While browsing Reddit, I stumbled across a comment that caught my attention: “I always hear that using Hubstaff is a red flag for a company“. I became curious whether this is true, so I decided to test Hubstaff. And in this Hubstaff review, you will find out everything about this time tracking app.

After guiding you through its key features, user interface, pricing model, and pros & cons, I will answer your question of why you came here.

Is it the best time tracking app for you, or should you skip this one?

Let’s dive in!

What is Hubstaff?

Time-tracking apps and activity monitoring software often get a bad rap from employees, and honestly, I get why.

These tools can sometimes backfire, creating anxiety and pressure to hit certain productivity percentages, which ironically can reduce the actual quality of work. It can start to feel like constant micromanagement by software, not people.

Hubstaff is one of these tools. From a pure software quality perspective, Hubstaff delivers a lot, but it can also be quite invasive.

But what is Hubstaff exactly?

Hubstaff is a robust time-tracking and workforce management platform with powerful features aimed at improving employee productivity, especially for remote employees and field workers.

It offers everything from customizable dashboards and timers to team management, location tracking, and detailed reporting.

Now, it’s time to move forward with the features I tried in the course of my Hubstaff review.

Hubstaff key features

Let’s take a look at the key features Hubstaff has to offer!

Dashboard

Honestly, this is one of the cleaner and more functional dashboards I’ve used in a time-tracking tool. Everything feels relevant and transparent, and you don’t get lost in metrics that don’t matter.

I really liked the Manage Widgets option, which lets you customize your dashboard. You can add, remove, or rearrange widgets based on what matters most to you. Mine was already set up with default widgets like Activity, Weekly Time & Budget, and Location.

Right after logging in, I was able to see a map view, my weekly activity, total hours worked, project progress, recent screenshots, and even a breakdown of my focus levels.

The map view shows the live location of your team (if enabled), along with any work sites you’ve set up.

There is also an Insights widget, which tells you how much of your time was classified as core work vs non-core work, plus your average activity level. It kind of holds up a mirror to your productivity, which can be either motivating… or a little brutal and invasive.

The Recent Activity panel shows auto-captured screenshots (yes, slightly intimidating), and a live status of team members, including their total hours and current activity percentage.

Just below that, you’ll find your to-do list and project overview. I liked how I could quickly check which tasks are still open, how much time I’ve spent on each project, and how far along I was. There’s even a little progress bar, which feels oddly satisfying to look at.

There’s also a section for project budgets, though it’ll remain empty unless you’ve set specific limits, which could be useful for keeping an eye on billable hours.

Time Tracking

The timer works smoothly across the web, desktop, and mobile apps, but the desktop version is the MVP here.

While the web timer is super stripped down (basically just start/stop), the desktop timer is more of a command center. You can add or edit time, create projects and tasks, switch between them, add notes, or even mark tasks as done.

Not having to leave the timer makes it really easy to stay focused and move through your work.

The mobile Hubstaff app has a similar vibe. You can create tasks or projects right from the timer screen, add notes, or even tap the little coffee cup icon to log a break.

One thing I appreciated is that the timer is tied directly to a specific project or task, so you’re not just tracking random chunks of time with no context. And if you forget to start the timer, you can still log time manually. Manual entries are flagged, though, so everything stays transparent.

One thing to keep in mind: you can’t run the timer on two platforms at once. If you’re tracking time on the desktop and want to switch to mobile or web, you’ll need to stop it first. Not the end of the world, but worth knowing if you switch devices during the day.

There’s also idle detection, though it applies to desktop apps only.

Admins get a surprising amount of control over how timers behave. You can limit timer use to desktop only, mobile only, or allow both, and enable overtime tracking with higher rates for employees who go over their work hours.

You can also customize idle time detection, including how long it takes to trigger and whether or not idle time counts toward total hours.

There’s even an Automatic Tracking option that can start and stop the timer for team members based on pre-set rules.

Timesheets

Hubstaff’s timesheet feature is detailed, yet very easy to follow.

One small but thoughtful touch is the time zone selector, which shows entries in different zones depending on context. This is very useful for remote teams.

You can view and edit time in multiple formats: daily, weekly, or calendar view, and all of them feel detailed yet intuitive. Adding time manually is quick and allows you to specify the reason or mark it as a work break. There’s also a one-click export to PDF or CSV, which makes sharing reports straightforward.

