BambooHR is my top leave management software pick for 2026 because time-off management is included across its HR plans, with customizable policies, approvals, accrual tracking, and reporting. Timetastic is a better fit if you only need a dedicated leave tracker, while Gusto makes the most sense if you want PTO management tied directly to payroll.

Tracking PTO in spreadsheets becomes harder to manage as your team grows, especially when you need accurate leave balances, approval records, and reporting. Leave management software centralizes those tasks and gives HR a clearer view of who is off, when, and why.

Here are my top five leave management software picks and where each one fits best.

ProviderBest forBest features
BambooHRBest overallStrong all-in-one HR platform with customizable PTO policies, approvals, accrual tracking, and reporting
TimetasticBest standalone leave trackerSimple, affordable option for teams that only need dedicated leave management
GustoBest for payroll integrationBest fit if you want PTO requests and balances tied directly to payroll
GoCoBest for complianceBest fit if you want PTO requests and balances tied directly to payroll
TalentHRBest for beginnersEasy-to-use HR platform with free leave management for very small teams
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BambooHR-logo

BambooHR: Best leave management platform overall

Our rating

4.5/5

Pros

  • Easy-to-use PTO request and approval workflows
  • Customizable time-off policies and accruals
  • Strong reporting and 150+ third-party integrations

Cons

  • Expensive if you only need leave management
  • Less specialized than a dedicated leave tracker
  • Advanced HR functionality can add unnecessary complexity for very small teams

Why I picked BambooHR

I picked BambooHR as the best overall leave management platform because it combines flexible PTO tracking with a broader HR system that growing teams can continue using as their needs expand. You can create custom time-off policies, manage accruals and approvals, and keep leave data connected to other HR workflows instead of treating PTO as a standalone process.

BambooHR also offers 150+ integrations across payroll, benefits administration, performance management, time tracking, and other HR functions. That makes it a strong fit for businesses that want leave management to work alongside the rest of their HR stack rather than live in a separate tool.

BambooHR is a comprehensive, cloud-based, modern human resources (HR) software solution designed to streamline and automate various HR processes for small to medium-sized businesses. It offers a robust set of tools that enable easy tracking, requesting, and approving of time off, ensuring a seamless and efficient experience for all involved. 

Featuring an intuitive UI, customizable policies, and a solid reporting module, BambooHR makes it easy to set up and manage various types of leave. But leave management is just one piece of the puzzle — where this platform shines in particular is integrating leave with other people management functions like payroll, onboarding, and performance management. That can reduce duplicate data entry and help keep approved time off aligned with payroll records. 

Still, there are a few minor caveats to consider. In my testing, I occasionally noticed slower load times when moving between modules. Some of its more advanced functions, like custom leave approval workflows, are also slightly limiting compared to a dedicated leave tracker. For example, you can’t add more than five people to the same approval workflow, which isn’t ideal for enterprises with more nuanced or hierarchical leave processes.

Learn more about BambooHR →

Customizable leave management policies

One of BambooHR’s strongest leave management features is the flexibility to create different time-off categories and policies for different groups of employees. You can set accrual rules, adjust how employees earn time off, and configure carryover policies to match your organization’s PTO structure.

I also like that BambooHR separates time-off categories, such as vacation or sick leave, from the policies that determine how employees accrue and use that time. This makes it easier to manage different rules for full-time, part-time, hourly, or salaried employees.

Employee self-service portal

Employees can request time off, check their available balances, and see upcoming leave without going through HR for routine questions. BambooHR also makes time-off information accessible through its mobile app, which is useful for employees and managers who need to handle requests away from their desks.

During my testing, I found the request and balance-tracking process straightforward, with the information employees need presented in one place.

Standard employee time off reports

BambooHR includes built-in reports for time off used, time-off balances, and time-off schedules, which can help HR teams monitor PTO usage and plan around upcoming absences.

You can also build custom reports using HR data from across BambooHR. More advanced dashboard functionality, including customizable dashboards and visualizations, is available with the Elite plan.

BambooHR offers three plans: Core, Pro, and Elite. Time-off requests and approval workflows are available with Core, while higher tiers add broader HR, performance management, analytics, and employee experience features.

