absence.io vs LeaveBoard (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, LeaveBoard grades higher than absence.io: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
LeaveBoard grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
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
LeaveBoard
Leave tracking and employee records for small companies
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 LeaveBoard if
- Fits if you have fewer than 10 people and want leave tracked for free
- Works for small firms that need leave and a staff directory
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you grow past 9 employees, where the free plan stops
- Watch out: cancelling means contacting the vendor, who suspends the plan at the next renewal
- Pricey if you're in the EU, since VAT goes on top of listed prices
- Too light for payroll or hiring, which aren't listed
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAabsence.ioFair | 2.6GPALeaveBoardGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | B$1.35 an employee, in the cheapest quarter of this category, though the listing doesn't say if that's monthly or yearly. |
| Free plan and trial | C14-day free trial with no card needed, and no free plan. | BFree for up to 9 employees with the dashboard, time off tracking, directory, reports, absence calendar and leave policies, plus a 14-day trial. |
| 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. | CLeave, records and reports, but the pages read list no payroll or hiring tools. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Absence policies, allowances and approval flows need setting up first. | CNo store rating on record, and you'd set it up with your own people data first, so it's an ordinary C. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus iOS and Android apps, with Microsoft, Google and Slack integrations. The API only comes on Complete. | BWeb only, with five listed integrations. No mobile app named. |
| Best for | time off and time tracking for small teams | leave tracking for small companies |
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 LeaveBoard. 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. LeaveBoard starts at $1.35 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and LeaveBoard starts $1.66 a month lower. Of the other HR software on the chart, 2 score higher than absence.io for less, and none scores higher than LeaveBoard 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 time tracking, expense tracking and time clock.
- LeaveBoard also covers reports and dashboards.
At a glance
| absence.io | LeaveBoard | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | €2.69 per user / month, billed annually (€2.99 billed monthly) | $1.35 per employee / month, rate basis not stated |
| Free plan | None | Free plan for a maximum of 9 employees, with the HR dashboard, time off tracking, employee directory, HR reports, absence calendar and leave policies. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | 14-day free trial |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | absence.io GmbH | LeaveBoard |
| Price read from | absence.io | leaveboard.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
LeaveBoard
- The free plan stops at 9 employees.
- Cancellation is by contacting the vendor, who suspends the plan at the next renewal.
- EU businesses are charged VAT on top of the listed prices.
- Covers leave, records and reports; the pages read do not list payroll or hiring tools.
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.
LeaveBoard
- Time off tracking
- Employees request leave in a self-service portal and managers approve it, with allowances, accruals and custom leave types.
- Absence calendar
- A shared team calendar shows who is off, with public holidays and custom work schedules.
- Employee directory
- Keeps employee records in one searchable place, arranged by the company's organizational chart.
- HR reports
- Reports on leave balances, sick leave and attendance can be exported, including in Excel format, for payroll or accounting.
- Calendar sync
- Time off, birthdays, work anniversaries and public holidays can be pushed to Google, Outlook and Apple calendars through feeds.
- Single sign-on
- Sign-in through Google, Outlook and Slack accounts using OAuth2 and OpenID.
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.
LeaveBoard
Free$0
Up to 9 employees, with time off tracking, employee directory, HR reports, absence calendar and leave policies.
PRO$1.35
per employee / month, monthly or yearly rate not stated
Unlimited users, priority support and advanced leave policies. The page does not say whether $1.35 is the monthly or yearly rate (save 17%).
EnterpriseCustom
Aimed at companies larger than 81 employees, adds an account manager. Priced on request.
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.
LeaveBoard
- Annual discount
Save 17% with yearly billing
The pricing page labels its Yearly switch as saving 17% over monthly billing.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, absence.io or LeaveBoard?
As of Nov 13, 2026, LeaveBoard is cheaper to start with: $1.35 a month for each person, against about $3.01 a month for each person for absence.io. absence.io starts at €2.69 per user / month, billed annually (€2.99 billed monthly), and LeaveBoard starts at $1.35 per employee / month, rate basis not stated.
Which has a free plan, absence.io or LeaveBoard?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only LeaveBoard has a free plan. absence.io does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do absence.io and LeaveBoard run on?
As of Nov 13, 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.