# Deputy vs Lightyear

The clearest difference is rating: Deputy at 4.8 against Lightyear's 3.0. Deputy also leads on review sentiment (59% vs 33%) and ratings volume (5.4K vs 2). Lightyear's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Deputy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $59.99 per month. Lightyear asks for nothing beyond the download.

Deputy holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Deputy has 5.4K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Deputy's written reviews are positive against 33% of Lightyear's.

Deputy ships an update weekly, Lightyear every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Deputy | Lightyear |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (5.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deputy-shift-schedule-maker/id477070330/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightyear/id1455334590/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.4K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **58.9% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 285 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Deputy.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/477070333) | [Access UK Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/325537062) |

## What reviewers say

### Deputy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deputy-shift-schedule-maker/id477070330)

This app simplifies employee scheduling, time tracking, and workforce management for businesses. It allows for easy creation of balanced schedules, communication with staff, and integration with payroll systems. Employees can view their schedules, manage availability, and clock in/out.

**Highlights:** Create balanced, cost-effective schedules, Publish shift information via push notification, Fill open shifts with team pick-up, Approve leave and shift changes, Manage team communications and tasks, Track time and attendance, Integrate with payroll and POS systems

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 users | $59.99 | per month |
| 25 users | $144.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Convenient for scheduling and timekeeping
- 👍 Helpful for managing staff
- 👍 Reliable and efficient

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🐛 Unreliable location tracking
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance after updates
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 💰 Expensive for some businesses

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes frequently
- Timesheets not accurately recording hours worked
- Shift scheduling issues after updates
- Notification system not reliable

**Requested features**

- Add ability to cancel shifts
- Improve communication features between employees
- Provide more detailed reporting and analytics
- Allow employees to view their leave balances
- Integrate with more payroll/HR systems


### Lightyear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightyear/id1455334590)

Automate purchasing and accounts payable processes for large businesses. Streamline approvals, extract data with AI, and gain real-time financial insights. Offers a secure, reliable solution to eliminate errors and improve cash flow management.

**Highlights:** Automated purchase orders and bill approvals, AI-powered data extraction, Real-time payables overview, Business intelligence for cash flow, Eliminates human error, Mobile document upload and approval

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Deputy free?

Deputy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Lightyear free?

Lightyear is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Deputy or Lightyear?

Deputy is rated higher. Deputy averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5.4K ratings, while Lightyear averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Deputy or Lightyear have ads?

Neither Deputy nor Lightyear shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Deputy or Lightyear?

Deputy ships an update weekly, and Lightyear every 5 weeks. Most recently, Deputy was updated on September 24, 2026 and Lightyear on August 6, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*