AbsenceNow® vs symplr Workforce
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Report leave time
- Open new absence requests
- Download forms and documents
- Check request status
- Update request information
- Manage employee absences (managers)
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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)
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
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.
| Parameter | AbsenceNow® | symplr Workforce |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.5 (27 ratings) | 2.2 (2.1K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 11.1% of reviews — better | 3.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 27 | 2.1K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 38 MB | 49 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ComPsych Corporation | symplr software LLC |
Customer experience
AbsenceNow®
symplr Workforce
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
AbsenceNow®
No in-app purchases
symplr Workforce
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is AbsenceNow® free?
Is symplr Workforce free?
Which has better reviews, AbsenceNow® or symplr Workforce?
Do AbsenceNow® or symplr Workforce have ads?
Which is updated more often, AbsenceNow® or symplr Workforce?
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