Employment Innovations is an Australian HR services company providing outsourced HR advice, compliance, and Employment Hero software — but the bundled service model means you pay for a full advisory package when you only need leave management.
If your team uses Employment Innovations mainly for leave tracking, you are paying for employment law advice, compliance audits, and HR consulting services you may never use. The most common reasons teams look for an Employment Innovations alternative are the bundled pricing that includes services you do not need, the dependency on Employment Hero software (which has its own complexity and cost), and the absence of Slack or Microsoft Teams integration for in-chat leave requests.
This guide evaluates six alternatives to Employment Innovations’ leave management capabilities.
Key Takeaways
- Employment Innovations bundles HR services with software — you pay for the full advisory package.
- Powered by Employment Hero — complex and expensive for leave-only needs.
- Leave Balance offers the best value — AUD $29/month flat rate with Slack and Teams integration.
- No Slack or Microsoft Teams integration — employees must use the Employment Hero portal.
- Bundled services are the real product — software is a delivery mechanism for advisory services.
Why Teams Look for Employment Innovations Alternatives
Employment Innovations provides outsourced HR solutions including HR advice, compliance audits, employment contracts, and HR software (powered by Employment Hero). Their service bundles software with expert advisory.
But for teams that only need leave management:
- Bundled pricing — you cannot buy just the leave management software; it comes as part of a service package starting from AUD $58/week
- Employment Hero dependency — the software platform has its own complexity and cost structure
- No Slack or Microsoft Teams integration — leave requests happen through the Employment Hero portal
- Overkill for teams with in-house HR — if you already have employment law advice, the bundled services go unused
- Service-oriented — Employment Innovations is primarily an advisory firm, not a software company
What to Look for in an Employment Innovations Alternative
Key criteria for Australian businesses:
- Pricing model — flat-rate vs per-employee, and total cost at your team size
- Australian compliance — Fair Work Act, NES entitlements, leave loading, long service leave
- Integrations — Slack, Microsoft Teams, MYOB, Xero
- Setup time — hours vs weeks
- Scope — advisory services + software, or dedicated leave management?
Here are the six best alternatives to Employment Innovations for leave management in 2026.
1. Leave Balance — Best Overall Alternative for Leave-Only Teams
Leave Balance is a dedicated leave management tool with native Slack and Microsoft Teams integration and flat-rate pricing.
Pricing
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Monthly | AUD $29/month (flat rate) |
| Annual | AUD $290/year (AUD $24.17/mo) |
Unlimited employees and unlimited leave policies. A 50-person team pays AUD $29/month.
Key Features
- Slack and Microsoft Teams integration — full leave workflow in chat
- Unlimited custom leave policies — annual leave, personal/carer’s leave, long service leave, leave loading, custom types
- Team calendar — real-time absence visibility
- Analytics and reporting — leave trends and exportable data
- Multi-country support — Australia, New Zealand, and other regions
- 15-minute setup
Australian Compliance
Leave Balance supports configurable policies aligned with NES entitlements, including annual leave (4 weeks), personal/carer’s leave (10 days), leave loading (17.5%), and pro-rata calculations.
Limitations
Not an advisory service. No employment law advice, compliance audits, or HR consulting.
Why It Is the Top Pick
Leave Balance covers leave management at AUD $29/month — a fraction of Employment Innovations’ bundled service cost — with Slack and Teams integration built in.
Best for: Teams of 10 to 200 employees that use Slack or Teams and want dedicated leave management.
2. Tanda — Best for Shift-Based Teams
Tanda is an Australian workforce management platform.
Pricing
Per-user modular pricing. For a 30-person team, approximately AUD $384–480/mo.
Key Features
- Award interpretation engine
- Rostering and shift scheduling
- Leave management
Limitations
Overkill for office-based teams. Opaque pricing.
Best for: Shift-based businesses needing award interpretation.
3. Deputy — Best for Scheduling-First Teams
Deputy is a shift scheduling and workforce management tool.
Pricing
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Premium | AUD $9/user/mo |
For a 30-person team, approximately AUD $270/mo.
Key Features
- Shift scheduling and time tracking
- Leave management integrated with scheduling
Limitations
Leave management is secondary to scheduling. Per-user pricing.
Best for: Businesses needing shift scheduling as a primary function.
4. Employment Hero — Best for Full HR + Payroll
Employment Hero is an Australian HR platform.
Pricing
Per-employee pricing, approximately AUD $600–1,800/mo for a 50-person team.
Key Features
- Leave management with NES compliance
- Payroll and STP reporting
- Employee benefits
Limitations
Expensive for leave-only use. Complex for teams that only need leave tracking.
Best for: Australian businesses wanting a full HR and payroll platform.
5. Xero Leave — Best for Teams Already in the Xero Ecosystem
Xero includes basic leave management with payroll.
Pricing
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard | AUD $55/mo |
Key Features
- Basic leave request and approval workflows
- Leave balances tracked alongside payroll
Limitations
Deliberately basic. No team calendar, no Slack/Teams integration.
Best for: Very small teams (under 15 employees) using Xero.
6. Vacation Tracker — Best for Global Teams
Vacation Tracker is a Slack and Teams-native leave tracker.
Pricing
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Complete | USD $4/user/mo ($100 min) |
For a 30-person team, approximately AUD $180/mo.
Key Features
- Native Slack and Teams integration
- Team calendar
- Custom leave policies
Limitations
No Australian compliance features. Per-user pricing with minimums.
Best for: Global distributed teams without Australian employees.
Pricing Comparison at a Glance
| Tool | 30-Person Monthly Cost (AUD) | Pricing Model |
|---|---|---|
| Leave Balance | AUD $29/mo | Flat rate, unlimited users |
| Xero Leave | AUD $55/mo | Bundled with accounting |
| Vacation Tracker | AUD $180/mo | Per user + minimum |
| Deputy | AUD $270/mo | Per user |
| Tanda | AUD $384–480/mo | Per user, modular |
| Employment Hero | AUD $600–1,800/mo | Per employee |
| Employment Innovations | AUD $250+/mo (services) | Bundled advisory package |
Leave Balance is the most affordable option at every team size. At 50 employees, you pay AUD $29/month flat while Employment Innovations and Employment Hero reach AUD $600+/month.
How to Choose the Right Employment Innovations Alternative
You want better leave management without the advisory bundle
Choose Leave Balance. AUD $29/month flat with Slack and Teams integration. No advisory services you do not need.
You need employment law advice and compliance
Stay with Employment Innovations or consider a standalone employment law retainer.
You need shift scheduling with award interpretation
Choose Tanda. Strongest award engine in the market.
You need a full HR and payroll platform
Evaluate Employment Hero (the software, without the advisory bundle).
You only need basic leave and use Xero
Stick with Xero Leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Leave Balance alongside Employment Innovations?
Yes. Use Employment Innovations for advisory services and compliance, and add Leave Balance for better leave management with Slack and Teams integration.
Does Leave Balance support Australian leave entitlements?
Yes. Leave Balance supports configurable policies aligned with NES entitlements, including annual leave (4 weeks), personal/carer’s leave (10 days), and leave loading (17.5%).
How does flat-rate pricing work as my team grows?
Leave Balance costs AUD $29/month regardless of team size. No per-seat charges, no tier thresholds.
The Bottom Line
Employment Innovations provides genuine value through its advisory services and compliance expertise. But for teams that primarily need leave management, the bundled service model is an expensive way to track holiday requests.
Leave Balance offers AUD $29/month flat, Slack and Teams integration, and a 15-minute setup. Try Leave Balance free for 14 days — no credit card required.
This article is general information, not legal advice.