ShiftReply vs Deputy: Best for Teams Under 30 Employees?

Deputy is a giant in the workforce management space. It's powerful, slick, and packed with features. But is it right for a small team of, say, 15 or 20 people?

Let's look at how it stacks up against ShiftReply.

The Complexity Problem

Deputy is amazing if you have to manage labor compliance, overtime laws, and complex shift swaps across multiple locations. But if you run a local coffee shop or a small retail store, logging into Deputy can feel like sitting in the cockpit of a 747 when you just want to ride a bike to the store.

ShiftReply keeps it simple. We don't do compliance. We don't do payroll. We just ask your team: *"Hey, when can you work next week?"* and give you the answers in a nice list.

## The Cost Reality

* Deputy: Starts at $4.50 per user/month. For 25 employees, you're looking at $112.50 every month. That's over $1,300 a year!
* ShiftReply: $10 per month. Flat. For 25 employees, that's... $10. That's $120 a year.

You could save over $1,000 a year just by switching to a simpler tool.

## The User Experience

Deputy requires training. You have to teach your managers how to use it, and your staff how to use the app.

ShiftReply requires zero training. If your staff knows how to open an email, they know how to use ShiftReply.
90:
91: ## Zero Friction for Staff
92:
93: Deputy forces your team to adopt a new platform. ShiftReply meets them where they already are: their inbox. No app downloads, no "I forgot my password" excuses. Just a frictionless link that works instantly.

## Verdict

If you're a growing franchise with complex legal needs, pay for Deputy. It's worth it.

If you're a small business owner who just wants to stop texting staff "Can you work Tuesday?", ShiftReply is built for you. Save the money and buy your team a round of drinks instead.