Comparison

AbsenceNow® vs symplr Workforce

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

AbsenceNow®

Manage your work absences easily from your mobile device. Request, track, and update leave time, download important documents, and check request statuses. Managers can also manage employee absences.

Highlights
  • Report leave time
  • Open new absence requests
  • Download forms and documents
  • Check request status
  • Update request information
  • Manage employee absences (managers)
Features
Read full description

AbsenceNow® provides convenient access to our easy-to-use absence platform so you can request, track and manage your absences on-the-go by: • Reporting your leave time • Opening a new request • Downloading forms and documents associated with your request • Checking the status of a request • Finding answers to frequently asked questions • Updating your own request information • Working on behalf of your employees (for managers and supervisors)

About

symplr Workforce

This app allows employees to manage their schedules, request time off, and clock in/out with location verification. Managers can oversee employee timecards, approve requests, and monitor staffing levels to ensure optimal workforce management.

Highlights
  • Self-scheduling and shift requests
  • Location-based clocking with alerts
  • Timecard management and approval
  • Request time off
  • View employee schedules and timecards
  • Monitor staffing levels
Features
Read full description

The Workforce app streamlines key features from Time and Attendance, Staffing and Scheduling, and ShiftSelect®. Note: Available features differ based on your solution. FEATURES As an employee: • Add shifts during self-scheduling periods. • Request open shifts and trade. • View your schedule and request time off. • Clock in based on your location and get notified when there is a mismatch with your location. • View missed clocking alerts, clock in/out, sign off your timecard, and add/edit/delete clockings and calendars. As a manager: • View your employees' timecards, requests, exceptions, and contact information. • Correct a clocking or location mismatch by editing the schedule or clocking. • View missed clocking alerts and preventable overtime, approve employee clockings, calendars, and timecards, and add, edit, or delete employee clockings and calendars. • View hourly staffing levels to show situations that need immediate attention such as over or understaffing.

Screenshots

AbsenceNow®4 screens
symplr Workforce4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: symplr Workforce at 2.2 against AbsenceNow®'s 1.5. symplr Workforce also leads on ratings volume (2.1K vs 27). AbsenceNow®'s advantage is review sentiment (11% vs 3%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

symplr Workforce holds the better App Store score, 2.2 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: symplr Workforce has 2.1K ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 11% of AbsenceNow®'s written reviews are positive against 3% of symplr Workforce's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AbsenceNow® ships an update every 2 months, symplr Workforce every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
AbsenceNow® versus symplr Workforce: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAbsenceNow®symplr Workforce
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.5 (27 ratings)2.2 (2.1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews11.1% of reviews — better3.0% of reviews
Number of ratings272.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB49 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperComPsych Corporationsymplr software LLC

Customer experience

AbsenceNow®

All ratings26 ratings
Positive11.5%
Neutral3.8%
Negative84.6%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive11.1%
Neutral11.1%
Negative77.8%

symplr Workforce

All ratings2,063 ratings
Positive25.6%
Neutral7.2%
Negative67.2%
Written reviews266 reviews
Positive3.0%
Neutral4.9%
Negative92.1%

Bugs and requests

AbsenceNow®

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

symplr Workforce

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inconsistent clock-in/out registration
  • Timecard errors and discrepancies
  • Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • Schedule not accurately reflecting shifts

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to view full team schedules
  • Option to customize schedule display
  • Improved calendar integration
  • Streamlined login process
  • More flexible time editing capabilities

In-app purchases

None

AbsenceNow®

No in-app purchases

None

symplr Workforce

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AbsenceNow® free?
AbsenceNow® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is symplr Workforce free?
symplr Workforce is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, AbsenceNow® or symplr Workforce?
symplr Workforce is rated higher. AbsenceNow® averages 1.5 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while symplr Workforce averages 2.2 from 2.1K ratings.
Do AbsenceNow® or symplr Workforce have ads?
Neither AbsenceNow® nor symplr Workforce shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AbsenceNow® or symplr Workforce?
AbsenceNow® ships an update every 2 months, and symplr Workforce every 5 weeks. Most recently, AbsenceNow® was updated on November 1, 2026 and symplr Workforce on November 14, 2026.

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