Quick Overview
- 1#1: Vacation Tracker - Integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace to automate staff holiday requests, approvals, and balance tracking.
- 2#2: BambooHR - Provides comprehensive HR management with advanced time-off tracking, accruals, and automated approvals for employee holidays.
- 3#3: Deputy - Optimizes workforce scheduling by managing staff availability, shift swaps, and holiday leave requests in real-time.
- 4#4: When I Work - Enables mobile scheduling with seamless time-off requests, approvals, and notifications to prevent holiday scheduling conflicts.
- 5#5: LeaveBoard - Offers unlimited holiday tracking with customizable accrual rules, self-service requests, and visual calendars for teams.
- 6#6: Time Off Cloud - Simplifies staff holiday management with secure, spreadsheet-free tracking of balances, requests, and approvals.
- 7#7: Homebase - Delivers free scheduling for small businesses with time-off management, availability sharing, and shift coverage during holidays.
- 8#8: Zoho People - Manages HR processes including flexible leave policies, holiday calendars, and automated accrual tracking for global teams.
- 9#9: HiBob - Streamlines employee lifecycle with intelligent holiday planning, policy enforcement, and real-time leave visibility.
- 10#10: Freshteam - Handles HR and recruiting with built-in leave management for tracking staff holidays and attendance.
These tools were selected based on depth of features (automation, customization, and integration), user experience (intuitive design and accessibility), reliability, and value, ensuring practical, high-impact choices for diverse organizational needs.
Comparison Table
This comparison table explores top staff holiday software tools, including Vacation Tracker, BambooHR, Deputy, When I Work, and LeaveBoard. It outlines key features, benefits, and usability factors to help readers identify the best solution for their team's scheduling and management needs.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacation Tracker Integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace to automate staff holiday requests, approvals, and balance tracking. | specialized | 9.7/10 | 9.8/10 | 9.6/10 | 9.5/10 |
| 2 | BambooHR Provides comprehensive HR management with advanced time-off tracking, accruals, and automated approvals for employee holidays. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 3 | Deputy Optimizes workforce scheduling by managing staff availability, shift swaps, and holiday leave requests in real-time. | specialized | 8.6/10 | 8.8/10 | 9.0/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 4 | When I Work Enables mobile scheduling with seamless time-off requests, approvals, and notifications to prevent holiday scheduling conflicts. | specialized | 8.3/10 | 8.0/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 5 | LeaveBoard Offers unlimited holiday tracking with customizable accrual rules, self-service requests, and visual calendars for teams. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 8.5/10 | 8.8/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 6 | Time Off Cloud Simplifies staff holiday management with secure, spreadsheet-free tracking of balances, requests, and approvals. | specialized | 8.2/10 | 7.9/10 | 9.1/10 | 9.4/10 |
| 7 | Homebase Delivers free scheduling for small businesses with time-off management, availability sharing, and shift coverage during holidays. | other | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 8 | Zoho People Manages HR processes including flexible leave policies, holiday calendars, and automated accrual tracking for global teams. | enterprise | 8.1/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.0/10 | 8.6/10 |
| 9 | HiBob Streamlines employee lifecycle with intelligent holiday planning, policy enforcement, and real-time leave visibility. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 8.5/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 10 | Freshteam Handles HR and recruiting with built-in leave management for tracking staff holidays and attendance. | enterprise | 7.2/10 | 7.4/10 | 8.1/10 | 6.9/10 |
Integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace to automate staff holiday requests, approvals, and balance tracking.
Provides comprehensive HR management with advanced time-off tracking, accruals, and automated approvals for employee holidays.
Optimizes workforce scheduling by managing staff availability, shift swaps, and holiday leave requests in real-time.
Enables mobile scheduling with seamless time-off requests, approvals, and notifications to prevent holiday scheduling conflicts.
Offers unlimited holiday tracking with customizable accrual rules, self-service requests, and visual calendars for teams.
Simplifies staff holiday management with secure, spreadsheet-free tracking of balances, requests, and approvals.
