Which is better for a small security company, Novagems or Deputy?

If your only need is shift scheduling and time tracking, Deputy is a capable general tool. If you need to prove patrols, file security incident reports, and send clients coverage reports, Novagems gives a small security company all of that in one place without stitching multiple apps together.

Novagems vs Deputy: Security Guard Software Comparison

Q: Is Deputy good for security guard companies?

Deputy is good at the scheduling and time-tracking part of running a security company, and it works across many industries. Where it falls short for security is proof of work: it has no checkpoint-tour verification, no guard-specific incident reports with photos and GPS, and no client-ready patrol reports. If those matter for winning and keeping security contracts, a security-specific platform like Novagems is the better fit.

Q: Is Novagems cheaper than Deputy?

Deputy charges per user across all your staff (Lite starts around $5 per user per month, Core $6.50, Pro $9, plus add-ons). Novagems charges per active user only, so you do not pay for guards who are on leave or not currently scheduled. For security operations with variable rosters, per-active-user pricing usually works out more predictable. Both offer a free trial.

Q: Does Deputy have guard tour or checkpoint scanning?

No. Deputy does not offer NFC or QR checkpoint-tour scanning or proof-of-patrol reporting. It has geofenced clock-in, but not the patrol-route verification security clients ask for. Novagems includes NFC and QR checkpoint tours, continuous GPS patrol recording, and automated client reports.

TL;DR: Novagems vs Deputy

Novagems is purpose-built for security companies and combines scheduling with guard tours, GPS patrol tracking, incident reporting, and client-facing reports in one platform. Deputy is an excellent general-purpose scheduling and time-tracking tool used across retail, hospitality, and healthcare, but it is not security-specific: it has no checkpoint-tour verification, no security incident reporting, and no client patrol reports.

The key decision: if you only need shift scheduling and time clocks, Deputy is a strong, flexible choice. If you run security contracts and need to prove patrols, document incidents, and report coverage to clients, Novagems does all of that without bolting on extra tools.

At-a-Glance Comparison

Feature	Novagems	Deputy
Drag-and-drop scheduling	✓	✓
Time clock and timesheets	✓	✓
Geofenced clock-in	✓	✓
Mobile app for staff	✓	✓
NFC / QR checkpoint tours	✓	✗
Continuous GPS patrol recording	✓	✗
Security incident reporting (photos, GPS)	✓	✗
Client-facing patrol reports	✓	✗
Guard licence / certification tracking	✓	Limited
Purpose-built for security	✓	✗ (multi-industry)
Per-active-user pricing	✓	✗ (per user)
Free trial	✓ 14 days	✓
US coverage	✓	✓
Canada coverage	✓	✓

Detailed Comparison

Security-Specific Operations (the core difference)

This is the heart of the comparison. Deputy is built to schedule and pay hourly staff in any industry. Novagems is built to run security operations.

Novagems: Includes checkpoint tours with NFC and QR scanning so guards prove they physically visited each patrol point, continuous GPS patrol tracking that records the route during a shift, security incident reporting with photos and GPS stamps, and automated client reports that show exactly what coverage was delivered.

Deputy: Has none of these. Deputy covers scheduling, time clocks, tasking, and communication, but there is no guard-tour scanning, no proof-of-patrol reporting, and no security incident templates. Security companies using Deputy typically add a second app for patrols and reporting.

Bottom line: For the parts of security work that win and keep contracts, proof of patrol and client reporting, Novagems is built for the job and Deputy is not.

Scheduling

Novagems: Drag-and-drop scheduling with real-time guard availability, conflict detection, overtime alerts, open-shift broadcasting, and instant mobile notifications. Built around security rosters and multi-site coverage.

Deputy: Genuinely strong scheduling. Auto-scheduling, demand forecasting, and labour optimization are available on higher plans, and it is well regarded across retail and hospitality. If scheduling is all you need, Deputy is very capable.

Bottom line: Both schedule well. Deputy has broader forecasting features for multi-industry operations; Novagems is tuned for security coverage and pairs scheduling directly with patrol and incident data.

