Deputy vs Nowsta (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Deputy if

• Fits if you have to follow break rules or Fair Workweek scheduling laws
• Works for teams that want staff to swap shifts and find their own cover

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you have 15 or more hourly staff, since every person, managers included, is a paid user
• Skip it if you might shrink, as annual plans can't drop users or plans mid-term and there's no refund
• Tight if you pay monthly with a small team, because there's a $30 monthly minimum
• Watch out: US payroll is $8 a user plus $49 a month on yearly Core or Pro, HR is $2 a user, and texts are 1 cent each
• Not for you if you want auto-scheduling or face-unlock kiosks on Lite, as they start on Core at $6.50 a head

Pick Nowsta if

• Fits if you staff events or hourly shifts and want workers to pick up shifts on their phones
• Works for an agency that wants scheduling and payroll links together

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want a price list, as none is published
• Watch out: the site does not say which of sourcing, payroll and vendor management come with which package
• Too light for a manager who wants a manager app, as the listing found is the workers' app
• Not for you if you want to try it first, as the route in is a demo

Deputy

• Monthly plans carry a minimum spend of $30 a month, and every admin, manager and supervisor counts as a paid user.
• US payroll by Paycor is an add-on for annual Core and Pro plans: $8 per user a month plus a $49 monthly base fee. HR is $2 per user a month.
• Annual plans cannot be moved to a lower plan or fewer users during the term, and cancelling early brings no refund.
• Text messages sent through Deputy, such as published schedules, cost 1 cent per 160 characters in the US.

Nowsta

• No prices are published; the site sends visitors to schedule a demo and the pricing address redirects to the home page.
• The site does not say which features (sourcing, payroll, vendor management) come with which package.
• The app listing found is named Nowsta Workers, aimed at the workers rather than managers.

Deputy

Shift planning and swaps

Schedules are built from templates with paid and unpaid breaks. Staff can confirm shifts, pick up open ones, swap or offer shifts and find a replacement.

Auto-scheduling and forecasting

From the Core plan, Deputy builds and fills shifts from demand and staff availability, and compares forecast sales and wages against actuals.

Clock-in apps and geofencing

Staff clock in from the mobile apps, a browser, a watch or a shared tablet kiosk. Geofences block clock-ins away from the site, and Core adds face-unlock kiosks.

Timesheets to payroll

Clock-ins become timesheets that managers approve, or that Core approves automatically, and then go to payroll systems such as Gusto, ADP, Paychex or Xero.

Labor-law compliance

Rules for breaks, overtime, Fair Workweek scheduling and custom pay rates are checked as shifts are built and worked.

Team messaging and Shift Pulse

A news feed and messaging reach staff in the app, and Shift Pulse asks each worker for feedback when a shift ends.

Nowsta

Shift scheduling

A drag-and-drop builder with reusable templates, AI-powered recommendations to fill open shifts, demand forecasting, and shift swaps and claims.

Time and attendance

Time tracking with geofencing, alerts for clock-in and clock-out, and timesheet approvals.

Payroll integration

Connects to existing payroll and accounting systems to calculate wages, with built-in compliance tools.

Sourcing and onboarding

Supports recruiting and onboarding for hourly, full-time, part-time and contingent workers, including talent ratings.

Worker mobile app

Workers get an all-in-one mobile app with real-time updates and self-service; the app is listed on the App Store and Google Play.

Vendor management

The site lists Vendor Management beside Workforce Management as a separate product area for managing outside staffing vendors.

Deputy

• Lite$5

  per user / month, billed annually ($5.50 billed monthly)

  Basic scheduling, timesheets and time clock, shift swaps, leave and availability, labor-law checks, basic reports and team messaging.

• Core$6.50

  per user / month, billed annually ($7.25 billed monthly)

  Adds auto-scheduling, demand forecasting, wage budgets, face-unlock kiosk clock-ins and timesheet auto-approval. Marked most popular.

• Pro$9

  per user / month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly)

  Adds custom access levels, location hierarchies, pay centers, SSO, a sandbox and 24/7 live chat, with Analytics+ and Messaging+ included.

Nowsta

Pricing could not be confirmed. See nowsta.com.

Deputy

• Annual discount

  About 10% off with annual billing

  Annual plans cost $5, $6.50 and $9 per user a month against $5.50, $7.25 and $10 billed monthly; the page labels the saving 10%.

• Nonprofit

  Special pricing for charities on request

  Charities, not-for-profits and community organizations can ask Deputy about special pricing; no figure is published.

• Other savings

  6 months free on Pro and Payroll until November 30, 2026

  New US businesses that sign up by November 30, 2026 and buy both Pro and Deputy Payroll on a 12-month term get six billing months free.

Nowsta

No public discounts listed.