Top 10 Calamari HR Software Alternatives

Top 10 Calamari HR Alternatives

Effective human resources (HR) management is crucial for businesses of all sizes. However, managing complex HR tasks manually can be challenging, leading many companies to seek digital solutions. While Calamari HR is a popular choice for attendance tracking, leave management, and shift scheduling, it may not meet every organization’s unique requirement. Businesses often look for alternatives when they need payroll processing, benefits administration, compliance tracking, or more advanced HR functionalities. 

If your company requires a comprehensive HR solution beyond time tracking, exploring other platforms can help you find a better fit. This guide highlights the top 10 alternatives to Calamari HR, comparing their features, benefits, drawbacks, and pricing to help you make an informed decision. 

What Is Calamari HR?

Calamari HR is a cloud-based time tracking and leave management tool designed to streamline workforce operations. It automates clock-ins, leave requests, and approvals, improving scheduling efficiency for both managers and employees. The platform also integrates seamlessly with external applications, enhancing team collaboration. Widely used across industries such as logistics, technology, healthcare, and hospitality, Calamari HR is a preferred choice for businesses seeking simplified attendance management. 

However, while Calamari HR excels in time tracking, it may not meet the needs of businesses requiring a comprehensive HR solution. It lacks key features such as payroll processing, benefits administration, talent acquisition, advanced analytics, and compliance tracking—essential for managing a growing workforce. If your business needs a more all-in-one HR platform, exploring Calamari HR alternatives could be a better fit. 

What To Look For In A Calamari HR Alternative 

When looking for an alternative to Calamari HR, it's important to consider what additional features your business may require. Here are some essential factors: 

• Payroll And Tax Compliance: Choose a tool with built-in payroll processing and automated tax compliance 
• Scalability: Pick an HR system that scales with your business growth and increased operational needs
• Compliance And Security: Decide on a platform that ensures adherence to labor laws, industry regulations, and robust data security measures 
• Ease Of Use: Select a software that offers a user-friendly, intuitive interface as this can greatly improve efficiency 

By considering these factors, businesses can find an HR solution that aligns with their needs.

Best 10 Calamari HR Alternative Picks

1.Gusto HR Software 

Ideal for: Small to medium-sized businesses

Gusto HR is a cloud-based platform that streamlines HR processes, covering payroll, benefits administration, and compliance management. Its intuitive interface and automation features simplify tasks such as employee onboarding, tax filings, and workforce management, enhancing efficiency. Additionally, Gusto ensures labor law and tax compliance with built-in tools, helping businesses reduce the risk of costly errors. The platform serves industries including technology, retail, education, and more. 

Unlike Calamari HR, which focuses on time tracking and leave management, Gusto offers a comprehensive HR solution, excelling in payroll processing, benefits administration, and compliance tracking. Its full suite of HR tools makes it a strong Calamari HR alternative for businesses seeking end-to-end HR management.

Key Features 

• Payroll processing
• Third-party integrations
• Automated onboarding
• Time tracking

Pros

• Automates tax filing
• Helps employees to view their documents through self-service options
• Provides strong vendor support materials to run the software effectively

Cons

• Lacks global payroll management 
• Limited scalability for large enterprises

Pricing  

It provides the following plans:

• Simple: $40 per month plus $6 per month per person
• Plus: $80 per month plus $12 per month per person 
• Premium: $180 per month plus $22 per month per person

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change. 

2. ADP Workforce Now 

Ideal for: Large enterprises

ADP Workforce Now is a cloud-based human capital management (HCM) solution designed to streamline payroll, HR, talent management, and benefits administration. Built for complex business needs, it offers a full suite of HR tools, including workforce analytics, compliance tracking, and recruitment features. A key advantage of ADP Workforce Now is its ability to manage complex payroll structures, supporting multi-state and international payroll processing. The platform serves industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and education. 

Compared to Calamari HR, which focuses on time tracking and leave management, ADP Workforce Now delivers a more scalable and feature-rich HR solution. With capabilities in payroll processing, benefits administration, and workforce analytics, it stands out as a strong Calamari HR alternative for businesses seeking a comprehensive and robust HR platform. 

Key Features 

• Advanced analytics
• Global payroll support
• Benefits administration
• Employee self-service

Pros

• Allows scalability for growing businesses
• Helps HR professionals to have insights for data-driven decision-making
• Enables customizations in reports

Cons

• It may require training for the initial setup
• Advanced features require plan upgrades 

Pricing 

It offers three plans at personalized rates:

• Simple 
• Plus
• Premium 

3. Zenefits 

Ideal for: Small to medium-sized businesses

Zenefits (now TriNet) is a comprehensive HR platform designed to streamline employee management for businesses facing operational challenges. It integrates payroll, benefits administration, compliance tracking, and performance management into a user-friendly interface. Built for efficiency, Zenefits simplifies HR processes, reducing the workload for teams with limited HR resources. The platform serves businesses across retail, finance, healthcare, marketing, and other industries. 