For companies with 25 employees or fewer, BambooHR pricing starts at $250 per month. For organizations with more than 25 employees, published pricing starts at $10 per employee per month for Core, $17 for Pro, and $25 for Elite. BambooHR also applies automatic volume discounts as headcount increases.

That makes BambooHR relatively expensive if you only need a basic leave tracker. It is a stronger value for businesses that also plan to use its employee records, hiring, onboarding, reporting, and other HR tools.

Timetastic logo

Timetastic: Best standalone leave management platform

Our rating

4.5/5

Pros

  • Simple leave request and approval workflows
  • Affordable per-user pricing
  • Shared leave calendar with mobile and desktop access

Cons

  • Smaller integration ecosystem than full HR suites
  • Advanced reporting and booking controls require the Pro plan
  • Not a replacement for broader HR software

Why I picked Timetastic

I picked Timetastic for teams that want a dedicated leave tracker without paying for a full HR platform. Its Business plan covers the essentials, including leave requests and approvals, allowance records, accruals, and a shared calendar showing who is off.

The Pro plan adds more planning and reporting tools, including booking limits by leave type, absence trends, company-wide absence reports, and enhanced user profiles. Timetastic also supports calendar syncing, Microsoft Teams integration, a public API, and mobile and desktop apps.

That narrower focus is Timetastic’s main advantage over products like BambooHR or Gusto: it is a better fit if leave and absence management is the primary problem you need to solve rather than one part of a larger HR stack.

Timetastic is a dedicated leave management app for tracking employee time off without the broader HR functionality that comes with platforms like BambooHR or Gusto. Employees can request leave, check their allowances, and see upcoming absences through its web and mobile apps, while managers can review requests and plan coverage from a shared wallchart.

I found the wallchart particularly useful because it gives you an at-a-glance view of who is working and who is away, making it easier to identify scheduling clashes or periods with limited coverage. Timetastic also lets administrators control the visibility of leave types, so employees can see that a colleague is away without necessarily seeing the reason for the absence.

The main trade-off is its narrower integration ecosystem. Timetastic supports tools such as Microsoft Teams and external calendars and provides a public API for custom connections, but it does not offer the breadth of native HR integrations you would typically get from a full HRIS.

That narrower scope is also part of its appeal: if you already have HR and payroll systems in place and mainly need a straightforward way to manage leave, Timetastic can fill that gap without adding another full HR suite.

Visual time-off chart

One of the most impactful features of Timetastic is the visual wallchart, which provides a clear, color-coded overview of everyone’s planned absences. I found this feature especially useful for HR to quickly identify staffing gaps and ensure coverage during busy periods. 

With its ability to filter the wallchart by team or department, it can also serve as a powerful tool for team leaders to manage their own staff with autonomy.

Customizable accrual rates

During my testing, I was impressed by how easy it was to set up custom leave types, such as volunteer days or sabbaticals, and configure allowances and carryover rules. Timetastic also supports leave accruals, although this feature requires the Pro plan.

I particularly appreciated the ability to customize allowances for individual employees, which can help accommodate different entitlements across a workforce.

Seamless calendar integrations

Timetastic integrates with popular calendar apps including Google Calendar and Outlook. By syncing approved leave with your calendar, you can see upcoming absences alongside meetings and other commitments, making scheduling conflicts easier to spot.

The platform also sends daily and weekly absence summary emails, giving managers a quick view of who is off without requiring them to check the wallchart manually.

Timetastic’s Business plan costs $1.50 per user per month and includes core leave and absence management features such as approvals, allowance records, and a shared calendar.

The Pro plan costs $2.50 per user per month and adds features such as leave accruals, booking limits by leave type, absence trends and insights, and company-wide absence reports.

Timetastic also offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required.

Gusto logo.