Delivers free scheduling for small businesses with time-off management, availability sharing, and shift coverage during holidays.
Manages HR processes including flexible leave policies, holiday calendars, and automated accrual tracking for global teams.
Streamlines employee lifecycle with intelligent holiday planning, policy enforcement, and real-time leave visibility.
Handles HR and recruiting with built-in leave management for tracking staff holidays and attendance.
Vacation Tracker
specializedIntegrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace to automate staff holiday requests, approvals, and balance tracking.
Conversational AI bots for Slack and Teams that handle leave requests, approvals, and balance checks naturally within chat.
Vacation Tracker is a leading staff holiday management software that simplifies tracking, requesting, and approving employee time off across multiple leave types like vacation, sick days, and public holidays. It features automated accrual rules, self-service portals, and seamless integrations with tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, and Outlook for effortless workflow automation. Designed for global teams, it ensures compliance with local regulations and provides insightful reports on leave balances and trends.
Pros
- Seamless integrations with Slack, Teams, and calendars for instant notifications and approvals
- Automated accrual and carryover rules tailored to company policies and global compliance
- Intuitive mobile app and self-service portal reducing admin time significantly
Cons
- Advanced reporting requires higher-tier plans
- Limited native payroll integrations compared to enterprise HR suites
- Customization options can feel basic for very large organizations
Best For
Medium to large distributed teams seeking a simple, integration-rich solution for holiday and time-off management without complex setup.
Pricing
Starts at $5/user/month (billed annually) for Essential plan; Premium at $7/user/month and Enterprise custom pricing with advanced features.
BambooHR
enterpriseProvides comprehensive HR management with advanced time-off tracking, accruals, and automated approvals for employee holidays.
Dynamic time-off calendars that display company-wide holidays, PTO balances, and approvals in a visual, shareable format
BambooHR is a comprehensive cloud-based HR management platform that includes robust staff holiday and time-off management features, allowing employees to request vacations, view balances, and track approvals seamlessly. It supports customizable accrual policies, shared calendars for team visibility, and integration with payroll systems to automate holiday pay calculations. Ideal for businesses seeking an all-in-one HR solution with strong leave tracking capabilities.
Pros
- Intuitive employee self-service portal for quick holiday requests and balance checks
- Customizable accrual rules and automated approvals streamline holiday management
- Integrated holiday calendars provide team-wide visibility into time-off schedules
Cons
- Full HR suite can feel overwhelming for users needing only holiday tracking
- Pricing scales with employee count, making it less ideal for small teams
- Advanced reporting requires higher-tier plans
Best For
Mid-sized companies looking for integrated HR tools with reliable staff holiday management.
Pricing
Custom pricing starting at around $6-12 per employee per month, billed annually; free trial available.
Deputy
specializedOptimizes workforce scheduling by managing staff availability, shift swaps, and holiday leave requests in real-time.
Smart scheduling that automatically factors in approved leave and availability to optimize rosters
Deputy is a versatile workforce management platform that includes robust staff holiday management features alongside scheduling and time tracking. Employees can submit leave requests via a user-friendly mobile app, while managers gain real-time visibility into team availability, accruals, and balances to prevent scheduling conflicts. It supports automated approvals, customizable policies, and integration with payroll systems for seamless holiday tracking.
Pros
- Intuitive mobile app for quick leave requests and approvals
- Automatic accrual tracking and real-time balance visibility
- Seamless integration with scheduling to avoid conflicts
Cons
- Holiday tools are bundled in a broader suite, less depth than dedicated leave software
- Pricing can add up for small teams with low usage
- Advanced policy customization requires higher-tier plans
Best For
Shift-based businesses and medium-sized teams needing integrated holiday management with scheduling.
Pricing
Tiered plans starting at ~$3.50 per active user/month (Essentials) up to custom Enterprise pricing.
When I Work
specializedEnables mobile scheduling with seamless time-off requests, approvals, and notifications to prevent holiday scheduling conflicts.
Shift Marketplace that lets employees trade shifts to cover approved holidays automatically.
