Best Annual Leave Management Software UK (2026): Complete Comparison
We put 10 UK leave management tools side by side — real pricing, honest pros and cons, and which ones actually suit small teams. Updated for 2026.
Our top pick
TimeTally is our top-rated leave management software for UK businesses — pro-rata calculations, approval workflows, and payroll export built in.
Why Spreadsheets Stop Working as Your Team Grows
Managing employee leave with spreadsheets or paper forms might work when you have three or four staff. But once your team grows, the cracks appear quickly: double-bookings, incorrect holiday balances, missed statutory entitlements, and hours of admin every month reconciling who took what and when.
UK employers face additional complexity. The Working Time Regulations 1998 guarantee every worker at least 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave. Part-time staff need pro-rata calculations. Mid-year starters need proportional entitlements. And on top of annual leave, you need to track sick leave, parental leave, TOIL, compassionate leave, and more.
Annual leave management software automates all of this. Employees request time off, managers approve with a click, balances update automatically, and you always know who is available. The best annual leave software UK tools cost as little as £3 per employee per month — far less than the cost of a single payroll error or scheduling conflict.
In this guide, we compare the ten most popular annual leave management software options for UK businesses, covering pricing, features, strengths, and limitations — including newer entrants like BrightHR, Factorial, and HiBob alongside established UK tools.
The short answer
For a UK team of 5–50 that needs leave and hours tracked, TimeTally is the best value at £3 per employee per month — the only tool on this list that includes timesheets and payroll export at its base price rather than as a top tier or add-on. If you want leave tracking only and nothing else, Timetastic is simpler and cheaper. A micro-team of under five can start on LeaveDates' free tier. If you need a full HR platform — onboarding, performance reviews, documents — look at Breathe or Charlie HR, both priced by company band rather than per user. At 100+ employees, evaluate edays.
Try TimeTally free for 14 days →Free Tool
Holiday Entitlement Calculator
Calculate annual leave entitlement for full-time, part-time, and mid-year starters. Handles pro-rata automatically.
How We Assessed Each Tool
Before comparing individual tools, here is a checklist of features that matter most for UK employers:
UK Compliance
Statutory holiday entitlement (5.6 weeks), UK bank holidays, pro-rata calculations for part-time workers, and carry-over rules.
Custom Leave Types
Beyond annual leave: sick leave, TOIL, compassionate leave, study leave, unpaid leave, and any company-specific types.
Team Calendar
A visual wall planner showing who is off when, so managers can spot conflicts before approving requests.
Approval Workflows
Employees submit requests, managers approve or decline, and both parties receive email notifications.
Payroll Integration
Export leave data to Xero, QuickBooks, or CSV for seamless payroll processing.
Mobile Access
Employees and managers need to request and approve leave on the go, not just from a desktop.
Transparent Pricing
Per-user monthly pricing with no hidden fees. Avoid platforms that require annual contracts or charge setup fees.
Feature Comparison Table
Here is a side-by-side comparison of the key features across the leading annual leave management software tools for UK small businesses:
| Feature | TimeTally | Timetastic | LeaveDates | WhosOff | Breathe | Charlie | edays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leave Request & Approval | |||||||
| Team Calendar | |||||||
| Custom Leave Types | |||||||
| UK Statutory Entitlement | |||||||
| Timesheets Included | Top plan only | No | No | Not in core plan | No | No | |
| Payroll Export | Xero/QB/CSV | QB/Sage 50 (top plan) | CSV | CSV | Xero/CSV | CSV | Various |
| iOS App | |||||||
| Pro-Rata Calculations | |||||||
| Starting Price | £3/user | £1.20/user | £0.75/user | £0.95/user | £22/mo (≤10 staff) | £45/mo (5–9 staff) | Custom |
For a more detailed feature-by-feature breakdown, see our full comparison matrix.
Competitor pricing and features were checked against each vendor's public pricing page on 31 August 2026. Vendors change plans often — confirm current rates on their sites before buying.
The 10 Tools We Reviewed, Ranked
We have evaluated each annual leave management software platform based on the criteria above, focusing on UK-specific features, ease of use, and value for money.
1. TimeTally
TimeTally combines timesheets and leave management in a single platform built specifically for UK small businesses. Employees can request leave, managers approve with one tap, and everything syncs with timesheets for accurate payroll exports to Xero, QuickBooks, or CSV.
It includes custom leave types, a team calendar, UK statutory entitlement calculations with pro-rata support, and an iOS app for mobile access.
Key Strengths
- Timesheets + leave in one tool
- Built for UK compliance
- Xero, QuickBooks & CSV export
- iOS app
Best For
UK SMBs that need timesheets and leave management combined, without paying for two separate tools.
