Softwr

Restaurants · head to head

Deputy vs Lineup.ai

Deputy logo

Deputy

Restaurants

Workforce management for restaurants

From
$3.5/user/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lineup.ai logo

Lineup.ai

Restaurants

AI-powered restaurant forecasting

From
$79/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; Lineup.ai pricing is per location per month, costs increase with each additional location
  • They diverge on capability: Deputy covers AI scheduling, Lineup.ai covers AI sales forecasting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Deputy and Lineup.ai actually diverge.

Attributes where Deputy and Lineup.ai differ
AttributeDeputyLineup.ai
Starting price$3.5/user/month$79/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20082019

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 Deputy

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

Only in Lineup.ai

  • AI sales forecasting
  • Labor optimization
  • Schedule suggestions
  • Weather integration
  • Event tracking
  • Reporting
  • 7shifts
  • HotSchedules

Both cover

  • Toast
  • Web 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 Lineup.ai
  • Time clocking, timesheets and labour cost trackingnot Lineup.ai

Lineup.ai

  • Forecasting restaurant sales and building labor schedulesnot 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

Lineup.ai

  • Pricing is per location per month, costs increase with each additional location
  • No free tier available; only 30-day risk-free trial with refund guarantee

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

Lineup.ai

$79/month
  • Forecasts Only$79/month
    • Unlimited users and employees
    • Automated AI-generated forecasts
    • Custom Labor Allowance Budget
  • Forecasts + Scheduling$149/month
    • All Forecasts Only features
    • Schedule builder
    • Automated scheduling

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 Lineup.ai if

  • You need ai sales forecasting.
  • You also want labor optimization.
Lineup.ai review

Questions people ask

Is Deputy or Lineup.ai better?
Neither clearly leads. Deputy starts at $3.5/user/month and Lineup.ai at $79/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Deputy or Lineup.ai?
Deputy starts at $3.5/user/month and Lineup.ai at $79/month.
Does Deputy or Lineup.ai run on more platforms?
Deputy runs on Web, Ios, Android. Lineup.ai runs on Web.
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 Lineup.ai is typically brought in for.
What can Deputy do that Lineup.ai cannot?
Deputy covers AI scheduling, Time tracking, Demand forecasting, Compliance. Lineup.ai covers AI sales forecasting, Labor optimization, Schedule suggestions, Weather integration. Both handle Toast, Web 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
Lineup.ai: How much does Lineup.ai cost per location?

Forecasts Only plan is $79 per location per month. Forecasts + Scheduling plan is $149 per location per month. Both offer 10% discount with annual commitment.

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
Lineup.ai: Does Lineup.ai offer a free trial?

Yes, Lineup.ai offers a risk-free 30-day trial with a refund guarantee if forecasts do not meet expectations. No credit card required.

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
Lineup.ai: Can I add more locations later?

Yes, customers can start with as many locations as needed and add more locations at any time at the monthly rate.

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
Lineup.ai: What integrations does Lineup.ai support?

Lineup.ai integrates with Toast, Brink POS, Square, Clover, Snowflake, and Omnivore.

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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