# WS+Absences vs The AAEA

The clearest difference is ratings volume: WS+Absences at 4K against The AAEA's 2. WS+Absences also leads on update cadence (every 4 months vs every 12 months). The AAEA's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The AAEA holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WS+Absences has 4K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

WS+Absences ships an update every 4 months, The AAEA every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WS+Absences | The AAEA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ws-plus-absences/id1437149263/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-aaea/id1484361936/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 54.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 40 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [West Educational Leasing, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1408779293) | [Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators](https://appshunter.io/developer/1484361875) |

## 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


### The AAEA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-aaea/id1484361936)

Access the latest news, announcements, and event calendars from a specific campus. Receive important notifications, view faculty directories, dining menus, and follow athletic updates.

**Highlights:** Latest news and announcements, Event calendars, Campus-specific information, District notifications, Faculty and staff directory, Dining menus, Athletic scores and updates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WS+Absences free?

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

### Is The AAEA free?

The AAEA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, WS+Absences or The AAEA?

The AAEA is rated higher. WS+Absences averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4K ratings, while The AAEA averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do WS+Absences or The AAEA have ads?

Neither WS+Absences nor The AAEA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WS+Absences or The AAEA?

WS+Absences ships an update every 4 months, and The AAEA every 12 months. Most recently, WS+Absences was updated on October 20, 2026 and The AAEA on October 3, 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.*