Honest Deputy vs RosterElf comparison 2026 (Australia)

Choosing the right workforce management platform isn't just a software decision — it affects labour costs, staffing reliability and day-to-day operations. This guide provides a comprehensive workforce management software comparison between RosterElf and Deputy, focusing on scheduling, time and attendance, payroll integration and compliance features that matter most to Australian shift-based businesses.

Deputy and RosterElf take different approaches to scheduling, compliance and payroll, making the choice highly dependent on business size and complexity.

Read our honest Deputy review 2026

In-depth analysis of Deputy's pricing, rostering, time tracking, payroll integration, and mobile apps.

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Who wins? Category-by-category comparison

10

categories won

• Pricing & value
• Rostering & scheduling
• Time & attendance
• Timesheets & payroll
• Communication
• Smartphone apps
• HR tools
• Analytics & reporting
• User ratings
• Customer support

1

category won

• Security & privacy

Best fit & use cases — depends on business size

Quick summary

Deputy is a global workforce management platform known for its advanced AI-assisted scheduling, strong labour-law and Fair Workweek compliance tools, and broad international coverage backed by a large integration ecosystem. Its modular plans let businesses choose scheduling, time & attendance, or combined premium functionality through the newer Lite, Core and Pro tiers.

RosterElf is an Australian-built rostering, HR and payroll-prep platform designed for shift-based SMEs, offering drag-and-drop rostering, a mobile and kiosk time clock, award interpretation, and strong Xero and MYOB payroll integrations, with an optional HR layer for contracts, policies and onboarding.

Pricing & plans

Both platforms offer monthly and annual billing, but their pricing structures differ in complexity. RosterElf is positioned as Australian scheduling software designed around Fair Work compliance and Xero/MYOB workflows. It uses a single core plan with an optional HR add-on, while Deputy offers three plan tiers and several additional paid modules.

For clarity in this review, we compare RosterElf with Deputy Core (the most commonly selected plan) and then outline how each platform handles the key add-ons that influence overall cost.

How RosterElf and deputy price their plans

Deputy pricing page

RosterElf pricing

Monthly price comparison (Deputy core plan vs RosterElf)

Annual price comparison (Deputy core plan vs RosterElf)

Deputy v RosterElf pricing summary

RosterElf's pricing follows a simple structure: Core plan at $8 AUD per employee/month (or $6 on annual billing) covers rostering, time and attendance, GPS/photo clock-ins, award interpretation, Xero/MYOB payroll integration, messaging and basic analytics. The Full Suite at $10/month ($7 annual) adds HR tools including onboarding, contracts, and compliance tracking.

Deputy's pricing is more modular. The Core plan is $9.75 AUD per user/month, but several functions equivalent to RosterElf's inclusions—such as HR ($3.50), Messaging+ ($2.75), Analytics+ ($2.00), and in-built payroll ($5.00)—are billed as separate add-ons. When combined, the total monthly cost reaches approximately $23 AUD per user, which is about 130% higher than RosterElf's monthly total for the same feature coverage.

On annual billing, the pattern is similar. Deputy's combined Core + add-on pricing totals around $20.68 per user/month, compared with $7 per employee/month for RosterElf Full Suite, a difference of roughly 175%.

These differences reflect the contrasting pricing philosophies of the two platforms. RosterElf consolidates most day-to-day workforce management needs into a single plan with one optional add-on, while Deputy separates more functionality into individual modules. For Australian shift-based SMEs that use rostering, attendance and payroll exports together, RosterElf typically results in a lower overall cost. Deputy may be better suited to larger or more complex organisations that prefer selecting specific modules or require advanced forecasting and compliance features.

Rostering & scheduling

Both platforms function as scheduling software for small businesses, offering tools designed to reduce admin time and improve shift coverage. However, they take different approaches to layout, usability and how much information is surfaced on the screen.

A key consideration for Australian businesses is Fair Work-aware rostering. RosterElf approaches this through award-aware shift rules, while Deputy relies on configurable templates and fatigue alerts.

For clarity in this review, we analyse the core elements that influence daily roster creation—views, shift detail, filtering, automation and the overall scheduling experience.

