Compare/Head to head

Calamari vs Jibble

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Starting price

Calamari

$2.50/employee/mo Free trial

Modular HR for time off, attendance, and core HR. Each module is $2.50 per employee a month. Standard API is included.

Where Calamari fits

  • EU and multi-country teams with complex leave rules
  • Companies that clock in from Slack, Teams, or a kiosk
  • HR teams that want documents beside time off
  • Builders who will use the included API quota

Jibble

Free plan 14 day free trial

Time and attendance with a free-forever plan for unlimited users. Paid Premium and Ultimate are billed per user in the app after a 14-day trial.

Where Jibble fits

  • Hourly teams that want a free time clock
  • Field and construction crews using GPS or kiosk
  • Companies exporting hours to Xero or QuickBooks
  • Admins who want time data inside Claude or ChatGPT

At a glance

DetailCalamariJibble
Starting price$2.50/employee/moFree plan
Free tier–No–No
Free trialYes14 day free trial
MCP server–No✓Yes
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underHRIS, Time & attendanceTime & attendance
CapterraNot enough reviews4.8 from 1,980 reviews

Where they pull apart

Calamari

Stands out: Pick Time Off, Time and Attendance, and Core HR as modules, with Slack, Teams, and Google already in the box.

Watch out: Modules stack at $2.50 per employee a month each, so time off, attendance and core HR together cost three times the headline, and there is a minimum bill.

Not the right fit for

  • Buyers who want one flat price for every module
  • Enterprises that want a full payroll HCM

Jibble

Stands out: Unlimited users on the free clock, plus an MCP server so Claude and ChatGPT can clock in and pull timesheets.

Watch out: Advanced policies, extra geofences, and analytics sit on paid plans selected in the app. New accounts trial those paid features for 14 days.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that need published paid-plan prices
  • Companies that want payroll inside the same product

Pros and cons

Calamari

  • Modules for leave, clock-in, and HR files
  • Slack, Teams, Google, and Microsoft included
  • API quota included with the product
  • Each module is priced separately
  • Not a payroll or tax-filing tool
  • Module stacking can raise the bill

Jibble

  • Free forever for unlimited users
  • MCP for Claude and ChatGPT
  • GPS, kiosk, Slack, and Teams clock-in
  • Paid prices shown only in-app
  • Not a full payroll product
  • Face capture can fail in poor light

What each one costs

Calamari

$2.50/employee/mo

Calamari prices each module at $2.50 per employee a month: Time Off, Time and Attendance, Core HR, Performance and Scheduling. Prices can also be shown in EUR. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Jibble

Free plan

Free forever for unlimited users on core time tracking. New accounts get 14 days of paid features. Premium and Ultimate are per-user upgrades selected in the app. Paid rates are shown in the app, not as a public rate card. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Can you try Calamari or Jibble for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing. Calamari offers a free trial. Jibble offers a 14 day free trial.
Does Calamari or Jibble have an MCP server?
Jibble ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Calamari alternatives All Jibble alternatives Every HRIS tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?