In this Time Doctor vs Hubstaff comparison, I will show you the key differences between these two popular time tracking apps. I will compare Hubstaff to Time Doctor based on features, pricing, user interfaces, my experience, and pros and cons.

I spent weeks with both time tracking apps recently, and I am here to share the benefits and limitations of each tool to ensure you make the best choice.

Now, let’s dive into the side-by-side comparison of Time Doctor vs Hubstaff!

My ratings: Time Doctor vs Hubstaff

Key differences between Time Doctor and Hubstaff

Here is a short overview of the key differences I found in the Time Doctor vs Hubstaff showdown.

Scroll down the find the more detailed comparion with my experience.

What is Time Doctor?

In short, Time Doctor is a time-tracking and productivity tool designed to help individuals and teams monitor how they spend their work hours.

It offers features like automatic time tracking, screenshots, app usage tracking, computer screen monitoring, detailed reports, and payroll management.

What is Hubstaff?

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.

Detailed comparison: Time Doctor vs Hubstaff

Key features

Let’s begin with Time Doctor’s key features!

Time Doctor’s key features

Dashboard

Visually, Time Doctor does a great job of organizing data with charts, graphs, and color-coding, so even if you’re looking at dozens of metrics, you can navigate it quickly.

You can view it in two modes: Team Dashboard or User Dashboard. Both display plenty of information in a highly visual, organized way, making it easy to interpret.

The Team Dashboard offers valuable insights such as Top Projects, Who’s Working Now, Who Hasn’t Started Yet, Top Users, and even User Activity Levels based on keyboard and mouse activity.

On the other hand, the User Dashboard gives you a more individual breakdown, including Timelines, Hours Tracked, Idle Minutes, Productivity Percentages, and Top Used Websites & Applications.

One of my favorite touches is the Widgets option, which lets you choose exactly which data you want to see. This makes it easy to personalize the dashboard to focus on the metrics that matter most to you.

From the dashboard bar, you can easily export your data with one click. Right next to that, you’ll find a handy Time Zone display and a range of date filters.

My overall feeling was that Time Doctor’s dashboard strikes a solid balance between depth of data and clarity of presentation.

Benchmarks AI

I haven’t noticed this type of benchmarking feature in most other productivity tools I’ve tested, so it definitely gives Time Doctor an edge for teams and users who want more context around their productivity stats.

Time Doctor’s Benchmarks AI feature is designed to help you understand how your overall productivity ratings compare to others. It uses AI to match you with similar profiles or lets you benchmark against all profiles across the platform.

While simple at first glance, this tool can be particularly valuable for managers or individual users who want to spot productivity gaps or identify areas for improvement. By seeing where you stand against peers with similar work patterns, you can better set goals, track progress, and optimize workflows. 

Time tracking

Time tracking isn’t built into the web app, so you’ll need to use the desktop app instead. The web version is mainly for managing and analyzing the time data collected from the desktop and mobile apps.

The desktop app tracks time well, but that’s pretty much all it does. Its interface shows Dashboard, Screencasts, Edit Time, and Settings, though everything except Settings redirects you to the web app.

In Settings, you’ll find handy features like reminders to start tracking or automatically starting the timer.

The web app’s Edit Time section offers a clear, color-coded table showing Computer Time, Manual Time, Mobile Time, Break Time, and Leave Time. You can edit or create time entries directly from this section.

The mobile app is just as simple. It only tracks time, while other options link back to the website. I also noticed you can run timers on both desktop and mobile simultaneously, but they don’t sync.

Payroll

During my Time Doctor review, I found the Payroll feature refreshingly straightforward. The interface is clean and intuitive, with all key details displayed in a single table. Everything I needed was right there, without having to click through multiple screens.

You can set hourly budgets for each team member to keep payroll expenses under control. Time Doctor also makes it easy to track billable hours, ensuring accurate client invoicing and payroll calculations.

I especially like that the Manage payment methods button is right at the top, giving quick access to multiple payout options like PayPal Payouts, Wise, Payoneer MassPay, Gusto, ADP, and even Deel. Wise is highlighted as a cost-saving choice for international payments, which is great for global teams.

The fact that Time Doctor supports so many payment integrations in one place is a big plus, especially for remote teams.

You can also easily export payroll as a CSV or summary report, making it simple to share with accountants or plug into other systems.

Employee monitoring features

Let’s go straight to the point: screen monitoring in Time Doctor can feel a bit intrusive.

