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Restaurants · head to head

Deputy vs Epos Now

Deputy logo

Deputy

Restaurants

Workforce management for restaurants

From
$3.5/user/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Epos Now logo

Epos Now

Restaurants

Cloud point of sale for hospitality and retail sold with hardware finance and attached payment processing

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Deputy a $30 monthly minimum applies to every plan, so a team of four on the $5 Lite plan pays for six; Epos Now hardware is often placed on a finance agreement with a third party, so cancelling the software subscription leaves the equipment payments running for the remainder of the term.
  • They diverge on capability: Deputy covers AI scheduling, Epos Now covers Cloud till software.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Deputy and Epos Now actually diverge.

Attributes where Deputy and Epos Now differ
AttributeDeputyEpos Now
Starting price$3.5/user/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, Windows
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Deputy

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

Only in Epos Now

  • Cloud till software
  • Hardware bundles
  • Integrated payments
  • AppStore add ons
  • Stock and product management
  • Multi site reporting

What people use each for

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

Deputy

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

Epos Now

  • A single site cafe or bar wanting a low upfront cost till system installed quicklynot Deputy
  • An independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation projectnot Deputy
  • An operator running both a small retail line and a food offer on one systemnot Deputy
  • A business replacing a mechanical till that has no reporting or remote access at allnot Deputy

Where each one falls short

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

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

Epos Now

  • Hardware is often placed on a finance agreement with a third party, so cancelling the software subscription leaves the equipment payments running for the remainder of the term.
  • Software, hardware finance and card processing are three separate agreements with different notice periods, which makes a clean exit difficult and is the source of most published complaints.
  • The vendor makes its margin on payment processing, so the low advertised software price is offset by a card rate that costs far more across a year of trading.
  • Sales is telesales led and buyers report pressure to sign quickly, which is a poor fit for a decision involving multi year finance commitments.
  • Useful capability is spread across paid add ons in the application store, so the functional system a restaurant actually needs costs considerably more than the entry subscription.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Epos Now

On request
  • Epos Now$undefined/year
    • Software subscription quoted per till
    • Hardware frequently supplied under a separate finance or lease agreement
    • Card processing contracted separately and priced by negotiated rate

Which should you pick?

Choose Deputy if

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

Choose Epos Now if

  • You need cloud till software.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want hardware bundles.
Epos Now review

Questions people ask

Is Deputy or Epos Now better?
Neither clearly leads. Deputy starts at $3.5/user/month and Epos Now at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Deputy or Epos Now?
Deputy starts at $3.5/user/month and Epos Now at On request.
Does Deputy or Epos Now run on more platforms?
Deputy runs on Web, Ios, Android. Epos Now runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
What is Deputy best used for?
Deputy is most often used for staff scheduling and shift management for hourly teams, time clocking, timesheets and labour cost tracking. Of those, staff scheduling and shift management for hourly teams and time clocking, timesheets and labour cost tracking are not what Epos Now is typically brought in for.
What can Deputy do that Epos Now cannot?
Deputy covers AI scheduling, Time tracking, Demand forecasting, Compliance. Epos Now covers Cloud till software, Hardware bundles, Integrated payments, AppStore add ons.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Epos Now: Is the hardware bought or leased?

Frequently financed through a third party agreement rather than bought outright. Ask explicitly which it is and read the term before signing.

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
Epos Now: Can I cancel the software and keep trading?

You can stop the subscription, but a separate hardware finance agreement continues to its own end date, and processing is contracted separately again.

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
Epos Now: Do I have to use their card processing?

It is the commercial basis of the pricing. Using another acquirer, where permitted, changes the software quote.

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
Epos Now: Is it suitable for a busy full service restaurant?

It handles straightforward hospitality service. Complex coursing, large table management and high volume kitchens are better served by restaurant specific systems.

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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