Payroll software · Australia
Deputy
Sydney-founded rostering, time clock and award interpretation, with an optional Deputy Payroll add-on
Market position
Deputy is a workforce management platform founded in Sydney in 2008 by Steve Shelley and Ashik Ahmed; it says more than 390,000 workplaces worldwide use it. Its plans cover rostering, timesheets, time clocking and award interpretation, and approved timesheets can flow to Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks or Reckon, or to Deputy's own Payroll add-on. Deputy says its regularly updated award templates auto-fill employee entitlements, which suits award-covered trade crews.
Australia-specific note
Deputy says Deputy Payroll is designed to support Single Touch Payroll Phase 2 reporting, and its payroll page notes that under Payday Super, super must be paid on each payday rather than quarterly. Award interpretation is included from the Lite plan (Core adds advanced award interpretation); AU prices are in AUD excluding taxes.
Pros
- + Award interpretation included from the Lite plan, with regularly updated award templates
- + Deputy Payroll add-on designed for STP Phase 2 reporting, Deputy says
- + Timesheets connect to Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks and Reckon
- + Published per-user AUD prices; 30-day free trial on the Payroll add-on
- + Unlimited payroll entities in one account, Deputy says
Cons
- − Payroll is a paid add-on ($5 per user per month) on top of a base plan
- − Minimum spend of AUD $30 a month per invoice on monthly Lite, Core and Pro plans since 1 September 2025
- − Per-user pricing grows with the crew, and HR, Messaging+ and Analytics+ cost extra below Pro
- − SMS charged at 5c per 160 characters
- − Rostering and time tracking at its core, not an accounting ledger
Typical Australia pricing
AUD per user per month, excluding taxes, billed upfront or in monthly instalments: Lite $6.75, Core $8.75, Pro $13. Payroll add-on $5 and HR add-on $3.50 per user per month; Core + Payroll + HR bundle $13.95 per user per month. Minimum spend AUD $30 per month per invoice on monthly plans.
Why this matters for Australia trades
Trade licensing is run by the states: Building Commission NSW issues NSW building and trade licences, QBCC licenses Queensland builders, plumbers and drainers (electrical work is licensed separately by the Electrical Safety Office), Victoria’s Building and Plumbing Commission registers and licenses plumbers, Building and Energy registers WA builders and licenses electricians, plumbers and gas fitters, and CBS licenses South Australian building and PGE contractors. Automatic Mutual Recognition lets licence holders from participating states work in NSW and, depending on the occupation, in WA, usually after notifying; Queensland does not take part. Employers report pay and super to the ATO through STP-enabled payroll software each payday, and from 1 July 2026 must pay the 12% super guarantee when they pay wages.
Australian trades vendor selection is shaped by state-based licensing, Single Touch Payroll (STP) reporting to the ATO, super guarantee payments (due with each pay run under Payday Super from 1 July 2026), GST registration once turnover reaches $75,000 (per business.gov.au), and local lead services such as hipages, Localsearch and Yellow Pages.
Frequently asked
Is Deputy a good fit for Australia trades?
Deputy is a workforce management platform founded in Sydney in 2008 by Steve Shelley and Ashik Ahmed; it says more than 390,000 workplaces worldwide use it. Its plans cover rostering, timesheets, time clocking and award interpretation, and approved timesheets can flow to Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks or Reckon, or to Deputy's own Payroll add-on. Deputy says its regularly updated award templates auto-fill employee entitlements, which suits award-covered trade crews. Deputy says Deputy Payroll is designed to support Single Touch Payroll Phase 2 reporting, and its payroll page notes that under Payday Super, super must be paid on each payday rather than quarterly. Award interpretation is included from the Lite plan (Core adds advanced award interpretation); AU prices are in AUD excluding taxes.
What does Deputy cost in Australia?
AUD per user per month, excluding taxes, billed upfront or in monthly instalments: Lite $6.75, Core $8.75, Pro $13. Payroll add-on $5 and HR add-on $3.50 per user per month; Core + Payroll + HR bundle $13.95 per user per month. Minimum spend AUD $30 per month per invoice on monthly plans. Pricing and availability can change by region; confirm current Australia pricing on the vendor's site before committing.
Does Deputy publish its prices?
Yes. Deputy is Tier S in our Australia directory, which means our check found its prices published on its own website (see the typical pricing above). The tier is not a quality ranking, so compare it against the alternatives for your trade and region.