Softwr

Restaurants · head to head

7shifts vs Deputy

7shifts logo

7shifts

Restaurants

Restaurant team management made easy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Deputy logo

Deputy

Restaurants

Workforce management for restaurants

From
$3.5/user/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only 7shifts has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 7shifts pro plan pricing not published on the website; Deputy a $30 monthly minimum applies to every plan, so a team of four on the $5 Lite plan pays for six
  • They diverge on capability: 7shifts covers Employee scheduling, Deputy covers AI scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 7shifts and Deputy actually diverge.

Attributes where 7shifts and Deputy differ
Attribute7shiftsDeputy
Starting priceFree$3.5/user/month
Free tierYesNo
Founded20142008

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Restaurants).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 7shifts

  • Employee scheduling
  • Time clocking
  • Tip pooling
  • Labor compliance
  • Hiring
  • Lightspeed
  • Revel

Only in Deputy

  • AI scheduling
  • Time tracking
  • Demand forecasting
  • Compliance
  • Performance tracking
  • ADP
  • Gusto

Both cover

  • Team communication
  • Toast
  • Square
  • QuickBooks
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

7shifts

  • Point of Salenot Deputy
  • Order Managementnot Deputy
  • Inventory Controlnot Deputy
  • Staff Schedulingnot Deputy

Deputy

  • Staff scheduling and shift management for hourly teamsnot 7shifts
  • Time clocking, timesheets and labour cost trackingnot 7shifts

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

7shifts

  • Pro plan pricing not published on the website
  • No feature comparison details between free and Pro tiers shown

Deputy

  • A $30 monthly minimum applies to every plan, so a team of four on the $5 Lite plan pays for six
  • Auto scheduling, demand forecasting and labour optimisation all require a plan above Lite
  • SSO and custom access levels are Pro only at $9 per user per month
  • Payroll is an add on at $8 per user per month plus a $49 monthly base fee
  • Messaging and analytics are separately priced add ons at $1.95 and $1.50 per user per month

Pricing, plan by plan

7shifts

Free
  • CompFree
    • Basic scheduling
    • 1 location
  • Appetizer$29.99/month
    • Scheduling
    • Time clocking
  • Entree$69.99/month
    • Tip pooling
    • Labor compliance
  • The Works$135/month
    • Full features
    • Task management

Deputy

$3.5/user/month
  • Scheduling$3.5/user/month
    • Scheduling
    • Communication
  • Time & Attendance$3.5/user/month
    • Time clock
    • Timesheets
  • Premium$4.9/user/month
    • Full features
    • Reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose 7shifts if

  • You need employee scheduling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time clocking.
7shifts review

Choose Deputy if

  • You need ai scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time tracking.
Deputy review

Questions people ask

Is 7shifts or Deputy better?
Neither clearly leads. 7shifts starts at Free and Deputy at $3.5/user/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 7shifts or Deputy?
7shifts has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for 7shifts and $3.5/user/month for Deputy.
Does 7shifts or Deputy run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use 7shifts for free?
Yes. 7shifts has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Deputy starts at $3.5/user/month.
What is 7shifts best used for?
7shifts is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling. Of those, point of sale and order management are not what Deputy is typically brought in for.
What can 7shifts do that Deputy cannot?
7shifts covers Employee scheduling, Time clocking, Tip pooling, Labor compliance. Deputy covers AI scheduling, Time tracking, Demand forecasting, Compliance. Both handle Team communication, Toast, Square, QuickBooks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

7shifts: What does 7shifts' free plan include?

The free plan includes basic scheduling and communication features. No credit card is required, and users can trial all features free for 14 days with no upfront commitment.

Source
Deputy: How much does Deputy cost per user?

Deputy offers three plans: Lite at $5/user/month, Core at $6.50/user/month, and Pro at $9/user/month. All plans are billed upfront or in monthly installments in USD, excluding taxes.

Source
7shifts: Is there flexibility in billing between monthly and annual plans on 7shifts?

Yes, 7shifts allows you to choose between monthly and annual plans with no up-front commitment required. You can switch between billing frequencies as your business needs change.

Source
Deputy: Is there a minimum monthly charge for Deputy?

Yes, there is a minimum spend of $30 USD/AUD or £20 GBP monthly per invoice, effective September 1, 2025.

Source
7shifts: How do I upgrade from the free plan to the Pro plan?

7shifts offers a Pro plan as an upgrade from the free version, but specific pricing and features are not published on the main website. Contact their sales team or book a demo to learn about Pro plan costs and capabilities.

Source
Deputy: Can I change plans or cancel anytime with Deputy monthly billing?

Monthly plans allow changes anytime without penalty, effective the first of the current month. You can cancel by paying through the current billing period with no additional penalties.

Source
Deputy: What happens if I cancel an annual Deputy plan before 12 months?

Annual plans do not offer refunds if you cancel before 12 months expire. You may cancel before the 12 months expire, but you forfeit any unused prepaid time.

Source
Deputy: Can I use Deputy without paying for every team member?

All admins and managers count as users and are subject to per-user charges. There is no option to exclude administrative staff from billing.

Source
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