The simplest PTO tracker built for small teams
Replace your PTO spreadsheet with Slack-native leave requests, automatic balance tracking, and one-click manager approvals. Most teams are up and running in 5 minutes.
Free plan available · No credit card required · Works with Slack
Up and running in 3 steps
No IT ticket, no CSV import, no onboarding call.
- 1
Install Cabana from the Slack App Directory
- 2
Invite your team and set leave policies
- 3
Employees start requesting PTO in Slack
Everything your team needs to track PTO
Built for teams of 5–150 that want lightweight leave management without enterprise complexity.
Request PTO right from Slack
Employees type /cabana request and pick dates — no portal to log into, no form to fill out. Managers get a Slack DM with one-click Approve / Deny buttons.
Balances tracked automatically
Accruals, carryover caps, and waiting periods are all configured once. Cabana keeps every balance up to date so you never have to touch a spreadsheet again.
Shared team calendar
See who's out at a glance. Cabana syncs approved leave to Google Calendar and Outlook so your whole team always knows who's available.
Multi-location holiday support
Different offices observe different holidays. Assign country- or region-specific holiday calendars to each employee with a few clicks.
Set up in 5 minutes
Install the Slack app, connect your team, and configure your leave policy. No IT ticket, no onboarding call, no 30-day implementation project.
Unlimited & custom leave types
PTO, sick leave, parental leave, volunteer days — create any leave type you need. Supports unlimited PTO, fixed allowances, and statutory policies.
Trusted by small teams who outgrew their PTO spreadsheet
"We set it up in 5 minutes and it just works. No spreadsheet drama anymore."
"The Slack integration is a game-changer. Approvals take seconds now."
"Finally a PTO tool that doesn't require a PhD to configure."
Why PTO tracking goes sideways
at small teams
No dedicated HR person? You're not alone. Here's what leave tracking looks like before Cabana.
Hey @sarah — how many PTO days do I have left? 🏖️
Hmm, let me check the spreadsheet...
Ok so you started with 15, took 3 in March, 2 in May... but wait did you take that extra Friday off? That might not be in here
Yeah I did... so what's my balance?
I think... 9 days? Maybe 8. Let me ping Marcus to check the other tab 😅
| Name | Alloc | Used | Left | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamie K | 15 | 6? | #REF! | check w/ marcus |
| Alex M | 15 | 4 | 11 | 🤔 didn't she take June off? |
| Marcus T | 20 | ??? | ??? | UPDATE WHEN BACK FROM LEAVE |
| Priya S | 15 | 7 | 8 | or is it 7? she emailed about half day |
| — old employee — | 15 | 12 | 3 | LEFT IN MARCH — delete? |
"How many days do I have?"
Employees DM ops managers instead of checking themselves — because there's no self-serve answer anywhere.
Spreadsheets nobody trusts
Three versions, broken formulas, a tab last updated in February. Every balance is someone's best guess.
Managers calculating by hand
Approving PTO means opening a spreadsheet, doing the math, and hoping the formula still works.
Built for teams without
an HR department
At 20 people, PTO tracking lands on whoever has the most tabs open — the ops manager, office manager, or the founder. Cabana does the HR software job without the HR software complexity or price.
Taylor, Ops Manager · 32-person SaaS startup
“I was spending 2–3 hours a week just answering PTO questions and updating the spreadsheet. Now I set it up once and Cabana handles everything.”
Before Cabana
- ✕Manually tracking PTO in a spreadsheet nobody trusts
- ✕Answering "how many days do I have?" in Slack 5× a week
- ✕Discovering vacation overlaps when it's already too late
- ✕End-of-year panic when balances don't add up
- ✕Enterprise HR software priced for 500-person companies
With Cabana
- ✓Employees check their own balance in Slack, anytime
- ✓Leave requests and approvals handled entirely in Slack
- ✓Shared calendar shows who's out before conflicts happen
- ✓Accruals, carryover, and balances calculated automatically
- ✓Free to start — $2/seat/month when you're ready to scale
What to look for in a PTO tracker
for a small team
Not all PTO tools are built for small teams. Here's what actually matters when you're evaluating options at under 150 people.
