Best Calamari Alternatives in 2026
The top Calamari alternatives are Vacation Tracker, Day Off and WhosOff: 15 leave management software our editors would look at instead of Calamari, in our ranking order.
Calamari: A rules-rich leave platform for growing teams managing multiple locations and policies. Where it falls short: no free plan.
Switching from Calamari? For most leave management software buyers the best Calamari alternative is Vacation Tracker, built for small teams starting with free PTO software. On a budget, Absenca starts at $0.68/user/mo, against $2/user/mo for Calamari.
Why People Look for a Calamari Alternative
- No free plan
- Subscriptions have a 10-seat minimum equivalent
- Broader HR modules add scope beyond core leave management
- No free plan — 6 of the alternatives below have it
- Paid from $2/user/mo — Absenca is $0.68/user/mo
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallVacation Tracker9.2
Small teams starting with free PTO software
Visit Vacation Tracker - Lowest priceAbsenca8.7
Paid plans from $0.68/user/mo
Visit Absenca - Best free optionVacation Tracker9.2
Has a free plan (Calamari has none)
Visit Vacation Tracker - Most approval levelsVacation Tracker9.2
2 levels
Visit Vacation Tracker
All 15 Calamari Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forSmall teams starting with free PTO software
- Better than Calamari:
- Free plan
- Paid from: $1/user/mo vs $2/user/mo
A flexible PTO system with a useful free tier and paid approval depth.
- Payroll integrations
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
9.2/10★★★★★Try Vacation Tracker -
Best forTeams wanting a low-cost free plan
- Better than Calamari:
- Free plan
A low-cost leave platform with a useful free plan and optional time tracking.
- Payroll integrations
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Day Off -
Best forMature teams needing broad integrations
A broad leave platform with strong integrations and basic accrual support.
- Payroll integrations
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit WhosOff -
Best forInternational teams on a tight budget
Affordable leave management with accrual rules, holiday imports and broad integrations.
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
- Mobile apps
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Leave Dates -
Best forTeams needing extensive holiday coverage
- Better than Calamari:
- Paid from: $1.50/user/mo vs $2/user/mo
A practical leave system with strong coverage tools and broad holiday-calendar support.
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
- Mobile apps
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Timetastic -
Best forBudget-conscious teams needing advanced controls
- Better than Calamari:
- Free plan
- Paid from: $0.68/user/mo vs $2/user/mo
A low-cost leave platform with detailed policies, approvals, analytics and integrations.
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Absenca -
Best forTeams wanting polished mobile leave management
A polished leave platform with mobile apps, flexible approvals, and paid plans.
- Payroll integrations
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit absence.io -
Best forFlexible teams with complex leave policies
A capable leave system for teams that need detailed policies and approval workflows.
- Payroll integrations
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forTeams wanting free plans and mobile access
- Better than Calamari:
- Free plan
- Paid from: $1.20/user/mo vs $2/user/mo
A flexible leave platform with a free plan, mobile apps, and custom accrual rules.
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
- Mobile apps
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit actiPLANS -
Best forEstablished teams needing absence tracking
A capable absence tracker for established teams that need structured approvals and allowance rules.
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
- Mobile apps
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit LeaveWizard -
Best forWeb-first teams wanting affordable leave tracking
- Better than Calamari:
- Free plan
- Paid from: $1.35/user/mo vs $2/user/mo
Affordable web-based leave tracking with accruals, self-service, and calendar integrations.
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit LeaveBoard -
Best forTeams needing detailed accrual rules cheaply
- Better than Calamari:
- Paid from: $1.50/user/mo vs $2/user/mo
Affordable leave management with detailed accrual controls and calendar integrations.
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Bindle -
Best forTeams wanting leave plus basic time tracking
DaysPlan combines configurable leave workflows with basic timesheets and clock-in tracking.
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
- Mobile apps
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit DaysPlan -
Best forTeams needing staffing and absence analytics
A focused leave system with staffing planning and absence analytics at a low monthly price.
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
7.9/10★★★★☆Try AnnualLeave.com -
Best forOrganizations using Nextcloud and self-hosting
- Better than Calamari:
- Free plan
A free, self-hosted leave workflow for organizations already running Nextcloud.
- Approval workflows
- Employee self-service
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Nextcloud
Calamari Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Calamari?
Vacation Tracker: #2 in our Leave Management Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.2 out of 10. A flexible PTO system with a useful free tier and paid approval depth.
Is there a free alternative to Calamari?
Yes. Vacation Tracker, Day Off, Absenca, actiPLANS and LeaveBoard have a free plan or a free tier (6 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Calamari?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Absenca starts lowest, at $0.68/user/mo.
Why do people look for Calamari alternatives?
No free plan; Subscriptions have a 10-seat minimum equivalent; Broader HR modules add scope beyond core leave management.
Which Calamari alternative has the most approval levels?
Vacation Tracker, with 2 levels.
How do I switch from Calamari?
Export your data from Calamari (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Calamari.
How to Switch from Calamari
- Export your data from Calamari (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Calamari.
Calamari vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Approval workflows | Accrual rules | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calamari | No | $2/user/mo | Yes | Custom | 9.3 |
| 1 | Vacation Tracker | Yes | $1/user/mo | Yes | Advanced | 9.2 |
| 2 | Day Off | Yes | $2/seat/mo | Yes | Custom | 9.1 |
| 3 | WhosOff | No | £0.95/user/mo | Yes | Custom | 9.0 |
| 4 | Leave Dates | No | Yes | Custom | 8.9 | |
| 5 | Timetastic | No | $1.50/user/mo | Yes | 8.8 | |
| 6 | Absenca | Yes | $0.68/user/mo | Yes | Custom | 8.7 |
| 7 | absence.io | No | €2.99/user/mo | Yes | Custom | 8.6 |
| 8 | TimeOff.Management | No | $2/user/mo | Yes | Custom | 8.5 |
| 9 | actiPLANS | Yes | $1.20/user/mo | Yes | Custom | 8.4 |
| 10 | LeaveWizard | No | £4.25/mo | Yes | Custom | 8.3 |
| 11 | LeaveBoard | Yes | $1.35/user/mo | Yes | Custom | 8.2 |
| 12 | Bindle | No | $1.50/user/mo | Yes | Custom | 8.1 |
| 13 | DaysPlan | No | Yes | Advanced | 8.0 | |
| 14 | AnnualLeave.com | No | £1.54/user/mo | Yes | Custom | 7.9 |
| 15 | Nextcloud Absence | Yes | Free | Yes | 7.8 |
Head-to-Head
- Calamari vs Vacation Tracker
- Calamari vs Day Off
- Calamari vs WhosOff
- Calamari vs Leave Dates
- Calamari vs Timetastic
- Calamari vs Absenca
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update