Payroll software · Australia
Deputy
AU-built rostering + time & attendance with award interpretation, into compliant pay runs
⚠ Reputation warning
Third-party reviews (2025–2026) report a late-2025 price increase moving existing customers to new tiers, add-on costs stacking, and slow support response on billing.
Market position
A Sydney-founded workforce-management platform (rostering, time & attendance, award interpretation) that historically fed external payroll (Xero/MYOB/QuickBooks) and now also offers first-party Deputy Payroll. Its edge over ledger-led tools is the front end: scheduling, clock-in, and a built-in modern-award engine that auto-fills penalty rates/overtime/allowances before pay is calculated — the hardest part of AU payroll for award-covered trades crews.
Australia-specific note
AU-founded; the standout AU value is modern-award/Fair Work interpretation at the timesheet level. Supports STP Phase 2; AU materials acknowledge the 1 July 2026 payday-super reform as a cash-flow implication.
Pros
- + Built-in modern-award engine ("Fair Work without the guesswork")
- + AU-founded (Sydney) with regularly updated award templates + custom Pay Rate Builder
- + Deputy Payroll supports STP Phase 2
- + Converts approved timesheets to pay in "zero clicks"
Cons
- − Modular pricing — payroll is a +$5/user/mo add-on, add-ons stack
- − Documented late-2025 price increases
- − Per-user model + ~$30/mo minimum poor value for very small teams
- − Workforce-mgmt core, not deep accounting/ledger (usually paired with a GL)
Typical Australia pricing
AUD (ex-tax): Lite $6.75, Core $8.75, Pro $13/user/mo; Deputy Payroll add-on $5/user/mo; ~$30/mo minimum
Why this matters for Australia trades
Licensing is state-administered (e.g., electrical and plumbing licenses per state/territory), and payroll software must lodge Single Touch Payroll (STP) to the ATO and handle superannuation and GST.
Australian trades vendor selection is shaped by state-based licensing, Single Touch Payroll (STP) reporting to the ATO, superannuation obligations, and GST handling — plus local lead-gen platforms like hipages.
Frequently asked
Is Deputy a good fit for Australia trades?
A Sydney-founded workforce-management platform (rostering, time & attendance, award interpretation) that historically fed external payroll (Xero/MYOB/QuickBooks) and now also offers first-party Deputy Payroll. Its edge over ledger-led tools is the front end: scheduling, clock-in, and a built-in modern-award engine that auto-fills penalty rates/overtime/allowances before pay is calculated — the hardest part of AU payroll for award-covered trades crews. AU-founded; the standout AU value is modern-award/Fair Work interpretation at the timesheet level. Supports STP Phase 2; AU materials acknowledge the 1 July 2026 payday-super reform as a cash-flow implication.
What does Deputy cost in Australia?
AUD (ex-tax): Lite $6.75, Core $8.75, Pro $13/user/mo; Deputy Payroll add-on $5/user/mo; ~$30/mo minimum. Pricing and availability can change by region — confirm current Australia pricing on the vendor's site before committing.
Is Deputy recommended?
Yes — it is a Tier S (Recommended) pick in our Australia directory for payroll software, based on market fit and reputation. Still compare it against the alternatives for your specific trade and region.