Zenefits enhances HR operations with AI-powered automation, reducing manual tasks and improving efficiency. For businesses seeking a full-scale HR solution beyond just attendance tracking, Zenefits offers a more comprehensive and effective alternative. 

Key Features 

• Compliance management
• Workforce scheduling
• Performance management
• Mobile application

Pros

• User-friendly interface
• Automates repetitive HR workflows
• Helps the HR teams manage tasks on the go through the mobile app

Cons

• Limited customization abilities in reporting
• Lacks global payroll support 

Pricing 

It provides three pricing options:

• Essentials: $10/month/employee 
• Growth: $20/month/employee 
• Zen: $33/month/employee (Includes payroll) 

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change. 

4. JazzHR 

Ideal for: Startups

JazzHR is a widely used applicant tracking system (ATS) designed for businesses looking to streamline and optimize their hiring process. It simplifies recruitment workflows, from job postings and candidate management to interview scheduling. With its intuitive interface, JazzHR is particularly beneficial for small businesses without a dedicated HR team. The platform is popular among companies in education, consulting, healthcare, and other industries. 

For businesses prioritizing recruitment, JazzHR offers a more specialized solution than Calamari HR. It focuses on applicant tracking and hiring automation, allowing companies to post jobs across multiple platforms, conduct background checks, and maintain seamless candidate communication. Its robust hiring tools make JazzHR a strong Calamari HR alternative for businesses seeking an efficient and organized recruitment process.

Key Features 

• Applicant tracking system
• Candidate screening
• Interview scheduling
• Job posting

Pros

• Saves time for the recruiters through AI-enabled screening measures
• Enhances employer branding by posting on multiple job boards
• Provides detailed, insightful reports for evaluating hiring pipelines 

Cons

• Lacks features outside hiring
• Automation tools require plan upgrades

Pricing 

The vendor offers the following pricing options:

• Hero: $90 per month
• Plus: $325 per month
• Pro: $499 per month

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change. 

5. BambooHR

Ideal for: Startups

BambooHR is a cloud-based HR software designed to help small and mid-sized businesses manage their workforce more efficiently. It simplifies essential HR tasks such as employee self-service, performance tracking, hiring, and onboarding. By automating processes and improving accessibility, BambooHR enhances overall HR operations for businesses facing inefficiencies. The platform is widely used in industries such as healthcare, retail, education, and hospitality. 

BambooHR streamlines HR operations with automated workflows, allowing businesses to manage employee records, performance reviews, and compliance requirements more efficiently. Its seamless integration with payroll and benefits systems further enhances its functionality, making it a top Calamari HR alternative for organizations seeking a versatile and user-friendly HR solution. 

Key Features 

• Document management
• Feedback tools
• Onboarding automation
• Payroll integration 

Pros

• Enhances employee engagement
• Allows customizations in reports as per business preferences
• Combines payroll management and recruitment tools in one platform

Cons

• It may not be scalable for larger firms
• Users have highlighted slow customer response time 

Pricing 

It offers two pricing packages at personalized rates:

• Core
• Pro 
• Elite 

6. Namely HR 

Ideal for: Medium sized businesses

Namely HR is a versatile HR management platform designed to streamline payroll, benefits administration, and workforce management. Its customizable features allow businesses to tailor the software to their unique HR needs, making it a flexible solution for growing teams. 

Additionally, Namely HR enhances employee engagement with tools for performance tracking, goal setting, and continuous feedback. It is widely used in industries such as finance, technology, and professional services for HR administration. 

The platform’s self-service portals empower employees to manage HR tasks independently, such as updating personal information and accessing payroll details, reducing administrative burdens for HR teams. Its advanced analytics and reporting tools provide valuable workforce insights, enabling data-driven decision-making—an area where Calamari HR falls short. As a result, Namely HR stands out as a leading Calamari HR alternative. 

Key Features 

• Benefits management
• Compliance tracking
• Attendance management
• Workforce analytics

Pros

• Helps businesses to track individual employee performance
• Provide an advanced self-service portal for employees to view their information
• Offers flexibility in workflows 

Cons

• It may not be ideal for smaller businesses
• Installing customization features may require expert advice

Pricing 

The vendor provides four pricing plans starting at $9 per month per employee:

• Namely Now: Starting at $9 per employee per month 
• Namely Plus: Custom Pricing 
• Namely Plus People: Custom Pricing 
• Namely Complete: Custom Pricing 

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.

7. iCIMS Software 

Ideal for: Large enterprises

iCIMS is a robust recruitment platform designed to streamline high-volume hiring for businesses. It features an advanced applicant tracking system (ATS), AI-powered candidate matching, and automation tools to enhance hiring efficiency. Built for large-scale recruitment, it is well-suited for recruitment-centric firms. Additionally, iCIMS leverages AI-driven insights, enabling companies to identify and attract top talent quickly. The platform is widely used in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and financial services. 

