The Calamari Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Calamari in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Calamari
The Insider’s Guide
Modular HR system for time off, attendance, core HR and reviews
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among HR software, read from Calamari’s own pages.
Made by Calamari · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Calamari’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Calamari’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 50 of the 63 other HR software we grade
Calamari is an HR system sold as separate modules: time off, time and attendance, core HR, performance reviews and scheduling. Each module is priced per employee, with a $20 monthly minimum, and a 14-day trial needs no credit card. Mobile apps for iOS and Android are listed in its page data.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Calamari, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Policies, approval flows and schedules need setting up per module.
- 1
Best for picking only the HR modules you need
The AI help for reviews is still labelled coming soon.
- 2
Paid plans start at $2 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $2 per employee / month per module, billed yearly.
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free trial, no credit card required
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Time off management
Policies with unlimited absence types, multi-country rules, automatic carry-over and entitlement calculated from accrual rules.
- 6
Time and attendance
Seven tracking methods, listed in the page data as mobile, web, Slack, QR, NFC, GPS and kiosk.
- 7
Core HR
A central employee database with documents, permission settings, approval flows and notifications for important dates.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 50 of 63
That is against the other HR software we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Calamari you could make: time off, time tracking, employee records and goals. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Calamari at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $2 per employee / month per module, billed yearly
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Calamari
- Category
- HR Software
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for picking only the HR modules you need
Calamari sells time off, core HR, time and attendance, performance reviews and scheduling as separate modules at $2 to $2.50 a user each. One module is cheap, but all five together come to $11.50, and there is a $20 monthly minimum. The AI help for reviews is still labelled coming soon.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Time Off and Core HR are $2 per employee a month billed yearly, inside the cheapest quarter. All five modules add up to $11.50, above the category middle. |
| Free plan and trial | C | 14-day free trial with no card needed, and no free plan. |
| Features | C | Time off, attendance, core HR, reviews and scheduling. SAML is a paid add-on, and the AI review help is marked coming soon. No payroll. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Policies, approval flows and schedules need setting up per module. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web plus iOS and Android apps, with 7 integrations on record. No desktop app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Calamari is for
- Fits if you only need one or two HR modules and want to pay for just those
- Works for small teams comfortable with a $20 monthly minimum
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want one bundled price, as each module is priced separately
- Tight if you add up modules: all five come to $11.50 a person a month
- Watch out: there is a $20 a month minimum in the pricing calculator
- Watch out: SAML login is a paid add-on, and the page doesn't state its unit
- Not for you if you need payroll, as there is none
Good to know
Good for
- Companies that want to buy only the HR modules they need and add others later
- Teams with staff in several countries that need multi-country absence policies
Worth knowing
- Each module is priced separately per employee; combining all five costs the sum of their rates.
- The pricing calculator applies a minimum total of $20 per month for the selected modules.
- SAML integration is a paid add-on, shown at $1 billed yearly or $2 billed monthly; the page does not state the unit.
- The page labels its AI support for performance reviews as coming soon.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$2
A month to start, for each person
Calamari is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $2 per employee / month per module, billed yearly.
Time Off
$2
per employee / month, billed yearly ($2.50 billed monthly)
Online time-off requests, absence calendar, unlimited absence types, automatic carry-over and balance calculations.
Core HR
$2
per employee / month, billed yearly ($2.50 billed monthly)
Central HR database, documents, permissions, approval processes, custom fields and employee requests.
Time & Attendance
$2.50
per employee / month, billed yearly ($3 billed monthly)
Timesheets and time tracking with seven tracking methods.
Performance Review
$2.50
per employee / month, billed yearly ($3 billed monthly)
Review cycles (self, peer, top-down and external), questionnaires, goals and manager summaries.
Scheduling
$2.50
per employee / month, billed yearly ($3 billed monthly)
Weekly or monthly schedules planned per employee or role, with drafts, published versions and sync to leave and time tracking.
Trying it first
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Read from calamari.io on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
About 20% off with yearly billing
The pricing calculator shows each module cheaper per employee when billed yearly than when billed monthly (for example $2 against $2.50 for Time Off).
Stated on calamari.io
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Modular HR system for time off, attendance, core HR and reviews. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: time tracking, goals, shift scheduling, employee records, time off.
Time off, attendance, core HR, reviews and scheduling.
- Time off management
- Policies with unlimited absence types, multi-country rules, automatic carry-over and entitlement calculated from accrual rules.
