Software · head to head
Upserve vs Deputy
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Upserve offline terminals can only store credit card payment data for 48 hours before requiring internet connection; 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: Upserve covers Cloud POS, Deputy covers AI scheduling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Upserve and Deputy actually diverge.
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Upserve
- Cloud POS
- Guest insights
- Menu intelligence
- Server performance
- Reputation management
- Inventory tracking
- Xero
- 7shifts
Only in Deputy
- AI scheduling
- Time tracking
- Demand forecasting
- Compliance
- Team communication
- Performance tracking
- Toast
- Square
Both cover
- QuickBooks
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Upserve
- Point of Salenot Deputy
- Order Managementnot Deputy
- Inventory Controlnot Deputy
- Staff Schedulingnot Deputy
Deputy
- Staff scheduling and shift management for hourly teamsnot Upserve
- Time clocking, timesheets and labour cost trackingnot Upserve
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Upserve
- Offline terminals can only store credit card payment data for 48 hours before requiring internet connection
- Customers cannot add tips when the system operates in offline mode
- $400 monthly penalty for using alternative payment processors instead of Lightspeed
- No global ability to change menu items across all locations at once, requiring per-location updates
- Mandatory 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction payment processing fee with Lightspeed
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
Upserve
$59/month- Core$59/month
- Cloud-based point of sale
- Basic reporting
- Guest insights
- Pro$199/month
- All Core features
- Inventory management
- Online ordering
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 Upserve if
- You need cloud pos.
- You work on Web, iPad, Android, Custom POS terminals.
- You also want guest insights.
Choose Deputy if
- You need ai scheduling.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want time tracking.
Questions people ask
- Is Upserve or Deputy better?
- Neither clearly leads. Upserve starts at $59/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, Upserve or Deputy?
- Upserve starts at $59/month and Deputy at $3.5/user/month.
- Does Upserve or Deputy run on more platforms?
- Upserve runs on Web, iPad, Android, Custom POS terminals. Deputy runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- What is Upserve best used for?
- Upserve 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 Upserve do that Deputy cannot?
- Upserve covers Cloud POS, Guest insights, Menu intelligence, Server performance. Deputy covers AI scheduling, Time tracking, Demand forecasting, Compliance. Both handle QuickBooks, Web support, Ios support, Android support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Upserve: Does Upserve support offline mode?
Yes. Upserve is a hybrid cloud-based system where reporting data is stored in the cloud but offline mode allows the software to store important data locally on your device in case the internet goes down, allowing transactions to continue.
SourceUpserve: What is Upserve's pricing structure?
Upserve offers three plans: Core at $59/month, Pro at $199/month with advanced features like inventory management and loyalty programs, and Pro+ with custom pricing for enterprise customers. Hardware is sold separately.
SourceUpserve: Does Upserve offer a free trial?
Yes, Upserve offers a 14-day free trial for new users to test the platform before committing to a paid plan.
SourceUpserve: What delivery platforms does Upserve integrate with?
Upserve integrates with DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub through partner middleware services like Chowly and Deliverect, which provide real-time menu syncing and order management.
SourceUpserve: What are the payment processing requirements?
Upserve requires using Lightspeed payment processing at 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction. Using alternative payment processors incurs a $400 monthly fee, making Lightspeed the mandatory choice for most restaurants.
Source