Comparison · Last updated
Absentia vs Leave Dates: Which Leave Management Software Is Better in 2026?
Managing annual leave and absences should not mean wrestling with spreadsheets or forcing every employee into the same rigid policy. Both Absentia and Leave Dates help teams request, approve and track time off online, but they are built differently.
This page compares the two tools side-by-side so you can quickly see which fits your team better.
The comprehensive system you will not outgrowAt a glance
The key differences in one table.
| Comparison | | Leave Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Teams that want a comprehensive system they will not outgrow | Teams that want an affordable, simple leave planner with strong visibility |
| Standout strength | Maximum policy flexibility (individual leave years, days + hours, granular accrual) | Clean wall chart, native mobile apps, broad public holidays, competitive entry price |
| Pricing model | One plan, one price, everything included (graduated per-employee rates) | Three tiers (Starter, Essential, Plus); advanced features in higher plans |
| Price for 25 employees | £50 / month, everything included | ~£37.50 / month on Essential, or ~£47 on Plus for individual leave years and SSO |
| Price for 50 employees | £80 / month, everything included | ~£75 / month on Essential, or ~£94 on Plus for individual leave years and SSO |
| Free trial | 30 days, no card required | 30 days, no card required |
| Mobile | Mobile-optimised web | Native iOS + Android apps |
| Public holidays | Supported | Import from 230+ countries |
| Key differentiator | Individual leave years + exclusivity groups + days/hours mix in one company (all in base plan) | Strong wall chart + TOIL + multi-person requests; personalised leave years on Plus |
The bottom line
Choose Absentia if...
You want comprehensive leave management that handles mixed contracts, individual leave years and real-world edge cases without forcing a later migration, with every feature included for one price.
Choose Leave Dates if...
You prioritise a low entry price, polished simplicity and native mobile apps for more standard policies.
Pricing comparison
One price with everything included vs three tiers.
Absentia
Pricing is graduated so larger teams pay less per person:
- Pay annually and get 1 month free (11 × monthly rate)
- Prices available in £, $, or € at the same numeric rate
Leave Dates
Core features including unlimited employees, days/hours allowances, pro-rata, wall chart, year chart, mobile apps, reports, bank holidays from 230+ countries ~£0.75 / user
Adds calendar sync (Google/Outlook), overlaps/handovers/limits, multi-person requests, TOIL and Slack summaries ~£1.50 / user
Adds personalised leave-year start dates, unlimited allowances, SSO, API, webhooks and Zapier ~£1.88 / user
- Per user/month prices shown on annual billing
- 30-day free trial (no card)
- Cancel anytime
Everything included, no upgrades
With Absentia you never have to move plans to unlock a feature.
| Feature | Absentia one plan | Starter Leave Dates | Essential Leave Dates | Plus Leave Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days or hours allowances | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Absence limits | Included | Not included | Included | Included |
| TOIL | Included | Not included | Included | Included |
| Calendar sync (Google/Outlook) | Included | Not included | Included | Included |
| Individual leave years | Included | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Single Sign-On (SSO) | Included | Not included | Not included | Included |
Monthly cost by team size
| Team size | Absentia everything included | Leave Dates Essential no individual leave years or SSO | Leave Dates Plus approx., annual billing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 employees | £20 | £15 | £18.80 |
| 50 employees | £80 | £75 | £94 |
| 100 employees | £110 | £150 | £188 |
| 200 employees | £140 | £300 | £376 |
Pricing takeaway
Leave Dates Starter leaves out calendar sync, TOIL and absence limits, so most teams will need at least Essential. Absentia includes everything for one price, including the individual leave years and SSO that Leave Dates keeps for Plus. Absentia is cheaper than Leave Dates Plus from 35 employees, and cheaper than Essential from 61 employees.
Feature comparison
Where each tool is strongest.
Policy flexibility & allowances
Absentia leadsAbsentia
- Track allowances in days or hours on a per-employee basis (mix both in the same company)
- Individual leave years: each person can have their own start date (rolling/anniversary year). Included in the base plan
- Advanced accrual engine: monthly (start or end of month), weekly or daily; based on length of service, hours worked or custom rules. Visual projected accrual charts
- Carry-over and expiry options
- Department absence limits + exclusivity groups (only one person can be away from a defined set of people, even across departments)
Leave Dates
- Supports days or hours and pro-rata calculations
- Personalised leave-year start dates and unlimited allowances are available on the Plus plan
- Limits, overlaps and handovers appear from Essential upwards
- Accrual is supported but with less public emphasis on daily/weekly granularity
Booking, approvals & visibility
Both tools let employees book leave, send requests to managers and keep team calendars updated automatically.
