TimeLeaf vs Calamari: Which Leave Tool is Right for Your Team?
An honest comparison of TimeLeaf and Calamari — pricing, features, and which tool fits different team sizes and needs.
If you're evaluating leave management software, Calamari is probably on your shortlist. It's a solid tool with a modular approach. But depending on your team size and needs, it may not be the most cost-effective option.
Here's an honest comparison.
Pricing model
Calamari charges per module, per employee:
- Time Off: $2.50/employee/month
- Core HR: $2.50/employee/month
- Time & Attendance: $3.00/employee/month
- Performance Review: $3.00/employee/month
- SAML add-on: $1.00/employee/month
To run the full platform — leave, HR, time & attendance, performance, and SSO — a 25-person team pays $300/month ($12/employee across all five modules).
TimeLeaf bundles everything into one plan. Every plan includes 10 employees, then a flat per-person rate above that — no separate module fees:
- Starter: $50/month (10 employees included, +$5/extra)
- Professional: $90/month (10 employees included, +$9/extra)
- Business: $120/month (10 employees included, +$12/extra)
That same 25-person team pays $225/month on TimeLeaf Professional ($90 base + 15 × $9) — 25% less than Calamari's full stack, and that single price already bundles shift scheduling, contracts, e-signatures, and directory sync that Calamari doesn't sell at any price. Pay annually and save another 10%.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Calamari | TimeLeaf |
|---|---|---|
| Leave requests & approvals | Yes (Time Off module) | Yes (all plans) |
| Leave balance tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Time tracking / clock-in | Yes (separate module, +$3/emp) | Yes (Professional+) |
| Shift scheduling | No | Yes (Professional+) |
| Overtime management | Limited | Yes, with time banking |
| Contracts & e-signatures | No | Yes (Professional+) |
| Calendar sync (Google/Outlook) | Yes | Yes (Professional+) |
| Slack & Teams integration | Yes | Yes (Professional+) |
| Directory sync (AD/Google) | No | Yes (Professional+) |
| Custom approval workflows | Limited | Yes (Business+) |
| SSO / SAML | Add-on ($1/emp) | Included (Professional+) |
| Blackout periods | No | Yes (all plans) |
| API access | Yes (rate limited) | Yes (Professional+) |
| Performance reviews | Yes (separate module, +$3/emp) | No |
Where Calamari wins
- 14-day free trial without credit card. TimeLeaf requires a credit card for its 7-day trial.
- Modular flexibility. If you only need leave tracking and nothing else, Calamari's Time Off module at $2.50/employee is affordable.
- Performance reviews. Calamari has a dedicated performance-review module; TimeLeaf doesn't offer one.
- Longer track record. Calamari has been around longer and has more reviews on G2.
Where TimeLeaf wins
- Everything in one plan. Leave, time tracking, shifts, contracts, overtime and time-banking, SSO, and directory sync are all included — no stacking five separate per-employee modules or doing line-item math. Matched against Calamari's full module stack, TimeLeaf runs about 25% cheaper while adding capabilities Calamari doesn't sell at all.
- Shift scheduling. Calamari doesn't offer this — you'd need a third tool.
- Contracts and e-signatures. Built in, not available in Calamari at all.
- Overtime management and time banking. More robust than Calamari's basic tracking.
- Directory sync. Auto-import employees from Azure AD or Google Workspace.
- Blackout periods. Block leave during peak seasons — not available in Calamari.
Cost comparison at different team sizes
| Team Size | Calamari (full stack, $12/emp) | TimeLeaf Professional | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 employees | $120/mo | $90/mo | 25% |
| 25 employees | $300/mo | $225/mo | 25% |
| 50 employees | $600/mo | $450/mo | 25% |
That's TimeLeaf's complete bundle against Calamari's complete bundle. TimeLeaf doesn't include a standalone performance-review module — instead the same plan adds shift scheduling, contracts and e-signatures, and directory sync that Calamari can't match. Annual billing takes another 10% off the TimeLeaf column.
Bottom line
If you only need basic leave tracking for a small team, Calamari's Time Off module is a fine choice at $2.50/employee.
If you need leave + time tracking + shifts + contracts + integrations, TimeLeaf gives you all of that in one bundled plan for about 25% less than Calamari's full module stack — plus shift scheduling, contracts, and directory sync Calamari doesn't offer at all, on a single predictable bill instead of per-module, per-employee math.
Ready to simplify leave management?
Start your 7-day free trial. Set up your team in under 30 minutes.
Start Free Trial