With its talent acquisition and recruitment automation capabilities, iCIMS stands out as a top Calamari HR alternative. While Calamari HR focuses on time tracking and attendance management, iCIMS is specifically designed to streamline hiring, making it an ideal choice for businesses with large-scale recruitment needs. 

Key Features 

• Video interviewing tools
• Recruitment analytics
• Mobile talent acquisition platform
• Resume parsing

Pros

• Offers one of the most advanced applicant tracking system
• Matches the right candidate through AI
• Adheres to hiring laws and regulations automatically

Cons

• Lacks functionalities beyond recruitment
• New users may require training for effective usage

Pricing 

ICIMS software offers requirement-based pricing plans.

8. Paycom 

Ideal for: Medium to large-sized businesses

Paycom is an all-in-one HCM solution that simplifies HR and payroll management through a cloud-based platform. It integrates payroll processing, benefits administration, time tracking, and compliance management, enabling businesses to streamline workforce operations. Its automated payroll system ensures accurate tax calculations and compliance with labor regulations, while real-time analytics provide valuable workforce insights. Paycom is widely used in industries such as healthcare, hospitality, and education. 

A key advantage of Paycom is its self-service capabilities, allowing employees to manage their own information, reducing administrative burdens on HR teams. Unlike Calamari HR, Paycom’s automation tools enhance efficiency by minimizing manual tasks and ensuring seamless compliance. This makes Paycom a strong alternative to Calamari HR for businesses seeking a comprehensive HR solution. 

Key Features 

• Payroll automation
• Employee engagement tools
• Real-time analytics and reporting
• Time tracking

Pros

• Helps HR professionals to govern the department tasks through a single system
• Automated payroll calculations eliminate the room for errors
• Provides an all-functionality mobile app 

Cons

• Some users have stated it to be complex to understand
• Lacks effective customer support

Pricing 

The vendor provides pricing packages as per the business needs.

9. People Element 

Ideal for: All business sizes

People Element is a workforce engagement and analytics platform designed to help businesses gain valuable insights into employee experiences. It provides survey tools, feedback collection, and data analysis, enabling HR teams to assess employee satisfaction, track workplace trends, and develop retention strategies. With customizable surveys and reports, businesses can make data-driven decisions to foster a positive workplace culture. The platform is widely used in industries such as finance, education, and retail to enhance employee engagement. 

While Calamari HR specializes in attendance tracking and leave management, People Element offers deeper workforce insights, including employee satisfaction, retention risks, and leadership impact. Its real-time analytics help businesses proactively address workforce challenges, making it a top Calamari HR alternative for organizations focused on employee engagement and retention. 

Key Features 

• Employee satisfaction tools
• Feedback surveys
• Workplace culture management
• Performance tracking

Pros

• Offers deep insights into employee engagement
• Helps boost employee retention
• Integrates with a wide range of external HR systems 

Cons

• Lacks broader HR management abilities
• Analytics features may require vendor support to setup 

Pricing 

It offers two customized pricing plans based on the number of employees being surveyed:

• Professional
• Premium 

10. Mindscope Software 

Ideal for: All business sizes

Mindscope Software is a specialized applicant tracking system (ATS) designed for staffing agencies and HR teams managing high-volume hiring. It streamlines recruitment with advanced talent sourcing, candidate tracking, and workflow automation. Seamless integration with job boards, email platforms, and CRM systems creates an all-in-one solution for efficiently managing the hiring pipeline. The platform is widely used in industries such as technology, professional services, finance, and healthcare. 

The software is built to streamline talent acquisition, enabling recruiters to source, assess, and hire top candidates more efficiently. In contrast, Calamari HR is a niche-specific leave management system. With its automation tools and AI-driven insights, Mindscope accelerates the hiring process, ensuring recruiters can fill positions faster with high-quality talent. This makes it a strong Calamari HR alternative for businesses focused on recruitment and talent acquisition. 

Key Features 

• Candidate sourcing
• Job board integrations
• Candidate communication tools
• Candidate relationship management (CRM) 

Pros

• Automates repetitive hiring pipelines
• Provides real-time insights to help in strategic decision-making
• Allows recruiters to find the best match through strong matching tools

Cons

• Lacks payroll management capabilities
• It may not be ideal for businesses looking to optimize employee engagement 

Pricing 

It provides customized quotes as per recruitment demands.

Finding The Ideal Calamari HR Alternative

Choosing the right HR software depends on your company’s size, industry, and needs. While some platforms focus on attendance tracking, businesses requiring payroll, benefits, compliance, or hiring tools should explore comprehensive solutions. Key factors include ease of use, integration, and scalability to support long-term growth. 

Upgrading to a full-service HR platform can boost efficiency, enhance compliance, and simplify workforce management. Looking for the best fit? Try a free demo or consult our experts today!