Gusto: Best payroll platform with leave tracking

Our rating

4/5

Pros

  • Customizable PTO policies and accruals
  • PTO integrates directly with payroll and benefits
  • Employee self-service through web and mobile apps

Cons

  • More expensive than a standalone leave tracker
  • Advanced time and attendance features may cost extra
  • Priority support costs extra on Simple and Plus

Why I picked Gusto

I picked Gusto because its leave management tools connect directly with payroll, which helps reduce duplicate data entry and keeps approved time off aligned with employee pay and balances. That makes it a strong fit for small businesses that already use Gusto for payroll and want PTO management handled in the same system.

Compared with a standalone leave tracker, Gusto is especially useful when payroll is the priority and leave management is one part of a broader HR workflow.

Gusto is a payroll, benefits, and HR platform built primarily for small and midsize businesses. Its leave management tools work alongside payroll, allowing employees to request time off, view balances, and manage PTO within the same system.

That integration is one of Gusto’s biggest strengths. Approved time off can flow into payroll and update employee balances, which reduces duplicate data entry and makes it easier for HR and payroll teams to keep records aligned.

During my testing, I also found it useful for monitoring leave usage across employees and teams and spotting overlapping requests that could affect coverage.

The trade-off is flexibility. Gusto works well for standard PTO and leave policies, but businesses with highly complex leave rules or more advanced absence-management needs may find a dedicated leave management platform more suitable.

Integration with payroll

As someone who has dealt with the headaches of manual data entry and disparate systems, I can speak first-hand to the value of having leave management data flow directly into payroll processing.

When an employee submits a time-off request, Gusto shows their current and remaining available balance. Once the request is approved, the hours can flow into the related payroll run and the employee’s balance updates accordingly. This reduces duplicate data entry and can help lower the risk of payroll errors.

Online portal and mobile app

Gusto’s interface allows employees to request time off, view their balances, and track the status of their requests. Employees can also handle these tasks through the Gusto mobile app.

While it doesn’t offer the same privacy controls as a dedicated leave tracker like Timetastic, Gusto’s self-service tools make routine PTO requests and balance checks easier to manage without going through HR.

Plug-and-play report templates

Gusto includes several time-off reports, including Time Off Balances, Time Off Requests, and Paid Time Off Summary reports. These let admins review available balances, request status, dates, notes, and how much time off employees have taken.

The Time Off Balances report can also display liability totals for policies configured to pay out unused balances at dismissal, which can be useful when reviewing PTO obligations.

Gusto offers three payroll plans: Simple, Plus, and Premium. Pricing starts at $49 per month plus $6 per person per month for Simple.

Simple includes basic PTO policies for sick and vacation time, along with employee time-off requests and approvals. Approved requests can sync directly with payroll.

Businesses that need more advanced leave and time-management capabilities may need to upgrade. The Plus plan costs $80 per month plus $12 per person per month and adds broader time and attendance functionality. Certain policy types, including custom and unpaid leave, are also limited to Plus, Premium, or Simple with the Time & Attendance Plus add-on.

GoCo logo.

GoCo: Best leave management platform for compliance

Overall Score

4/5

Pros

  • Easy employee time-off requests and approvals
  • Customizable leave policies with advanced accrual options
  • Payroll sync and benefits administration available

Cons

  • Advanced time-off features require an add-on
  • Payroll sync is an add-on
  • Some leave administration features require Full Access Admin permissions

Why I picked GoCo

I picked GoCo for compliance-focused leave management because it goes beyond basic PTO requests and approvals. Its tools support extended leave workflows, PTO liability tracking, and configurable time-off policies, which can help HR teams manage more complex leave requirements and keep better records.

GoCo also offers compliance-related add-ons and workflows that can be useful for businesses handling FMLA, state leave rules, and other HR obligations alongside everyday time-off management.

GoCo is an all-in-one HR platform with tools for hiring and onboarding, benefits administration, payroll, time-off management, compliance, and reporting. GoCo is now part of Intuit, which acquired the company as part of a broader push to expand HR and workforce management capabilities across products such as QuickBooks Payroll and Intuit Enterprise Suite.

For existing GoCo customers, the platform continues to operate with the same login, workflows, and support processes for now. GoCo says its features will increasingly connect with Intuit’s ecosystem over time.

With GoCo’s leave management tools, employees can request time off, view their remaining balances, and see current or upcoming absences. Managers can review, edit, approve, or deny requests from the Time Off module.

