absence.io vs Timetastic (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Timetastic grades higher than absence.io: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Timetastic grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, 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
Timetastic
Staff leave planner, with an added rota and time clock product
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 Timetastic if
- Fits if you only need to know who is off and when
- Works for small teams that want leave approvals on a phone
Look elsewhere if
- Too light for HR records, hiring or reviews, as it covers leave and an optional rota
- Skip it if you want to stay free, since only a 30-day trial is offered
- Pricey if you need rotas and a time clock, a separate $5.50 plan
- Watch out: booking limits, absence reports and the burnout board need Pro
- Watch out: the page lists dollar prices, with GBP prices in its data for the UK
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAabsence.ioFair | 2.6GPATimetasticGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | A$1.50 a user a month on Business is under 60% of the category's cheapest quarter at $3. Pro is $2.50 and Rota & Time Clock $5.50. |
| Free plan and trial | C14-day free trial with no card needed, and no free plan. | CA 30-day trial with no credit card, and 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. | CIt does the leave job fully: calendar, allowances and approvals. That is a smaller job than a full HR system, and booking limits and absence reports need Pro. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Absence policies, allowances and approval flows need setting up first. | CNo store rating on record. You still have to add staff, allowances and approvers. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus iOS and Android apps, with Microsoft, Google and Slack integrations. The API only comes on Complete. | BWeb, iOS and Android with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, QuickBooks and Sage 50. No desktop app. |
| Best for | time off and time tracking for small teams | a staff leave calendar from $1.50 a seat |
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 Timetastic. 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. Timetastic starts at $1.50 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and Timetastic starts $1.51 a month lower. Of the other HR software on the chart, 1 scores higher than absence.io for less, and none scores higher than Timetastic 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 and expense tracking.
- Timetastic also covers shift scheduling.
At a glance
| absence.io | Timetastic | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | €2.69 per user / month, billed annually (€2.99 billed monthly) | $1.50 per user / month |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | 30-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | absence.io GmbH | Timetastic Ltd |
| Price read from | absence.io | timetastic.co.uk |
| 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.
Timetastic
- Prices are shown in US dollars on the page we read; the page's structured data also lists GBP prices for the UK, so the rate you see depends on where you are.
- Booking limits, absence reports and the burnout board need Pro or above; rotas and time clock are a separate $5.50 plan.
- Billing runs month to month through Stripe with no minimum term.
- Charities, Certified B Corporations, Fair Tax Mark holders, 1% for the Planet members and NHS Trusts get 50% off.
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.
Timetastic
- Shared leave calendar
- One calendar shows who is off and when, with holiday allowance records and manager approval of requests.
- Absence insights
- Pro adds absence trends, company-wide absence reports and a burnout board with risk alerts.
- Rotas
- Rota & Time Clock builds shift rotas with templates, conflict detection, multi-location management, open shifts and shift swaps.
- Time clock and timesheets
- Staff clock in and out from a phone, with break and overtime tracking and a payroll data export.
- Basic HR records
- Employee profiles, document storage and electronic signatures, onboarding forms and key date reminders are listed under the Rota & Time Clock plan.
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.
Timetastic
Business$1.50
per user / month, billed monthly
Unlimited users and departments, shared calendar of who is off, holiday allowance records and approvals, mobile and desktop app.
Pro$2.50
per user / month, billed monthly
Everything in Business plus booking limits by leave type, absence trends and insights, company-wide absence reports and enhanced user profiles.
Rota & Time Clock$5.50
per user / month, billed monthly
Rotas, clock-in and clock-out, payroll-ready timesheets, leave and absence management, HR records and team chat.
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.
Timetastic
- Nonprofit
50% off for good causes
A 50% discount on standard pricing for charities, Certified B Corporations, Fair Tax Mark holders, 1% for the Planet members and NHS Trusts.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, absence.io or Timetastic?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Timetastic is cheaper to start with: $1.50 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 Timetastic starts at $1.50 per user / month.
Which has a free plan, absence.io or Timetastic?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither absence.io nor Timetastic has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
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.