Deputy is one of the best-known rostering and timesheet apps in Australia. It is a solid product, and for many businesses it is the right choice. But it is not the only one, and a different tool may fit your team, your industry or your budget better. Here is how Deputy and four alternatives compare, based on what each company says on its own website. Features and prices change, so check each provider's site before you decide.
What to compare
- Rostering and shift swaps
- Timesheets and clock-in method
- Award rates and payroll links
- Who it is built for (shops, cafes, events, large venues)
- Total cost (check each provider's pricing page)
Deputy
Deputy says it builds rosters and shares them with the team instantly, records hours for every shift, calculates award wages and exports timesheets to payroll in one action, and connects with payroll, point of sale and HR systems (it cites 100+ integrations). Managers can run rosters from iPhone, iPad, Android and desktop. Good fit if you want a widely used all-rounder with many integrations.
Tanda
Tanda says it builds rosters with award-based break placement and flags compliance risks such as maximum hours, records clock-ins on location or by GPS, and offers award interpretation, Single Touch Payroll filing and pay runs from timesheets. It also forecasts staffing from historical sales, foot traffic and weather, and lets staff swap shifts in the app. Good fit if award compliance and payroll in one place matter most.
Humanforce
Humanforce describes rostering, time tracking and leave working together, with approved timesheets flowing into payroll. It says it suits shift-based frontline teams in hospitality, healthcare, retail, aged care, and events and stadiums. Good fit for larger or multi-site teams that want rostering and payroll from one vendor.
Rosterfy
Rosterfy is built for events and volunteer programs. It says it schedules paid staff and volunteers together, runs onboarding with background checks and Working With Children Check validation, supports geofenced or QR code check-in, and sends two-way messages for urgent call-outs. It says it is built for organisations managing 100 or more volunteers. Good fit for large events and volunteer programs.
Crewbase (our own app)
Crewbase is the app we make. It is built for shift-based businesses of any kind, and it does something most rostering apps don't: it helps you find and hire casual staff, as well as roster them.
What you get:
- Shifts on your team's phones, with timesheets built in
- Staff clock in with a tap on their phone (NFC)
- Inductions completed in the app, so new starters are ready before their first shift
- Identity-verified staff profiles, so you know who you are hiring
- A way to find and hire casual staff, including for events
- Pay by time band: set your own rates for weekdays, evenings, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, with your state's public holidays applied. A built-in guide to Fair Work award minimums warns you if a rate looks too low (a guide only, so check with your accountant)
- A payroll export to spreadsheet
- Event tools for promoters: vendor applications and approvals, document checks, site maps, passes and check-ins, staff rosters, revenue splits and a settlement report
- Square integration: today's sales next to today's wages, labour as a percentage of sales, sales per labour hour, peak hours, and what you keep after fees
- Xero integration (limited pilot): send invoices and draft payroll timesheets to Xero
Staff use Crewbase free. Vendor plans start from $49.99 a month, with a free trial and no lock-in. To be clear about what we don't do: Crewbase does not file Single Touch Payroll or pay your team, so you would still use your payroll software for that.
Which one for what?
- Want the widest set of integrations: Deputy
- Award compliance and payroll in one place: Tanda
- Larger, multi-site teams: Humanforce
- Big events with volunteers: Rosterfy
- Casual staff, hiring, and sales next to wages: Crewbase
How to choose
Start a free trial or demo with two options, run one real week of shifts in each, and see which your staff actually use. A rostering app only works if your team opens it.
Quick FAQ
Is Deputy free? Check Deputy's own pricing page. Plans and trials change.
Which app is best for award rates? Tanda and Deputy both describe award calculations. Check that your award is covered before you commit.
Do I need payroll software as well? Usually yes, unless the app also runs payroll. Crewbase does not run payroll.
Is Crewbase a Deputy alternative? For small businesses that mainly need shifts, timesheets and casual hiring, it can be. If you need built-in payroll or Single Touch Payroll, look at the others first.
Sources: Deputy, Tanda, Humanforce and Rosterfy websites. Features and pricing change, so check each provider before you decide.