genuinely free plan for up to 10 people where Deputy is trial-only; it runs native security patrol rounds Deputy does not offer; it turns any old iPad into a face-recognition kiosk; and it charges one flat fee per business rather than per user with a UK minimum spend. The tables below quote Deputy's public pages as published in July 2026; verify before relying on a figure.
Comparison checked July 2026. Deputy details as published on their site and subject to change.
| This platform | Deputy (as published) | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Up to 10 people, no time limit, no card | No free plan; trial only |
| Security patrol rounds | Native: scheduled NFC rounds with automatic missed-checkpoint flags | Not offered |
| Face-recognition kiosk | Any iPad up to ten years old, on-device, opt-in with PIN fallback | Kiosk time clock; biometric options gated to higher plans |
| Pricing model | One flat GBP fee per business covering the first 30 users, per-user beyond | Per user per month, with a UK minimum spend |
| Currency shown | Pounds, VAT noted | US dollars on the pricing page |
| NFC clock-in | Write your own tags for attendance and patrols | GPS and kiosk clock-in; NFC not a headline feature |
| UK leave rules | UK statutory types and GOV.UK bank holidays imported automatically | Leave management present; UK bank-holiday automation not native |
| Payroll export | Xero, Staffology, QuickBooks, FreeAgent | Deputy has its own payroll add-on plus integrations |
Deputy pricing and features below are quoted from deputy.com as published in July 2026. Prices are per user per month in USD on their site, with a UK minimum spend noted in their terms, while ours are in GBP. Verify against their live pricing page before relying on any figure.
Difference 01
A free plan, not just a trial
Deputy is trial-only: when it ends, you pay. Here a team of up to 10 people runs free with no time limit and no card, with rotas, the time clock, tasks, chat and time off included, and a free trial of the paid tiers when you grow past it.
Difference 02
Native security patrols Deputy does not have
If any of your team patrols, Deputy has no answer: it does not do guard tours. Here patrol rounds are scheduled, checkpoints are signed NFC tags you write yourself, and missed checkpoints are flagged automatically, in the same app as the rota and the time clock.
Difference 03
Flat price per business, no per-seat maths
Deputy charges per user per month with a UK minimum spend, as published. Here it is one flat monthly fee per business covering your first 30 people, so headcount creep does not quietly inflate the bill.
One more thing
The shift lives on the lock screen
On iPhone, clocking in starts a Live Activity: a running shift timer on the lock screen until clock-out, even when the punch happened on a kiosk. It is the kind of small, provable touch neither product in this comparison mentions, and it means staff always know the clock is running.
See the time clockQuestions about vs deputy
Is there a free alternative to Deputy?
Yes. This platform has a free plan for up to 10 people with no time limit and no card, covering rotas, the time clock, tasks, chat and time off, where Deputy is trial-only as published in July 2026.
Does Deputy do security patrols?
No. Deputy is a rota and time-and-attendance platform and does not offer guard tour or patrol rounds. This platform runs native NFC patrol rounds with automatic missed-checkpoint flags.
How does the pricing compare?
Deputy prices per user per month in US dollars with a UK minimum spend, as published in July 2026. This platform charges one flat fee per business covering the first 30 users, with a per-user amount beyond that.
Can it replace a clocking in machine like Deputy's kiosk?
Yes, and it adds on-device face recognition on any iPad up to ten years old, opt-in with a PIN fallback, alongside phone GPS clock-in, NFC tags and a Mac menu-bar clock pill.
Deputy is a trademark of Deputechnologies Pty Ltd. This page is an independent comparison for information only. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Deputy. All competitor details are quoted from their public pages as published in July 2026 and may have changed since.
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