RosterElf vs Deputy: scheduling comparison

This section examines how RosterElf and Deputy approach day-to-day rostering, including layout, usability, views, shift detail, filtering and advanced scheduling tools.

Both platforms offer core rostering and scheduling functionality, but they approach it differently.

Roster layout & first impressions

Deputy labels its roster as a "Schedule" to suit its global audience. The default view displays staff in a left column and shifts in the central grid, with key actions positioned along the top. While the layout is structured, there is a noticeable separation between the staff list and the shift grid. The staff panel shows only weekly hours and cost by default, requiring an extra click to access further detail.

RosterElf keeps terminology local to AU/NZ, using "Roster". The layout places staff vertically on the left with their shifts aligned horizontally, making it immediately clear who is working and when. Colour separation between shifts and rows makes the roster easier to scan at a glance. Shift cells show more information up front—including site, position, shift time and breaks—reducing the need to click into each shift.

Shift detail & information density

Deputy shows fewer details directly on the grid—typically area and location—and does not display break information in the roster view. This means more clicking is required to confirm the full shift.

RosterElf compresses more detail into each shift tile (e.g., site, role, time, break duration), giving managers more context without opening a modal.

Roster views & navigation

RosterElf

• Daily, weekly, fortnightly and monthly views
• Staff, site, and position views built in
• Filters are placed within the roster screen
• One-click "clear filters" option
• Ability to show live availability and approved leave directly on the roster

Deputy

• Daily, weekly and a two-week view
• Staff, site and area views
• Filters accessed via an external sidebar
• Monthly view displays days horizontally like RosterElf
• Leave shown in a separate "On Leave" section rather than integrated

RosterElf's inline filtering makes scenario-based roster adjustments faster (e.g., view one site + one position + only published shifts). Deputy allows site-based filtering but cannot filter positions within a site to the same level of detail.

Adding, editing & repeating shifts

Deputy uses a modal interface for creating shifts, but the flow is more involved, requiring additional steps such as marking a shift open or open-with-approval. Employee selection isn't filtered or searchable inside the modal, which can slow things down for larger teams, and shift analytics aren't displayed. Positions are location-specific, so multi-site operators often need duplicates. Deputy does, however, provide more flexible repeat patterns, with the ability to schedule several weeks in advance.

Adding a shift in RosterElf is a single-step process: click, enter shift details, adjust break time, add notes, and review suggested staff with their average rate. Shift-level analytics are displayed directly inside the modal, giving instant cost and suitability insights. Repeating a shift or assigning multiple staff can also be done from the same screen.

RosterElf vs Deputy: scheduling automation

Deputy includes Auto-Scheduling, which can generate a schedule using regular patterns, shift structures or by filling empty shifts. While powerful, the feature provides limited in-flow guidance and some help links were found to be non-functioning during testing. This can make the tool harder to adopt without prior training—particularly on Lite plans that lack chat support.

RosterElf does not offer AI-driven Auto-Scheduling, but it includes a "Perfect Match" recommendation that selects the most suitable staff based on site, role, availability and qualifications. This is simpler and more transparent than Deputy's automation, though less advanced.

RosterElf vs Deputy: labour cost comparison

In Deputy, budgeting lives inside the Insights area instead of the roster itself, which means managers can't see cost implications as they build shifts. While Insights offers sophisticated forecasting tools—including sales projections, labour models and required staffing levels—the feature set comes with little on-screen guidance and no contextual support links.

RosterElf includes budgeting directly within the roster, allowing managers to see real-time updates to hours, labour cost, average rates and labour percentages as shifts change. Filters such as site, position or staff immediately update the budget view, providing quick cost clarity. The key limitation is that budgets are set at the account level, not individually per site.

Publishing, loading & performance

During testing, RosterElf allowed publishing from within the active roster view and also supported publishing individual shifts directly from the modal. Deputy's publishing workflow involved multiple screens and noticeable loading times when applying templates or confirming publication.

RosterElf provides drag-and-drop roster building with shift templates, open shift broadcasting, and automatic conflict detection for overtime or availability clashes. Rosters can be published directly to staff via the mobile app, and the system integrates award interpretation to flag potential compliance issues before publishing.

