The absence.io Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about absence.io in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
absence.io
The Insider’s Guide
Time off, time tracking and employee files for small teams
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among HR software, read from absence.io’s own pages.
Made by absence.io GmbH · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from absence.io’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on absence.io’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 50 of the 63 other HR software we grade
absence.io is a German HR tool that began as absence management and now also covers time tracking, a digital employee file and expense management. It is sold in three tiers, priced per user in euros, with a 14-day trial. Its servers are hosted in Germany, according to its pricing page.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about absence.io, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Time tracking and the employee file need Pro, and expenses and the API need Complete, so the real price is the dearer tier.
- 1
Best for time off and time tracking for small teams
The cheapest plan is leave only, though.
- 2
Paid plans start at about $3.01 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: €2.69 per user / month, billed annually (€2.99 billed monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free trial, no credit card required
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Absence and leave management
Employees request time off and managers approve it, with leave handled in every tier.
- 6
Time tracking
Web and app tracking, a digital time-clock terminal, overtime automation, custom work schedules and project labels on Pro and above.
- 7
Digital employee file
Document management and an employee file on Pro and Complete.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 50 of 63
That is against the other HR software we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of absence.io you could make: time off, time tracking, employee records and expense tracking. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
absence.io at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from €2.69 per user / month, billed annually (€2.99 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- absence.io GmbH, since 2014
- Category
- HR Software
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for time off and time tracking for small teams
absence.io handles leave, time tracking and employee files for small teams, from €2.69 a user a month on annual billing. The cheapest plan is leave only, though. Time tracking and the employee file need Pro, and expenses and the API need Complete, so the real price is the dearer tier.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Starter 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. |
| Free plan and trial | C | 14-day free trial with no card needed, and no free plan. |
| Features | C | Leave, 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. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Absence policies, allowances and approval flows need setting up first. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web plus iOS and Android apps, with Microsoft, Google and Slack integrations. The API only comes on Complete. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who absence.io is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Small and mid-sized teams in Germany and Europe that need leave and working-time records
- Companies that want to start with absence tracking and add time tracking later
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
~$3.01
A month to start, for each person
absence.io is a paid product with a free trial, starting at €2.69 per user / month, billed annually (€2.99 billed monthly).
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.
Trying it first
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Read from absence.io on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
10% off with annual billing
The pricing page toggle shows each plan about 10% cheaper per month when billed annually.
Stated on absence.ioNonprofit
Special pricing for NGOs
The pricing page says NGOs and non-profits can get special pricing by getting in touch.
Stated on absence.io
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Time off, time tracking and employee files for small teams. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: time tracking, expense tracking, time clock, employee records, time off.
Leave, time tracking, overtime, an employee file and expenses.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Microsoft 365
- Google Workspace
- Slack
- DATEV
absence.io is made by absence.io GmbH, and has been around since 2014.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
50/63
Other HR software it is graded above
absence.io's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 50 of the 63 other HR software we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 56 of 63) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at about $3.01 a month for each person, against a middle price of $5.36 for the category: 11 of the 36 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 64 HR software we grade, cut by the letter each got. absence.io’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 56 of 63
- CFree plan and trialAbove 40 of 63
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 63
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 63
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 22 of 63
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 38 HR software. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. absence.io is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of absence.io you could make: time off, time tracking, employee records and expense tracking. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.4 is higher than 50 of the 63 other HR software we grade. It costs $36.06 a year.
What you could make
- Time off, time tracking, employee records and expense tracking: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Clocking in from a phone, checked against where and when.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
What this rests on. absence.io’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Timetastic, Calamari, Vacation Tracker, Personio and Kenjo
The 5 tools absence.io is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Timetastic
Free trial · from $1.50/mo
Staff leave planner, with an added rota and time clock product.
- absence.io also covers time tracking and expense tracking.
- Timetastic also covers shift scheduling.
- 2.4GPA
Calamari
Free trial · from $2/mo
Modular HR system for time off, attendance, core HR and reviews.
- absence.io also covers expense tracking and time clock.
- Calamari also covers goals and shift scheduling.
- 2.2GPA
Vacation Tracker
Free trial · from $2/mo
Leave and PTO tracking inside Slack, Teams or Google Workspace.
- absence.io also covers time tracking, expense tracking, time clock and employee records.
- Vacation Tracker also covers reports.
- 1.8GPA
Personio
Paid
European HR platform for records, absences, time and recruiting.
- absence.io also covers expense tracking and time clock.
- Personio also covers applicant tracking.
- 2.0GPA
Kenjo
Free trial · from €5.40/mo
HR and workforce management software for small and mid-sized firms.
- Only absence.io lists iOS and Android apps.
- absence.io also covers expense tracking and time off.
- Kenjo also covers reports, payroll and applicant tracking.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is absence.io free?
No, absence.io is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
How much does absence.io cost?
absence.io lists 3 plans. Starter: €2.69 per user / month, billed annually (€2.99 billed monthly).
What platforms does absence.io work on?
absence.io is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does absence.io offer any discounts?
absence.io publicly lists the following: 10% off with annual billing; Special pricing for NGOs.
Does absence.io have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. absence.io is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does absence.io have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. absence.io is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is absence.io open source?
absence.io is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
What does absence.io integrate with?
absence.io's listing names Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Slack and DATEV.
Who makes absence.io?
absence.io is made by absence.io GmbH. It dates from 2014.
What are the alternatives to absence.io?
The closest alternatives to absence.io in our directory are Timetastic, Calamari, Vacation Tracker, Personio and Kenjo.
How does absence.io compare with other HR software?
absence.io's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 50 of the 63 other HR software we grade, and level with 9.
Is absence.io good value for money?
ToolGPA grades absence.io B for value for money. Its paid plans start at about $3.01 a month for each person, against a middle price of $5.36 for the category: 11 of the 36 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of absence.io?
The plain part of absence.io you could make: time off, time tracking, employee records and expense tracking.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from absence.io’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from absence.io's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by absence.io GmbH. Prices change, so check absence.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- absence.io, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/absence-io
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "absence.io: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/absence-io
Know someone choosing between HR software?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/absence-io/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded HR software after absence.io, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- HR Software Insider's GuideEvery one of the 64 HR software we grade, compared
- Breathe Insider's GuideUK HR software for small firms, priced per business, not per person2.6 GPA
- Leave Dates Insider's GuideAnnual leave planner and absence tracker for small teams2.6 GPA
- TalentHR Insider's GuideHR records, time off, hiring and reviews for small teams2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what absence.io’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. absence.io is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by absence.io GmbH. Prices and plans change: check absence.io before you buy.