Vacation Tracker alternative
The Vacation Tracker alternative without the price tag
Absenca is a close, like-for-like Vacation Tracker alternative for companies on Slack: the same Slack and calendar leave tracking. A Vacation Tracker workspace connects to one platform at a time, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace or email, and there's no Google Chat bot.1 Vacation Tracker has no free plan: new workspaces get a 14-day trial of its paid plans.2 Absenca is free for up to 10 people, and Pro is $37.50 a month for up to 50. Here's an honest side-by-side comparison, with a source and a date for every Vacation Tracker fact.
In short
If your team runs on Slack, Absenca is the closest like-for-like Vacation Tracker alternative: its web app is free for up to 10 people, and the Slack bot and the built-in importer to switch in minutes come on Pro. Absenca costs less than Vacation Tracker's Core plan for teams of 10, 20, 30 and 50 people.3
Vacation Tracker vs Absenca
| Vacation Tracker | Absenca | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | None; a 14-day trial2 | Free for up to 10 people |
| Price | $2 or $4 a user a month, with a $50 or $100 minimum3 | Pro: $37.50 a month for up to 50 people |
| Chat bots | Slack or Teams, one per workspace; no Google Chat bot1 | Slack, on Pro |
| Google & Outlook calendar sync | Google or Outlook, on both plans4 | Google and Outlook, on every plan |
| Leave attachments (doctor's notes) | Not documented5 | Yes |
| Notifications | Slack, Teams or email6 | In-app notification center, email and chat |
| Bradford Factor analytics | Not listed4 | Yes, on Pro |
| TOIL (time off in lieu) | On Complete4 | Yes, on every plan |
| Accruals, carry-over & seniority | Accruals on Complete; carry-over on both plans4 | Yes, on every plan |
| Roles | 4 roles, including Location Admin7 | 4 roles, including location admin |
| Public holidays | Yes4 | 190+ countries |
| Migrate from Vacation Tracker | — | Built-in import wizard, on Pro |
What a team pays each month
| Team | Absenca | Vacation Tracker Core |
|---|---|---|
| 10 people | Free | $503 |
| 20 people | $37.50 | $503 |
| 30 people | $37.50 | $603 |
| 50 people | $37.50 | $1003 |
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.
Why teams pick Absenca
A free plan you can run a team on
Absenca is free for up to 10 people, with no credit card and no trial clock. Vacation Tracker has no free plan: new workspaces get a 14-day trial of its paid plans.2
One flat price as you grow
Pro is $37.50 a month for up to 50 people, with no monthly minimum. Absenca costs less than Vacation Tracker's Core plan for teams of 10, 20, 30 and 50 people.3
More built in
Leave attachments come with every plan. Bradford Factor analytics come with Pro. Vacation Tracker lists no Bradford Factor score; its analytics feature is Recharge, a team energy view.4
Switch in minutes
A built-in Vacation Tracker import wizard brings your people and balances across. It's on Pro and the Custom Pack, not on the free Starter plan.
Switch from Vacation Tracker in minutes
Absenca's built-in Vacation Tracker import wizard brings your people and leave balances across, so moving is painless. The wizard is on Pro and the Custom Pack, not on the free Starter plan.
Start freeWhere Vacation Tracker might be the better fit
- A longer track record. Vacation Tracker says more than 3,500 companies use it.4
- Native mobile apps. Vacation Tracker has iOS and Android apps.4
- A public API and HR integrations. Vacation Tracker offers a read and write REST API with webhooks on its paid plans.8 Vacation Tracker integrates with ADP Workforce Now, in beta, and with Zapier.9
We'd rather you pick the right tool than the loudest one. If the points above matter more to you than price, Vacation Tracker is a perfectly good choice.
Frequently asked questions
Is Absenca a good Vacation Tracker alternative?
Yes. Absenca covers the same core leave tracking: Google and Outlook calendar sync, approvals, accruals, TOIL and public holidays, plus a Slack bot and a built-in migration tool on Pro. Vacation Tracker has no free plan: new workspaces get a 14-day trial of its paid plans.2 Absenca is free for up to 10 people.
Can I import my data from Vacation Tracker?
Yes. Absenca's built-in import wizard moves your users and leave balances over from Vacation Tracker. The wizard is on Pro and the Custom Pack, not on the free Starter plan.
How much cheaper is Absenca than Vacation Tracker?
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). Vacation Tracker's Core plan costs $2 and Complete $4 per user per month, with monthly minimums of $50 and $100.3 Absenca costs less than Vacation Tracker's Core plan for teams of 10, 20, 30 and 50 people.3
Does Absenca work with Slack and Microsoft Teams?
With Slack, yes: Absenca's Slack bot handles requests, approvals and who's-out digests, and it's on Pro and the Custom Pack, not on the free Starter plan. Absenca's Microsoft Teams bot isn't available yet; Microsoft 365 users sign in with their Microsoft accounts and sync leave to Outlook. A Vacation Tracker workspace connects to one platform at a time, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace or email, and there's no Google Chat bot.1
Where does Absenca store my data?
Absenca's Privacy Policy names every sub-processor that handles your data, and Absenca never sells it. Vacation Tracker stores European accounts' data in Frankfurt and other accounts' data in North Virginia.10 For more options, see our roundup of the best Vacation Tracker alternatives.
Other comparisons
Every Vacation Tracker fact on this page links to its source and the date we checked it. Features and prices change, so check Vacation Tracker's own pages before you decide.
Sources
- vacationtracker.io/knowledge-base/guide-which-vacation-tracker-integration-is-right-for-me-google-microsoft-teams-slack-or-email-only, checked
- vacationtracker.io/knowledge-base/guide-what-are-the-differences-between-our-core-complete-plans, checked
- vacationtracker.io/knowledge-base/how-can-i-change-my-subscription-corecomplete-and-annualmonthly, checked
- vacationtracker.io/pricing, checked
- vacationtracker.io/knowledge-base/how-do-i-request-a-leave, checked
- vacationtracker.io/knowledge-base/guide-notifications-within-vacation-tracker, checked
- vacationtracker.io/knowledge-base/guide-administrator-vs-location-admin-vs-approver-vs-user, checked
- vacationtracker.io/developers, checked
- vacationtracker.io/knowledge-base/guide-what-automations-does-vacation-tracker-offer, checked
- vacationtracker.io/privacy-policy, checked