Absenca vs Calamari
Calamari pricing vs Absenca
Calamari and Absenca both handle team leave, but they're priced very differently. Calamari prices Time Off, Time & Attendance, Core HR and Scheduling as separate per-user modules, with Performance marked as coming soon.1 Calamari's Time Off module costs $2.50 per user per month, or $2.00 billed yearly, and Calamari charges at least 10 seats.2 Absenca puts leave tracking, a Slack bot and analytics in one plan. Absenca is free for up to 10 people. Pro is $37.50 a month for up to 50 people, or $33.75 a month billed annually ($405 a year).
In short
If leave tracking is what you need, Absenca covers it, calendar, approvals, accruals, TOIL and absence analytics, without an attendance module. Absenca costs less than Calamari's Time Off plan for teams of 10, 20, 30 and 50 people.2 Choose Calamari if clock-in and timesheets are core to you.
Which is the better fit?
Choose Absenca
Teams that want straightforward leave management at one price, with a free plan for up to 10 people and no per-module add-ons.
Choose Calamari
Teams that need clock-in, timesheets and attendance tracking alongside leave. Calamari's Time & Attendance module clocks people in by kiosk, mobile app with GPS, Slack, Teams or fingerprint scanner.2
Absenca vs Calamari at a glance
| Absenca | Calamari | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free for up to 10 people | None; a 14-day trial2 |
| Price | Pro: $37.50 a month for up to 50 people | $2.50 a user a month for Time Off; 10-seat minimum2 |
| Leave calendar & approvals | Yes | Yes2 |
| Chat bots | Slack, on Pro | Slack and Teams; no Google Chat2 |
| Public holidays | 190+ countries | 110+ calendars3 |
| Accruals, carry-over & seniority | Yes, on every plan | Carry-over and seniority rules4 |
| TOIL (time off in lieu) | A TOIL balance, on every plan | Overtime declared, then taken as leave5 |
| Bradford Factor analytics | Yes, on Pro | No; an AI prompt for exports6 |
| Clock-in / attendance / timesheets | No; Absenca tracks leave only | Yes, a separate module2 |
What a team pays each month
| Team | Absenca | Calamari Time Off |
|---|---|---|
| 10 people | Free | $252 |
| 20 people | $37.50 | $502 |
| 30 people | $37.50 | $752 |
| 50 people | $37.50 | $1252 |
Monthly prices in US dollars, before tax. Absenca bills Pro for all 50 seats, so every team from 11 to 50 people pays $37.50.
Calamari pricing explained
Each module is priced per user, so a total depends on the modules you take and how many people you bill. Calamari charges at least the price of a 10-seat subscription to the modules chosen: for Time Off alone, $25 a month billed monthly or $20 a month billed yearly.1
- At Calamari's monthly rate, Time Off alone costs $25 a month for 10 people and $62.50 for 25.1 On Absenca, a team of 10 is free on Starter, and a team of 25 is $37.50 a month on Pro.
- Time Off with Time & Attendance costs $5.50 a user a month on Calamari: $55 a month for 10 people and $137.50 for 25.1 Absenca doesn't track time and attendance, so it has no price for that bundle.
- Calamari's SAML sign-in is an add-on at $1 per user per month, or $0.80 billed yearly.1
- Calamari bills every active user, admins and managers included, and doesn't charge for archived employees.1
- Larger teams also pay Calamari for initial setup and the import of employee data.1
- Calamari's website prices exclude VAT.1
Switching from Calamari? The step-by-step move is on the Calamari alternative page →
Start freeFrequently asked questions
What's the difference between Absenca and Calamari?
Calamari prices Time Off, Time & Attendance, Core HR and Scheduling as separate per-user modules, with Performance marked as coming soon.1 Absenca is one leave-management product, and it doesn't include, or charge for, time and attendance. Absenca is free for up to 10 people. Pro is $37.50 a month for up to 50 people, or $33.75 a month billed annually ($405 a year).
Is Absenca cheaper than Calamari?
Absenca costs less than Calamari's Time Off plan for teams of 10, 20, 30 and 50 people.2 Calamari's Time Off module costs $2.50 per user per month, or $2.00 billed yearly, and Calamari charges at least 10 seats.2 Absenca is free for up to 10 people. Pro is $37.50 a month for up to 50 people, or $33.75 a month billed annually ($405 a year).
Does Absenca do attendance and clock-in like Calamari?
No. Absenca focuses on leave and absence management. Calamari's Time & Attendance module clocks people in by kiosk, mobile app with GPS, Slack, Teams or fingerprint scanner.2
Can I migrate from Calamari to Absenca?
Yes. Absenca bulk-imports your people from a CSV during setup, on every plan, so switching takes an afternoon.
Other comparisons
Every Calamari fact on this page links to its source and the date we checked it. Features and prices change, so check Calamari's own pages before you decide.
Sources
- calamari.io/pricing, checked
- calamari.io/pricing, checked
- calamari.io/leave-management, checked
- help.calamari.io/en/articles/96292-how-to-configure-an-absence-type, checked
- help.calamari.io/en/articles/24440-declaration-of-working-overtime-and-claiming-overtime-collection, checked
- calamari.io/ai-in-hr, checked