GoCo also stands out for its compliance-related capabilities. The platform supports PTO liability tracking, ACA compliance tools, and extended leave workflows alongside its standard time-off features.

While it may not offer Timetastic’s visual wallchart or BambooHR’s larger integration marketplace, GoCo provides flexible time-off policies, approval workflows, third-party integrations, and reporting across HR metrics and workflows. More advanced time-off settings, including accruals, maximum balances, carryovers, and proration, require the Advanced Time Off add-on.

The main trade-off is that some functionality is modular. Features such as Advanced Time Off, Automatic Payroll Sync, Time Tracking, and Benefits Administration are available as add-ons, so costs can increase as you expand the platform.

Time tracking and schedule management

GoCo combines leave management with time tracking, allowing employees to log hours, request time off, and view their remaining balances in one system.

Its Time & Attendance tools also support digital schedules, recurring shifts, and automatic notifications when schedules are published. That can make it easier for managers to coordinate coverage across on-site, remote, and hybrid teams.

Also read: Employee Scheduling Software Guide

Third-party payroll integrations

GoCo can connect HR and time data with payroll through its Automatic Payroll Sync add-on, while its embedded payroll option is powered by Gusto. Approved time off can also flow into GoCo timesheets and payroll workflows.

These connections can reduce duplicate data entry and make payroll preparation easier. However, PTO balances shown on payroll pay stubs may not always match GoCo’s Time Off balances immediately because payroll providers can maintain and update those figures separately.

PTO liability tracking

GoCo lets HR teams track PTO liability based on employees’ available balances and configured time-off policies. This can be useful when preparing for an employee’s departure, particularly in states where unused PTO may need to be paid out.

HR managers can review an employee’s PTO balance and associated liability to better understand the potential payout obligation.

GoCo does not currently publish standard pricing for its HR platform, so businesses should contact the company for a quote.GoCo has not announced pricing changes following its acquisition by Intuit, and current customers continue to be billed through GoCo for now.

TalentHR logo

TalentHR: Best free leave tracking tool for beginners

Overall Score

4/5

Pros

  • Forever-free plan for up to 10 users
  • Affordable paid plans starting at $2 per user per month
  • User-friendly web and mobile interface

Cons

  • Smaller integration ecosystem than larger HR suites
  • Less advanced analytics than enterprise HR platforms
  • Paid plans may be unnecessary if you only need basic leave tracking for a very small team

Why I picked TalentHR

I picked TalentHR for beginners because it gives very small teams a low-risk way to start managing leave without paying for a full HR platform. Its free plan supports up to 10 users with no time limit and includes core HR features alongside leave management, making it a practical fit for startups and small teams moving away from spreadsheets.

TalentHR is also easy to grow into. Paid plans start at $2 per user per month, and the platform includes onboarding, performance management, reporting, and broader HR tools in addition to time-off tracking. That makes it a stronger long-term option than a basic standalone leave tracker if you expect your HR needs to expand.

TalentHR is a cloud-based HR platform designed for small and midsize businesses. It includes tools for employee onboarding, performance management, time and attendance tracking, and leave management.

With TalentHR, employees can submit leave requests through the self-service portal, while managers can review and approve them through the web platform, mobile app, email, or Slack. Its leave management tools are highly customizable, allowing companies to create different leave types, set accrual rules, configure carryovers and caps, and apply policies by team, location, job title, or individual employee.

Compared with other leave management platforms I’ve used, TalentHR stands out for its simplicity and affordability. Its leave management tools also work alongside time tracking, employee records, onboarding, and other HR functions, making it a good fit for smaller teams that want more than a standalone PTO tracker.

The main limitation is depth. TalentHR now supports full-day, partial-day, and hourly leave, along with real-time metrics and visual reports, but its analytics and integration ecosystem are still less extensive than those of larger HR platforms. It does, however, support integrations with Slack, Google and Outlook calendars, Google Workspace, Zapier, TalentLMS, and other tools, as well as API connections.

Leave request management 

During my testing, I found the process of submitting and approving leave requests with TalentHR particularly efficient. Employees can submit requests through the self-service portal or mobile app, while managers can approve them through TalentHR, email, or Slack.