Absentia
- Simple online booking (including hourly)
- Email + in-app notifications
- Department or per-employee approvers, auto-approval option, clear audit trail (see the holiday request system)
- Privacy controls (mask sensitive leave types or restrict calendar visibility)
Leave Dates
- Click-and-drag booking
- Live shared wall chart + year chart (highly praised for visibility)
- Multi-person requests
- Native mobile apps for booking and approvals on the go
Public holidays & calendars
Leave Dates leadsAbsentia
- Public holidays supported
- Calendar sync included
- Strong privacy modes
Leave Dates
- Public holiday imports from 230+ countries
- Calendar sync on Essential and above
- Polished wall chart experience and native mobile apps
Reporting & insights
Absentia
- Solid reporting for leave patterns and resource planning
Leave Dates
- Online reports and Excel export
- Email summaries
- Slack daily reports (higher plans)
Integrations
Absentia
- Calendar integrations (Outlook/Gmail/iCal)
- Single Sign-On
Leave Dates
- Google/Outlook calendar sync (Essential+)
- Slack
- API, webhooks, Zapier and SSO on Plus
See every Absentia feature on the features overview.
Who should choose Absentia?
Most leave tools market themselves as “simple”. That works until your team hits the first edge case: mixed days and hours contracts, different leave year start dates, or coverage rules that span departments. At that point many organisations end up with workarounds, side spreadsheets or a painful migration later.
Absentia is the comprehensive software that you will not grow out of.
It is built for teams that want:
- Staff on different contract types (full-time, part-time, days-based and hours-based in the same system)
- Rolling or anniversary-based leave years
- Complex accrual rules that can be set per person
- Coverage rules that span departments (exclusivity groups)
- One inclusive plan rather than feature gating as you grow
Teams using Absentia frequently cite the flexibility as the reason they no longer need to force every employee into the same rigid policy.
“I have been using this with my team for a few years, so much more flexible than other off the shelf and HR solutions - great work” NG
Who might prefer Leave Dates?
Leave Dates is often preferred when:
- You want the lowest possible entry price for core leave tracking
- A clean shared wall chart and native mobile apps are high priorities
- You need broad international public holiday coverage out of the box
- Your leave policies are relatively standard and you value high review volume focused on ease of use
- You are happy to move to the Plus plan if you later need individual leave years or deeper integrations
Verdict
Absentia and Leave Dates are both capable leave management tools, but they solve different problems over time.
Many “simple” tools work well at the start. Most teams eventually hit real-world edge cases (mixed days/hours contracts, different leave years, or more complex coverage rules). Those gaps often force workarounds or a later migration.
Absentia is the comprehensive system you will not outgrow.
It handles the complexity of modern workforces in one plan, so you do not have to compromise or switch tools as your policies and headcount evolve.
If you prioritise a low starting price, polished simplicity, a strong wall chart and native mobile apps for more standard policies, Leave Dates is a solid, well-reviewed option.
Ready to see how Absentia handles your leave rules without limits?
Frequently asked questions
Does Absentia support both days and hours?
Yes. You can set each employee’s allowance in days or hours and mix both within the same company.
Can every employee have a different leave year start date?
Yes. Absentia supports fully individual leave years in the base plan.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Every account gets a 30-day free trial, so you can evaluate the policy flexibility with your real rules.
How does pricing compare for a team of 50 or 100?
At 50 employees Absentia costs £80 per month with everything included. Leave Dates Essential is approximately £75 and Plus approximately £94 (annual billing rates).
At 100 employees Absentia costs £110 per month with everything included. Leave Dates Essential is approximately £150 and Plus approximately £188 (annual billing rates).
Absentia is cheaper than Leave Dates Plus from 35 employees and cheaper than Essential from 61 employees, and the gap widens as the team grows.
Are all features included in the price?
Yes. Absentia has one plan with every feature, including individual leave years, accrual, absence limits and SSO. You never need to upgrade to unlock a feature.