# Deputy vs When I Work > Deputy suits an hourly business that needs compliance tools such as break planning and Fair Workweek support, plus payroll and HR add-ons from the same vendor. When I Work suits a team that wants simple per-user scheduling with shift swaps, OpenShifts and GPS clock-in, connected to an outside payroll provider. Source: https://kitfinch.com/compare/deputy-vs-wheniwork Author: Amine from KitFinch Last checked: 2026-10-05 ## Verdict **Deputy** is our pick for an hourly business where compliance is a real risk: break planning, Fair Workweek and labor-law rules, with payroll and HR available from the same vendor. **When I Work** is our pick for a team that wants lean per-user scheduling built around shift swaps, OpenShifts and GPS clock-in, and that already has a payroll provider. For a free-start alternative, see [Homebase vs When I Work](/compare/homebase-vs-wheniwork). Both cover [staff scheduling](/tasks/staff-scheduling) and the time-clock side of [field team management](/tasks/field-team-management). The deciding facts are your compliance exposure, your headcount and whether payroll should live in the same tool. ## Choose Deputy if - Compliance is a worry. Deputy lists break planning, Fair Workweek compliance and labor-law compliance among its features. - You want auto-scheduling, demand forecasting and task management in the same tool, with higher plans adding custom access levels, SSO and live chat support. - You want payroll and HR as add-ons from the same vendor. - You run a larger operation or franchise across industries such as retail, healthcare, construction or security. ## Choose When I Work if - You want shift swapping, time-off approvals and OpenShifts to fill gaps, with scheduling based on availability and eligibility. - You want GPS clock-in with geofencing, available through its time and attendance add-on. - You want in-app messaging, so managers need not share personal phone numbers. - You use Gusto, ADP, Rippling or QuickBooks for payroll and want the schedule to feed it. ## What is Deputy used for? Deputy is used to schedule hourly staff, track their time and keep shifts compliant. Its homepage lists scheduling, an employee time clock, timesheets, break planning, Fair Workweek and labor-law compliance, auto-scheduling, demand forecasting, task management, communication and HR reporting, with payroll integrations. It names hospitality, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, construction, education, security, agriculture, call centers and entertainment among its industries, for single locations through franchises. See the [Deputy review](/tools/deputy) for more. ## How do Deputy and When I Work differ on pricing structure? Both charge per user, but the add-on logic differs. Deputy sells Lite, Core and Pro plans per user, counts admins and managers as users, states a monthly minimum spend, and sells payroll, HR, Messaging+ and Analytics+ as add-ons, with the last two included in Pro. When I Work sells Essentials, Pro and Premium per user, with unlimited users and a free trial, and treats time and attendance as a toggleable add-on across all plans. Compare on your headcount in the pricing tables on [Deputy pricing](/tools/deputy/pricing) and [When I Work](/tools/wheniwork), and add the add-ons you really need. A very small team should check Deputy's minimum first. ## Does either have payroll? Deputy does, as an add-on with a per-user charge and a base fee, alongside an HR add-on. When I Work's pages we checked describe integrations with Rippling, ADP, QuickBooks and Gusto instead of native payroll. If you already pay payroll elsewhere, that difference may not matter; if you want one invoice for scheduling and payroll, it does. ## Side by side | Criterion | Deputy | When I Work | |---|---|---| | Pricing model | Per user, Lite, Core and Pro | Per user, Essentials, Pro and Premium | | Minimum spend | Monthly minimum stated | None stated on pages checked | | Free trial | Free trial available | Free trial, no credit card, cancel anytime | | Time clock | Time clock and timesheets | Time and attendance add-on with GPS and geofencing | | Compliance | Break planning, Fair Workweek, labor law | Not a named feature on pages checked | | Auto-scheduling | Core plan and above | Included from the Essentials plan | | Payroll | Add-on from Deputy | Integrations with payroll platforms | | Best for | Compliance-heavy hourly teams | Lean teams wanting shift swaps and GPS clock-in | ## Limits to know Deputy's per-user count includes managers and its monthly minimum can weigh on a tiny team. When I Work's time clock and GPS tools are an add-on, and its pages we checked do not list compliance tools like break planning or Fair Workweek support. We could not confirm contract terms beyond trial and cancel-anytime statements, and we did not verify either vendor's app-store experience. ## Which businesses each suits A multi-location restaurant, clinic or retailer facing break and scheduling rules tends to fit Deputy. A small team that mostly needs fast schedules, swaps and a location-verified clock-in tends to fit When I Work. A [restaurant](/for/restaurants) comparing a restaurant-first tool can also look at [7shifts](/tools/7shifts). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Deputy used for? Deputy is workforce management software for hourly teams. It covers scheduling, an employee time clock and timesheets, break planning and labor-law compliance, auto-scheduling, demand forecasting, task management and team messaging, with payroll and HR as add-ons. It serves hospitality, retail, healthcare, construction, security and other industries with shift workers. ### What is the difference between Deputy and When I Work? Both are per-user scheduling and time-tracking apps. Deputy leans toward compliance, with break planning and Fair Workweek support, and sells payroll and HR add-ons. When I Work leans toward simple scheduling, shift swapping, OpenShifts and GPS clock-in, and connects to payroll platforms such as Gusto, ADP, Rippling and QuickBooks. ### Does Deputy or When I Work have payroll? Deputy sells payroll as an add-on with its own per-user and base charge, and also integrates with payroll providers. The When I Work pages we checked list integrations with payroll platforms rather than payroll of its own. If you want scheduling and payroll from one vendor, Deputy is the closer match. ### Do Deputy and When I Work offer a free trial? Yes. When I Work describes a free trial with full feature access and no credit card required, and you can cancel anytime. Deputy says a free trial is available and that billing respects remaining trial time when you upgrade. Neither page we checked describes a permanent free plan, so test both with a real schedule. ### Is there a minimum spend with Deputy? Deputy states a monthly minimum spend, and it counts every user, including admins and managers, toward the per-user bill. That matters for a very small team. When I Work prices per user across Essentials, Pro and Premium plans with unlimited users, and its pricing page does not state a similar minimum. ### Which works better for a team with field crews? Both offer a mobile time clock. When I Work offers GPS clock-in with geofencing through its time and attendance add-on, so managers can verify staff location. Deputy offers time clocking and compliance tools across industries including construction and security. Ask each for a demo using your real crew locations and shift rules. ## Sources - https://www.deputy.com/ - https://wheniwork.com/ - https://www.deputy.com/pricing - https://wheniwork.com/pricing Cite as: Amine from KitFinch, "Deputy vs When I Work", Kitfinch, https://kitfinch.com/compare/deputy-vs-wheniwork