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Restaurants · head to head

Deputy vs Popmenu

Deputy logo

Deputy

Restaurants

Workforce management for restaurants

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

Popmenu

Restaurants

Restaurant technology platform

From
$179/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; Popmenu limited customization of website design; websites are described as cookie cutter
  • They diverge on capability: Deputy covers AI scheduling, Popmenu covers Interactive menu.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Deputy and Popmenu actually diverge.

Attributes where Deputy and Popmenu differ
AttributeDeputyPopmenu
Starting price$3.5/user/month$179/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Founded20082016

Identical on both: 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
  • QuickBooks
  • ADP

Only in Popmenu

  • Interactive menu
  • Website builder
  • Online ordering
  • AI marketing
  • Guest capture
  • Waitlist
  • DoorDash
  • Google

Both cover

  • Toast
  • Square
  • 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 Popmenu
  • Time clocking, timesheets and labour cost trackingnot Popmenu

Popmenu

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

Popmenu

  • Limited customization of website design; websites are described as cookie cutter
  • Integration issues with third-party services and POS loyalty program features
  • No free trial; all pricing requires navigation through sales demo
  • Support responsiveness issues and gaps between sales experience and post-contract reality
  • Out of stock items can appear on menus despite being marked unavailable

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

Popmenu

$179/month
  • Starter$179/month
    • Website and digital menu
    • Basic marketing tools
  • Essentials$299/month
    • Enhanced marketing features
    • AI capabilities
  • Premier$499/month
    • Advanced AI features
    • Priority support

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 Popmenu if

  • You need interactive menu.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want website builder.
Popmenu review

Questions people ask

Is Deputy or Popmenu better?
Neither clearly leads. Deputy starts at $3.5/user/month and Popmenu at $179/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Deputy or Popmenu?
Deputy starts at $3.5/user/month and Popmenu at $179/month.
Does Deputy or Popmenu run on more platforms?
Deputy runs on Web, Ios, Android. Popmenu runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Popmenu is typically brought in for.
What can Deputy do that Popmenu cannot?
Deputy covers AI scheduling, Time tracking, Demand forecasting, Compliance. Popmenu covers Interactive menu, Website builder, Online ordering, AI marketing. Both handle Toast, Square, Web support, Ios 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
Popmenu: Does Popmenu offer a free trial?

No. Popmenu does not offer a free trial. All pricing must be discussed through a sales demo and customized based on your restaurant's needs.

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
Popmenu: What does Popmenu cost per location?

Popmenu base plans start at $179/month for Starter, $299/month for Essentials, and $499/month for Premier (roughly 10% off if prepaid annually). Each additional location adds $300 per month regardless of order volume.

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
Popmenu: Does Popmenu work offline or support self-hosting?

No. Popmenu is a cloud-based, online-only solution. It does not support self-hosted deployments or offline functionality.

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
Popmenu: What POS systems does Popmenu integrate with?

Popmenu integrates with major POS systems including Toast, Square, and Stripe. Orders flow directly from Popmenu into these systems, and menu changes sync between platforms.

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
Popmenu: Are online ordering and catering included in Popmenu's base plans?

No. Online ordering costs an additional $50/month, customers pay $1 per order, and catering orders incur a 3% processing fee on top of the base plan price.

Source
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