The short version: Deputy has no New Zealand price list and bills local accounts in Australian dollars. Employment Hero, PayHero and Smartly each cover a slice of the same rostering-and-time job through payroll-side add-ons, Microsoft Teams Shifts is worth checking against a firm's existing Microsoft 365 plan, and a Microsoft 365 build is the option for firms that want to own the roster outright.
Why firms look beyond Deputy
Both reasons here are stated on Deputy's own site, not inferred. First, Deputy has no New Zealand pricing page at all; deputy.com/nz/pricing returns page-not-found, and Deputy's own FAQ states that Australian and New Zealand accounts are both billed in Australian dollars, Lite $6.75, Core $8.75, Pro $13 AUD a user a month. Second, Deputy's own Payroll and HR add-ons aren't sold into New Zealand: Payroll is listed as available in Australia only and HR in the US, UK and Australia only, so a firm wanting rostering and payroll from one vendor can't get both from Deputy regardless of plan.
The alternatives, priced side by side
All figures are as published on each vendor's own pricing page, checked 22 September 2026. None of the four below is a like-for-like rostering tool the way Deputy is; each covers the job from a different angle.
| Alternative | Published price | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Employment Hero rostering add-on | $3 a month per employee, on top of an HR plan | A firm already running Employment Hero's HR tier, past its 10-user minimum, that wants rostering bolted on rather than bought separately. |
| PayHero (with Droppah for rostering) | Payroll from $4 a employee plus a $24 base fee; Droppah's own rostering price isn't published on PayHero's pricing page | A firm that wants payroll handled properly first, and is prepared to price Droppah separately once rostering is the actual need. |
| Smartly People Management add-on | A $10 a month per employee add-on on top of DIY or Managed Payroll | A firm on Smartly payroll wanting onboarding and HR document records; it is not a shift-scheduling tool. |
| Microsoft Teams Shifts | Part of Teams; check inclusion against the specific Microsoft 365 plan a firm runs | A firm already on Microsoft 365 wanting basic shift scheduling inside the app staff already use, once the licence detail is confirmed. |
| Build on Microsoft 365 | Dataverse NZ$32.40 a user a month, Power BI Pro NZ$22.60, typically $8,000 to $18,000 to build | A firm that wants the roster, time capture and leave approvals owned outright, with payroll left in a compliant product. |
On Teams Shifts specifically: it's Microsoft's own scheduling app built into Teams, covering shift creation, swaps and time clocking. Which Microsoft 365 plan includes it, and on what terms, varies enough that it's worth confirming directly with Microsoft or a CSP partner rather than assuming it's free with whatever a firm already has.
A roster, timesheet and leave register can be built directly on the Microsoft 365 licence a firm already pays for: on Dataverse at NZ$32.40 a user a month, or on SharePoint lists and Teams Shifts where the licence already includes them, with Power BI Pro at NZ$22.60 for the two or three people who need the report. A build like that typically runs $8,000 to $18,000, with no user minimum to clear. It does not run payroll: PAYE, KiwiSaver, holiday pay under the Holidays Act and payday filing stay in a compliant payroll product like PayHero, Smartly or Employment Hero. What it covers is the roster, the time capture, leave requests and approvals, and the reporting that feeds whichever payroll product handles that part.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Deputy for rostering in New Zealand?
Employment Hero sells rostering as a $3 a month per employee add-on on top of an HR plan. PayHero has no rostering of its own, it's sold separately through Droppah, whose price isn't published. Smartly's People Management add-on covers HR records and onboarding, not shift scheduling. Microsoft Teams Shifts is Microsoft's own scheduling app inside Teams, worth checking against the Microsoft 365 plan a firm already runs.
Does Deputy price in New Zealand dollars?
No. Deputy's New Zealand accounts are billed in Australian dollars: Lite $6.75, Core $8.75 and Pro $13 AUD a user a month, excluding tax, as published on its Australian pricing page.
Can a Microsoft 365 build replace Deputy?
For the roster, timesheet and leave register, yes: on Dataverse at NZ$32.40 a user a month, or on SharePoint lists and Teams Shifts where the licence already includes them, with Power BI Pro at NZ$22.60 for whoever reads the report, typically running $8,000 to $18,000. It does not run payroll: PAYE, KiwiSaver, holiday pay under the Holidays Act and payday filing stay in a compliant payroll product.
Get a New Zealand dollar number instead
Book a free 30-minute call. Bring your headcount and I'll tell you what a build priced in New Zealand dollars costs against any of these.