- Time and attendance
- Seven tracking methods, listed in the page data as mobile, web, Slack, QR, NFC, GPS and kiosk.
- Core HR
- A central employee database with documents, permission settings, approval flows and notifications for important dates.
- Performance reviews
- 90 to 360 degree review cycles with questionnaires, goals, reviewer assignment and manager summaries.
- Scheduling
- Schedules for shift-based or mixed workforces that sync with the leave and time-tracking modules.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Slack
- Google Workspace
- Microsoft 365
- Jira
- Asana
- Basecamp
- Microsoft Teams
Calamari is made by Calamari.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
50/63
Other HR software it is graded above
Calamari's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 50 of the 63 other HR software we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 56 of 63) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $2 a month for each person, against a middle price of $5.36 for the category: 4 of the 36 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 64 HR software we grade, cut by the letter each got. Calamari’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 56 of 63
- CFree plan and trialAbove 40 of 63
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 63
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 63
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 22 of 63
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 38 HR software. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Calamari is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Calamari you could make: time off, time tracking, employee records and goals. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.4 is higher than 50 of the 63 other HR software we grade. It costs $24 a year.
What you could make
- Time off, time tracking, employee records and goals: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A rota the whole staff sees on their phones, with swaps and alerts.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- It plugs into other products, Slack, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 among them.
What this rests on. Calamari’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Timetastic, absence.io, Vacation Tracker, Kenjo and Factorial
The 5 tools Calamari is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Timetastic
Free trial · from $1.50/mo
Staff leave planner, with an added rota and time clock product.
- Calamari also covers time tracking and goals.
- Timetastic also covers time clock.
- 2.4GPA
absence.io
Free trial · from €2.69/mo
Time off, time tracking and employee files for small teams.
- Calamari also covers goals and shift scheduling.
- absence.io also covers expense tracking and time clock.
- 2.2GPA
Vacation Tracker
Free trial · from $2/mo
Leave and PTO tracking inside Slack, Teams or Google Workspace.
- Calamari also covers time tracking, goals, shift scheduling and employee records.
- Vacation Tracker also covers reports.
- 2.0GPA
Kenjo
Free trial · from €5.40/mo
HR and workforce management software for small and mid-sized firms.
- Only Calamari lists iOS and Android apps.
- Calamari also covers goals, shift scheduling and time off.
- Kenjo also covers reports, payroll, time clock and applicant tracking.
- 2.0GPA
Factorial
From $8/mo
HR, time, shifts, expenses and IT for small firms, quoted by module.
- Calamari also covers goals.
- Factorial also covers expense tracking and applicant tracking.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Calamari free?
No, Calamari is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
How much does Calamari cost?
Calamari lists 5 plans. Time Off: $2 per employee / month, billed yearly ($2.50 billed monthly).
What platforms does Calamari work on?
Calamari is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Calamari offer any discounts?
Calamari publicly lists the following: About 20% off with yearly billing.
Does Calamari have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Calamari is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Calamari have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Calamari is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Calamari open source?
Calamari is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
What does Calamari integrate with?
Calamari's listing names Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Jira, Asana, Basecamp and Microsoft Teams.
Who makes Calamari?
Calamari is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Calamari?
The closest alternatives to Calamari in our directory are Timetastic, absence.io, Vacation Tracker, Kenjo and Factorial.
How does Calamari compare with other HR software?
Calamari's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 50 of the 63 other HR software we grade, and level with 9.
Is Calamari good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Calamari B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $2 a month for each person, against a middle price of $5.36 for the category: 4 of the 36 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Calamari?
The plain part of Calamari you could make: time off, time tracking, employee records and goals.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Calamari’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Calamari's own pages on 12 November 2026. Its pricing page fills in the figures by script, so we could not re-read them. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Calamari. Prices change, so check calamari.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Calamari, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/calamari
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Calamari: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/calamari
Know someone choosing between HR software?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/calamari/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded HR software after Calamari, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- HR Software Insider's GuideEvery one of the 64 HR software we grade, compared
- Breathe Insider's GuideUK HR software for small firms, priced per business, not per person2.6 GPA
- Leave Dates Insider's GuideAnnual leave planner and absence tracker for small teams2.6 GPA
- TalentHR Insider's GuideHR records, time off, hiring and reviews for small teams2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Calamari’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Calamari is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Calamari. Prices and plans change: check calamari.io before you buy.