Best Deputy alternatives in 2026

Looking for an alternative to Deputy? Whether you've outgrown it, find the pricing steep, or just want to weigh your options, these are the strongest workforce management alternatives in 2026 — ranked on pricing, features, and who each one fits best. Deputy itself has a free tier, so we've flagged where each option is cheaper, simpler, or more specialized.

1
Sling
Best for: hourly-teams
Free employee scheduling. A popular workforce management alternative to Deputy with a genuinely usable free tier — free – $2/user/mo. Particularly strong for hourly-teams.
4.5Free – $2/user/moVisit
2
When I Work
Best for: hourly-teams
If Deputy feels like overkill or over-budget, When I Work is a leaner option. Employee scheduling made easy. Pricing: from $2.50/user/mo.
4.4From $2.50/user/moVisit
3
Connecteam
Best for: deskless-teams
Connecteam goes head-to-head with Deputy on features with a genuinely usable free tier. App for deskless teams. Best suited to deskless-teams. Free – $29/mo.
4.6Free – $29/moVisit
4
Rippling
Best for: smb
A well-rated hr pick. HR, IT, and finance in one platform. Rippling starts at from $8/user/mo, making it a credible Deputy replacement.
4.8From $8/user/moVisit
5
Calendly
Best for: sales-teams
Automated scheduling, without the back-and-forth. A popular scheduling alternative to Deputy with a genuinely usable free tier — free – $10/seat/mo. Particularly strong for sales-teams.
4.7Free – $10/seat/moVisit
6
Gusto
Best for: smb
If Deputy feels like overkill or over-budget, Gusto is a leaner option. Payroll, benefits, and HR for small business. Pricing: from $40/mo.
4.6From $40/moVisit
7
BambooHR
Best for: smb
BambooHR goes head-to-head with Deputy on features. HR software for small and medium business. Best suited to smb. Custom.
4.5CustomVisit
8
Mangomint
Best for: salons
A well-rated fitness pick. Modern salon & spa software. Mangomint starts at from $165/mo, making it a credible Deputy replacement.
4.9From $165/moVisit

Still considering Deputy itself? Read our Deputy review →

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Deputy alternative?

Sling is our top-rated Deputy alternative for 2026. Free employee scheduling. Free – $2/user/mo.

Is there a free Deputy alternative?

Yes — Sling, Connecteam, Calendly all offer a free tier you can start on without a credit card.

Why switch from Deputy?

Common reasons are price, a simpler feature set, better fit for a specific use case, or platform support. Each tool above notes where it has an edge over Deputy.