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HR, Workforce & Training Software

Deputy Plans: Seats, Hubs, and Qualifying Tiers

Deputy cost guide: researched plan structure, free/trial flags, who each tier suits, cost scenarios, and value tradeoffs — no invented prices.

By Lee MeyeridricksUpdated Aug 18, 20264 min readFact-checked
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Quick answer

Deputy pricing is plan-gated across 3 researched tiers. No free plan confirmed in SoftwareGlimpse research. 31-day trial documented. Compare seat/capacity gates and unlocks — not list-price folklore.

  • Free plan: not confirmed in SG data
  • 31-day trial documented
  • Entry paid tier researched: Lite

Deputy packaging rules

  • Tiles are the bottom layer — Researched plans: Lite, Core, Pro.
  • Gates change the bill — Plan-gated in research: core hris (Lite, Core, Pro); payroll processing (Lite, Core, Pro).
  • Free is a proving ground — Our pricing snapshot records a 31-day trial on Lite, Core, and Pro — confirm current terms on the Deputy pricing page before you build a schedule around it.
  • Wrong cluster, wrong comparison — Do not compare Deputy (applicant tracking / recruiting) to frontline scheduling or a GPS time clock on a single price tile.

Deputy qualifying configuration

Deputy plan anatomy: seats, hubs, gates, add-ons.
Read Deputy pricing from must-have gates upward; confirm numbers on the pricing page.

Deputy must vs nice

Must-have
  • Core job on entry plan
  • Gated capabilities
Nice-to-have
  • AI / SMS / extra hubs

Deputy checklist

Bring these questions to every demo

Ask vendors to show the workflow live, not just describe it.

  • 1List day-one must-havesFeatures that must ship without an unused enterprise tier.
  • 2Map to a qualifying planUse researched plan names — not marketing starting tiles.
  • 3Get the qualifying quote in writingSeats, hubs, add-ons, and implementation fees.

Frequently asked questions

  • Does a free Deputy plan count?

    Our pricing snapshot records a 31-day trial on Lite, Core, and Pro — confirm current terms on the Deputy pricing page before you build a schedule around it.

  • Should we pay annually?

    Only after the qualifying configuration is written. Annual discounts do not fix the wrong hub.

Deputy plan matrix and who each tier suits

Structure and trial/free flags come from SoftwareGlimpse pricing research. Dollar amounts appear only when verified — never invent list prices.

  • Seats61%
  • Add-ons18%
  • Implementation12%
  • Training5%
  • Other4%

  • Lite

    31-day trial · Unlocks: applicant tracking, career site and job boards, core hris · Suits: teams whose must-have gates appear on this tier

  • Core

    31-day trial · Suits: teams whose must-have gates appear on this tier

  • Pro

    31-day trial · Suits: teams whose must-have gates appear on this tier

Model category cost fit

1. Deputy cost scenarios to pressure-test

  • Lean team / free-or-trial first

    Scope a time-boxed pilot; 31-day trial documented.

  • Growing team with gated workflows

    Map must-have workflows (applicant tracking, career site and job boards, workforce scheduling) to plan unlocks before expanding seats.

  • Hidden / extra cost watch

    Budget risk: Every user including managers is billed; list price invoice minimum. Also check add-ons, overages, and admin time outside the sticker plan.

Price Deputy against how you actually buy seats and unlocks — not against a competitor's homepage headline.

Deputy value rule

  1. 1Pay up when Multi-location hourly operators who need scheduling + time + labor compliance requires a paid unlock you will use weekly
  2. 2Do not overbuy if this limitation dominates: Every user including managers is billed; list price invoice minimum
  3. 3Side-by-side cost with Connecteam on the same seat count

Deputy cost mistakes to avoid

  • Cost trap 1

    Every user including managers is billed; list price invoice minimum

  • Cost trap 2

    HR, analytics, messaging, and US payroll are add-ons (some bundled on Pro)

  • Cost trap 3

    SMS is usage-priced by country

  • Cost trap 4

    No free forever plan

  • Cost trap 5

    Not a restaurant-only suite or a core HRIS like BambooHR

Cheaper or clearer alternatives to pressure-test

Compare total cost of ownership vs Deputy on identical constraints.

  • Connecteam logo
    Connecteam

    Frontline workforce app with Ops, Comms, and HR & Skills hubs — free ≤10 users; paid hubs from $29/mo annual for first 30 users.

    View CRM profile
  • Homebase logo
    Homebase

    SMB hourly WFM (scheduling, time, hiring) priced per location — free Basic ≤10 employees at 1 site; paid Essentials from $24/location/mo annual.

    View CRM profile
  • When I Work logo
    When I Work

    Per-user hourly scheduling — Essentials from $2.50/user/mo; Pro $5; Premium $8; 14-day trial. Time & attendance is a paid toggle.

    View CRM profile

Catalogue peers only — not commission-ranked.

Deputy pricing checklist

0/3 dimensions noted — saved in this browser only.

  • Plan gates you must unlock

  • Trial / free proof

  • TCO extras

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