AlternativesDeputy alternative
A simpler Deputy alternative for small shift teams.
Deputy is a broad workforce platform. Weekola is the smaller, rota-first choice for owner-led teams of around 5 to 30: the week run end to end, one price however many staff you add, and a rota you can just tell what’s changed.
14-day trial No payment details required
BothA published rota on staff phones, clocking in, shift swaps and leave requests.
A workforce platform: scheduling, time and attendance and labour-law compliance, with payroll, HR and messaging as add-ons.
The working week, and nothing heavier: rota, attendance, swaps, timesheets and leave.
Per user per month, from US$5 on Lite to US$9 on Pro, with a minimum monthly spend.
One monthly price per tool, however many staff you add. Rota is £11 a month, with Leave and Weekola Brain included.
In its web and mobile apps. Its pricing page lists Deputy AI on every plan.
By hand in the rota, or tell Weekola Brain what’s changed. Nothing changes until you confirm.
Every Deputy detail comes from Deputy’s own pages, reviewed 29 September 2026. Sources are listed below.
Where they agree, one line. Where they differ, both sides.
Which one fits? It depends on your week.
Both are good at the everyday week. Here is when each is the better choice, starting with Deputy.
Choose Deputy when…
- You want payroll, HR and team messaging from the same platform, as Deputy add-ons.
- You need labour-law compliance tools or biometric clocking.
- You want the rota drafted for you by auto-scheduling on a large roster.
- You already run a bigger operation with someone whose job is workforce software.
Choose Weekola when…
- You’re an owner-led team of about 5 to 30 and mainly need the week run.
- Your headcount moves, and you don’t want the bill to move with it.
- You’d rather start with the rota alone and add tools when the week asks for them.
- You want to just say what’s changed, and confirm before anything moves.
Reviewed 29 September 2026
Line by line. Both sides, fairly.
Deputy’s side is taken from its own pages. Weekola’s side is shown working, down to the last line, where you just tell Weekola Brain what’s changed.
Deputy details from its own pages, reviewed 29 September 2026.
The rota
Building the week
DeputyScheduling on every plan, with advanced and auto-scheduling on higher plans.
WeekolaBuild the week in a grid, copy last week or auto-fill from your coverage rules, then publish one live rota.
Clocking and hours
Clocking in
DeputyTime clocking on every plan, with biometric clocking on Core.
WeekolaStaff clock in from their phone, and you see who’s in beside the rota.
Timesheets
DeputyTimesheets on every plan, with automatic approval on Core.
WeekolaFix the few entries that need you, approve the rest, and export CSV, Excel, PDF or JSON.
Payroll
DeputyPayroll as a paid add-on.
WeekolaPayroll-ready hours for your accountant or payroll software. Weekola doesn’t run payroll.
Swaps and time off
Shift swaps
DeputyStaff swap or offer shifts in its app, approved by a manager or automatically.
WeekolaStaff offer and swap shifts. Each is checked against your rules and waits for your yes.
Leave
DeputyManagers review and approve leave requests in its app.
WeekolaIncluded in every workspace. Approved time off shows on the week you’re building.
The price
Pricing model
DeputyPer user per month: US$5 Lite, US$6.50 Core, US$9 Pro, with a minimum monthly spend.
WeekolaOne price per tool for the whole workspace: Rota £11, Attendance £7, Swaps £5, Timesheets £9. More people or branches never change it.
Billing
DeputyBilled upfront or in monthly instalments, with 10% off annual billing.
WeekolaMonthly, with no annual contract. A 14-day trial with no payment details.
Changing the week
Asking for a change
DeputyIts pricing page lists Deputy AI, free for now, on every plan.
WeekolaType or say what’s changed. Weekola Brain checks your rules and prepares it; nothing changes until you confirm.
Beyond the week
DeputyHR, messaging and analytics as add-ons.
WeekolaNo HR suite and no team messaging. The week, done well.
Sources
Last reviewed 29 September 2026. Deputy details come from Deputy’s own public pages, listed above. Features, prices and availability change, so check them before you decide. Weekola is not affiliated with Deputy.
Moving over. One week at a time.
There is no big switch-over day. Run the next week in Weekola, and move the rest when you are happy.
Add your team.
Add everyone with their roles and the branches they work at, then invite them. Their shifts arrive on their phone.
Bring next week in.
Paste the rota from a spreadsheet, or build it in the grid. It opens as a draft, and nobody sees it until you publish.
Publish, then let the old tool go.
Publish when it’s ready. Keep Deputy until your first Weekola week has run, then cancel whenever it suits you.
Start with the rota alone. Add attendance, swaps and timesheets when the week asks for them.
Deputy or Weekola?
Straight answers for teams weighing Deputy against Weekola.
What is the best Deputy alternative for a small business?
It depends on what you need the software to do. If your team is around 5 to 30 people and the job is the week itself (the rota, clocking in, swaps, timesheets and leave), Weekola is built for exactly that, with one price for the whole team. If you want payroll, HR and messaging from the same platform, Deputy’s add-ons cover more ground.
How is Weekola different from Deputy?
Both run a published rota, clocking in, shift swaps and leave. Deputy is a broader workforce platform priced per user, with compliance tools and payroll, HR and messaging add-ons. Weekola stays with the working week, charges one monthly price per tool for the whole workspace, and lets a manager tell Weekola Brain what’s changed.
Is Weekola cheaper than Deputy?
Usually, once you have more than a handful of staff. Deputy’s pricing page lists per-user monthly prices with a minimum spend. Weekola charges one monthly price per tool, so adding people doesn’t change it. Check both pricing pages with your own headcount before deciding.
Is Weekola a full Deputy replacement?
Not for every business. Weekola doesn’t run payroll, hold pay rates, offer an HR suite or provide team messaging. If you need those in the same platform, Deputy is the better fit. If you mainly need the week run, Weekola covers it.
Can I just tell Weekola what’s changed?
Yes. Weekola Brain comes with every workspace. Type or say something like “Emma’s off sick Saturday, find cover” and it checks roles, rest, time off and overlaps, then prepares the change. Nothing changes until you confirm, and staff are notified as if you’d made it by hand.
Can Weekola handle rotas, attendance and timesheets?
Yes. Build and publish the rota, let staff clock in from their phone, then review worked hours and export them as CSV, Excel, PDF or JSON for payroll.
Can staff use Weekola without a complicated rollout?
Yes. Add your team and invite them, and they see their own shifts, clock in, offer swaps and request time off on their phone.
Is Weekola suitable for a team of 5 to 30 staff?
Yes. That is who it’s built for: cafés, pubs, restaurants, shops, salons and other owner-led shift teams, including a few branches in one workspace.
Can I start with rota only?
Yes. Start with Rota, which includes Leave and Weekola Brain, and add Attendance, Shift Swaps or Timesheets when you need them.
How do I move over from Deputy?
Add your team, paste or build next week as a draft, and publish it when it’s ready. Many teams keep their old tool until the first Weekola week has run, then cancel.
Less platform. More week.
Rota is £11/month for your whole team, with Leave and Weekola Brain included. All four tools together are £27/month, however many staff you add.
14-day trial No payment details required