Comparison · Employee scheduling software
Deputy vs When I Work: Which Scheduling Tool Fits Your Shifts?
Deputy and When I Work both build weekly rosters for hourly staff, both include a time clock, and both publish per-user prices, so the choice comes down to tier structure and how many extras you need. Deputy sells three tiers plus paid add-ons in the US, UK and Australia, while When I Work is a US company aimed at small teams with a lower entry price. This page compares them on price, features, add-ons, security access and fit, using the facts each vendor publishes.
Short answer: Choose Deputy when you run several sites, want analytics, messaging or HR as optional extras, and sell or staff across the US, UK and Australia. Choose When I Work when you are a small US team that wants the lowest published price and a simple app for swaps and messages. Neither is built for strict European working-time rules.
Deputy
Pick Deputy if you manage hourly staff across several locations or countries and want to add analytics, messaging, HR or US payroll later. Deputy also suits buyers who want to model a year of cost from public prices before calling sales.
When I Work
Pick When I Work if your team is small, based in the US, and needs a low per-user price with a plain app for shift swaps and messages. When I Work also fits managers who want a 14-day trial on real staff before committing.
Side by side
| Deputy | When I Work | |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Sydney, Australia (Deputechnologies Pty Ltd), with a US office in San Francisco | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States (When I Work, Inc.) |
| Pricing model | Per user per month | Per user per month |
| Published tiers | Lite $5, Core $6.50, Pro $9 | Essentials $2.50, Pro $5, Premium $8; Enterprise by quote |
| Minimum spend | $30 per month per invoice | None stated in our data |
| Free option | Free trial | 14-day trial |
| Best for | Hourly teams in the US, UK and Australia | Small US hourly teams |
| Scheduling | Shift scheduling in every tier | Auto scheduling, shift swaps, multi-location scheduling |
| Time clock | Time clock and timesheets | Time clock, shown as a toggle whose cost is not spelled out |
| Add-ons | Analytics+, Messaging+, HR ($2 per user) and a US-only payroll add-on | None listed in our data; forecasting and payroll or POS integrations appear as features |
| Billing currency | Local currency: US dollars, pounds or Australian dollars | US dollars |
| SSO and API | Not covered in our data; check the vendor | SAML SSO and API access on Premium only |
| Contract terms | Annual contracts cannot be changed mid-term | Monthly or annual billing |
What is the main difference between Deputy and When I Work?
Deputy is the broader product with paid extras, and When I Work is the simpler, cheaper one. Deputy puts scheduling and a time clock into every tier, then lets a buyer add analytics, messaging, HR and, in the US, payroll. When I Work keeps the product narrower: rosters, swaps, an in-app message feed and a time clock, with a ladder of three published tiers.
Both are aimed at hourly staff, so a retailer, clinic or restaurant group could shortlist either. The gap shows up in how many sites you run, which countries you employ in and whether you expect to grow into add-ons.
Put differently, Deputy asks you to decide up front which modules you want, and When I Work asks you to decide which tier you want. A manager who dislikes configuring things will find the second path easier. A buyer who expects needs to change next year may prefer the first, since the extras can be added without switching vendors.
How do the prices compare?
When I Work is cheaper at every published rung. Its Essentials, Pro and Premium tiers cost $2.50, $5 and $8 per user per month. Deputy's Lite, Core and Pro tiers cost $5, $6.50 and $9. For a team of 30, the entry tiers differ by roughly $75 a month before any extras.
Deputy adds a $30 monthly minimum spend per invoice, which matters only for very small teams. It also charges for several add-ons: HR is a separate $2 per user, and text messages to staff are billed per message. When I Work has a pricing quirk of its own: the FAQ says $2.50 applies to single locations, while the tier table lists multi-location scheduling under Essentials, so confirm terms with sales.
A worked example helps. A 30-person team on Deputy's Core tier pays about $195 a month, and the same team on When I Work's Pro tier pays about $150. Add Deputy's HR charge for all 30 people and the gap widens by another $60.