Deputy offers AI-assisted scheduling with demand forecasting, allowing managers to build rosters based on predicted foot traffic or sales data. It also includes shift swapping, open shift claiming, and multi-location scheduling tools designed for larger or more complex operations.

For most Australian SMEs with straightforward rostering needs, RosterElf's simpler approach is often easier to adopt. Deputy's advanced forecasting features are better suited to businesses with variable demand patterns or those operating across multiple sites.

Time & attendance

Both platforms offer comprehensive Time & Attendance tools, but they take different approaches to how clock-ins are captured, verified and managed across locations. In this time and attendance comparison, we analyse clock-ins, GPS accuracy, approval workflows and on-site compliance controls.

For clarity in this review, we examine the core elements that influence daily attendance accuracy—GPS enforcement, photo proof, device controls, tolerances, unscheduled shifts and the overall manager experience.

RosterElf vs Deputy: time & attendance deep dive

Settings structure & ease of use

Deputy configures Time & Attendance at the location level, giving businesses flexibility to apply different rules for different sites. However, during testing, the settings were not immediately intuitive to locate — they sit inside the Timesheets area rather than the Location Settings panel. This creates friction when managers expect Time & Attendance to be grouped with other location-specific operational settings.

Deputy offers multiple settings toggles, including:

• Web browser clock-in
• Mobile app clock-in
• GPS capture
• Optional SMS clock-in/out
• Photo on kiosk start/end

RosterElf also configures settings per site, but surfaces them prominently under each location's Time & Attendance tab — making them faster to find, easier to scan, and simpler to adjust.

RosterElf also provides global Time & Attendance controls, allowing administrators to instantly:

• Disable all clock-ins platform-wide
• Enable unscheduled shifts
• Generate/reset a kiosk PIN

These global controls are not available in Deputy and provide stronger administrative oversight.

GPS accuracy & geo-fencing

Deputy captures GPS location on mobile clock-ins and supports geo-fencing, allowing you to block employees from clocking in outside a defined radius. This is powerful but has one limitation: the geo fence can only be centred on the location address, not a custom pin.

RosterElf also provides GPS capture and geolocation enforcement, but includes a standout feature: custom geo-pin placement for each site. Managers can drop the pin on the exact clock-in location, which is especially important for businesses operating inside shopping centres, multi-unit complexes or any environment where the official business address does not match the physical clock-in point. This level of precision improves accuracy, reduces false flags and offers far more control than Deputy's broader address-based radius.

Photo proof, tolerances & behaviour controls

Deputy allows photo capture on the kiosk, but it does not support required notes for early or late clock-ins or offer custom time tolerances beyond its geo-fence settings. SMS clock-ins are available as a fallback option for staff who do not use the app, though this may incur additional SMS charges.

RosterElf includes photo proof, adjustable GPS tolerance and an adjustable Time Tolerance setting that prompts staff to leave a note when they clock in too early or too late — a control not available in Deputy.

This strengthens audit trails and payroll accuracy by adding context to deviations in attendance behaviour.

Device options, kiosk controls & flexibility

Deputy supports kiosk and mobile, with optional SMS. Its kiosk mode is strong, but deeper device management lives inside timesheets rather than location configuration, which can feel disjointed.

RosterElf's Time & Attendance tab provides clear visibility of tablet vs mobile permissions, kiosk PIN access and unscheduled shift rules. The layout is simpler, more linear and noticeably more manager-friendly, particularly for multi-site operations where quick navigation and consistent settings matter.

Real-world fit: operational differences

See which time and attendance system best suits your business needs.

RosterElf vs Deputy: timesheets & payroll

Payroll accuracy is critical for shift-based businesses, and while both platforms integrate with major accounting systems, RosterElf and Deputy approach timesheets, award interpretation and payroll setup very differently. One of the biggest payroll integration differences is RosterElf's native alignment with Xero and MYOB versus Deputy's optional in-platform payroll module. In this section, we analyse setup complexity, pay calendars, award interpretation, rounding, approvals, integrations and overall payroll usability.

Deep dive: timesheets & payroll

RosterElf vs Deputy: payroll setup comparison

Deputy's payroll setup follows a structured, multi-step onboarding flow where businesses must enter their ABN, trading name, contact details, bank account information and accounting preferences before payroll can be activated. As part of this process, a pay calendar must also be created, with support for weekly, fortnightly, monthly and twice-monthly cycles. Twice-monthly pay periods are not supported in RosterElf, making this one of the few scenarios where Deputy may suit businesses with specific payroll cycles.

