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Comparison · HR

Deputy vs Keka

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

Deputy vs Keka: at a glance

FeatureDeputyKeka
SectorHRHR
Velocity score0.05.0
Sparks · 30d00
Top themespermissions, payroll-compliance, workforce-scheduling, access-controlhr, payroll, us-compliance, content-marketing
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 Keka?

Keka's feed has turned to US payroll and benefits explainers, still with no changelog

Keka's feed is now a steady run of US payroll and benefits explainers. November 3 brought seven guides, and November 5 added four more on Form 940 and FUTA, mileage reimbursement, 401(k) versus 403(b) plans and ERISA. None of it describes a product change.

Read the full Keka trajectory →

Deputy vs Keka: 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.

K5.0

Keka's feed has turned to US payroll and benefits explainers, still with no changelog

◆ Current state

Keka's feed is now a steady run of US payroll and benefits explainers. November 3 brought seven guides, and November 5 added four more on Form 940 and FUTA, mileage reimbursement, 401(k) versus 403(b) plans and ERISA. None of it describes a product change.

◆ Where it's heading

The switch from Indian to US compliance topics in one batch suggests Keka is building search presence for the US market. The feed remains marketing content, so it says little about the product itself.

◆ Prediction

Expect more US HR and payroll guides; the entries give no signal about product releases.

Alternatives to Deputy and Keka

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 Keka.

See all Deputy alternatives → · See all Keka alternatives →

Recent activity from Deputy and Keka

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

  1. 4d agoKekaWhat is Form 940? The Complete Guide to FUTA Tax Filing for Employers
  2. 4d agoKekaMileage Reimbursement 2026: IRS Rates, Calculations, and Employer Rules
  3. 4d agoKeka401(k) vs 403(b): Key Differences Between These Retirement Plans in 2026
  4. 4d agoKekaWhat Is ERISA? The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 Explained
  5. 6d agoKekaWhat Is an ESPP? Employee Stock Purchase Plan Explained for 2026
  6. 6d agoKekaStates With No Income Tax: Complete 2026 Guide to All 9 Tax-Free States
  7. 4mo agoDeputyPayDay Super for Deputy Payroll
  8. 5mo agoDeputySensitive Data Permissions for Pay Rates
  9. 6mo agoDeputyCustom Access Levels
  10. 6mo agoDeputyCustom access levels
  11. 6mo agoDeputyFreeze Empty/Open Shift Row in Schedule Employee Views
  12. 7mo agoDeputyOpen/empty shift row can be pinned in schedule views

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Deputy and Keka?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Keka 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 Keka?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Keka 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 Keka?

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