Side-by-side comparison
The Timetastic alternative for Slack-first teams
Simple online leave planner for small teams. Here's how Timetastic and Cabana compare on pricing, PTO tracking, and who each one actually fits.
vsCommon pain points
Why teams look for a Timetastic alternative
- No Slack or Teams integration — employees must log in to a web portal
- UK-focused; US holiday calendar support is limited
- Basic policy engine; limited accrual and carryover customization
- No team org chart or department-level management
Feature comparison
Cabana vs. Timetastic — side by side
| Feature | | Timetastic |
|---|---|---|
| Slack slash commands | ||
| Approve from Slack DM | ||
| Microsoft Teams support | ||
| Google Calendar sync | ||
| Outlook / Microsoft 365 sync | ||
| Accrual policies (tiers, tenure, carryover) | Basic | |
| Unlimited PTO support | ||
| Multi-location / holiday calendars | UK-focused | |
| Custom leave types | ||
| Admin web app | ||
| Org chart | ||
| Reporting | Basic | |
| Setup time | ~5 minutes | ~10 minutes |
| Price per user/mo | $4 ($20/mo min) | £1–2 (~$1.25–2.50) |
| Free trial / no credit card | Free tier (≤5 users) | |
| No minimum seat count |
Timetastic pricing: UK-based product; pricing in GBP
Why Cabana
What makes Cabana different
Set up in 5 minutes, not 5 days
Import your team from Slack or CSV, pick a policy template, and you're live. No implementation project. No onboarding call. A founder can do it between meetings.
Your team never leaves Slack
Request with /cabana request. Approve with one tap in a Slack DM. Check balances with /cabana balance. The whole workflow lives where your team already works.
One source of truth, always accurate
Balances update automatically — accruals, carryover, holiday deductions. Approved leave syncs to Google Calendar and Outlook. No more spreadsheet reconciliation.
Built for Slack
Your team never has to leave Slack
Employees request time off with /cabana request. Managers approve with one button tap in a Slack DM. The daily digest posts who's out every morning — automatically.
#general
Cabana App
Cabana App
Best for
Which one fits your team
Stay on Timetastic if…
- You have five or fewer people and the free tier covers you entirely
- Your team doesn't use Slack, so a chat-native tool buys you nothing
- You're UK-based and the UK-centric holiday handling suits you
Pick Cabana if…
- Your team is in Slack all day and resents logging into a separate portal
- You need US holiday calendars, or per-location calendars across several countries
- You want accrual rules beyond a flat annual allowance
Is Cabana right for you?
Switch from Timetastic if…
Timetastic is clean and simple, which is exactly why teams like it early on. But as soon as you want PTO to live inside Slack — requests, approvals, balance checks, who's-out digests — you hit its limits. Cabana is built for Slack-first US teams that want everything handled without ever opening another tab.
- Your team uses Slack and is tired of logging into yet another web portal
- You need Slack slash commands so employees never have to switch apps
- Your team is based in the US and needs US-centric holiday calendars
Teams that made the switch
Join hundreds of small teams who ditched the spreadsheet.
“We were paying way too much for software nobody used. Cabana was running in Slack within minutes. The whole team adopted it instantly.”
Sarah L.
Head of Ops, 32-person startup
“The Slack integration is the real difference. Approving a PTO request used to mean logging into a portal. Now I just tap Approve in a DM.”
Marcus R.
Founder, 18-person agency
“Balance tracking used to be a monthly reconciliation nightmare. Cabana just… handles it. I haven't touched the spreadsheet in months.”
Priya T.
HR Lead, 55-person SaaS
Migration
Switching from Timetastic to Cabana
Four steps, and the only one that takes real time is deciding your policy. Nobody on your team needs training — they learn one Slack command.
- 1
Export your team from Timetastic
Pull a CSV of employees, remaining balances, and any approved future leave. Most tools have this under Settings or Reports.
- 2
Import into Cabana
Upload the CSV, or sync your roster straight from Slack if that's faster. Balances come across as opening adjustments so nobody loses accrued time.
- 3
Pick a leave policy
Start from a template — fixed allowance, accrual, or unlimited — and adjust carryover and waiting periods. Takes about two minutes.
- 4
Connect Slack and announce it
Install the Slack app, post the /cabana commands in your #general channel, and turn off the old tool at the end of the month. Employees need no training.
Honest limitations
When not to switch from Timetastic to Cabana
We'd rather you pick the right tool than churn in month two. If any of these are dealbreakers, Timetastic might still be the right fit.
Timetastic is cheaper for very small teams (free up to 5 users)
If you're a team of 5 or fewer, Timetastic's free tier is hard to beat on price. Cabana is the better choice once you need Slack integration or more than basic leave policies.
If your team prefers a clean web app over Slack, Timetastic still works
Timetastic's web interface is well-designed. If your team doesn't use Slack, the portal-first approach works fine. Cabana's core value is its Slack experience — without Slack, much of the advantage disappears.
Frequently asked questions
Does Timetastic integrate with Slack?
No. Timetastic is a web-portal-only tool. Employees submit requests by logging in to the Timetastic site. Cabana lives in Slack: requests, approvals, balance checks, and daily team digests happen without opening another tab.
Is Cabana more expensive than Timetastic?
Timetastic's paid tier is about £1–2/user/month ($1.25–2.50 USD). Cabana is $4/user/month. For a 20-person US team that uses Slack, the extra $30–55/month buys a Slack-native workflow where your team actually uses the tool. Adoption is the hidden cost Timetastic doesn't show.
We're a UK-based team — does Cabana support UK holidays?
Yes. Cabana supports per-location holiday calendars, including England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and other regions. You assign each employee to a location and they get the right public holidays automatically.
More comparisons
Other dedicated pto & leave tools
See how Cabana stacks up against similar tools your team might be evaluating.
Deeper policies, a real admin dashboard, and stronger Teams support.
Microsoft Teams support and department structure alongside the same Slack workflow.
PTO without the timesheet and attendance features your team doesn't need.
Native Slack slash commands, not just Slack notifications.
Simpler PTO tracking without the bundled attendance module.
Still working out what you need?
What to look for, and how Cabana handles it.
Best PTO trackers for small teams →Six tools compared, including this one.
PTO policy guide for small business →Write the policy before you pick the tool.
Free PTO accrual calculator →Work out balances and year-end projections.
Give your team the time off experience they deserve
Set up in under 5 minutes. No credit card required.