Deputy also provides an optional in-built payroll module at an additional $5 per user per month, allowing businesses to run pay cycles entirely inside the platform. This may appeal to organisations that prefer a single end-to-end system.

However, Deputy's configuration is more complex and spread across several menus. Many settings lack clear explanations or contextual help, increasing the chance of setup issues, particularly around awards and pay rates. During testing, our reviewer was unable to complete award configuration for a single 17-year-old employee on the Fast Food Award in Deputy within the same amount of time it took to configure an entire week's payroll in RosterElf. This highlights a usability difference: RosterElf's payroll preparation tools are designed for speed and simplicity, while Deputy generally requires more detailed setup knowledge or onboarding assistance.

RosterElf takes a different approach: instead of embedding payroll inside the platform, it focuses on payroll preparation and exporting clean, award-interpreted data directly into Xero or MYOB. Payroll setup is primarily about connecting your accounting system and selecting your pay calendar, resulting in a much faster and simpler workflow than Deputy's multi-screen configuration process.

The platform also avoids requesting business details that already exist inside Xero or MYOB, reducing duplication and significantly cutting setup time. Reviewers consistently described RosterElf's payroll setup as simpler and less time-consuming, with no need for an accountant to navigate multiple menus or technical award settings.

RosterElf's payroll settings include:

• Auto-Approve Payroll — instantly approves all hours for small teams to remove manual steps
• Auto Rounding — rules to round start, break and finish times to rostered or nearest increments

Both of these features are not available in Deputy.

RosterElf vs Deputy: award interpretation comparison

Deputy includes a built-in award library, but it is relatively small (around 25 awards) and does not provide full coverage for many industries, classifications or age brackets.

The award setup process is also spread across several parts of the system with limited guidance, which can make accurate configuration difficult without onboarding assistance. Deputy offers a custom rate builder, but reviewers found it:

• Very complex
• Hard to locate
• Not intuitive
• Prone to errors if not configured by a specialist

As a result, Deputy's award interpretation is powerful in theory but can be challenging for SMEs that do not have internal payroll expertise or dedicated HR resources.

RosterElf provides one of the most flexible award interpretation engines in this category. Users can create custom pay templates that cover ordinary hours, public holiday rates, daily overtime, weekly overtime and allowances. All rules can be configured by day, time of day and penalty brackets. When connected to Xero, RosterElf automatically imports pay item codes, ensuring alignment between interpreted hours and payroll items.

The ability to duplicate pay templates makes it quick to set up multiple age brackets or classifications. In testing, a full future pay run setup in RosterElf was completed in around 30 minutes, highlighting its speed and accessibility.

There are some minor limitations. Certain overtime ranges may require assistance from RosterElf's support team to adjust, and allowance amounts do not currently feed into budgeting, although this does not affect payroll accuracy.

Even with these small constraints, RosterElf's pay template system remains significantly more accessible for non-payroll specialists and is well suited to SMEs that need reliable award interpretation without complexity.

Timesheet review, approvals & payroll export

Deputy's payroll and timesheet process is split across multiple areas of the system. Timesheet review happens separately from payroll settings, which results in more screens to navigate and a less unified workflow. The in-built payroll module can simplify some tasks, but only for businesses that choose to pay for the additional payroll add-on.

Deputy supports export formats for Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks and other accounting platforms. Its overall approach is modular and capable, but it requires more configuration and a deeper understanding of the product to use effectively.

RosterElf provides a simplified payroll preparation process that brings timesheet review, rounding, approvals and export into a unified workflow. Shifts can be auto-approved when enabled, and auto-rounding rules are applied before export. A clear "ready for payroll" dashboard ensures managers always know which timesheets still require attention.

Exporting to Xero and MYOB is seamless, with award interpretation applied before the data is sent across, reducing the need for manual corrections.

RosterElf's design philosophy emphasises speed and accuracy, enabling managers to finalise payroll in minutes rather than hours.

