Deputy vs When I Work: Scheduling Showdown

Shift Scheduling for Hourly Teams

Deputy and When I Work both solve the same problem: scheduling hourly workers, tracking time, and managing shift swaps without chaos. They're built for retail, restaurants, healthcare, hospitality—anywhere with shift-based teams.

Deputy (founded 2008, Australia) is the more powerful, feature-rich option. Auto-scheduling, labor cost optimization, compliance tools—it's for businesses that need control and insights.

When I Work (founded 2010, US) is the simpler, friendlier option. Free plan, easy onboarding, team communication—it's for businesses that want scheduling without complexity.

Core Features Both Share

• Drag-and-drop shift scheduling
• Employee availability tracking
• Shift swaps & trade requests
• Time clock (mobile & web)
• Notifications (push, SMS, email)
• Team messaging
• Mobile apps (iOS & Android)
• PTO/time-off requests
• Manager approvals
• Payroll exports

Both nail the basics. Differences emerge in automation, analytics, and complexity.

When Deputy Wins

Auto-Scheduling (AI)

Deputy's killer feature: AI-powered auto-scheduling:

• Input shift requirements (e.g., "Need 3 servers, 2 cooks, 1 host for Saturday dinner")
• Deputy suggests optimal employees based on:
  • Availability
  • Skills/certifications
  • Labor costs
  • Overtime risk
  • Fair distribution of shifts
• One-click to publish

Saves hours per week. When I Work requires manual scheduling—you drag each shift yourself.

Labor Cost Management

Deputy tracks labor costs in real-time:

• Set labor budgets by day/week/location
• See projected vs actual costs as you schedule
• Alerts when approaching budget limits
• Forecasting (predict costs weeks ahead)
• Sales integration (track labor % of revenue)

Perfect for restaurants, retail, or any business where labor is a major expense. When I Work shows basic cost data but lacks optimization tools.

Advanced Compliance

Deputy helps with labor law compliance:

• Meal/rest break enforcement
• Overtime alerts (approaching 40 hours? Warning!)
• Predictive scheduling compliance (SF, NYC, Seattle laws)
• Minor work restrictions (state-specific rules)
• Audit trails for labor boards

Critical for industries with strict regulations. When I Work has basic compliance but less depth.

Kiosk Mode & Geofencing

Deputy's time clock is more sophisticated:

• Kiosk mode (shared tablet/iPad for clock in/out)
• Facial recognition (prevent buddy punching)
• Geofencing (employees can only clock in at work location)
• Photo verification

When I Work has mobile clock-in but less anti-fraud features.

Better Payroll Integrations

Deputy integrates directly with major payroll systems:

• Gusto, ADP, Paychex, QuickBooks, Xero
• Auto-sync hours to payroll (no manual exports)
• Timesheet approvals flow to payroll

When I Work has integrations too, but Deputy's are deeper and more automated.

Enterprise Features

Deputy scales better for multi-location businesses:

• Manage 10+ locations from one dashboard
• Region/area manager hierarchies
• Cross-location scheduling
• Advanced permissions (who sees what)

When When I Work Wins

Free Plan (Up to 75 People!)

When I Work's free plan is incredibly generous:

• Up to 75 people
• Unlimited schedules
• Mobile apps
• Shift swaps
• Time clock
• Team messaging

For small businesses (restaurants, retail shops, clinics), this is unbeatable. Deputy has no free plan—minimum $4.50/user.

Easier to Use

When I Work is dead simple:

• Sign up, add employees, create shifts—done in 10 minutes
• Clean, intuitive interface
• Employees figure it out without training

Deputy is powerful but has a learning curve. Managers need time to learn auto-scheduling, budgets, compliance settings.

Better Team Communication

When I Work's messaging is stronger:

• Group chats by team, location, or shift
• Direct messages
• Announcements (broadcast to everyone)
• Shift notes and updates

It feels like Slack for hourly workers. Deputy has messaging but it's more basic.

Friendlier Employee Experience

Employees love When I Work:

• Mobile app is fast and intuitive
• Easy shift pickup ("I'll take that shift!" one tap)
• Clear notifications
• Less corporate, more human

Deputy's employee app is functional but feels more utilitarian.

Lower Cost for Small Teams

When I Work's pricing is friendlier:

• Free for under 75 people
• $2/user for paid plan (scheduling + time clock)
• $4/user for advanced features

Deputy starts at $4.50/user with fewer features. For a 20-person team, When I Work can save $50-100/month.

Pricing Deep Dive

Deputy Costs

• Scheduling: $4.50/user/month (scheduling, availability, swap shifts)
• Time & Attendance: $4.50/user/month (time clock, timesheets, breaks)
• Premium: $6/user/month (auto-scheduling, labor costs, compliance, integrations)
• Enterprise: Custom (multi-location, API, dedicated support)

Most businesses need Scheduling + Time & Attendance = $9/user.
Or Premium = $6/user for everything.

25 employees on Premium: $150/month = $1,800/year

When I Work Costs

• Free: Up to 75 people (scheduling, time clock, messaging, swaps)
• Standard: $2/user/month (adds PTO tracking, shift notes, advanced features)
• Plus: $4/user/month (adds labor forecasting, advanced reporting, integrations)

25 employees on Standard: $50/month = $600/year
25 employees on Plus: $100/month = $1,200/year

Cost Comparison

For 25 employees:

• Deputy Premium: $1,800/year (auto-scheduling, labor costs, compliance)
• When I Work Plus: $1,200/year (simpler but lacks auto-scheduling)

When I Work is 33% cheaper. But if auto-scheduling saves you 5 hours/week, Deputy pays for itself.

Real Customer Feedback

Deputy

Pros: Auto-scheduling is magic, labor cost tracking saves money, powerful features, great for multi-location
Cons: Learning curve, expensive at scale, occasional bugs, UI can be overwhelming

G2 Rating: 4.6/5 | Capterra: 4.6/5

When I Work

Pros: Free plan is amazing, super easy to use, employees love it, great messaging, affordable
Cons: No auto-scheduling, limited labor analytics, fewer integrations, basic reporting

G2 Rating: 4.4/5 | Capterra: 4.5/5

Who Should Choose What?

Choose Deputy if you're:

• Managing 25-500 employees
• Multi-location business (retail chain, restaurant group)
• Labor costs are a major concern (need optimization)
• Compliance is critical (healthcare, strict states)
• Spending 10+ hours/week on scheduling

Choose When I Work if you're:

• Small business (5-75 employees)
• Single location
• Budget-conscious (free plan is perfect)
• Want simple, no-fuss scheduling
• Team communication is important

Alternatives to Consider

• Homebase: Free for 1 location, similar to When I Work
• 7shifts: Built for restaurants (integrates with POS systems)
• Sling: Free for basic scheduling, paid for time clock
• Shiftboard: Enterprise-grade like Deputy but more complex

The Bottom Line

Our honest take: When I Work wins for most small businesses—it's free, simple, and employees love it. Deputy wins if you're larger, multi-location, or need to optimize labor costs. Try When I Work's free plan first.