What I especially liked is how accessible everything feels. Right next to the timesheet is a Settings button, leading to deeper customization: enabling manual time edits, requiring a reason for those edits, or even customizing which reasons team members can choose from.

You can also turn on timesheet approvals, in case you want to implement an approval workflow.

Actionable insights

Insights isn’t part of Hubstaff’s core features, but it’s available as an optional add-on (with a free trial). It turns raw data into visual summaries: charts, percentages, and color-coded graphs that show things like work time classification, average activity, who your top performers are, and who might be slacking off a bit.

You can filter everything by team, member, or custom date ranges, which makes spotting patterns way easier.

There’s also an App and URL classification tool that lets you define which tools are considered productive depending on the person’s job title.

And if someone tries to game the system using fake activity apps or tools, Hubstaff’s Suspicious Activity alert system will flag it and send you an email.

Location tracking

The Locations feature uses GPS tracking and geofenced job sites to automatically start and stop the timer based on an employee’s location.

You can also set rules around them, like restricting time tracking to certain places or triggering alerts when someone enters or leaves a job site.

On the Map, you get a live view (and history) of where everyone’s been. You can filter by team member or job site, so you can quickly see who was where and when. That includes both visited and all job sites.

Overall, it is an additional useful feature I found during my Hubstaff review.

Project management

Hubstaff’s project management feature is part of a separate tool called Hubstaff Tasks, a Kanban-style project management platform. And honestly, it has everything you’d expect from a decent team management app in 2025.

You can create projects, break them down into task lists, and organize them in a way that fits your workflow. You can see your tasks in a classic Kanban board, List view, or Timeline view.

Furthermore, you can assign employees, manage tasks, set due dates, and even add workflow actions, which means you can automate certain task updates when something changes in the project.

For example, when a task is moved to another column, Hubstaff can automatically notify a teammate or change its status.

You can also import projects, which is a big plus if you’re switching from another tool, and you can manage project budgets as well.

Calendar

Hubstaff’s Calendar feature is great for workforce management. It lets you schedule, forecast, and handle absences so you can easily optimize your team’s performance.

What I appreciated most was how customizable the calendar visibility is. You can choose whether the calendar is collaborative or private. It really depends on how transparent you want to be with your scheduling, and I liked that Hubstaff gives you full control over that.

Another useful feature is the Shift Alerts setting. You can decide who gets notified about shift-related updates (like if someone is running late). And speaking of lateness, there’s also a grace period setting, which lets you define how late someone can be before it’s officially considered a late shift.

This is great for teams that want to be flexible but still maintain accountability.

Reports

One thing that really stood out to me during my Hubstaff review is how detailed and diverse the Reports section is. There’s a wide range of report types covering everything from time tracking to payments, budgets, invoices, and even job site visits.

Each report comes with a variety of filters so you can narrow down the data by date, user, project, or client, which makes searching very efficient.

What I especially liked is that every report can be scheduled to arrive automatically in your inbox, or sent manually to someone else with just one click.

You can also export reports as CSV or PDF directly from the report window, which is super handy for client communication or internal records.

Silent app

The Silent App is a unique Hubstaff add-on designed for company-owned devices, and it works quite differently from the regular desktop or mobile apps.

While the standard app requires users to start and stop a timer, the Silent App runs quietly in the background, tracking time, activity levels, app usage, and website visits without any user interaction.

It can be remotely deployed by admins, so no setup is needed on the employee side. Also, it supports centralized updates, so admins stay in full control of versioning and performance without needing to rely on users to update manually.

Unlike the regular desktop app, which only tracks signed-in users, the Silent App can track all users on a device and supports continuous tracking across shifts, schedules, and all-the-time setups.

Another great feature is that it can be uninstalled remotely, giving organizations more control over compliance and device management.

Hubstaff’s user interface

One thing I immediately noticed while using Hubstaff is how intuitive and well-organized the entire platform is.

The interface feels clean and modern, but it still manages to present a lot of detailed information without overwhelming you.

Everything is clearly labeled, and you rarely need more than a few clicks to find what you’re looking for.

Hubstaff’s integrations

Hubstaff offers over 30 app integrations.

