# WS+Absences vs SmartFind Express

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | WS+Absences | SmartFind Express |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ws-plus-absences/id1437149263/reviews)** | [4.5 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartfind-express/id1441480371/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3.9K | **15K** |
| Positive reviews | **54.5% of reviews** | 19.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 40 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [West Educational Leasing, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1408779293) | [PowerSchool Group LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1057394489) |

## What reviewers say

### WS+Absences

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ws-plus-absences/id1437149263)

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.

**Highlights:** Report absences from mobile, Streamlined absence reporting, Direct communication with school

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 User-friendly
- 👍 Convenient

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inability to submit absence requests
- 🐛 Inflexible absence policies
- 🐛 Lack of sub selection options
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate

**Reported bugs**

- No reasons show up in drop box for absence
- Once sub accepts a job, other options for the week disappear

**Requested features**

- Allow writing in real reason for absence
- Ability to choose favorite subs
- Visibility of back office for admins


### SmartFind Express

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartfind-express/id1441480371)

This mobile application is designed for substitute teachers. It provides a convenient platform for managing substitute assignments and related tasks.

**Highlights:** Substitute assignment management, Mobile platform for educators, Streamlined substitute tasks

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient app for substitute teachers
- 📆 Helpful calendar and job tracking features
- ⏱️ Quick and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and loading issues
- 🔄 Filters and settings not saved between sessions
- 🔕 Lack of push notifications for new jobs
- 🤔 Confusing UI and navigation

**Reported bugs**

- Login process frequently fails
- Job listings not updating in real-time
- Issues with checking in/out of assignments

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WS+Absences free?

WS+Absences is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SmartFind Express free?

SmartFind Express is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, WS+Absences or SmartFind Express?

WS+Absences is rated higher. WS+Absences averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.9K ratings, while SmartFind Express averages 4.5 from 15K ratings.

### Do WS+Absences or SmartFind Express have ads?

Neither WS+Absences nor SmartFind Express shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WS+Absences or SmartFind Express?

WS+Absences ships an update every 4 months, and SmartFind Express every 4 weeks. Most recently, WS+Absences was updated on September 22, 2026 and SmartFind Express on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*