TalentHR also supports multiple approvers and automatic notifications, helping requests reach the right people without requiring HR to manually follow up.

I particularly appreciated the ability to attach supporting documents to leave requests, such as medical certificates or disciplinary procedures in the event of attendance violations. This keeps supporting records with the request and reduces back-and-forth communication.

Customizable calendar

TalentHR provides a centralized, visual view of employee absences, with both calendar and matrix layouts. I found this useful for seeing who is away, looking ahead to upcoming leave, and identifying potential scheduling conflicts.

You can also apply filters to narrow the view to the employees or groups most relevant to you, which makes the calendar easier to use as teams grow.

Employee absence tracking

TalentHR provides real-time visibility into employee absences and offers exportable reports on leave usage. Managers can review time off by type and apply filters such as year, location, and department to identify patterns or coverage gaps.

Employee profiles also maintain time-off history, giving HR a clearer record of individual leave usage when reviewing balances or planning future staffing needs.

TalentHR offers a free plan for up to 10 users with no time limit. New customers also receive a 14-day trial of Premium features before deciding whether to remain on the Free plan or upgrade.

Paid plans start at $2 per user per month for Essential and $4 per user per month for Premium, when billed annually. Monthly billing costs $2.40 and $4.80 per user, respectively. Paid plans require a minimum of 15 users.

The Free plan already includes core time-off tracking features, so very small teams may not need to upgrade for leave management alone. Essential and Premium make more sense once you exceed 10 users or need broader HR features, integrations, performance management, AI tools, and other advanced capabilities.

How to choose leave management software

The best leave management software depends on how complex your policies are and how much of your HR stack you want the platform to handle.

  1. Start with your leave policy complexity: If you only need basic PTO requests, approvals, and balances, a simple standalone tool may be enough. If you manage multiple accrual schedules, carryover rules, employee groups, or more complex leave types, prioritize software with flexible policy controls.
  2. Check how it connects with payroll: Integrating approved leave with payroll can reduce duplicate data entry and make it easier to keep PTO balances and pay records aligned. This matters especially if hourly, unpaid, or variable leave affects payroll calculations.
  3. Consider your compliance and recordkeeping needs: Features such as approval histories, supporting documentation, PTO liability tracking, and extended-leave workflows can make leave administration easier. Software can support compliance, but it does not replace the need to understand applicable federal, state, and local leave laws.
  4. Compare reporting capabilities: At minimum, look for clear visibility into leave balances, upcoming absences, and usage. Larger or more complex organizations may also need customizable reports, filters by team or location, and better visibility into leave trends.
  5. Decide whether you need a standalone tracker or a full HR platform: A dedicated tool such as Timetastic can be cheaper and simpler if your payroll and HR systems are already working well. Platforms such as BambooHR, Gusto, GoCo, and TalentHR make more sense if you want leave management connected with payroll, employee records, onboarding, benefits, or other HR processes.

Leave management software FAQs

Leave categories are determined by company policy and influenced by local compliance requirements. But the most common types of employee leaves include:

  • Vacation or Annual Leave: Paid time off for employees to rest, recharge, and attend to personal matters; employees usually collect PTO through lump-sum, accrual, or unlimited PTO systems.
  • Sick Leave: Time off for employees who are ill, injured, or need to care for a sick family member.
  • Personal Leave: Time off for employees to attend to personal matters, such as moving, attending a wedding, or dealing with a family emergency.
  • Parental Leave: Time off for employees to bond with a new child, whether through birth, surrogacy, adoption, or foster care.
  • Bereavement Leave: Time off for employees to grieve and attend funeral services after the death of a family member.
  • Jury Duty or Witness Leave: Time off for employees to fulfill their civic duty as a juror or witness in a legal proceeding.
  • Military Leave: Time off for employees to serve in the armed forces, either for training or active duty.

