Subbey vs. EZ Sub: Which Substitute Teacher App Is Right for Your School?
Subbey and EZ Substitute Management (by EZ School Apps) are both affordable, school-sized alternatives to enterprise systems. So what actually separates them? Here is an honest, side-by-side look for administrators at public, private, charter, and independent schools.
Book a demo with SheaSubbey is a dedicated, mobile-first substitute teacher app: post a job in seconds, your subs are notified instantly, the first to tap claims it, with in-app chat, founder-led onboarding of your sub pool, and one flat annual subscription. EZ Sub (EZ Substitute Management) is a budget-friendly substitute module from EZ School Apps, a company whose suite also spans school lunch payments and aftercare software. Both are priced for real schools; Subbey is the choice when you want substitute management to be the whole product, polished, mobile-first, and personally supported, rather than one module among many.
What Are Subbey and EZ Sub (EZ School Apps)?
These two are closer in spirit than most matchups on this list, both were built for schools, not district bureaucracies. The difference is focus and experience.
Subbey: the simple substitute teacher app
Subbey was founded by Shea McGee, a teacher who was tired of the texting, calling, and emailing it took to find a sub. With Subbey, teachers and administrators post a job in a few clicks, every sub in your school's pool gets an instant notification, and the first available sub claims the job with one tap. You can also hand-pick which subs a job goes to.
Subbey includes in-app chat, lesson plan sharing, real-time confirmations, and a full calendar on iOS and Android, and it is trusted by 2,000+ teachers.
EZ Sub: a budget module in a school-apps suite
EZ Substitute Management is one of several products from EZ School Apps, whose cloud suite also includes school lunch payment and aftercare software. Teachers or admins post absence requests, subs get alerts by email and mobile app, and admins can run absence and payroll reports. Pricing starts around $500 per school per year.
It is a genuinely affordable option, particularly for small private and religious schools. The tradeoff of the multi-app model is focus: substitute management is one module in a broader catalog, rather than the entire product being designed around the moment a teacher needs a sub.
Subbey vs. EZ Sub (EZ School Apps): Side-by-Side Comparison
Here is how the two school-sized substitute management apps compare on the details that matter day to day.
Substitute teacher software comparison: Subbey vs. EZ Sub (EZ School Apps) (2026)
| Feature | Subbey | EZ Sub (EZ School Apps) |
|---|---|---|
| Product focus | Substitute management is the entire product | One module in a suite that also covers lunch payments & aftercare |
| Post a sub job | A few clicks from your phone | Absence requests posted online |
| First-to-claim job model | First available sub taps and it is covered | Subs accept open jobs or admins assign them |
| Choose which subs see a job | Teachers and admins can self-select subs | Preferred subs and sub groups |
| In-app chat with subs | Built in | Not a core feature |
| Lesson plan sharing | Shared right in the app | Attach lesson plans to requests |
| Mobile experience | Mobile-first iOS & Android apps for admins, teachers & subs | Web-based system with a companion sub app |
| Onboarding your sub pool | The Subbey team personally contacts and sets up each of your subs | Self-serve setup with vendor assistance |
| Help sourcing additional subs | Optional sub-sourcing to grow your pool | Software only |
| Pricing | One flat annual subscription per school with unlimited staff & subs | Budget-friendly; starts around $500 per school per year |
| Support | Personal support: you can email the founder directly | US-based phone and email support |
| Founded by | A teacher who lived the sub-finding problem | A school software company with a multi-app catalog |
EZ School Apps, EZ Substitute, and related marks are trademarks of their respective owners. Feature and pricing information is based on publicly available materials and may change; verify details with each vendor.
3 Key Differences Between Subbey and EZ Sub
One product vs. one module
Every ounce of Subbey's design goes into a single moment: a teacher is out and a classroom needs covering. EZ Sub is a capable module, but it lives inside a catalog that also sells lunch payment and aftercare software. Focus shows up in the details: the speed of posting, the polish of the sub experience, the pace of improvements.
Mobile-first vs. web-with-an-app
Subs live on their phones at 6:30 a.m. when jobs drop. Subbey was built app-first for admins, teachers, and subs alike: instant push notifications, one-tap claiming, chat, and lesson plans all in hand. That day-to-day experience is what keeps subs engaged and jobs filling fast.
People onboard your pool, not a PDF
With Subbey, the team personally reaches out to every one of your subs and gets them set up, and Shea, the founder, stays an email away. Your pool is live and claiming jobs from day one instead of working through setup instructions on their own.
How Much Time Is Your Sub Process Costing You?
Drag the sliders to match your school. Whether you are working the phones or clicking through an enterprise system, see how many hours Subbey gives back to your front office every year.
With Subbey, posting a job takes about a minute. Then your subs are notified instantly and the first to tap claims it. No phone tag, no follow-up.
Which Schools Should Choose Subbey Over EZ Sub?
Subbey is substitute teacher software for every kind of school, here is how each one benefits.
Private & independent schools
Most enterprise absence systems are priced and built for big districts. Subbey gives private and independent schools a modern sub management app sized and priced for a single school, with the personal support smaller teams expect.
Public schools
Public schools use Subbey to cut the daily scramble of covering absences. Front-office staff post jobs in seconds instead of working the phones, and principals see coverage confirmed in real time.
Charter schools
Charter schools and networks love that Subbey is fast to roll out, easy for every campus to adopt, and does not require an enterprise IT project to launch. Add campuses and administrators as you grow.
Preschools & early learning centers
Coverage matters even more when ratios are on the line. Subbey helps preschools and early childhood programs alert their subs instantly, so classrooms stay covered and compliant.
Book a live demo with Shea, Subbey's founder and a former teacher. He will show you exactly how your school would post jobs, notify subs, and fill absences in minutes, and answer every question about how Subbey compares to EZ Sub for your school.
Frequently Asked Questions: Subbey vs. EZ Sub (EZ School Apps)
Join the schools that traded phone trees and enterprise logins for a substitute teacher app people love.