From £3/employee/month
See TimeTally's leave management software →2. Timetastic
Timetastic is a leave specialist best known for holiday booking and absence tracking. It is simple to set up and popular with small teams that want a no-frills solution for managing annual leave.
It offers a wall chart view, email notifications, and Slack integration on its core plans. Its top "Rota & Time Clock" plan goes further — adding rotas, a time clock, timesheets and payroll export with QuickBooks and Sage 50 integrations — but at a noticeably higher per-user price than the leave-only tiers.
Key Strengths
- Very simple to use
- Low starting price
- Slack integration
Best For
Small teams that only need leave tracking without timesheets or payroll features.
From £1.20/user/month (leave-only); Rota & Time Clock plan costs more
Compare with TimeTally →3. LeaveDates
LeaveDates is a straightforward leave planner with a clean interface and a free plan for very small teams. It provides a calendar view, approval workflows, and basic reporting.
The free tier covers up to five users, making it a good starting point for micro-businesses. Paid plans add features like custom leave types and enhanced reporting.
Key Strengths
- Free plan for small teams
- Clean, simple interface
- Calendar sync
Best For
Very small teams looking for a free or low-cost leave planner with minimal setup.
From £0.75/user/month
Compare with TimeTally →4. WhosOff
WhosOff is a UK-based holiday tracker that has been around for over a decade. It offers a clear calendar view, configurable leave types, and multi-level approval workflows.
The platform supports department-level views and has reasonable pricing for mid-sized teams. It focuses solely on absence management without timesheet functionality.
Key Strengths
- Established UK platform
- Multi-level approvals
- Department-level calendar
Best For
Teams of 20-100 that need a dedicated holiday tracker with departmental views.
From £0.95/user/month
Compare with TimeTally →5. Breathe HR
Breathe is a full HR platform that includes leave management as part of a broader suite covering employee records, documents, performance reviews, and expenses.
If you need an all-in-one HR system, Breathe is a solid option — and it prices by company band rather than per user, starting at £22/month for up to 10 employees, which is competitive at small sizes. The trade-off is that time tracking is not part of the core platform, so hours worked still need a separate tool.
Key Strengths
- Full HR platform
- Employee document storage
- Performance management
Best For
Businesses that want HR, performance, and leave management in one platform.
Banded by headcount — from £22/month (up to 10 employees)
Compare with TimeTally →6. Charlie HR
Charlie HR positions itself as the HR platform for startups and growing businesses. It includes time off management, onboarding, employee engagement surveys, and company handbook tools.
The interface is modern and well-designed. Pricing is banded by team size rather than per user — £45/month for a team of 5–9 (excl. VAT), which works out at £5–£9 per person for small teams, more than dedicated leave trackers. It makes sense only if you will use the broader HR features.
Key Strengths
- Modern, startup-friendly design
- Onboarding workflows
- Employee engagement tools
Best For
Startups and scale-ups that want a modern HR platform with leave management built in.
Banded by team size — from £45/month (5–9 people, excl. VAT)
Compare with TimeTally →7. edays
edays is an enterprise-grade absence management platform used by larger organisations. It offers advanced reporting, multi-country support, HRIS integrations, and configurable workflows.
Pricing is not published and requires a demo call, which suggests it is aimed at businesses with 100+ employees. For smaller teams, it is likely overkill both in complexity and cost.
Key Strengths
- Enterprise-grade features
- Multi-country support
- Advanced reporting
Best For
Large organisations (100+ employees) with multi-location or international teams.
Custom pricing (demo required)
Compare with TimeTally →8. BrightHR
BrightHR is a UK-based HR platform aimed at small and medium businesses. It includes leave management, rota scheduling, document storage, and employee wellbeing tools. It also provides access to employment law advice through its parent company Peninsula.
The annual leave management features are solid, but BrightHR is priced significantly higher than standalone leave trackers. The employment law support adds value for businesses without an in-house HR team, but if you only need annual leave software, you are paying for a lot of features you won't use.
Key Strengths
- HR advice included
- Rota scheduling built in
- UK-focused features
Best For
UK SMBs that want combined HR support, leave management, and employment law guidance in one package.
From ~£4/employee/month by tier — fixed-term contracts of 24–60 months
9. Factorial
Factorial is a European HR platform with a strong feature set covering annual leave management, time tracking, payroll, recruitment, and employee performance. It has gained traction in the UK as a mid-market HR tool for growing teams.
The leave management module handles requests, approvals, and team calendars well. However, Factorial is a full HR platform with pricing to match — it makes most sense for teams that need HR, recruitment, and payroll in addition to annual leave software.
Key Strengths
- Full HR suite
- Time tracking included
- Recruitment module
Best For
Growing teams (30–200 employees) that want an all-in-one HR platform including annual leave, time tracking, and recruitment.