Leave management software typically includes at least some of these main features:

  • Leave Policy Creation: Allows HR managers to create and customize leave policies based on company requirements and legal regulations.
  • Self-Service Portal: Enables employees to submit leave requests, view their leave balances, and track the status of their requests.
  • Approval Workflows: Automates the leave approval process by routing requests to the appropriate managers and sending notifications to all parties involved.
  • Calendar Integration: Provides a visual representation of employee absences, making it easy to identify scheduling conflicts and ensure adequate coverage.
  • Absence Tracking: Tracks employee absences in real-time, providing managers with accurate information on leave usage and balances.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Generates detailed reports on leave trends, usage, and costs, helping organizations make data-driven decisions about their leave policies.
  • Compliance Management: Ensures that leave policies comply with relevant laws and regulations, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

It’s not entirely up to a company how it manages employees’ time off work. The U.S. government regulates leave management to clarify common and edge cases and ensure that companies protect employee rights. 

Companies must therefore act in accordance with the FMLA, as failure to do so could result in complicated and expensive legal troubles for both the company and the individual supervisors. 

For example, in the 2019 court case DaPrato vs. Massachusetts Water Resource Authority, the employer was found to have violated the FMLA by terminating the plaintiff for having vacationed in Mexico during unpaid medical leave following foot surgery. The court ruled in favor of the employee, awarding DaPrato $1,937,961 in damages and attorney fees. 

Even discouraging employees from taking FMLA leave, let alone retaliating against them for doing so, can land an employer in legal trouble, as the Ziccarelli v. Dart case in June 2022 demonstrated. The employer was found liable for violating the FMLA by discouraging the employee from taking unpaid leave that they were entitled to and threatening disciplinary action if the employee did so.

While regulations can complicate the leave process for employers, following best leave management practices — and using software tools that support those practices — ensure smooth transitions between leave and work for your entire team.

1. Organize and secure all documentation

Every interaction, email, phone call, and meeting related to leave should be documented to ensure compliance and reduce the risk of legal intervention. Intermittent leave days, reasons, and callouts should all be carefully tracked. HR software solutions such as Namely give employees the freedom to request time off at their leisure and keep track of requests, approvals, and denials. This information can be used later for compliance analytics and potential audits.

eFMLA is also a great resource to ensure compliant document management. eFMLA is an online workspace that gives employers access to all required forms and includes:

  • Tracking of employee leave time duration
  • Unlimited document management
  • Customizable FMLA forms
  • Electronic form and delivery notice
  • Expert advice and support for FMLA-related issues 

As a dedicated FMLA tool, this software does not include other HR features like time tracking and attendance management.

While supervisors should be involved in granting, denying, or monitoring employee leave, it’s important to have a single source of truth for all decisions and one centralized group that advises on leave-related matters.

For privacy reasons, documentation should remain secure and private, beyond the reach of unauthorized parties. If you can centralize your HR, time and attendance, and compliance management to a single system with granular user permissions and access controls, even better. A software solution, such as GoCo and TriNet, brings tighter security to the private data you store.

2. Make a policy and stick to it

All management should be briefed on your leave management policy, which needs to be followed precisely and consistently. Consider the following in your policy:

Employee notification requirements: Establish set timeframes by which employees must notify the employer about taking leave. These include 30-day notice and as soon as practically possible notices.

Official or certified documentation requests: If the employee doesn’t provide certified documentation from a doctor or medical provider within the 15-day window, the request can be denied. Ask for arbitrator or lawyer opinions to settle disputes.

3. Update often, share widely

FMLA stipulations can change, putting your company and individual employees in danger of lawsuits or audits. Software solutions, such as Gusto and Trinet’s include built-in compliance tools to help your company stay current and update your policy accordingly.

Have your policy readily available to all responsible parties, and use your company’s policy to define privacy standards based on current industry regulations.

4. Measure policy effectiveness, aka compliance

Your work as an employer is not done once you’ve established your leave policy. You must then measure the policy’s effectiveness — meaning compliance — by setting goals and KPIs and updating the policy as needed. KPIs might include the time at which leave is requested, the length of time to grant requests, or the return-to-work rate. 

Use a compliance analytics tool like the one intelliHR offers to monitor over time how compliant your company is with state and federal regulations. Having compliance analytics will also come in handy for audits.