Pricing comparison · 2026
How much does leave management software cost?
Per-user prices for leave and PTO tracking range from about $1.35 to $4 a user — and several times that if you buy a full HR suite to get it. Here's an honest, dated comparison of what the main tools charge in 2026, and where the hidden costs hide.
In short
Absenca is free for up to 15 people, then a flat $0.75 per user per month — the lowest per-user price in the category, with no seat minimum and no per-module add-ons. A 40-person team pays $30 a month, versus $80–160 on a typical per-user tool or $250+ on an HRIS.
Leave management software pricing compared (2026)
| Tool | Free tier | From /user/mo | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absenca | Up to 15 users, full features | $0.75 | Flat per-user, no minimum |
| LeaveBoard | Very small teams | ~$1.35 | Per active user |
| Timetastic | Trial only | ~$1.50 | Per user |
| Vacation Tracker | 1 location / dept / leave type | ~$2.00 | Per user (Core $2 / Complete $4) |
| Calamari | Trial only | ~$2.00 | Per user, per module |
| PTO by Roots | Trial only | ~$3.00 | Per user (Slack-first) |
| Sage HR | Trial only | ~$5.50 | Core HR base + add-on modules |
| Personio | No | ~€5–8 | HRIS, sales-led quote |
| Factorial | Trial only | ~$6.00 | HR suite, per user across modules |
| BambooHR | No | ~$10.00 | HRIS, custom quote |
| Breathe HR | Trial only | banded | Flat monthly fee by headcount band |
Figures are publicly available pricing as of 2026 and are approximate — vendors change prices, tiers and minimums; check each vendor's site for the latest. HR-suite prices (Sage HR, Personio, Factorial, BambooHR, Breathe HR) buy a whole platform, not just leave.
What actually drives the price
Per-module pricing
Tools like Calamari and Sage HR split leave, attendance and other functions into separate paid modules — the headline price isn't the whole bill.
Seat minimums
Several plans carry monthly minimums or a flat floor (e.g. an HRIS minimum around $250/mo), so a 10-person team can pay as if it were 25.
"Free" that isn't
Many free plans cap you to one location, one department or one leave type — or are just a trial — and ask for a card the moment you grow.
Buying an HRIS for leave
BambooHR, Personio and Factorial are full HR platforms. If you only need to track time off, you're paying $6–20/user for features you won't use.
What you'd pay, by team size
| Team size | Absenca | Typical per-user tool | HR suite |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 people | Free | $15–100/mo | ~$250/mo+ |
| 25 people | $18.75/mo | $50–100/mo | $250–425/mo |
| 50 people | $37.50/mo | $100–200/mo | $500–850/mo |
Illustrative monthly cost for leave tracking only; Absenca is free to 15, then $0.75/user. Competitor ranges are approximate and exclude per-module add-ons.
Frequently asked questions
How much does leave management software cost?
As of 2026, dedicated leave trackers typically run $1.35–$4 per user per month, while HR suites that include leave (BambooHR, Personio, Factorial, Sage HR) run roughly $5.50–$20 per user, often via a sales quote with minimums. Absenca is free for up to 15 people, then a flat $0.75 per user per month — the lowest in the category.
What's the cheapest leave management software?
Absenca is among the cheapest: free for up to 15 users with the full feature set, then a flat $0.75 per user per month, with no seat minimum and no per-module add-ons. Most competitors start at $1.35–$4/user, and HR suites are several times that.
Is there free leave management software?
Yes. Absenca is genuinely free for up to 15 people with the full feature set — calendar, approvals, accruals, public holidays and Slack/Teams bots — with no credit card and no trial countdown. Many 'free' competitor plans are capped to one location, department or leave type, or are only a trial.
Why is leave management software so expensive?
Most of the cost comes from buying a full HRIS (payroll, recruiting, performance) when you only need leave tracking, or from per-module pricing and seat minimums. A dedicated leave tool like Absenca avoids all three — one flat per-user price for leave management, nothing bundled you won't use.
Related
Competitor pricing is based on publicly available information as of 2026 and may have changed. Always check the vendor's own pricing page for current figures.