Leave Dates: Streamlined and Configurable Leave Management
Leave Dates is a modern leave planner built for small to mid-sized businesses. With its intuitive interface, customizable policies, and robust free tier, it helps HR teams and managers automate leave tracking while staying compliant and employee-friendly.
1. Free plan for up to 5 users
Leave Dates provides a forever-free plan for teams with up to five users.
- No credit card is required
- Access to all core features
- Cancel anytime
This pricing model is ideal for early-stage startups or companies looking to test a leave management tool without financial commitment.
(Source: leavedates.com)
2. Simple leave request and approval workflow
Leave Dates makes booking time off quick and visual.
- Employees use a click-and-drag calendar to request time off
- Managers receive instant notifications and can approve with one click
- Approved time off automatically updates in shared calendars
This streamlined process minimizes email clutter and manual spreadsheet tracking.
(Source: leavedates.com)
3. Flexible leave types and custom rules
You can fully configure Leave Dates to suit your HR policies.
- Create unlimited leave types: annual leave, sick leave, TOIL, unpaid, etc.
- Apply company-wide or individual rules for allowances
- Set carryover policies, pro-rata adjustments, and public holidays
- Track TOIL (time off in lieu) and auto-adjust balances
This level of customization is rare among leave management tools at this price point.
(Source: leavedates.com)
4. Sync and notifications to keep teams aligned
Leave Dates integrates with your existing tools to improve visibility.
- Sync with Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook
- Daily and weekly summary emails for team and department managers
- Slack integration for leave alerts in real-time
With everyone aware of who’s off and when, coverage planning becomes easier.
(Source: leavedates.com)
5. Security, compliance, and privacy features
Data protection is a key strength of Leave Dates.
- All data is encrypted and stored securely in the cloud
- Full GDPR compliance for European teams
- Leave types like medical or personal time can be marked private
You maintain transparency on availability while respecting sensitive data.
(Source: leavedates.com)
6. User experience and customer satisfaction
Leave Dates consistently receives top marks for ease of use and support.
With an average rating of 4.8 stars across platforms like Capterra and GetApp, users praise its simple layout and fast onboarding.
“Beautiful interface… most intuitive, user-friendly”
“Track time off in lieu and sickness… giving them a better work‑life balance.”
(Source: leavedates.com)
Create your free Leave Dates account today and manage time off for up to five users with zero cost or complexity.
Need flexible leave tracking and TOIL management? Book a personalized demo to explore how Leave Dates fits your team’s workflow
Timetastic
Timetastic is a modern paid alternative designed for businesses seeking a more structured leave management system with insight, reporting, and team visibility. Its simplicity and integrations make it a favorite for growing teams and remote-first companies.
1. Simple pricing with two plans
Timetastic keeps its pricing straightforward.
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Essentials: $1.50 per user/month
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Includes leave tracking, shared calendars, mobile apps, and integrations
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Pro: $2.50 per user/month
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Adds advanced reporting, absence insights, custom leave summaries, and SSO
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Both plans come with a 30-day free trial, no credit card required, and you can upgrade or downgrade anytime.
(Source: timetasticapp.com/pricing)
2. Broad leave type support and localization
Timetastic supports a wide variety of leave types without the need for heavy customization.
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Annual leave, sick leave, maternity/paternity, unpaid leave
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Bereavement, jury duty, sabbaticals, and more
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Public holiday support in over 3,000 regions worldwide
This level of localization makes Timetastic suitable for distributed or global teams.
(Source: timetasticapp.com)
3. Real-time team visibility via the wall chart
Timetastic’s standout feature is its digital wall chart.
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Shows who’s off and when in a calendar view
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Helps prevent overlapping leave or coverage gaps
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Customizable for teams, departments, or locations
Managers get a quick overview, and team members gain clarity on availability without needing to ask.
(Source: webcatalog.io/timetastic)
4. Smart integrations and app access
Timetastic integrates with the tools most teams already use.
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Calendar sync with Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple Calendar
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Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations for real-time alerts
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Native mobile apps on Android and iOS for easy leave requests on the go
This makes it especially helpful for hybrid or mobile-first teams who don’t always work from a desktop.
(Source: timetasticapp.com)
5. Insights, reporting, and burnout protection (Pro plan)
With the Pro plan, Timetastic goes beyond tracking to offer valuable workforce insights.
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Absence summaries help you identify who hasn’t taken enough time off
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Burnout alerts signal potential overwork risks
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Detailed leave reports for HR, finance, and compliance use
These features help HR teams proactively manage well-being, not just react to leave requests.
(Source: timetasticapp.com/pro)
6. Billing policy and data handling
As of October 2022, Timetastic introduced a transparent billing policy.
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Archived (inactive) users are billed unless permanently deleted
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This supports GDPR data retention rules but requires proactive user management
While this change was well-communicated, some users noted that costs could rise if accounts aren’t properly maintained.
(Source: timetastic.co.uk/blog/pricing-policy-change)
7. Customer feedback and satisfaction
Timetastic is praised for its simplicity and fast adoption. With a 4.9 average rating on Capterra and 97% recommendation rate, it remains a favorite among HR teams and business owners.
“Simple, fast, and easy to use—took minutes to set up.”
“Our whole team now knows exactly who’s off and when, no confusion anymore.”
(Source: capterra.com)
Start your 30-day free trial of Timetastic and discover how simple and powerful leave tracking can be—no card required.
Need detailed absence insights and team well-being tools? Upgrade to Timetastic Pro and unlock burnout alerts, custom reports, and more.
Leave Dates vs Timetastic: Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Here’s a quick overview comparing Leave Dates and Timetastic based on the most important criteria for small and mid-sized businesses.
| Feature | Leave Dates | Timetastic |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✅ Up to 5 users | ❌ 30-day trial only |
| Pricing | Free (5 users) / Custom plans | $1.50/user (Essentials) / $2.50/user (Pro) |
| Leave type customization | ✅ Unlimited custom leave types | 🚫 Fixed categories |
| TOIL (Time Off In Lieu) | ✅ Fully supported | 🚫 Not directly supported |
| Reporting & insights | Basic email reports | Advanced summaries (Pro) |
| Burnout and underuse alerts | ❌ Not included | ✅ Available in Pro plan |
| Calendar integrations | Google, Outlook, Slack | Google, Outlook, Apple, Slack, Teams |
| Mobile apps | iOS and Android | iOS and Android |
| Wall chart / team visibility | ✅ Visual shared calendar | ✅ Dedicated wall chart |
| GDPR compliance | ✅ Full GDPR support | ✅ Full GDPR support |
| Best for | Small teams seeking flexibility | Mid-sized teams needing insights |
Final thoughts: Which leave management software should you choose?
Both Leave Dates and Timetastic are excellent tools—but your choice should depend on your company size, policy needs, and goals for absence visibility.
- Choose Leave Dates if you want:
- A flexible, free solution for small teams
- Full control over leave types and pro-rata rules
- Support for TOIL and simple, visual interfaces
- Choose Timetastic if you need:
- Burnout tracking and advanced absence insights
- Structured reporting for compliance and HR audits
- Scalable solutions for multi-location or remote teams
Both platforms are GDPR-compliant, user-friendly, and mobile-ready. But the ideal pick depends on whether you value configurability or analytics more.
Final call to action
Ready to take control of your team’s time off?
- Try Leave Dates: Get started free for up to 5 users at leavedates.com
- Start Timetastic’s free 30-day trial: No credit card needed at timetasticapp.com
Still unsure? Try both platforms side by side and see which one fits your team’s needs better. Investing in the right leave management software will save time, prevent scheduling chaos, and support your people’s well-being.
