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Comparison · HR

Deputy vs IceHrm

A side-by-side editorial comparison of Deputy and IceHrm — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.

Deputy vs IceHrm: at a glance

FeatureDeputyIceHrm
SectorHRHR
Velocity score0.05.0
Sparks · 30d00
Top themespermissions, payroll-compliance, workforce-scheduling, access-controlhr-software, self-hosted, ui-rebuild, self-updating
Last editorial update3mo ago4d ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is Deputy?

Deputy is hardening pay-data permissions while Australian super rules claim release slots.

Deputy's recent work splits between access control and Australian payroll compliance. A rebuilt access-level system in late April introduced custom roles with finer-grained control over what people can see and do, followed in June by permissions that restrict visibility of pay rates and labour costs. July's release adapted Deputy Payroll to PayDay Super, the Australian employer reporting requirement. Scheduling picked up one visible change: the open/empty shift row can be pinned while managers scroll.

Read the full Deputy trajectory →

What is IceHrm?

IceHrm 36 rebuilds the interface, adds dark mode, and updates itself from the dashboard.

IceHrm had been releasing about once a year until version 36.0.0 on September 14 rebuilt it as a single-page interface with dark mode, phone layouts and a dashboard updater with backup and rollback. Two security releases have followed: 36.0.1 fixed a stored XSS and an unauthenticated include, and 36.0.2 limits manager uploads to their own reports and moves Docker images to PHP 8.3.36 for two critical unauthenticated RCEs.

Read the full IceHrm trajectory →

Deputy vs IceHrm: editorial side-by-side

Deputy logo0.0

Deputy is hardening pay-data permissions while Australian super rules claim release slots.

◆ Current state

Deputy's recent work splits between access control and Australian payroll compliance. A rebuilt access-level system in late April introduced custom roles with finer-grained control over what people can see and do, followed in June by permissions that restrict visibility of pay rates and labour costs. July's release adapted Deputy Payroll to PayDay Super, the Australian employer reporting requirement. Scheduling picked up one visible change: the open/empty shift row can be pinned while managers scroll.

◆ Where it's heading

Permissions are the throughline — custom roles first, then sensitive pay data placed behind them — which is the shape of a product answering harder questions from larger, multi-site customers. Compliance work anchors Deputy to the Australian market its payroll product serves, and that regulatory calendar will keep taking release capacity. Scheduling itself, the core surface, is getting refinement rather than rethinking. The feed also carries the same release twice under slightly different titles, so apparent cadence runs ahead of actual shipping.

◆ Prediction

Expect further permission scoping across cost and pay surfaces, and follow-up work as PayDay Super reporting beds in. The entries show nothing about roadmap outside Australia and scheduling.

I5.0

IceHrm 36 rebuilds the interface, adds dark mode, and updates itself from the dashboard.

◆ Current state

IceHrm had been releasing about once a year until version 36.0.0 on September 14 rebuilt it as a single-page interface with dark mode, phone layouts and a dashboard updater with backup and rollback. Two security releases have followed: 36.0.1 fixed a stored XSS and an unauthenticated include, and 36.0.2 limits manager uploads to their own reports and moves Docker images to PHP 8.3.36 for two critical unauthenticated RCEs.

◆ Where it's heading

After the big rebuild, IceHrm is in a hardening phase with monthly security patches. The built-in updater makes these fast follow-ups practical for self-hosters.

◆ Prediction

More point releases fixing permission checks and platform-specific issues are likely before any new feature work appears.

Alternatives to Deputy and IceHrm

Other HR products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Deputy or IceHrm.

See all Deputy alternatives → · See all IceHrm alternatives →

Recent activity from Deputy and IceHrm

Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.

  1. 4d agoIceHrmIceHrm 36.0.2 tightens manager uploads and patches PHP RCEs
  2. 4d agoIceHrmRelease branch merge for v36.0.2
  3. 1mo agoIceHrmIceHrm 36.0.1 fixes stored XSS and an unauthenticated include
  4. 1mo agoIceHrmIceHrm 36: new single-page UI, dark mode, one-click updates
  5. 4mo agoDeputyPayDay Super for Deputy Payroll
  6. 5mo agoDeputySensitive Data Permissions for Pay Rates
  7. 6mo agoDeputyCustom Access Levels
  8. 6mo agoDeputyCustom access levels
  9. 6mo agoDeputyFreeze Empty/Open Shift Row in Schedule Employee Views
  10. 7mo agoDeputyOpen/empty shift row can be pinned in schedule views
  11. 7mo agoIceHrmTravel management rebuilt and one-command upgrades
  12. 2y agoIceHrmMicrosoft sign-in and direct user invitations

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Deputy and IceHrm?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. IceHrm is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.

Is Deputy better than IceHrm?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. IceHrm is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other HR products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to Deputy?

Top Deputy alternatives in HR are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Deputy alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/deputy for the full list with editorial commentary on each.

What are the best alternatives to IceHrm?

Top IceHrm alternatives in HR are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "IceHrm alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/icehrm for the full list with editorial commentary on each.