Real-world fit: operational differences

RosterElf vs Deputy: communication tools

Effective communication is crucial for shift-based teams, especially when last-minute roster changes, shift offers, location updates or urgent announcements need to reach staff quickly. Both RosterElf and Deputy offer built-in messaging, but the way these tools are structured and what is included versus paid differs significantly.

Communication features deep dive

Messaging layout & usability

Deputy provides two core communication tools: Group Messages and a News Feed. The interface is clean, with filters that allow managers to sort chats by unread messages, direct messages, groups or archived threads. This level of filtering is not currently available in RosterElf.

Deputy also allows managers to view all members of a chat, access pinned messages and view shared media within a thread. These features give Deputy a clear advantage in message organisation, particularly for larger teams.

However, the platform shows noticeable lag when creating new chats. Creating a group chat requires waiting for staff lists to load, manually selecting each team member because there is no select all option, and then waiting through another loading step before the group is created. This slows down high-frequency communication and makes messaging less responsive for large organisations.

RosterElf offers an instant-messaging style chat system with a familiar interface similar to Deputy's, but with several usability improvements.

Key strengths include:

• Faster chat creation with near-instant performance
• Filtering options when creating groups such as site, position, selected staff or select all
• Clear separation between Group Chats and Direct Messages, reducing clutter often experienced in Deputy
• Chat descriptions that allow managers to provide context for ongoing threads, which Deputy does not offer

RosterElf also supports media sharing, emojis, notifications and muting options, giving teams a flexible communication tool without unnecessary complexity.

While RosterElf does not include pinned messages or media-specific search, its speed and simplicity make it well suited to shift-based teams that need fast and practical communication.

Notifications & operational messaging

Deputy includes basic messaging in its core plans, but the optional Messaging+ add-on (approximately $2.75 per user per month) unlocks additional functionality such as read receipts, scheduled messages, advanced notification controls and message delivery tracking.

For larger organisations that need communication oversight, compliance features or ways to audit staff engagement, Messaging+ may justify the additional cost. However, it does increase Deputy's overall pricing stack, especially when combined with other paid modules.

RosterElf includes all core messaging features without any add-on fees. This covers team messages, individual messages, location-based messages, roster change notifications, shift offer notifications, broadcast announcements and push notifications for approvals and updates.

Because messaging is included by default, SMEs do not face rising costs as communication needs increase, making it a more predictable and cost-efficient option for growing teams.

Real-world fit: operational differences

RosterElf vs Deputy: mobile app comparison

Mobile access is essential for shift-based teams, where staff and managers rely on their phones to check rosters, clock in, approve timesheets and communicate on the go. Both RosterElf and Deputy provide iOS and Android apps with core scheduling and attendance features — but the depth, speed and manager-level capabilities differ meaningfully between the two platforms.

Mobile app features deep dive

Core mobile capabilities

Deputy's mobile app provides the essentials most shift-based teams expect. Staff can view rosters, clock in and out with offline mode, send and receive messages, approve or edit timesheets, switch between multiple locations and manage tasks.

The app also integrates with Deputy's News Feed, allowing organisations to broadcast announcements directly to staff, which is particularly useful for larger teams. Multi-location switching is smooth and intuitive, making the app well suited to businesses that operate across several sites or venues.

However, Deputy's mobile app focuses primarily on operational basics rather than deeper management functionality. Managers cannot amend sites, positions or award settings from mobile, and some areas of navigation feel slower compared to RosterElf's more responsive interface.

RosterElf's mobile app includes the same core functions staff expect, such as viewing rosters, clocking in and out with GPS and photo verification, requesting leave, managing availability and swapping shifts. It also extends further with several manager-level capabilities that are not available in Deputy's app.

Key manager tools include:

• Add or edit staff profiles
• Add or edit sites and positions
• Built-in WorkWise AI for Fair Work interpretation and guidance
• Direct in-app support for staff and managers
• A manager dashboard with insights, rostered hours and pay-rate trends

RosterElf's mobile app also delivers strong performance. Group creation, navigation and data loading are fast and responsive, giving managers a smoother experience when working on the go. The additional management tools make the app well suited to SMEs that need real-time decision making from anywhere.

