Deputy alternative: ScheduleSolve compared
Deputy prices by user, with a $30 minimum on monthly plans, and lists time clocking, demand forecasts, payroll and HR add-ons. Auto-scheduling is on its Core plan. ScheduleSolve is $0.50 per person per month with a $10 minimum, drafts the schedule from your Must and Try to rules on the one plan, explains its choices and tells only the people a change affects. It has no time clock.
Written by Maren Vellory, Operations Manager · Updated October 19, 2026
Prices checked October 19, 2026 from deputy.com. Prices change; check their page for today’s price.
Price for 10, 25 and 50 people
One location, paid monthly, before tax, in USD. For Deputy, each row uses the cheapest plan on their pricing page that fits the team.
| Team | ScheduleSolve | Deputy | Deputy plan and formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 people | $10.00 | $55.00 | Lite: $5.50 per user per month, $30 minimum a month |
| 25 people | $12.50 | $137.50 | Lite: $5.50 per user per month, $30 minimum a month |
| 50 people | $25.00 | $275.00 | Lite: $5.50 per user per month, $30 minimum a month |
- ScheduleSolve: $0.50 per person per month, with a $10 minimum that covers up to 20 people (USD). Every feature is included. Paid yearly, it is 25% less. See pricing.
- Deputy, as printed: Lite: “$5.50 per user per month, billed monthly”.
- Deputy has a “minimum monthly spend of USD $30” on its monthly plans, and counts “all users/administrators/supervisors” as users.
- Paid yearly, Lite is $5 per user per month. Core, which lists “Auto-Scheduling” and “Demand Forecasting”, is $7.25 monthly or $6.50 yearly. Pro is $10 monthly or $9 yearly.
- Payroll is an add-on in the US: “$8 per user per month billed monthly + $49 monthly base fee”, on annual Core and Pro plans.
Features
Only rows we could check on the Deputy pricing page. Where a feature is on some plans only, the note says which.
| Feature | ScheduleSolve | Deputy | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Builds the schedule for you | Yes | Yes | “Auto-Scheduling” from Core |
| Time clock | No | Yes | “Basic Time Clocking” on Lite |
| Shift swaps | Yes | Yes | “Shift Swap & Find Replacement” |
| Team messaging | No | Yes | “Messaging & News Feed” |
| Payroll | No | Add-on | $8 per user + $49 a month (US) |
| Labor forecasts | No | Yes | “Demand Forecasting” from Core |
| HR and hiring | No | Add-on | $2 per user per month |
Deputy has features ScheduleSolve does not have: time clocking, with biometrics on Core, demand forecasts and wage budgets on Core, payroll and HR add-ons, and messaging and a news feed.
What ScheduleSolve does differently
Your rules drive the draft
You write rules in two words: a Must rule always holds, a Try to rule holds when it can. “Must: at least 11 hours of rest between shifts.” “Try to: weekends are shared fairly over 12 weeks.” Press Draft and ScheduleSolve fills every shift it can by those rules. If the needs cannot be met, it leaves a gap with the reason, not a broken rule.
It explains its choices
Tap Why? on any cell to see why that person is there, or why a shift is open. Ask “Who is working Tuesday?” and the grid shows them. Each of these also works without AI, and nothing changes until a person taps to confirm.
Only the people affected are told
Post once and each person gets their shifts by email and in the staff app. After a change, only the people whose shifts changed are told, with what changed. Nobody gets a new copy of the whole schedule for one swap.
Timesheets by pay code
At the end of each pay period, ScheduleSolve shows the hours by pay code and exports them, with layouts for UKG Pro WFM (Dimensions) and Workforce Central (Kronos) and a generic CSV. It does not run payroll and has no time clock.
Which one fits your team
When ScheduleSolve fits better
- You want the schedule drafted from your rules without paying for a higher plan: every feature is in $0.50 per person.
- You want a gap left with its reason, never a broken Must rule, and a plain answer to “Why?” on any shift.
- You export hours by pay code to UKG Pro WFM (Dimensions) or Workforce Central (Kronos).
- You have a small team: 10 people cost $10 a month, under Deputy’s $30 monthly minimum.
When Deputy fits better
- You want a time clock, with biometrics, next to the schedule.
- You want demand forecasts to set your needs.
- You want payroll and HR from the same company.
How to switch
- Export your schedule from Deputy as a spreadsheet, or copy it into Excel.
- Upload the file to ScheduleSolve. It reads the people and shifts, and asks about anything it cannot work out.
- Set your rules, press Draft, check it and post. Each person gets their shifts by email and in the staff app.
Not ready to switch? Try the free schedule maker with your own people and shifts first, with no account.
Questions
How do the prices compare?
At the prices we checked, Deputy Lite is $5.50 per user per month paid monthly, with a $30 minimum: $55 for 10 people, $137.50 for 25 and $275 for 50. ScheduleSolve is $10, $12.50 and $25. Deputy’s auto-scheduling is on Core, which costs more than Lite.
Does ScheduleSolve have a time clock?
No. It shows each person’s scheduled hours by pay code and exports them for your payroll or time system.
Can ScheduleSolve keep rest and fairness rules?
Yes. Rules such as “Must: at least 11 hours of rest between shifts” and “Try to: weekends are shared fairly over 12 weeks” are part of every draft. A Must rule is never broken.
Is there a free trial?
Yes, 7 days with no card. The free schedule maker needs no account.
Deputy is a trademark of its owner. ScheduleSolve is not affiliated with it.
Get your evenings back.
Upload your spreadsheet and get a draft today. 7 days free, no card needed.