When I Work is an employee scheduling and workforce management platform with built-in time-off request tools tailored for handling staff holidays and vacations. Employees can submit PTO requests via a mobile app, managers approve them with one tap, and the system automatically updates schedules to show coverage gaps. It supports shift swaps and availability settings to minimize disruptions during holiday periods, making it suitable for shift-based teams.
Pros
- Intuitive mobile app for quick holiday requests and approvals
- Automatic schedule updates to visualize holiday coverage gaps
- Shift swap marketplace reduces staffing shortages during time off
Cons
- Limited advanced PTO accrual and policy customization compared to dedicated HR tools
- Reporting on holiday trends is basic without higher-tier plans
- Scales in cost with larger teams, less ideal for very small groups
Best For
Shift-based small to medium businesses needing integrated scheduling and straightforward staff holiday management.
Pricing
Free for basic use (up to 75 users); Standard at $2/user/month, Advanced at $3.50/user/month (billed annually).
LeaveBoard
specializedOffers unlimited holiday tracking with customizable accrual rules, self-service requests, and visual calendars for teams.
Interactive heat map calendar that visually displays team absences and availability in real-time
LeaveBoard is a cloud-based leave management software designed to streamline vacation tracking, absence approvals, and holiday planning for teams. It features a visual calendar with heat maps, automated workflows, leave balance management, and customizable reports. The platform integrates seamlessly with tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace, making it suitable for distributed teams.
Pros
- Intuitive visual calendar with heat maps for easy planning
- Strong integrations with Slack, Teams, and calendars
- Quick setup and affordable for SMBs
Cons
- Reporting lacks advanced analytics and custom dashboards
- Limited automation for complex approval hierarchies
- Scalability issues for enterprises over 500 users
Best For
Small to medium-sized businesses seeking a simple, visual tool for staff holiday and absence management without complex setups.
Pricing
Starter at $1.95/user/month (billed annually), Pro at $3.95/user/month, Enterprise custom; 14-day free trial.
Time Off Cloud
specializedSimplifies staff holiday management with secure, spreadsheet-free tracking of balances, requests, and approvals.
Unlimited customizable leave policies and multi-level approval workflows
Time Off Cloud is a cloud-based leave management software designed to streamline employee time-off requests, approvals, and tracking for teams of all sizes. It offers features like customizable leave policies, accrual balances, multi-level approvals, shared calendars, and detailed reports to ensure accurate holiday and absence management. The platform emphasizes simplicity and affordability, making it suitable for small to medium businesses without complex HR needs.
Pros
- Highly affordable with a free tier for up to 10 users
- Intuitive interface requiring minimal training
- Flexible leave policies and accrual tracking
Cons
- Limited advanced integrations compared to enterprise tools
- No native mobile app, relies on web responsiveness
- Reporting lacks deep customization for large datasets
Best For
Small to medium-sized businesses seeking simple, cost-effective staff holiday management without enterprise complexity.
Pricing
Free for up to 10 users; Pro plan starts at €1.50/user/month (billed annually); Enterprise custom pricing.
Homebase
otherDelivers free scheduling for small businesses with time-off management, availability sharing, and shift coverage during holidays.
Auto-adjusting schedules that instantly reflect approved time-off requests to fill gaps with open shifts
Homebase is a comprehensive workforce management platform that excels in staff scheduling with integrated time-off and holiday request management. Employees can easily submit PTO or holiday requests through the mobile app, while managers approve them directly in the scheduling view to avoid conflicts. It supports basic time-off tracking and notifications, making it suitable for shift-based teams. However, it lacks advanced accrual rules or unlimited PTO configurations found in dedicated leave tools.
Pros
- Seamless integration of time-off requests with scheduling to prevent gaps
- User-friendly mobile app for employee requests and manager approvals
- Free plan includes basic holiday management for small teams
Cons
- Limited advanced PTO accrual, carryover, or balance reporting
- Per-location pricing can add up for multi-site businesses
- Fewer customization options for complex holiday policies
Best For
Small to medium shift-based businesses like retail or restaurants needing simple holiday request handling tied to scheduling.