Additional capabilities & performance

Deputy's mobile app offers several capabilities that stand out in specific operational environments. Offline clock-ins provide a reliable solution for sites with poor connectivity, ensuring staff can record time even without network access. Multi-location switching is smooth and intuitive, making it well suited to businesses that operate across multiple stores or venues. The inclusion of task management adds another layer of operational control, allowing managers to assign and track work directly from the app. Deputy's integration with the News Feed also supports structured company-wide announcements, giving larger organisations a centralised way to communicate updates to staff.

RosterElf offers several mobile capabilities that provide managers with greater control while on the go. The ability to amend sites and positions directly from the mobile app gives managers flexibility that Deputy does not currently support. Full staff management tools are available, allowing updates to staff profiles, employment details and permissions without needing to switch to desktop.

Built-in AI assistance through WorkWise provides guidance on compliance and Fair Work requirements, helping managers make informed decisions in real time. The app also delivers faster chat creation and smoother navigation, improving day-to-day communication across teams. In-app support is available for both managers and employees, ensuring questions or issues can be resolved quickly. The manager insights dashboard presents visual trends for rostered hours and pay-rate patterns, making it easier to stay across operational performance from anywhere.

Real-world fit: operational differences

RosterElf vs Deputy: HR tools comparison

Modern workforce platforms increasingly include HR features that extend beyond rostering and timesheets. While neither RosterElf nor Deputy aims to replace a full HRIS, both provide HR tools designed to simplify onboarding, document handling and employee compliance. The depth, pricing and usability of these HR features, however, differ significantly.

HR features deep dive

Scope of HR features & pricing

Deputy's HR capabilities sit inside the People tab and include new hire onboarding, a document library, team document storage, hiring tools such as job ads, interview workflows and a careers page, as well as team engagement tracking. These features give Deputy a broad HR footprint that extends beyond basic compliance and record keeping.

The HR add-on is priced at $3.50 per user per month, with a slight discount on annual plans, making it the more expensive option when compared with RosterElf's HR Hub.

Deputy's HR module is feature-rich, particularly in the areas of recruitment and candidate management, but setup complexity and limited on-screen guidance are common friction points. Businesses may find that additional onboarding support is needed to configure and maintain these tools effectively.

RosterElf's HR Hub is included in the Full Suite plan at $10 per employee/month (or $7 with annual billing), giving SMEs immediate value without adding to their software stack.

The HR Hub is a well-rounded and intuitive module that focuses on the essential HR functions small and medium businesses need. It includes employee onboarding, fully customisable digital contracts, an editable policies and procedures library, centralised document storage and qualification or certification tracking with automatic expiry alerts.

RosterElf prioritises simplicity and compliance for SME environments, making it easy for businesses to manage core HR requirements without purchasing additional HR systems or navigating complex setup processes.

Onboarding experience

Deputy's onboarding workflow requires managers to navigate to the onboarding menu, manually enter employee details because there is no bulk import option, and configure superannuation and other onboarding items. The interface contains several small, clickable menus without clear explanations, which can create confusion during the setup process.

Deputy's onboarding system functions reliably, but it is not highly automated and can feel unintuitive. This results in more manual work for businesses that onboard staff at scale or need a faster way to bring new employees into the system.

RosterElf's onboarding is more direct, with fewer menus and clearer steps. Staff can receive digital contracts and policy documents automatically, with tracked acknowledgements and integrated qualification requirements.

Where Deputy offers breadth, RosterElf provides clarity + simplicity, making it particularly strong for SMEs that need onboarding to be fast, repeatable and compliant without an HR specialist involved.

Documents & policies

Deputy's document system requires businesses to upload their own HR documents. There is no template library, no ability to customise documents within the platform and only a simple toggle to require staff acknowledgement.

For a paid add-on at $3.50 per user per month, this part of the module feels limited in capability, especially when compared with Deputy's more polished hiring features.

RosterElf supports fully customisable employment contracts, an editable policy library, automated document delivery with tracked acknowledgements and role-specific document assignments. These tools give SMEs a complete, flexible way to manage HR documentation without relying on external systems or manual workflows.

RosterElf delivers more functionality at a lower cost, and the value increases further for customers on annual plans where the HR Hub is included at no additional charge.

