Absenca vs Breathe HR
Absenca vs Breathe HR
Breathe HR is a UK HR suite — employee records, documents with e-signatures, performance — billed as a flat monthly fee by headcount band. Absenca is focused leave and absence tracking on a flat $0.75/user plan, free for up to 15 people. If leave is your real need, here's the comparison.
In short
If leave and absence tracking is your real need, Absenca is the cheaper, more focused fit — free for up to 15 people and a flat $0.75/user, with Slack + Teams bots, attachments and EU data residency. If you also want records, documents and performance in one place, Breathe HR's wider suite is the stronger choice.
Which is the better fit?
Choose Absenca
Leave-only teams that want deeper time-off tooling (Slack + Teams bots, attachments, EU data residency) at a low per-user price.
Choose Breathe HR
Teams that want a wider HR suite — employee records, document management with e-signatures and performance reviews — in one place.
Absenca vs Breathe HR at a glance
| Absenca | Breathe HR | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Up to 15 users, full features | 14-day trial only |
| Pricing model | $0.75 / user / mo, all-in | Flat fee by headcount band (~£24–£99/mo as of 2026) |
| Leave calendar, wallchart & approvals | Yes | Yes |
| Public holidays (190+ countries) | 190+ countries, auto-import + .ics | UK-focused |
| Accruals, carry-over & seniority | Advanced (monthly/quarterly, tiers, pro-rata) | Pro-rata + entitlement |
| TOIL (time off in lieu) | Yes | Yes |
| Bradford Factor analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Chat bots (Slack / Teams / Google Chat) | Slack + Teams + Google Chat bots | Limited / via integrations |
| Google & Outlook calendar sync | Two-way Google + Outlook sync | Calendar feeds |
| Leave attachments (doctor's notes) | Attached to the leave request | Via document store |
| Multi-office (timezones, leave year) | Full multi-office | Limited |
| Data residency | EU data residency | UK / EU |
| Employee records & document management | No — leave-focused | Yes (+ e-signatures) |
| Performance reviews & 1:1s | No — leave-focused | Yes (light-touch module) |
Breathe HR (publicly available UK pricing, as of 2026): flat monthly fee by headcount band rather than per user — roughly £24/mo for the smallest band (around 1–10 employees) rising to ~£99/mo for ~21–50, plus paid add-on modules (e.g. Rota/Time & Attendance, Learn, Health & Safety); prices exclude VAT, ~10–15% off on annual billing. Absenca: free for up to 15 users, then $0.75/user/mo (Pro up to 50, Custom Pack beyond), leave management and integrations included.
Thinking of switching from Breathe HR?
Absenca's built-in import wizard brings your people and leave balances across, so moving is painless. Read the full breakdown on our Breathe HR alternative page, or just try it free for up to 15 people — no credit card.
Frequently asked questions
Is Absenca a Breathe HR alternative?
For leave and absence management, yes. Absenca is not a full HR suite, so it won't replace Breathe's records, documents or performance features — but it handles time off more cheaply and in more depth.
Is Absenca cheaper than Breathe HR?
Often, especially as you grow. Breathe charges a flat monthly fee by headcount band (roughly £24/mo for the smallest band up to ~£99/mo for ~21–50), plus add-ons. Absenca is free for up to 15 users, then $0.75/user.
Does Absenca offer EU data residency?
Yes — Absenca offers EU data residency and is built for European data-protection expectations.
Other comparisons
Comparison based on publicly available information about Breathe HR as of 2026. Features and pricing change — please check Breathe HR's website for the latest details.