Slack-native vs. standalone portal
Standalone portals require employees to remember yet another login. Slack-native tools meet your team where they already work — no behavior change required. Look for tools where requests, approvals, and balance checks all happen inside Slack.
Cabana is fully Slack-native. Employees never need to leave Slack.
Per-seat pricing at low headcounts
Many HR platforms charge a $100–300/month floor regardless of team size. At 15 people that's $7–20/seat — often more than you need. Look for a free tier or per-seat pricing that scales with your actual headcount.
Cabana is free to start, then $2/seat/month.
Time-to-value — can you be live today?
Enterprise HR tools can take weeks to implement. For a small team, that's a non-starter. The right tool should be running the day you sign up — no CSV imports, IT tickets, or onboarding consultants.
Most teams are live in Cabana within 5 minutes of signing up.
Flexible, non-standard leave policies
Small teams often have non-standard setups: unlimited PTO, custom accrual schedules, half-days, mental health days. Make sure the tool can handle your actual policies, not just a fixed 15-day annual allowance.
Cabana supports unlimited PTO, fixed allowance, statutory, and custom leave types.
Manager experience — not just employee UX
The approval workflow matters as much as the request flow. Good tools send managers a Slack DM with a one-click approve/deny. Bad ones require logging into a dashboard to process every request.
Managers approve directly in Slack with a single click — no login required.
Visibility: who's out at a glance
Scheduling conflicts happen when vacation visibility is poor. Look for a shared team calendar that syncs to Google Calendar and Outlook — so everyone sees who's out without having to ask.
Cabana syncs to Google Calendar and Outlook, plus shows a live team calendar.
Grows with you from 5 to 150
You won't outgrow Cabana. Here's what leave management looks like at every stage of your team's growth.
Set it up and forget about it
You're probably handling PTO yourself. Cabana replaces your mental spreadsheet with automatic tracking — one policy, one Slack install, done.
- ✓Unlimited or fixed PTO
- ✓Slack approvals
- ✓Team calendar
Hand it off without losing control
PTO questions start eating your ops team. Cabana makes leave self-service — employees check balances, request time off, managers approve in seconds.
- ✓Self-serve balances
- ✓Multi-manager approvals
- ✓Dept-level policies
Different offices, different rules
Remote teams, multiple countries, different holiday calendars. Cabana handles location-specific holidays and policies without spreadsheet chaos.
- ✓Country holiday calendars
- ✓Multi-location policies
- ✓Leave reporting
When you hire your first HR person
Your first HR hire doesn't want to inherit a mess. Cabana gives them structured policies, full history, and integrations with BambooHR and Gusto.
- ✓BambooHR & Gusto sync
- ✓Audit log
- ✓Advanced reporting
Start at any stage — Cabana scales with you.
Start free — no credit card requiredFrequently asked questions
- What is the best PTO tracker for small teams?
- Cabana is designed specifically for small teams of 5–150 employees. It's Slack-native, takes 5 minutes to set up, and automates leave requests, approvals, and balance tracking without any IT involvement.
- How does Cabana track PTO?
- Employees request time off with a simple /cabana command in Slack. Cabana automatically deducts approved days from their balance, applies your accrual rules, and updates the shared team calendar — no manual work required.
- Can Cabana replace a PTO spreadsheet?
- Yes. Cabana automates everything you'd track in a spreadsheet: leave balances, accruals, carryover caps, and who's out each day. Most teams are fully set up in under 5 minutes.
- Does Cabana support unlimited PTO policies?
- Yes. Cabana supports unlimited PTO, fixed annual allowance, and statutory leave types. You can configure accrual schedules, waiting periods, and carryover limits for each policy.
- How much does Cabana cost?
- Cabana offers a free plan for small teams. Paid plans start at $2/user/month and unlock advanced features like custom leave policies, reporting, and multi-location holiday calendars.
Evaluating your options? See how Cabana compares to BambooHR, Vacation Tracker, Flamingo, and more →
Give your team the time off experience they deserve
Set up in under 5 minutes. No credit card required.