Hiring & applicant tracking

Deputy provides a comprehensive recruitment module that includes customisable job listings, applicant tracking, interview management tools and a fully customisable careers page. It also integrates with major job platforms such as Indeed, LinkedIn, Jora, Adzuna and others, enabling businesses to publish roles and manage applications from a central location.

This recruitment functionality is significantly more advanced than RosterElf's current offering, making Deputy a stronger choice for businesses with high turnover, frequent hiring needs or structured recruitment workflows.

RosterElf is developing its own hiring tools but does not yet match Deputy's recruitment depth. Until released, RosterElf's HR Hub is best viewed as HR management, not HR acquisition.

Real-world fit: operational differences

RosterElf vs Deputy: reporting comparison

Both RosterElf and Deputy offer reporting tools that surface labour, attendance and workforce insights — but they take noticeably different approaches in design, depth and usability.

Data-driven insights help businesses improve labour costs and workforce planning. Both platforms offer reporting capabilities with different levels of depth.

RosterElf includes built-in analytics covering labour costs, roster efficiency, attendance patterns and payroll summaries. Reports can be filtered by location, team or date range, and exported for further analysis. These features are included in the core plan.

Deputy provides standard reporting in its core plans, with advanced analytics available through the Analytics+ add-on ($2 per user/month). The add-on includes custom dashboards, trend analysis, labour cost forecasting and benchmarking tools for multi-location operations.

RosterElf's included analytics meet the needs of most SMEs. Deputy's Analytics+ suits larger organisations requiring sophisticated forecasting and cross-location comparisons, though at additional cost.

Best fit & use cases

RosterElf and Deputy suit different types of organisations, so understanding where each platform performs best helps clarify which tool is the better fit for your team.

RosterElf is best for

• Australian shift-based SMEs: RosterElf is purpose-built for Australian businesses with built-in Fair Work award interpretation and strong Xero/MYOB integrations.
• Hospitality, retail and healthcare teams: Drag-and-drop rostering, mobile time clock, and payroll-prep features are designed for these industries.

Deputy is best for

• Large multi-location enterprises: Deputy's AI-powered forecasting and tiered feature access suit organisations with complex scheduling needs across many sites.
• International teams: With global coverage and compliance templates for multiple jurisdictions, Deputy works well for businesses operating across borders.

Use cases deep dive

RosterElf is most naturally suited to Australian shift-based SMEs that want straightforward rostering, strong payroll integrations, and Australian award interpretation without enterprise-grade complexity. Its clean interface, fast setup, and predictable pricing make it ideal for teams that value ease of use and minimal administrative overhead.

Deputy, by contrast, is designed to support organisations operating across multiple locations or countries. Its AI forecasting, labour-modelling tools, and granular configuration options become more valuable as workforce complexity grows. For larger retail groups, franchises, or companies with multi-region compliance needs, Deputy's global infrastructure and enterprise maturity provide advantages that extend beyond standard rostering.

Both platforms are strong, but they excel in different contexts — RosterElf for clarity and simplicity, Deputy for scale and organisational complexity.

User ratings (independent & non-incentivised sources only)

To ensure a fair and transparent comparison, this evaluation focuses only on non-incentivised, publicly verifiable review sources.

Platforms like Capterra and G2 were intentionally excluded due to the prevalence of paid review programmes.

The two most reliable sources for Australian workforce management software are:

• Google Reviews — public, unfiltered, and widely trusted
• Xero App Store Reviews — verified by real businesses using payroll integrations

Below is how RosterElf and Deputy compare across these independent channels.

Google reviews

Deputy — Google reviews

RosterElf — Google reviews (4.8/5, 180 reviews)

RosterElf maintains an active Google Business profile with consistently positive feedback.

Recent reviews highlight:

• Ease of use & quick learning curve
• Exceptional support (multiple mentions of named team members)
• Clear payroll improvements
• Reliable rostering and onboarding experience

Example recent Google feedback:

"Really detailed and helpful… First time user of a rostering software."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Partap S., 5 days ago

"Extremely happy… a great improvement on the previous system we were using."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Andrew N., 4 weeks ago

"Completely transformed the way I manage my business."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Zalia J., 10 weeks ago

"The best user-friendly system I have used."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Noreen T., 35 weeks ago

"Integrates well with Xero. Exactly what we needed."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — David S., 48 weeks ago

Across more than 30 recent reviews, RosterElf consistently receives praise for:

• Australian-based, responsive support
• Simplicity for new users
• Payroll accuracy & Xero integration
• Helpful onboarding guidance

Xero app store reviews

Because both platforms integrate with payroll systems, the Xero App Store provides the most reliable like-for-like comparison.

