Side-by-side record

Deputy vs. SmartRecruiters

A side-by-side view of the product records we have today. Use it to narrow the question, then confirm current pricing, limits, and security details with each vendor.

The short version

Deputy starts at $5 per seat, versus SmartRecruiters at $10,000. SmartRecruiters carries the higher aggregate rating (9.5/5 vs 4.6/5).

Full comparison

	Deputyfrom $5 per user / month	SmartRecruitersfrom $10,000 per month
Audyense Score	80ASStrong	29AS*Low
Positioning	Scheduling, time tracking & workforce management for shift teams	SmartRecruiters is a recruiting software designed for the modern workforce, providing everything you need to attract, select and hire great talent.
Free tier	No	Yes
Deployment	Cloud / SaaS	Cloud / SaaS
Best fit	SMB, Mid-market, Enterprise	Startup, SMB, Mid-market
Pricing plans	Lite$5 Core$7 Pro$9 EnterpriseCustom pricing	Free or entry planFree Higher tiersCustom pricing
Applicant tracking (ATS)	NoNo native ATS; integrates with recruiting tools like JobAdder	—
Benefits administration	No	—
Employee directory & org chart	YesStaff profiles and details management	—
Mobile app	YesiOS and Android apps for managers and staff	—
Employee onboarding	PartialAvailable via the paid HR add-on	—
Payroll	PartialVia payroll integrations and the Deputy Payroll add-on (powered by Paycor)	—
Performance reviews	PartialBasic performance management features	—
Public API	YesOpen API plus Zapier and native integrations	—
Reporting & dashboards	YesReporting and cost/labor analytics	—
Time-off & PTO management	YesLeave and time-off management	—
Multi-Board Job Posting	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
One-Click Apply	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Applicant Progress Tracking	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Custom Interview Scorecards	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Interview Scheduling Tools	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Collaborative Response & Review Sharing	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Mobile Hiring App	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Consistent Branding	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Job Aggregators Distribution	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Social Media Job Distribution	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Employee Referral Portal	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Personalized Auto-Responder	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Facebook Synchronization	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Mobile-Friendly Career Site	—	YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Integrations verified	45+	—
Aggregate rating	4.6 · 1.9k reviews	9.5 · No reviews yet
Integrations	XeroQuickBooksGustoADPPaychexPaylocity+9 more	—
Security & compliance	SOC 2 Type IIISO 27001PCI-DSSCyber Essentials+1 more	—
Pros	Intuitive, easy-to-use interface that needs minimal training Fast, flexible scheduling with auto-scheduling and demand forecasting Strong labor-law/award compliance and automated interpretation Responsive customer support	Independent review documents a concrete business workflow Documented capability: Multi-Board Job Posting Documented capability: One-Click Apply Documented capability: Applicant Progress Tracking Documented capability: Custom Interview Scorecards
Cons	Occasional bugs, app lag, and slow performance reported by reviewers Leave and break management can be confusing or unreliable Per-user pricing adds up for larger workforces $30 monthly minimum spend is unattractive for very small teams	Pricing and usage limits should be checked against the exact plan Implementation effort depends on the team's data and process maturity Reported outcomes should be validated with the buyer's own data
	Visit Deputy ↗	Visit SmartRecruiters ↗

Editorial read of this comparison

The table summarizes structured facts; this section explains what the differences mean for a real buying decision.

Where each tool fits, and where it may not

Deputy

Deputy is a cloud-based workforce management platform for shift-based businesses, combining employee scheduling, time and attendance tracking, and team communication. It automates rostering, labor-law/award interpretation, and timesheet approval, and integrates with payroll, POS, and HR systems. It is used across retail, hospitality, healthcare, and services by teams ranging from small businesses to large enterprises.

A particularly good fit for: Shift-based businesses in retail, hospitality, and healthcare Multi-location teams that need labor-law/award compliance built in Managers who want fast rostering with a strong mobile app

May be a poor fit if: Micro-teams deterred by the $30 monthly minimum spend Salaried, non-shift workforces that don't need time clocking

SmartRecruiters

SmartRecruiters is a recruiting software designed for the modern workforce, providing everything you need to attract, select and hire great talent. Its comprehensive recruitment marketing tools let you promote new opportunities internally and externally. With its selection tools, you get to experience robust applicant tracking, complemented by deep collaboration tools for identifying the right fit for your organization. SmartRecruiters features digital offer management and pre-integrated onboarding, which allows a seamless team welcome for your new hires. It lets you search your own data with ease, crucial when you consider how your database grows with your company. The application is supported by SmartAssistant, the industry’s first and only native AI-powered recruiting service, giving you an intelligent sidekick for finding the talent you need. SmartAssistant helps eliminate subjectivity by enabling hiring teams to align faster and identify quality talent more easily using data science to back selection decisions. From its core recruiting power to its smart engine, SmartRecruiters lets you virtually future-proof your hiring process with functionalities that deliver value over the long-term, including unified information architecture, built-in collaboration tools, and improved productivity through machine-learning.

A particularly good fit for: B2B teams evaluating HR and People software Teams that need documented workflow capabilities and fit guidance Organizations willing to validate implementation and plan limits

May be a poor fit if: Teams seeking a workflow outside the product's documented focus Teams needing unlimited usage without plan limits

Pricing and plan structure

Deputy: Published starting price $5 per user / month

Lite$5 per user / month
Core$7 per user / month
Pro$9 per user / month
EnterpriseCustom pricing

SmartRecruiters: Published starting price $10,000 per month

Free or entry planFree
Higher tiersCustom pricing

Capabilities worth validating

Deputy: Employee directory & org chart, Mobile app, Employee onboarding, Payroll, Performance reviews Integrations include Xero, QuickBooks, Gusto, ADP.
SmartRecruiters: Multi-Board Job Posting, One-Click Apply, Applicant Progress Tracking, Custom Interview Scorecards, Interview Scheduling Tools

Questions to answer before switching

Does Deputy's selected plan include the features and limits we need?
Does SmartRecruiters's selected plan include the features and limits we need?
Does the exact integration path for Xero, QuickBooks, Gusto support the sync direction, permissions, and volume we need?
Is a hosted-only deployment acceptable for the team and customers who will use this system?

How to evaluate this shortlist

A useful comparison turns the differences between HR & People tools into a concrete test. Use these steps to avoid choosing from a feature table or the lowest headline price alone.

Start with a representative HR & People workflow, not a feature checklist. Define who will use it, what data goes in, and what outcome the team needs.
Test the complete path through Xero, QuickBooks, Gusto: permissions, sync direction, failure handling, and volume limits often matter more than the integration name.
Compare the cost of the real scenario, including users, usage, storage, support, and contract requirements. The entry price alone does not measure adoption cost.
Before switching, list the evidence gaps, request a demo of the critical workflow, and confirm security, data residency, export, and support with each vendor.

Structured signals help narrow the shortlist, but a trial with a real workflow is still the best way to validate the decision.

Research basis

Last checked: 2026-08-18. Pricing, integrations, feature support, and review signals can change, so treat this as a research snapshot and verify the final decision with the vendor.

Sources consulted: Deputy product site, G2, Capterra; SmartRecruiters product site, FinancesOnline review, Vendor website