These are list prices from the vendors' pricing pages, and your final quote may differ.
When I Work lets you pick monthly or annual billing, which suits a seasonal business that is unsure about headcount. Deputy's annual contracts are firmer, so a buyer should forecast seats with some care before signing.
Which tool has better features for shift work?
Deputy has the longer feature list, and When I Work has the more focused one. Deputy offers shift scheduling, a time clock with timesheets, an AI feature, analytics, messaging and HR as optional pieces, and a US payroll add-on. When I Work offers auto scheduling, shift swaps, multi-location scheduling, forecasting, role permissions and payroll and point-of-sale integrations.
Employees on When I Work see shifts, swap with each other and message through the app. That covers what most small teams need on a weekly basis. Deputy's extra modules matter when a business wants one vendor for rosters, hours, reporting and basic HR.
When I Work lists multi-location scheduling as a feature, and Deputy is sold to retailers, clinic groups and hospitality chains with several sites, so either can serve a business with two or three locations. The question is whether you need what sits beside the roster. Deputy lists Analytics+ for reporting, while When I Work lists forecasting as a feature.
On the time clock, Deputy and When I Work take different routes. Deputy treats the clock and timesheets as part of its core, so managers review hours in the same place they build rosters. When I Work lets staff punch in from the app and sends results onward through payroll and point-of-sale integrations, though a buyer should confirm what the time tracking toggle costs.
What about security, contracts and country coverage?
When I Work reserves single sign-on and API keys for its Premium tier, so a company that needs identity management pays the top price. Our data does not record Deputy's SSO or API terms, so a buyer with those needs should ask Deputy directly.
Deputy bills in the account's country currency and sells in the US, UK and Australia. Its payroll add-on is limited to US customers on annual plans, and annual contracts cannot be changed mid-term. When I Work is a US company and bills in dollars, with monthly or annual choices.
Neither vendor is built around European collective agreement rules.
Our data does not cover languages, translation or certifications for either vendor, so we leave them out rather than guess. Buyers in regulated sectors should request security documentation from both before shortlisting.
For a buyer comparing total cost of ownership, the contract shape matters as much as the per-user price. A monthly option lets a team leave if the tool does not fit, while an annual lock-in rewards teams that are sure of their choice.
Who should avoid each tool?
Deputy is a poor fit for offices with salaried staff on fixed hours, who gain little from a roster engine, and for companies that want one suite covering recruiting, performance and payroll in many countries. Its tiers, add-ons and billing options also take some homework to price correctly.
When I Work is a poor fit for large chains that need store-level forecasting and for staff under strict European working-time rules. Compliance-heavy businesses will find its depth limited, and companies that need SSO or an API should expect to pay for Premium.
If you sit between the two, a practical test helps. List the three things your managers do every week, such as publishing a roster, approving swaps and exporting hours, and trial each tool against that list. When I Work states a 14-day trial, which is enough for two full rosters.
Whichever tool you choose, ask each vendor to put the final price, contract length and add-on charges in writing. Published prices are a starting point, and both vendors have details that only a quote settles.
Frequently asked questions
Is Deputy or When I Work cheaper?
When I Work is cheaper on published prices: $2.50, $5 and $8 per user per month against Deputy's $5, $6.50 and $9. Deputy adds a $30 monthly minimum per invoice and paid add-ons, so the real gap depends on which extras you need.
Do Deputy and When I Work include a time clock?
Yes, both list a time clock. Deputy pairs it with timesheets in its core product. When I Work shows time tracking as a toggle, and its cost is not spelled out on the pricing page.
Which one works for a business outside the United States?
Deputy sells in the US, UK and Australia and bills in local currency, so it suits those three markets. When I Work is a US company aimed at small US teams. Neither is aimed at strict European working-time rules.
Does When I Work offer single sign-on?
Yes, but only on the Premium tier, where SAML single sign-on and API access are included. Lower tiers do not have them.
Can I try either tool before paying?
Both offer a free trial. When I Work states a 14-day trial. The length of Deputy's trial is not recorded in our data, so check its pricing page.