You can integrate it with project management tools like Trello, Asana, Jira, ClickUp, and Basecamp to automatically sync tasks and monitor work progress directly within the platform.

Hubstaff offers payroll integrations with tools like PayPal, Wise, and QuickBooks, which help streamline administrative tasks like invoicing, payouts, and accounting without having to jump between platforms.

I also found it useful that Hubstaff integrates with Google Workspace, Slack, and Zapier (an additional 7,000+ integrations), giving you even more flexibility to automate processes or pull time data into your favorite tools.

What’s also great is that Hubstaff allows you to request integrations that aren’t already supported. That kind of flexibility is a big plus, especially if you’re using less common tools.

Hubstaff mobile app

Now, let’s talk about the mobile app, because I was genuinely impressed with it when testing Hubstaff.

I tried the Android version, which currently has a 5-star rating on the Play Store, and I absolutely agree with that rating. The app is fast, responsive, and very easy to navigate. It doesn’t lag or freeze, and it loads everything surprisingly quickly.

Most of the core features from the desktop version are also available on mobile, including the Dashboard, Timesheets, Calendar, Timer (of course), Reports, Schedules, and even the Maps tab. So, if you’re working remotely or tracking time on the go, the mobile version easily keeps up.

That said, there are a few things worth mentioning.

From time to time, a pop-up shows up with a “User Research Survey” asking which existing desktop features you’d like to see on mobile, or what new ones you think would be useful.

Now, I totally get the idea behind it – Hubstaff clearly wants feedback to improve the mobile experience. But let’s be honest, it can get a bit annoying when it pops up repeatedly. Thankfully, it’s optional and you can simply dismiss it by tapping the X icon.

One thing that did confuse me at first was the timer not working when I tried to start it on mobile. I got a message saying: “Your organization has disabled the timer on mobile devices. Please contact your manager.”

Turns out, Hubstaff’s default settings restrict mobile time tracking. If you’re an admin, you’ll need to go into the desktop version, head over to Settings → Activity & Tracking → Time & Tracking, and change the permission from “Desktop Only” to “All Apps.”

This default setting actually makes sense because some organizations may want time tracking to be done only from desktops for better accuracy, to include app and URL tracking, or to enforce company policies around using work devices.

Once I switched the setting, the mobile timer worked perfectly. So, if you’re planning to use your phone for time tracking, make sure this setting is updated.

It’s also worth noting that only the desktop app records screenshots. So if your team or organization requires screenshot monitoring, you’ll need to ensure that desktop time tracking is enabled, or manually adjust each member’s permissions under “Allowed Apps” in the Member Settings.

While this might seem like a limitation, it makes sense from a privacy and control standpoint, especially if you or your team use personal mobile devices for tracking time.

Hubstaff’s pricing

During my Hubstaff review, I took a closer look at the pricing plans.

Essentially, it offers four paid pricing plans and a free one. All the paid plans require a minimum of two users and are billed per seat.

Free plan

Hubstaff free plan is available for one user only and includes limited time tracking, reports, screenshots, and client invoicing. This may be decent for solo freelancers, but it’s too limited for teams.

Starter Plan

The subscription can be paid annually, quarterly, or monthly, depending on what works best for your team. If you opt for quarterly billing, you get 1 month free, and if you go for the annual plan, you’ll get 2 months free.

If you’re not sure, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try out its features before you opt for some of the paid plans.

The Starter Plan includes the very essential time tracking tools, such as a timesheet or a timer. So, it is only ideal for those who do not need any other features, just tracking the time & recording it in the timesheet.

It is $4.99 per seat per month if you grab the annual plan. If you choose the monthly billing, it will cost $7 per month per user.

Grow Plan

The Grow Plan is $7.50 per user monthly with annual billing. With the monthly plan, Hubstaff will charge $9 per user monthly.

This plan covers some more advanced tools, reporting, and one integration.

Team Plan

Hubstaff designed the Team Plan for larger teams that need more than just a simple time tracking app. You can access features for payments, scheduling, and unlimited integrations.

It is $10 per user monthly in case of yearly billing. The monthly plan is $12 per seat per month.

Enterprise Plan

Finally, Hubstaff offers an Enterprise Plan for larger businesses. Nevertheless, you can only choose the annual billing here, which will cost you $25 per user per month.

