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Absenca

BrightHR alternative

A BrightHR alternative for teams that only need a holiday planner

BrightHR sells HR software and HR advice, with a holiday planner in every package. Every BrightHR package includes its staff holiday planner and absence management software, and the dearer packages add HR advice and health and safety support.1 BrightHR's online packages cost from £16.67 (Core HR software), £21.20 (Enhanced HR support) or £31.30 (Full HR, health and safety support & EAP) per employee per month, excluding tax.1 BrightHR sells 24, 36 and 60-month fixed terms, with only the 36-month term bought online.1 If the holiday planner is the part you use, Absenca does that on its own: free for up to 10 people, and Pro at $37.50 a month for up to 50.

In short

Choose BrightHR if you want HR advice and health and safety support from the same provider as your holiday planner. Every BrightHR package includes its staff holiday planner and absence management software, and the dearer packages add HR advice and health and safety support.1 Choose Absenca if leave is the job: a free plan for up to 10 people, requests and approvals in Slack on Pro, and Bradford Factor analytics.

Start free See pricing

BrightHR vs Absenca

BrightHR compared with Absenca
BrightHR Absenca
Free plan None; a free demo1 Free for up to 10 people
Price From £16.67 an employee a month1 Pro: $37.50 a month for up to 50 people
What you pay for HR software and advice, leave included1 Leave and absence only
Approvals In the BrightHR app2 In the web app on any device, and in Slack on Pro

BrightHR's online packages cost from £16.67 (Core HR software), £21.20 (Enhanced HR support) or £31.30 (Full HR, health and safety support & EAP) per employee per month, excluding tax.1 Absenca is free for up to 10 people. Pro is $37.50 a month for up to 50 people, or $33.75 a month billed annually ($405 a year). BrightHR prices per employee in pounds and Absenca in US dollars, so this page converts neither.

Why teams pick Absenca

Pay for leave, not a suite

Absenca is free for up to 10 people, and Pro is $37.50 a month for up to 50. BrightHR's online packages cost from £16.67 (Core HR software), £21.20 (Enhanced HR support) or £31.30 (Full HR, health and safety support & EAP) per employee per month, excluding tax.1

Leave in Slack

People request leave and managers approve it in Slack, on Pro, with the web app for everything else.

Absence insight built in

A TOIL balance on every plan. Bradford Factor analytics, on Pro.

How to switch from BrightHR

  1. Pick a cut-over date

    Choose the day Absenca takes over, and on that day note each person's remaining balance in BrightHR.

  2. Set up your office

    Add your office with its work week, leave year start and public holidays for its country. Then add your leave types and policies: accrual schedules, carry-over caps and expiry, and seniority tiers.

  3. Import your people from a CSV

    Fill in Absenca's template with each person's name, email, department, role, office and start date. Absenca checks every row before it imports anyone, then emails each person an invitation. CSV import is on every plan.

  4. Set opening balances

    Adjust each person's balance to what BrightHR showed on the cut-over date. Absenca records each adjustment, with your reason, in the audit log.

  5. Go live

    Your team signs in with a Google, Microsoft or Slack account. Approved leave syncs to Google or Outlook calendars, on every plan. Turn on the Slack bot, on Pro, to request and approve leave in Slack.

The full walkthrough, with what to check before and after the cut-over: move your leave data.

Where BrightHR might be the better fit

We'd rather you pick the right tool than the loudest one. If the points above matter more to you than price, BrightHR is a perfectly good choice.

Frequently asked questions

Is Absenca a good BrightHR alternative?

Yes, if the holiday planner is the part of BrightHR you use. Absenca is a dedicated leave tracker, free for up to 10 people. If you rely on BrightHR's HR advice, keep it. Every BrightHR package includes its staff holiday planner and absence management software, and the dearer packages add HR advice and health and safety support.1

How much does Absenca cost compared with BrightHR?

Absenca is free for up to 10 people. Pro is $37.50 a month for up to 50 people, or $33.75 a month billed annually ($405 a year). BrightHR's online packages cost from £16.67 (Core HR software), £21.20 (Enhanced HR support) or £31.30 (Full HR, health and safety support & EAP) per employee per month, excluding tax.1 The two bill in different currencies, so compare the monthly totals for your team size.

How long does BrightHR sign you up for?

BrightHR sells 24, 36 and 60-month fixed terms, with only the 36-month term bought online.1 Check your own agreement for its end date before you plan a move.

Can I move my data over from BrightHR?

Yes. Absenca bulk-imports your people from a CSV during setup, on every plan, and you set each person's opening balance from BrightHR.

Other comparisons

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Every BrightHR fact on this page links to its source and the date we checked it. Features and prices change, so check BrightHR's own pages before you decide.

Sources

  1. brighthr.com/pricing, checked
  2. brighthr.com/hr-software/staff-holiday-planner, checked