Best leave management software

PeopleMuster ranks first for a team that plans client work. Leave types carry annual quotas with paid and encashable flags, the admin view shows who is off today and next week, and approved leave drops out of the capacity plan by itself. It costs $3 per person a month. BambooHR ranks second on years of balance practice.

How this was judged

Ranked on how clearly the software shows balances, approvals and who is off, and on where approved leave goes next.

Eight products were compared in September 2026 on leave types, quota handling, approval trails, usage reporting and where approved leave travels afterwards. Every price was re-read from the vendor's own pricing page on 24 September 2026. Nothing here is legal advice and no entitlement is stated.

The ranking

PeopleMuster

$3 per person a month from the first person, every module included. No seat minimum, 14 days free.

Who it suits: A company with its own leave types that also plans who works on what.
Where it wins: Configurable types with an annual quota and paid and encashable flags. The admin view shows the approval funnel, who is off today and the next seven days, and approved leave leaves the capacity grid on its own.

BambooHR

Core $10, Pro $17, Elite $25 per employee a month. Flat from $250 a month at 25 or fewer. Verified September 2026.

Who it suits: Employers that want leave inside a full HR record and will pay for the tiers.
Where it wins: Developed balance handling, with years of employer practice behind the defaults.
Where it falls short: Priced well above the field for a team that only wants leave.

Vacation Tracker

Core $2 per user a month ($1 billed yearly) with a $50 monthly minimum ($25 yearly); Complete $4 ($3 yearly) with a $100 minimum ($75 yearly). 14-day trial. Verified 24 September 2026.

Who it suits: Teams that want a dedicated leave tracker and nothing else.
Where it wins: A low per-user rate, with a second plan for teams that outgrow Core.
Where it falls short: The monthly minimum applies whatever the headcount: $50 on Core billed monthly.

Timetastic

Business $1.50, Pro $2.50, Rota & Time Clock $5.50 per user a month (£1.20, £2.00, £4.00 in GBP). 30-day trial, month to month. Verified 24 September 2026.

Who it suits: Small teams that want a simple leave planner on a monthly plan.
Where it wins: A 30-day trial and no fixed term.
Where it falls short: Rota and time clock sit on the $5.50 plan.

Calamari

Time Off $2.50 per employee a month ($2 yearly); Time & Attendance $3 ($2.50) and Core HR $2.50 ($2) sold as further modules. 10-seat minimum, 14-day trial. Verified 24 September 2026.

Who it suits: Firms that want to buy time off first and add modules later.
Where it wins: Time off can be bought as one module.
Where it falls short: Each module is priced separately, and billing starts at 10 seats.

Zoho People

In USD: Essential HR $1.50 to People Plus $10 per user a month billed monthly ($1.25 to $9 annual). Paid plans need 5 users; prices vary by region. Verified 24 September 2026.

Who it suits: Small teams already inside the Zoho suite.
Where it wins: A free edition for five users and a 30-day trial.
Where it falls short: Paid plans need five users, and the price changes with the region.

Personio

From €7.60 per month per employee on Core. Verified 22 September 2026.

Who it suits: European employers juggling several countries' leave habits.
Where it wins: Absence handling is built for European practice.
Where it falls short: Only the Core entry figure is published. The rest is demo-gated.

Factorial

Quote-led from $8 per user a month with add-on modules. Verified September 2026.

Who it suits: European small firms buying time off as one module.
Where it wins: Leave can be bought without the rest of a suite.
Where it falls short: The quote is where the real price appears.

Questions people ask

What's the best leave management software for a small company?

For a small company that also plans client work, PeopleMuster: $3 per person a month from the first person, with no seat minimum and every module included. Dedicated trackers price leave alone, with a $50 monthly minimum at Vacation Tracker Core and a 10-seat minimum at Calamari.

What is the difference between a leave quota and an accrual?

A quota grants a number of days for the year at once. An accrual earns days as time passes, often monthly. PeopleMuster sets quotas per year, per leave type, per person.

Who can see who is off?

The admin view shows who is off today and over the next seven days, with the approval funnel and month-on-month movement per user and per type.

Does leave show up anywhere else automatically?

Yes. Approved leave draws onto the capacity grid beside company holidays, so a day off empties in the plan without anyone retyping it. You don't copy it into a second tool.