GPS and Patrol Monitoring

Novagems: Live GPS map of every on-duty guard, geofenced clock-in, and continuous patrol-route recording, plus checkpoint scans that timestamp each stop. Supervisors see missed checkpoints and off-site clock-ins in real time.

Deputy: Offers geofencing to restrict clock-in to approved locations, but it does not record patrol routes or verify checkpoints. Geofenced clock-in is about attendance, not proof of patrol.

Bottom line: Novagems provides patrol-grade location tracking; Deputy provides attendance-grade geofencing.

Pricing

Deputy: Charges per user. As of its 2025 pricing update, Lite starts around $5 per user per month, Core around $6.50, and Pro around $9, with optional HR and analytics add-ons. You pay for each user on the account.

Novagems: Charges per active user only. You do not pay for guards on leave, off-season, or not currently scheduled. All features are included in one plan with 24/7 support, no add-on modules.

Bottom line: Deputy’s entry price is low per user, but you pay for everyone. Novagems’ per-active-user model is usually more predictable for security rosters that flex week to week, and it includes the security features that would otherwise require a second tool.

Support and Onboarding

Novagems: Most security companies are live within 1-2 business days. Guards need about 1-2 hours of orientation on the mobile app. 24/7 support is included on every plan.

Deputy: Well-established support and a mature product with a large user base. Higher-tier plans add 24/7 live chat. Onboarding for security use still means configuring a general tool and adding separate apps for patrol and incident work.

Bottom line: Both onboard smoothly. Novagems gets a security operation fully running, including patrols and reporting, in one setup.

Who Should Choose Novagems

Novagems is the right choice if:

You run security contracts and need to prove patrols to clients
You want guard tours, GPS patrol tracking, incident reporting, and client reports in one platform
You want per-active-user pricing so you do not pay for guards on leave
You need to be live within 1-2 days with security-specific workflows
You want to stop stitching together a scheduler plus separate patrol and reporting apps

Who Should Choose Deputy

Deputy may be the better fit if:

Your only need is shift scheduling and time tracking, not patrol verification
You operate across multiple industries and want one general scheduler
Demand forecasting and labour optimization for hourly staff are priorities
You do not need checkpoint tours, security incident reports, or client patrol reports

Migration: Switching to Novagems

Moving from Deputy (or any scheduler) to Novagems is straightforward:

Export your staff data from Deputy (CSV export is standard)
Import to Novagems, with help bulk-importing guard profiles, sites, and schedule templates
Configure checkpoints, place NFC tags or QR codes at patrol points (about 1 day per site)
Train your team, guards and managers need roughly 1-2 hours of orientation
Go live, full security operations within 1-2 business days

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between Novagems and Deputy?

Novagems is purpose-built for security companies; Deputy is general-purpose workforce scheduling. Deputy handles scheduling and time tracking well, but it has no NFC/QR guard-tour scanning, no security incident reporting, and no client patrol reports. Novagems combines scheduling with all of those in one platform.

Is Deputy good for security guard companies?

Deputy is good at scheduling and time tracking, but it lacks proof-of-patrol features: no checkpoint verification, no guard incident reports, and no client-ready patrol reports. For security-specific work, Novagems is the better fit.

Is Novagems cheaper than Deputy?

Deputy charges per user across all staff (Lite around $5, Core $6.50, Pro $9). Novagems charges per active user only, so you do not pay for guards on leave. For flexible security rosters, per-active-user pricing is usually more predictable.

Does Deputy have guard tour or checkpoint scanning?

No. Deputy has geofenced clock-in but no NFC or QR checkpoint tours and no proof-of-patrol reporting. Novagems includes checkpoint tours, GPS patrol recording, and automated client reports.

Which is better for a small security company?

If you only need scheduling, Deputy is capable. If you need to prove patrols, file incident reports, and send clients coverage reports, Novagems gives a small security company all of that in one place.

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Novagems vs Deputy: Security Guard Software Comparison

TL;DR: Novagems vs Deputy

At-a-Glance Comparison

Detailed Comparison