Choosing this plan, you get a custom setup, account provisioning, and dedicated support for complex needs.

My experience with Hubstaff

Honestly, Hubstaff really surprised me. After spending some time with it, I’d say it’s a great tool with one of the best time tracking apps.

I liked how much control admins have over how the software operates, which ultimately determines how invasive or flexible the tracking feels. The Silent App stands out as maybe the least intrusive option, providing a smooth way to monitor time without constant user interaction.

All in all, my experience with Hubstaff was really good. It’s a powerful tool that can strike a balance between invasiveness and effectiveness.

So, we can officially close down the discussion on whether Hubstaff is a red flag or not. It’s not.

Pros and cons I found during my Hubstaff review

Here’s a quick breakdown of the pros and cons I found while reviewing Hubstaff.

Pros of Hubstaff

First of all, Hubstaff is packed with features that make it a great tool for time tracking and productivity monitoring. Its dashboard is clean, customizable, and filled with helpful widgets like focus time, live activity, and screenshots.

Secondly, the timer is very flexible. You can track time spent manually or automatically, detect idle time, link tasks, and switch easily between the web, desktop, and mobile apps.

Moreover, Hubstaff has excellent location tracking and job site features, which are especially useful for managing field employees or mobile teams.

In addition, it offers strong admin controls. You can set detailed permissions for timers, use silent tracking, assign user roles, and manage approvals easily.

Lastly, Hubstaff has advanced reporting tools that let you schedule reports, choose from different export formats, and simplify payroll and client communication.

Cons of Hubstaff

Again, the only real downside I’ve noticed is that some features might feel invasive, like screenshots and activity monitoring. The good news is that these settings can be customized or turned off.

Hubstaff alternatives

If you’re not sure whether Hubstaff is the right time-tracking tool for you, here are five solid alternatives to check out:

• Rize: I use this time tracking app, and I think it is currently the best. It is an AI-powered time tracker that has helped me a lot with focus and building more sustainable working habits. Works great for solo entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals.
• Toggl Track: It is a user-friendly time-tracking app that offers desktop and mobile apps and a web version as well. It’s particularly useful when managing teams.
• Time Doctor: An app with robust time-tracking features and advanced analytics tools. It has employee monitoring, workforce, and productivity analytics features.
• Harvest: A popular time-tracking app with massive invoicing and reporting capabilities.
• Clockify: A time tracking app with an extensive feature set that offers a mobile, desktop, and web app for users.
• ClockShark: ClockShark is a cloud-based time-tracking and employee scheduling software built for field service businesses with crews working outside the office.

Wrap-up: Hubstaff review

During the time I spent testing Hubstaff, I came across many positives. I really like the user interface, which presents even the more advanced features in a very intuitive and straightforward way.

Additionally, there are plenty of customization options. Hubstaff lets admins tailor almost every aspect, from tracking behavior to privacy settings, and even override organization-wide defaults for specific team members.

This means the level of invasiveness really depends on how the software is configured on both the organizational and individual levels.

Hubstaff works seamlessly across the web, desktop, and mobile apps, all following the same logic, so there’s practically no learning curve.

As always, I will update this Hubstaff review over time so you guys have up-to-date information about this automatic time-tracking tool.

Why you can trust our reviews

At thebusinessdive.com, our team tests, reviews, and compares hundreds of productivity apps every year — from project management tools to note-taking apps. We dive deep into real-world use cases to help you find the right tools that actually improve your workflow, not just add noise.

Our mission? No fluff, no shortcuts—just honest, hands-on insights from productivity pros.

Have a question or suggestion? I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out anytime at aronkantor@thebusinessdive.com.

Frequently asked questions

Can Hubstaff detect a second monitor?

Hubstaff snaps screenshots from all your monitors while tracking time, so it catches everything you’ve got open.

Can I stop Hubstaff from taking screenshots?

Yes, but Hubstaff lets only managers or organization owners do this.

Does Hubstaff count clicks?

Hubstaff counts mouse clicks and keyboard activity as part of its tracking by monitoring whether there was any activity each second.

Is Hubstaff reliable?

Hubstaff is a reliable time tracking app. After spending numerous hours with it, I concluded that it is among the best time tracking apps, and definitely not a money grab.

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that, at no additional cost to you, may earn a small commission. Read the full privacy policy here.