absence.io vs Kenjo (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, absence.io grades higher than Kenjo: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
absence.io grades higher on value for money and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
absence.io
Time off, time tracking and employee files for small teams
Kenjo
HR and workforce management software for small and mid-sized firms
Which one is for you
Pick absence.io if
- Fits if you run a small team that mainly needs leave tracking and a shared absence calendar
- Works for teams that want time tracking from the same login on the Pro plan
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need payroll, as there is none
- Tight if you want time tracking or employee files, since both need Pro at €4.49 a user
- Pricey if you need expenses or the API, which only come on Complete at €7.19
- Watch out: prices are in euros and net of tax, with no dollar price shown
Pick Kenjo if
- Fits if you run a European team and want time tracking with an HR file
- Works for firms with shift or office clock-in needs on the Growth plan
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you want overtime, custom schedules or GPS check-in, as they aren't on Starter
- Skip it if you need APIs or integrations, as they are limited to Connect with no price
- Pricey if you add recruiting, as the ATS is an add-on with no price shown
- Watch out: prices are in euros, with no dollar price shown
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAabsence.ioFair | 2.0GPAKenjoFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BStarter is €2.69 per user a month billed annually, about $2.90, inside the cheapest quarter of the category. Time tracking and the employee file sit on Pro at €4.49. | C€5.40 per employee a month billed annually, about $5.90, and €9.00 on Growth. Between the cheapest quarter and the category middle, with Connect on request. |
| Free plan and trial | C14-day free trial with no card needed, and no free plan. | C14-day free trial; the page does not say whether a card is needed. No free plan. |
| Features | CLeave, time tracking, overtime, an employee file and expenses. Time tracking and files need Pro, expenses and the API need Complete, and there is no payroll. | CTime tracking, schedules, documents, e-signature, workflows, onboarding and reviews. Overtime and custom schedules need Growth, and the ATS is an add-on without a price. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Absence policies, allowances and approval flows need setting up first. | CNo store rating on record. Time rules, workflows and onboarding need setting up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus iOS and Android apps, with Microsoft, Google and Slack integrations. The API only comes on Complete. | CWeb only on record, with 1 integration shown. APIs and integrations are limited to Connect. |
| Best for | time off and time tracking for small teams | time tracking and HR for European small firms |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: absence.io and Kenjo. How we grade
Price against what you get
absence.io starts at about $3.01 a month for each person and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Kenjo starts at about $6.03 a month for each person and scores 2.0.
absence.io scores higher and starts $3.02 a month lower. Of the other HR software on the chart, 1 scores higher than absence.io for less, and 18 score higher than Kenjo for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- absence.io also covers expense tracking and time off.
- Kenjo also covers reports, payroll and applicant tracking.
At a glance
| absence.io | Kenjo | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | €2.69 per user / month, billed annually (€2.99 billed monthly) | €5.40 per employee / month, billed annually (€6.00 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | 14-day free trial |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | absence.io GmbH | Kenjo |
| Price read from | absence.io | kenjo.io |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
absence.io
- Prices are listed in euros and net per user; no US dollar price is shown.
- Time tracking, the employee file and SSO need Pro; expenses and the API need Complete.
- Billing is per user, per month; annual billing takes 10% off the monthly price.
Kenjo
- Prices are in euros; no dollar prices are shown.
- The Connect plan has no published price, and APIs and integrations are limited to it.
- Overtime, custom schedules and GPS check-in are not on the Starter plan.
- Recruiting and ATS is a feature add-on, and the pricing page does not give its price.
Key features
absence.io
- Absence and leave management
- Employees request time off and managers approve it, with leave handled in every tier.
- Time tracking
- Web and app tracking, a digital time-clock terminal, overtime automation, custom work schedules and project labels on Pro and above.
- Digital employee file
- Document management and an employee file on Pro and Complete.
- Expense management
- Travel and expense claims with automatic receipt capture and a DATEV integration for expenses, on Complete only.
- Integrations and API
- Connects with Microsoft, Google and Slack on every plan. API access and automated workflows are Complete features.
Kenjo
- Attendance and time tracking
- A digital punch clock, manual entries on web or mobile, timesheets with approvals, and PDF exports with a digital signature.
- Overtime and work schedules
- On Growth and above: custom work schedules, overtime tracking, break reminders, GPS check-in and time categories.
- Documents and e-signature
- Document management on every plan, with e-signature added from Growth.
- Workflows and onboarding
- Standard workflows for all plans, with advanced workflows and onboarding and offboarding flows on Growth.
- Performance reviews
- 360-degree performance reviews and meeting templates are listed on the entry plan.
- Reports
- Standard reporting on every plan and BI reports from Growth.
Plans
absence.io
Starter€2.69
per user / month, billed annually (€2.99 billed monthly)
Absence and leave management, reports and downloads, integrations with Microsoft, Google and Slack, standard support.
Pro€4.49
per user / month, billed annually (€4.99 billed monthly)
Everything in Starter plus time tracking (web, app and time-clock terminal), automated overtime, digital employee file, document management, SSO and priority support.
Complete€7.19
per user / month, billed annually (€7.99 billed monthly)
Everything in Pro plus travel and expense management with receipt capture, API access and automated workflows, and a dedicated account manager.
Kenjo
Starter€5.40
per employee / month, billed annually (€6.00 billed monthly)
Time tracking with a digital punch clock, timesheets, standard workflows, document management, reporting and 360 reviews.
Growth€9.00
per employee / month, billed annually (€10.00 billed monthly)
Starter plus kiosk app, e-signature, advanced workflows, onboarding, multi-office, BI reports, custom permissions, overtime and phone support.
ConnectCustom
Price on request. Growth plus training tracker, bulk operations, APIs, labor-law alerts and hands-on implementation.
Ways to pay less
absence.io
- Annual discount
10% off with annual billing
The pricing page toggle shows each plan about 10% cheaper per month when billed annually.
- Nonprofit
Special pricing for NGOs
The pricing page says NGOs and non-profits can get special pricing by getting in touch.
Kenjo
- Annual discount
10% off with annual billing
The pricing page shows monthly and annual billing, with annual billing marked 10% off: Starter is €6.00 monthly or €5.40 annually.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, absence.io or Kenjo?
As of Nov 12, 2026, absence.io is cheaper to start with: about $3.01 a month for each person, against about $6.03 a month for each person for Kenjo. absence.io starts at €2.69 per user / month, billed annually (€2.99 billed monthly), and Kenjo starts at €5.40 per employee / month, billed annually (€6.00 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, absence.io or Kenjo?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither absence.io nor Kenjo has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do absence.io and Kenjo run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only absence.io lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.