From £5.40/user/month — modular, so the final price depends on which hubs you add
10. HiBob (Bob)
HiBob, often referred to as Bob, is a modern HRIS platform popular with tech companies and scaleups. It includes time and attendance, annual leave management, performance management, onboarding, and culture tools.
The annual leave management software functionality within Bob is comprehensive, but the platform is designed for companies with 50–500 employees and priced accordingly. For small UK businesses that just need to track holidays and leave, HiBob's breadth and cost are likely overkill.
Key Strengths
- Modern, design-led interface
- Culture and engagement tools
- Strong integrations
Best For
Tech companies and scaleups (50–500 employees) that need a modern HRIS platform with strong culture and engagement features.
Custom pricing (demo required)
Why TimeTally Came Out on Top for Small Teams
Most annual leave software UK tools do one thing: track holidays. TimeTally does more — and at a price that makes sense for small businesses.
Built Specifically for UK Compliance
TimeTally is designed around UK employment law — Working Time Regulations, 5.6 weeks statutory entitlement, UK bank holidays (England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland separately), pro-rata for part-time workers, and automatic entitlement for mid-year starters. No configuration needed for UK rules.
Annual Leave + Timesheets in One Tool
Most tools on this list track leave only, or charge for time tracking as a higher tier or add-on. TimeTally combines leave tracking with timesheet management — so you get a single source of truth for hours worked and leave taken, both exporting to Xero and QuickBooks together.
Simple, Transparent Pricing
£3 per employee per month. That is it. No fixed-term contract, no setup fees, no per-module pricing. BrightHR requires fixed-term contracts of two years or more; Factorial and HiBob are modular or quote-led, so the sticker price is rarely the final price. Breathe and Charlie price by company band — competitive at small sizes, but neither includes time tracking in its core plan.
Employee Self-Service That Actually Works
Employees check their own holiday balance, submit leave requests, and track approvals from their phone using the iOS app. No more answering "how many days do I have left?" — the system handles it automatically.
All Leave Types — Not Just Annual Leave
Annual leave, sick leave, TOIL (time off in lieu), maternity, paternity, compassionate leave, unpaid leave, and any custom leave type you need. Each has its own balance tracking, carryover rules, and approval workflow.
“The app is simple to use, reliable, and makes managing holidays, absences, and staff records straightforward. The system has saved us a significant amount of administration time.”
TimeTally Pricing
- Annual leave tracking + all leave types
- Timesheet management included
- Pro-rata and bank holiday calculations
- Xero and QuickBooks export
- iOS app for staff and managers
- 14-day free trial, no credit card required
How to Pick the Right One for Your Team
The best annual leave software UK tool for your business depends on your team size, budget, and what else you need beyond leave tracking. Here is a simple decision framework:
1–5 Employees
A free tool like LeaveDates may suffice. If you also need timesheets, TimeTally's combined platform saves you from juggling two systems.
Consider: leave management for small businesses
5–50 Employees
This is the sweet spot for dedicated leave management tools. If you need leave only, Timetastic or WhosOff offer great value. If you need time tracking and leave together, TimeTally is the most cost-effective option at £3 per employee per month.
Consider: TimeTally's leave management system
50–200 Employees
At this size, you may benefit from a broader HR platform like Breathe or Charlie HR that includes leave management alongside employee records, performance reviews, and onboarding. If you need enterprise-grade absence management, edays is worth evaluating. If leave, hours and payroll export are the actual requirement, TimeTally stays £3 per employee with no plan jumps at this size too — it is the HR extras, not scale, that should push you to a bigger platform.
200+ Employees
Enterprise solutions like edays or broader HRIS platforms are likely the best fit. You will need multi-location support, advanced reporting, and integrations with existing HR systems.
TimeTallyThe UK Leave Management Software Built for Small Business
TimeTally automatically calculates entitlements, handles pro-rata, and manages bank holidays — all for £3 per employee per month.
Free for 14 days • No credit card required
Key Consideration: Combined vs. Separate Tools
If your team tracks both working hours and leave, using two separate tools means duplicate data entry, higher costs, and no single source of truth. A combined platform like TimeTally's employee leave management software eliminates this problem — time tracking and leave data live in the same system and export together to payroll.
Related Resources
- Leave Management Software — TimeTally's leave features
- Absence Management Software — track all absence types
- Staff Holiday Tracker — visual team calendar
- Annual Leave Tracker — automatic entitlement calculations
- UK Holiday Calculator — free pro-rata calculator
- Rota Planner — shift scheduling with leave visibility built in
- Full Comparison Matrix — detailed feature comparison
- How to Calculate Holiday Entitlement UK — step-by-step guide
TimeTallyStop Managing Leave on Spreadsheets
TimeTally gives every employee a self-service leave portal, auto-calculates balances, and lets managers approve in one click — all for less than a coffee per employee per month.
Free for 14 days • No credit card required