WS+Absences vs SmartFind Express
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
WS+Absences
Easily report student absences directly from your mobile device. This application streamlines the process of notifying the school about a student's absence, ensuring timely communication.
- Report absences from mobile
- Streamlined absence reporting
- Direct communication with school
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Report absences from your mobile device.
SmartFind Express
This mobile application is designed for substitute teachers. It provides a convenient platform for managing substitute assignments and related tasks.
- Substitute assignment management
- Mobile platform for educators
- Streamlined substitute tasks
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This is the SmartFind Express Mobile App for substitutes.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: WS+Absences at 55% against SmartFind Express's 19%. WS+Absences also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5). SmartFind Express's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (15K vs 3.9K). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
WS+Absences holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.9K and 15K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of WS+Absences's written reviews are positive against 19% of SmartFind Express's.
WS+Absences ships an update every 4 months, SmartFind Express every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | WS+Absences | SmartFind Express |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (3.9K ratings) — better | 4.5 (15K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 54.5% of reviews — better | 19.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3.9K | 15K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 40 MB | 23 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | West Educational Leasing, Inc | PowerSchool Group LLC |
Customer experience
WS+Absences
SmartFind Express
User reviews
WS+Absences
From 3.9K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 User-friendly
- 👍 Convenient
Room to improve
- 🐛 Inability to submit absence requests
- 🐛 Inflexible absence policies
- 🐛 Lack of sub selection options
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate
SmartFind Express
From 15K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Convenient app for substitute teachers
- 📆 Helpful calendar and job tracking features
- ⏱️ Quick and easy to use
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and loading issues
- 🔄 Filters and settings not saved between sessions
- 🔕 Lack of push notifications for new jobs
- 🤔 Confusing UI and navigation
Bugs and requests
WS+Absences
Reported bugs
2 issues- No reasons show up in drop box for absence
- Once sub accepts a job, other options for the week disappear
Requested features
3 requests- Allow writing in real reason for absence
- Ability to choose favorite subs
- Visibility of back office for admins
SmartFind Express
Reported bugs
3 issues- Login process frequently fails
- Job listings not updating in real-time
- Issues with checking in/out of assignments
Requested features
4 requests- Add ability to sort/filter by date range
- Integrate with calendar apps for better scheduling
- Provide more detailed job information (grade level, subject, etc.)
- Improve reliability and stability of the app
In-app purchases
WS+Absences
No in-app purchases
SmartFind Express
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is WS+Absences free?
Is SmartFind Express free?
Which has better reviews, WS+Absences or SmartFind Express?
Do WS+Absences or SmartFind Express have ads?
Which is updated more often, WS+Absences or SmartFind Express?
Other comparisons
