Softwr

Restaurants · head to head

Deputy vs Jolt

Deputy logo

Deputy

Restaurants

Workforce management for restaurants

From
$3.5/user/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Jolt logo

Jolt

Restaurants

Operations execution platform

From
$69/month
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; Jolt pricing information not published; product redirects to quote request form at smartsense.co
  • They diverge on capability: Deputy covers AI scheduling, Jolt covers Digital checklists.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Deputy and Jolt actually diverge.

Attributes where Deputy and Jolt differ
AttributeDeputyJolt
Starting price$3.5/user/month$69/month
Founded20082012

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

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

Only in Jolt

  • Digital checklists
  • Temperature logging
  • Food labeling
  • Employee accountability
  • Time clock
  • Training
  • POS systems
  • HR software

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

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 Jolt
  • Time clocking, timesheets and labour cost trackingnot Jolt

Jolt

  • Digital checklists and task management for restaurant and retail shift worknot Deputy
  • Food safety labelling and temperature loggingnot Deputy
  • Employee scheduling and shift accountability for hourly teamsnot 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

Jolt

  • Pricing information not published; product redirects to quote request form at smartsense.co
  • Customers must complete quote request form to obtain pricing information

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

Jolt

$69/month
  • Basic$69/month
    • Checklists
    • Temperature logs
  • Standard$129/month
    • Food safety
    • Employee management
  • Premium$229/month
    • Full features
    • Analytics

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 Jolt if

  • You need digital checklists.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want temperature logging.
Jolt review

Questions people ask

Is Deputy or Jolt better?
Neither clearly leads. Deputy starts at $3.5/user/month and Jolt at $69/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Deputy or Jolt?
Deputy starts at $3.5/user/month and Jolt at $69/month.
Does Deputy or Jolt run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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 Jolt is typically brought in for.
What can Deputy do that Jolt cannot?
Deputy covers AI scheduling, Time tracking, Demand forecasting, Compliance. Jolt covers Digital checklists, Temperature logging, Food labeling, Employee accountability. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

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
Jolt: How much does Jolt cost?

Jolt does not publish pricing on its website. The jolt.com domain redirects to a quote request form at smartsense.co. Customers must submit their information through this form for a SmartSense expert to provide personalized pricing and solutions. Contact (866) 806-2653 for direct inquiry.

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
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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