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Restaurants · head to head

CAKE POS vs Deputy

CAKE POS logo

CAKE POS

Restaurants

Point of sale made for restaurants

From
$69/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Deputy logo

Deputy

Restaurants

Workforce management for restaurants

From
$3.5/user/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CAKE POS pricing model based on 'no bill ever' but actual merchant fees, commission rates, or payment processing costs not disclosed; 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: CAKE POS covers Tableside ordering, Deputy covers AI scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CAKE POS and Deputy actually diverge.

Attributes where CAKE POS and Deputy differ
AttributeCAKE POSDeputy
Starting price$69/month$3.5/user/month
PlatformsIos, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20102008

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 CAKE POS

  • Tableside ordering
  • Online ordering
  • Guest management
  • Menu management
  • Reporting
  • Kitchen display
  • DoorDash
  • Grubhub

Only in Deputy

  • AI scheduling
  • Time tracking
  • Demand forecasting
  • Compliance
  • Team communication
  • Performance tracking
  • Toast
  • Square

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

CAKE POS

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

Deputy

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

Where each one falls short

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

CAKE POS

  • Pricing model based on 'no bill ever' but actual merchant fees, commission rates, or payment processing costs not disclosed
  • Website claims zero upfront cost but does not detail ongoing operational costs
  • Customers must request quote to learn full cost of ownership

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

CAKE POS

$69/month
  • Essentials$69/month
    • POS
    • Online ordering
  • Professional$125/month
    • Guest management
    • Advanced features

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 CAKE POS if

  • You need tableside ordering.
  • You work on Ios, Android.
  • You also want online ordering.
CAKE POS 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 CAKE POS or Deputy better?
Neither clearly leads. CAKE POS starts at $69/month 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, CAKE POS or Deputy?
CAKE POS starts at $69/month and Deputy at $3.5/user/month.
Does CAKE POS or Deputy run on more platforms?
CAKE POS runs on Ios, Android. Deputy runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is CAKE POS best used for?
CAKE POS 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 CAKE POS do that Deputy cannot?
CAKE POS covers Tableside ordering, Online ordering, Guest management, Menu management. Deputy covers AI scheduling, Time tracking, Demand forecasting, Compliance. Both handle QuickBooks, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CAKE POS: Does CAKE POS have an upfront cost?

CAKE advertises 'no bill ever' and requires no down payment for POS terminals and payment processing. However, specific ongoing merchant fees or transaction costs are not disclosed.

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
CAKE POS: What is included in CAKE's pricing plans?

CAKE offers three tiers (Core, Growth, Enterprise) where Core includes POS terminal with payment processing and reporting. Growth and Enterprise add features like white-glove installation, business insurance, and partner integrations, but exact pricing is not published.

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
CAKE POS: How can I find out what CAKE POS actually costs?

CAKE does not publish pricing online. You must request a quote directly through the website to learn specific costs for your restaurant's needs.

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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