Deputy — Xero App Store rating: 4/5 (179 reviews)

Feedback is mixed, with praise for feature depth but recurring concerns about:

• Xero integration issues
• Support delays
• Complex setup for payroll and awards

Examples:

"Integration is impossible… waiting on customer service."

⭐☆☆☆☆ — Jorge E., Aug 2025

"Not good. Integration with Xero never worked… waste of time and money."

⭐☆☆☆☆ — Clare L., Jun 2025

"Serves the purpose… but lacks customisation."

★★★☆☆ — Melanie L., Mar 2025

"Deputy simplifies our payroll… big time saver."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Jesse C., Jan 2025

Deputy performs well for businesses with large teams and structured processes, but SMEs frequently cite:

• Complexity
• Integration instability
• Slow or inconsistent support

RosterElf — Xero App Store rating: 4.9/5 (89 reviews)

RosterElf's Xero integration receives exceptionally strong feedback, with consistently high ratings and commentary emphasising:

• Accurate award interpretation
• Seamless payroll exports
• Excellent customer service

Examples:

"Excellent app… simple and easy to use."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Allison L., Jul 2025

"Always excellent customer service… super patient and helpful."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Jen D., May 2025

"Great support… helpful bringing our business onboard."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Brad P., Mar 2025

"Very intuitive and easy to use… responsive staff."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Libby F., Oct 2024

"Award interpretation is spot-on… removed so many payroll errors."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Sarah L., Aug 2024

Xero reviewers consistently highlight:

• Fast setup
• Reliable payroll accuracy
• Support that goes beyond the basics
• Ease of use for non-technical managers

Independent review summary

What the independent data shows

RosterElf outperforms Deputy in:

• Ease of use
• Payroll accuracy
• Xero integration
• Support responsiveness
• Customer satisfaction consistency

Deputy's reviews show strong capability but recurring themes of:

• Higher complexity
• Integration challenges
• Slower support paths
• More variable customer experience

Security & privacy

Both platforms store sensitive employee data, so security is non-negotiable. Here's how they compare.

Security features compared

Security and privacy deep dive

RosterElf is transparent about PII encryption at rest and redundancy/restore capabilities, while Deputy doesn't explicitly document these on its public-facing security pages. Deputy, however, holds SOC 2 Type II certification—a third-party attestation that RosterElf currently lacks. For Australian SMEs without enterprise compliance mandates, RosterElf's documented security posture is generally sufficient. Larger organisations or those in regulated industries may lean towards Deputy's SOC 2 certification.

Customer support

Support quality matters, especially when you're mid-shift and something breaks. Here's how each platform handles it.

Support channels compared

Support experience

RosterElf support is Australian-based and accessible via phone, email and live chat during business hours. The team is known for being responsive and hands-on, which suits SMEs that want quick answers without navigating enterprise-tier support queues. RosterElf also offers Elf AI, an AI-powered assistant embedded in the platform for self-service queries.

Deputy's support scales with plan tier. Lite and Core users rely primarily on chat and email, while Enterprise customers unlock phone support and dedicated account managers. Deputy's global support team provides coverage across time zones, but Australian businesses may occasionally interact with offshore agents.

Final verdict: deputy vs RosterElf

After testing both platforms extensively, here's the bottom line.

Category winners at a glance

Recommended for SMEs

Choose RosterElf if you:

• Operate under Australian Modern Awards
• Have 5–150 employees
• Want automated penalty rate calculations
• Use Xero or MYOB for payroll
• Prefer simple, fast implementation
• Value responsive, Australian-based support

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Enterprise focus

Choose Deputy if you:

• Operate across multiple countries
• Have 200+ employees or complex enterprise needs
• Need demand forecasting or advanced analytics
• Already use ADP, Gusto, or a large HRIS
• Require SSO and SOC 2 compliance

Visit Deputy

Review methodology

Related resources