Pricing
Free for basic features (1 location); Essentials from $24.95/location/month; higher tiers for advanced tools.
Zoho People
enterpriseManages HR processes including flexible leave policies, holiday calendars, and automated accrual tracking for global teams.
Advanced leave accrual automation that automatically calculates and adjusts balances based on tenure, employment type, and custom rules
Zoho People is a cloud-based HR management suite from Zoho that excels in staff holiday and leave management as part of its broader employee lifecycle tools. It enables employees to submit leave requests via a self-service portal, with automated approvals, balance tracking, and visual calendars to prevent overlaps. Customizable policies support various leave types, accruals, and integrations with calendars like Google Workspace, making it suitable for coordinated team scheduling.
Pros
- Robust leave request, approval, and balance tracking workflows
- Customizable holiday policies and accrual rules for diverse needs
- Seamless integration with Zoho ecosystem and external calendars
Cons
- Overkill for organizations needing only basic holiday tracking
- Initial setup and customization can be time-intensive
- Reporting on holidays lacks advanced analytics compared to dedicated tools
Best For
Small to medium businesses seeking an affordable, integrated HR platform with strong staff holiday management capabilities.
Pricing
Free for up to 5 users; paid plans start at $1.25/user/month (Standard), $3.25/user/month (Professional), up to $6.25/user/month (Ultimate), billed annually.
HiBob
enterpriseStreamlines employee lifecycle with intelligent holiday planning, policy enforcement, and real-time leave visibility.
AI-powered time-off insights and automated compliance with global holiday policies
HiBob (now known as Bob) is a comprehensive HR management platform that includes a dedicated time-off module for staff holiday tracking, allowing employees to request vacations, view balances, and managers to approve requests seamlessly. It automates accrual calculations, handles carryovers, and ensures compliance with local labor laws across multiple countries. The solution integrates holiday management with broader HR functions like payroll and performance, providing a unified employee experience.
Pros
- Intuitive self-service portal for holiday requests and balance tracking
- Automated accrual rules and multi-country compliance support
- Seamless mobile app integration for on-the-go approvals
Cons
- Pricing can be high for companies only needing holiday management
- Full platform may feel overwhelming for small teams focused solely on time-off
- Limited customization in holiday reporting compared to specialized tools
Best For
Mid-sized to large companies seeking integrated HR with robust, compliant staff holiday management.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing, typically starting at $8-12 per employee per month for core HR features including time-off.
Freshteam
enterpriseHandles HR and recruiting with built-in leave management for tracking staff holidays and attendance.
Visual team calendar that displays real-time leave overlaps and availability gaps
Freshteam is a comprehensive HR management platform by Freshworks that includes dedicated staff holiday and leave management tools for tracking requests, approvals, and balances. It features visual calendars to monitor team availability, customizable leave policies, and automated notifications to streamline holiday planning. While robust for mid-sized teams, its holiday features are part of a broader HR suite rather than a standalone solution.
Pros
- Intuitive interface with self-service portals for employees
- Visual leave calendars and balance tracking
- Integrates well with other HR functions like onboarding
Cons
- Holiday management is secondary to full HRMS features
- Limited advanced reporting for leave analytics
- Pricing scales with full platform, not ideal for holiday-only needs
Best For
Mid-sized businesses seeking an all-in-one HR tool with reliable leave management capabilities.
Pricing
Starts at $1/user/month (Essential plan, billed annually); Pro at $2/user/month; Enterprise custom pricing.
Conclusion
The reviewed tools transformed staff holiday management, with Vacation Tracker emerging as the top pick due to its seamless cross-platform integration and efficient request-approval-accrual workflow. BambooHR and Deputy followed, offering robust HR tools and real-time scheduling, respectively, as strong alternatives tailored to different team needs. From small businesses to global teams, these solutions prove that simplifying holiday coordination is within reach for every organization.
Ready to elevate your holiday planning? Start with Vacation Tracker to automate requests and eliminate conflicts, or explore BambooHR or Deputy if their unique features align with your team’s priorities—your staff’s stress-free holiday season starts here.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison