# WS+Absences vs Swing Subs

The clearest difference is rating: WS+Absences at 4.8 against Swing Subs's 1.7. WS+Absences also leads on review sentiment (55% vs 13%) and ratings volume (3.9K vs 23). On price, update cadence, 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.

WS+Absences holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WS+Absences has 3.9K ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of WS+Absences's written reviews are positive against 13% of Swing Subs's.

WS+Absences ships an update every 4 months, Swing Subs every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WS+Absences | Swing Subs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ws-plus-absences/id1437149263/reviews)** | [1.7 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swing-subs-for-substitutes/id6480072147/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.9K** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | **54.5% of reviews** | 12.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 40 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [West Educational Leasing, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1408779293) | [Swing Education, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1193348200) |

## 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


### Swing Subs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swing-subs-for-substitutes/id6480072147)

Find and apply for substitute teaching positions based on your preferences for grade, subject, pay, and location. Take control of your schedule and income by choosing which jobs to accept, and make a positive impact in local school communities.

**Highlights:** Explore job openings by grade, subject, pay, location, Sign up for jobs directly from phone, Control your schedule and income, Choose which jobs to accept, Support local school communities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Seeing sub score
- 💡 Skill builders for classroom management

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable notifications
- 🐛 Frequent log-outs
- 🐛 Slow app performance
- 🔍 Lack of filters and sorting options
- 🔍 Fewer job opportunities

**Reported bugs**

- Jobs disappearing before they can be viewed
- Inconsistent login behavior
- Refresh issues causing missed opportunities

**Requested features**

- Add filters for single/multi-day assignments
- Improve notification reliability
- Implement automatic app refresh
- Provide dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WS+Absences free?

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

### Is Swing Subs free?

Swing Subs is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, WS+Absences or Swing Subs?

WS+Absences is rated higher. WS+Absences averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.9K ratings, while Swing Subs averages 1.7 from 23 ratings.

### Do WS+Absences or Swing Subs have ads?

Neither WS+Absences nor Swing Subs shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WS+Absences or Swing Subs?

WS+Absences ships an update every 4 months, and Swing Subs every 2 months. Most recently, WS+Absences was updated on September 22, 2026 and Swing Subs on September 14, 2026.

---

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