It takes screenshots at set intervals and shows them in the Screencasts section of the web app, while monitoring keyboard and mouse activity. You can filter these by Low Activity or Identical to quickly spot unproductive or duplicate frames.

The good thing is – it’s customizable. In Settings → Users, you can disable screenshots completely or choose how often they’re taken (every 3, 9, 15, or 30 minutes). There’s even a continuous video recording option if you need more detailed monitoring.

You can also blur screenshots for privacy and delete them if needed. Keep in mind that deleting a screenshot also removes the time logged during that period. There’s an inactivity timeout, too, which automatically stops tracking after a set idle time (or you can turn it off entirely).

Reports

The Reports feature gives you a clear, detailed view of productivity and work hours. Everything is well-organized, so it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. You can fully customize each report, which makes usage tracking and employee monitoring much more straightforward.

You’ll find different options like the Hours Tracked Report, App Usage Report, and Tasks Report. These are very useful for keeping an accurate record of time entries, seeing how employees spend their time, and tracking productivity across projects.

So, it offers a useful mix for project management, productivity, and task tracking.

Time Doctor also offers a Custom Export option, which I found especially useful. You can choose exactly which data points to include, such as tracked time, manual time, activity levels, productivity percentages, and more.

Reports can be exported in different time formats (hours & minutes, decimal, or digital) and even adjusted for each user’s time zone. This makes it easy to create tailored reports that match specific tracking and analysis needs.

You can also set up email notifications for any report, so you’re always in the loop without having to log in. You can choose the specific report you want, decide how often it’s sent, and even select the exact time for delivery.

This allows managers to keep an eye on employee activity and productivity trends through real-time tracking.

Hubstaff’s key features

Let’s move on to the key features I tried when testing and reviewing Hubstaff.

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 software

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.

GPS 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 a useful feature I found during my Hubstaff review.

Project management software

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.

Detailed 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.

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

User interface

I know that the user interface is a crucial factor for many of you when deciding between Hubstaff and Time Doctor. So, let’s take a closer look!

Time Doctor’s user interface

The user interface is clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate, even for first-time users. All key features are neatly organized in the dashboard, so you don’t waste time searching for them.

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.

Integrations

It is time to check the integration options in the Hubstaff vs Time Doctor battle!

Time Doctor’s integrations

Time Doctor offers over 60 integrations, including Asana, Azure DevOps, Avaza, ADP, and others. The idea is to keep everything in one place so productivity tracking and employee monitoring feel seamless. There are also Chrome and Firefox extensions that should let you track time directly inside these apps.

In theory, this all sounds great. In practice, I had mixed results.

The Chrome extension didn’t work with Trello or Jira, two platforms I use daily and that should integrate effortlessly.

For some other tools, you’ll need to go through extra configuration steps, which made me wonder: if the integrations that are supposed to “just work” don’t, how reliable are the rest?

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.

Pricing

Here, I will show you both time tracking apps’ pricing structures in more detail!

Time Doctor’s pricing

At this step of this comparison, let’s take a look at Time Doctor’s pricing plans!

Essentially, there are four pricing plans and two billing options. If you opt for paying annually, you’ll get a 17% discount.

Time Doctor offers a 14-day free trial, so you can test it and see if it’s worth the money.

Basic plan

The Basic plan costs $8 per user with monthly billing. If you choose annual billing, you’ll get a discount and pay $6.70 per user each month.

This plan comes with automatic time tracking, projects and tasks reports, and a timeline report. You’ll also get screenshots and online/offline activity tracking.

Standard plan

The Standard plan is $11.70 per user a month with annual billing, and $17 with the monthly billing option.

This plan includes more advanced features and provides all the management insights not available in the Basic plan.

Premium plan

When you sign up for the free trial, you get two weeks of unlimited access to all Premium plan features. These include all standard plan features, plus advanced reporting, company insights, and more.

This plan is $20 per user a month with monthly billing, or $16.70 with annual billing.

Enterprise plan

This plan is built for larger organizations that need advanced features and dedicated support. It offers VIP support, enterprise-grade security, and customizable tools.

The website doesn’t list a price for this plan, so you’ll need to contact the sales team directly for details.

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.

Hubstaff’s pricing

Let’s see Hubstaff’s pricing plans. In short, 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’s 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 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 per month.

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 Time Doctor

Overall, Time Doctor is a solid time-tracking tool. It delivers on its promise of detailed analytics, clear reporting, and straightforward payroll management.

While I found the interface clean and easy to navigate, some aspects, like customer support issues, occasional technical glitches, and limited admin controls over monitoring settings, can make it feel more invasive than necessary.

