Subbey vs. ReadySub: Which Substitute Teacher App Is Right for Your School?
ReadySub is now Absence & Substitute, a Tyler Technologies product built into a district-scale suite. Subbey remains a focused substitute teacher app built for schools. Here is an honest, side-by-side look for administrators at public, private, charter, and independent schools.
Book a demo with SheaSubbey is a mobile-first substitute teacher app built for individual schools: post a sub job in seconds, your subs are notified instantly, and the first to tap claims it, all under one flat annual subscription with personal onboarding from the founder. ReadySub now operates as Absence & Substitute, powered by ReadySub, from Tyler Technologies, a large public-sector software company. It is a district absence management system with leave tracking, payroll and timekeeping integrations, and quoted pricing. If you want simple, fast sub management your teachers will actually love, Subbey is the better fit. If you are a district standardizing on Tyler software for payroll and HR, Absence & Substitute may fit that mold.
What Are Subbey and ReadySub?
Both platforms help schools cover teacher absences. One is a focused app built by a teacher. The other is an acquired product now folded into a large public-sector software suite.
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 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 across the US and internationally.
ReadySub: now Tyler Absence & Substitute
ReadySub was acquired by Tyler Technologies and is now sold as Absence & Substitute, powered by ReadySub. It is a K-12 absence and substitute management system with automated notifications by text, email, phone call, and app, plus district features like leave balance tracking, absence approvals, credential tracking, and payroll and timekeeping integrations, including with Tyler Time & Attendance.
Those district capabilities suit HR departments that already run on Tyler software. For an individual school, they can mean enterprise procurement, district-level configuration, and a lot of workforce machinery around what should be a simple task: getting a great sub into a classroom fast.
Subbey vs. ReadySub: Side-by-Side Comparison
Here is how the two substitute management platforms compare on the things school administrators ask about most.
Substitute teacher software comparison: Subbey vs. ReadySub (2026)
| Feature | Subbey | ReadySub |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Public, private, charter, independent schools & preschools of any size | K-12 districts, often alongside Tyler payroll and HR systems |
| Post a sub job | A few clicks from your phoneSubs are notified instantly; first to tap claims it | Web and app entryNotifications by text, email, phone call, and app |
| Choose which subs see a job | Teachers and admins can self-select subs | Priority notifications, holds, and direct assignment |
| In-app chat with subs | Built in | Not a core feature |
| Lesson plan sharing | Shared right in the app | Job details attached to postings |
| Setup & onboarding | Fast: the Subbey team personally onboards your staff and your subs | District implementation through Tyler |
| Ease of use for non-tech-savvy staff | Designed to be learned in minutes | Configurable district system that generally requires training |
| Leave & absence tracking | Subbey simplifies tracking leave reasons, payments, and internal class coverage. | Leave balances, approvals, and workforce dashboards |
| Payroll / timekeeping integrations | Your payroll process stays as it is today | Payroll exports and Tyler Time & Attendance integration |
| Bring your own substitute pool | Yes, and Subbey can help you source more subs if needed | Yes |
| Pricing | One flat annual subscription per school with unlimited staff & subs | Quoted through Tyler Technologies |
| Support | Personal support: you can email the founder directly | Enterprise help desk |
| Mobile apps | iOS & Android for admins, teachers, and subs | Mobile apps |
| Founded by | A teacher who lived the sub-finding problem | Startup roots, now part of a public-sector software company |
ReadySub, Absence & Substitute, and Tyler Technologies are trademarks of Tyler Technologies, Inc. Feature information is based on publicly available materials and may change; verify details with each vendor.
3 Key Differences Between Subbey and ReadySub
A focused app vs. a suite module
Subbey does one job, substitute teacher management, and makes it effortless. ReadySub now lives inside Tyler Technologies, a company whose core business is government and district software. That is powerful for districts standardizing on Tyler, and it is more procurement, configuration, and machinery than a single school needs.
Flat pricing vs. quoted contracts
Subbey is one flat annual subscription for your whole school: every admin, teacher, and sub included. Absence & Substitute pricing is quoted through Tyler, often in the context of larger district contracts, which makes budgeting harder for an individual school.
A founder you can talk to vs. a help desk
When schools join Subbey, Shea and the team personally set up the account, add staff, and onboard every substitute. Questions go to real people who know your school, not an enterprise ticket queue.
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 ReadySub?
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 switching from ReadySub.
Frequently Asked Questions: Subbey vs. ReadySub
Join the schools that traded phone trees and enterprise logins for a substitute teacher app people love.