App and URL tracking for employees

With the AI tools category in apps and URLs, Hubstaff automatically identifies and categorizes popular AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. You can also customize AI-tracking rules by team or role with the Insights add-on for even more control and accuracy.

When a team member starts the desktop timer, it automatically logs active applications and website (URL) visits. This happens only when the user is actively tracking time and interacting (typing, clicking, or moving the mouse) with their device.

App records include:

• Name of the application

• How long it’s been used

• Number of sessions

• Time of day, and project assigned

URL records display the specific sites visited, the time spent on each, and the associated projects.

Yes. App & URL tracking is available on all Hubstaff plans. The Starter and Grow plans include basic tracking with usage limits, while the Team and Enterprise plans offer unlimited tracking, workforce analytics capabilities, and detailed reporting for deeper productivity insights.

All plan tiers support basic App & URL tracking with limits (Starter, Grow). Full, unlimited App & URL tracking — along with the ability to generate comprehensive app and URL reports — is available on the Team and Enterprise plans.

Yes. On macOS (especially recent versions like Catalina and later), users must grant permission for Hubstaff to record apps and URLs. Without these permissions, tracking won’t work.

If you’re not seeing some URLs in reports, these are the potential reasons to look for:

• App & URL tracking might be disabled for that user or organization.

• Privacy settings may be enabled (which hides or omits certain users’ data).

• The browser or operating system may be unsupported.

• Delays or connectivity issues can sometimes prevent URLs from being logged. 

Tracking only occurs when the timer is active and when permissions/settings allow it.

Yes, Hubstaff lets you export reports as CSV or PDF. You can also schedule Apps and URLs reports to be sent out automatically (for example, daily, weekly, or monthly) to specified email addresses.

Yes. Employees can always see their own tracked data. Hubstaff is built around transparency: individuals can view their own entries, and certain roles, like managers, have the option to delete and, depending on organization settings, they may even have the option to delete their own time entries (with associated data).

If a user has privacy settings enabled, including data‑privacy and “data settings” toggles, their App & URL data may be omitted from reports. Also, if tracking was disabled for that user or their permissions weren't granted on macOS, their activity simply won’t be recorded.