While its employee monitoring features can be intense if left at their default settings, they can also be adjusted to suit your team’s comfort level.

For teams that value transparency, data-driven insights, and features like billable hours tracking and the ability to set hourly budgets, Time Doctor can be the right employee monitoring software and time tracking app as long as you’re willing to fine-tune it to avoid crossing into surveillance territory.

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.

Time Doctor’s pros and cons

At this point in my Hubstaff vs Time Doctor review, it is time to check Time Doctor’s pros and cons!

Time Doctor’s pros

First of all, Time Doctor is very easy to use. Both the desktop and mobile apps are very simple and intuitive.

Secondly, the web app provides a lot of detailed insights. Thanks to its clear and visually organized interface, you can quickly understand all the data.

Moreover, Time Doctor offers extensive reporting features. You can access all the information you need quickly, which is great for tracking productivity and managing teams.

Furthermore, the dashboard is highly customizable, letting you focus on the metrics that matter most. The payroll feature is also convenient, with multiple payout options like PayPal, Wise, Payoneer, and Gusto.

Lastly, Time Doctor supports over 60 integrations, including popular tools like Asana, Jira, and Azure DevOps, making it easier to incorporate into existing workflows.

Time Doctor’s cons

My first concern is about customer support. They should definitely work on that.

In addition, there are some technical issues. The Chrome extension doesn’t always work with certain apps, and the Android app can be difficult to download.

Furthermore, admins have limited control over feature settings, which makes it harder to adjust the software’s invasiveness compared to competitors like Hubstaff.

Lastly, Time Doctor does not offer a free version, only a trial.

Hubstaff’s pros and cons

Hubstaff’s pros

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.

Hubstaff’s cons

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.

Alternatives to Time Doctor and Hubstaff

If you are still unsure about your pick after this Hubstaff and Time Doctor comparison, here are some other alternatives:

• Rize: 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.
• Clockify: A time tracking app with an extensive feature set that offers a mobile, desktop, and web app for users.
• 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.
• Harvest: A popular time-tracking app with massive invoicing and reporting capabilities.
• ClockShark: ClockShark is a cloud-based time-tracking and employee scheduling software built for field service businesses with crews working outside the office.

My pick: Hubstaff vs Time Doctor

Both time tracking software are among the top ones currently. For me, Hubstaff is slightly better than Time Doctor, as it offers more features & use cases for businesses. With Hubstaff, you access location tracking, project management tools, and a calendar as well. I especially valued the strong admin controls over the features.

Nevertheless, Time Doctor might be a better solution for remote teams. Time Doctor is a quite solid employee monitoring software with excellent features to measure employee productivity.

Overall, my pick would be Hubstaff, but there is no wrong choice here.

Related articles:

• Time Doctor Review 2025 | Too Invasive or Worth Every Penny?
• Hubstaff Review 2025 | Keep It or Kick It?
• Time Doctor vs Clockify 2025 | An Unfiltered Comparison

As always, I will update this Hubstaff vs Time Doctor article over time so you guys have up-to-date information about these time tracking tools.

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

Is Time Doctor the same as Hubstaff?

While both Time Doctor and Hubstaff are time tracking tools, they offer different feature sets. Time Doctor focuses more on employee monitoring tools and productivity, while Hubstaff offers features like location tracking, project management, and more.

In short, Time Doctor is designed for remote teams, and Hubstaff, on the other hand, provides more use cases for teams and professionals.

What is the difference between Time Doctor and Toggl?

Toggl Track is a time tracking app designed for freelancers and teams. It offers automated time tracking, project management, invoicing, and reporting features to help you maximize productivity and revenue.

Time Doctor is a time-tracking and team productivity management tool designed to help remote teams monitor how they spend their work hours. It offers features like automatic time tracking, screenshots, app usage tracking, computer screen monitoring, detailed reports, and payroll management.

What is the difference between Toggl and Hubstaff?

Toggl Track has better automated time tracking features than Hubstaff. Also, it has features focusing on clients and invoicing. However, Hubstaff offers location tracking, while Toggl Track has no such features.

As for the pricing, Hubstaff is a more budget-friendly solution.

Is Time Doctor ethical?

Time Doctor captures time spent on tasks, app and website usage, keyboard and mouse movement, and periodic screenshots. It also tracks location via IP addresses and records work hours for payroll and reporting purposes.

While it is an ethical tool overall, the depth of employee monitoring also depends on the admin settings.

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my 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.