For teams looking to improve productivity, both Hubstaff and ActivTrak offer strong capabilities, but they take different routes. Hubstaff is a time tracking software platform that delivers precise time capture along with advanced productivity analytics — including focus time tracking, utilization rates, industry benchmarks, and unusual activity detection — and it pairs those with automated payments and project-workflow integrations to support every stage of execution.
ActivTrak, by contrast, zeroes in almost entirely on user-activity and behaviour analytics: deep breakdowns of application and website use, team-benchmarking dashboards and risk indicators; but it doesn’t offer native payroll automation or the integrated project coordination tools included with Hubstaff.
112,000+ businesses trust Hubstaff for time tracking
Hubstaff vs. ActivTrak: Feature by feature
| Feature | Hubstaff (best choice) | ActivTrak |
|---|---|---|
Affordable pricing | Plans start at $7 per user/month | Plans start at $10 per user/month |
Comprehensive time tracking | Automated, user-friendly | Automatic time tracking |
Mobile time tracking | Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, iOS | No mobile time tracking |
20+ integrations | 35+ integrations | 19+ integrations |
Productivity monitoring | App/URL tracking, activity %, idle detection, optional screenshots for context | Productivity management & measurement |
Project and task management | Advanced and customizable | No project management |
Leave management | Comprehensive support for PTO, overtime, time off, and both paid/unpaid breaks | No PTO requests or tracking |
Workforce analytics | Focus time, utilization rates, work-time classification, unusual activity alerts, benchmarks & trends | Behavior analytics with productivity scoring, efficiency trends, risk indicators, and team benchmarks |
Automated payroll | Full automation, seamless payment processing |
No built-in payroll features |
Reporting and analytics | 20+ detailed, customizable reports with real-time data | 10 reports with minimal customization |
Automatic invoicing | Customizable, integrated invoicing | No invoicing features |
GPS tracking | Field team ready | No location tracking |
Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | Free for 14 days |
Comprehensive time tracking
Hubstaff time tracking software goes beyond simple timers with a fully automated, intuitive time tracking, allowing for precise and efficient time management without requiring constant supervision. Its system generates real‑time, itemized timesheets as soon as time is logged. Managers and clients can log in to view hours, making oversight transparent and accountable with minimal effort.
ActivTrak offers a basic time tracking feature, focusing on monitoring employee activity, productive time, and engagement rather than providing advanced project-based time tracking or payroll management.
Winner: Hubstaff & ActivTrak — It’s a tie!
Multi-device capabilities
Hubstaff is compatible with all major devices, making it a flexible time tracking solution that works seamlessly across your team's preferred platforms.
ActivTrak offers support for desktops and laptops but does not offer mobile applications.
Winner: Hubstaff
Integration options
Hubstaff integrates effortlessly with over 35 tools, including platforms for project management, accounting, and CRM, making it a versatile solution for a wide range of industries.
ActivTrak offers 19 integrations, but its integration options are somewhat limited compared to Hubstaff.
Winner: Hubstaff
Productivity monitoring
Hubstaff’s productivity monitoring tools are designed to enhance employee efficiency by providing in-depth insights, allowing businesses to optimize performance without requiring continuous supervision.
ActivTrak offers productivity monitoring features that track employees' time usage, categorize websites and app usage as productive or unproductive, and provide insights into employee performance.
Winner: Hubstaff & ActivTrak — It’s a tie!
Project and task management
Hubstaff Tasks, a powerful project management add-on, enables detailed oversight of projects and tasks, allowing users to create tasks and assign varying billable or pay rates, ensuring accurate payroll processing and client billing.
ActivTrak does not offer built-in project management features.
Winner: Hubstaff
Leave management
Hubstaff’s robust time and attendance features allow for accurate tracking of overtime, PTO, and both paid and unpaid breaks, all automated to reduce the need for manual intervention.
ActivTrak does not include leave management features.
Winner: Hubstaff
Employee monitoring
Hubstaff’s employee monitoring software prioritizes both flexibility, data security, and privacy, offering customizable options like optional monitoring, screen blurring, and activity tracking. This provides valuable insights while maintaining employee trust and protecting sensitive data.
ActivTrak's employee monitoring focuses on tracking user activity, including website and application usage, keystrokes, and screen captures. This enables managers to monitor productivity and makes tracking time spent simple.
Winner: Hubstaff & ActivTrak — It’s a tie!
Automated payroll
Hubstaff offers fully automated payroll and invoicing integrated with multiple payment platforms, allowing you to easily manage project budgets while minimizing errors and manual work.
ActivTrak does not offer payroll features.
Winner: Hubstaff
Reporting and analytics
Hubstaff provides 20+ customizable, detailed reports with real-time data, offering comprehensive insights into your team’s performance.
ActivTrak offers 10 reports, primarily centered around productivity and user activity monitoring.
Winner: Hubstaff
Automatic invoicing
Hubstaff’s integrated invoicing system automates billing processes, offering customizable options such as setting bill rates, tracking expenses, and automatically generating invoices. This is all designed to reduce the administrative workload for your team and ensure accurate, timely payments in just a few seconds.
ActivTrak does not include invoicing features.
Winner: Hubstaff
GPS tracking
Hubstaff’s GPS tracking and geofencing features are ideal for overseeing job site visits, offering comprehensive location tracking, geofence management, and mobile app support, making it well-suited for managing field and remote teams.
ActivTrak does not offer GPS tracking features.
Winner: Hubstaff
Each month, Hubstaff tracks:
What our customers say
“We work in a lot of different industries, so I can’t always know what’s a 45-minute task and what’s a four-hour task. With tools like Hubstaff, you can tell. You then decide if a whole project should’ve taken 16 hours or if someone is just not the right fit.”
OneIMS President and Founder
“We believe — just like Hubstaff — that talent is everywhere and people should be able to work any time, anywhere, even in their pajamas,” says Kothari. “As a company, we believe in the same future of work as Hubstaff, which is great because our values align.”
Co-founder at Tallyfy
Hubstaff vs ActivTrak: The final verdict
Hubstaff and ActivTrak are both valuable tools, but they serve different needs.
Hubstaff provides advanced time tracking, automated payroll, project cost management, and invoicing, making it ideal for teams seeking a comprehensive all-in-one solution. It also offers GPS tracking and 35+ integrations.
ActivTrak focuses on employee monitoring tools, time tracking capabilities, and productivity analytics, with detailed reports on user activity but no project management, payroll, or GPS tracking features.
While both platforms offer productivity metrics and employee monitoring, Hubstaff's broader feature set (especially payroll, invoicing, and GPS tracking) makes it a more robust choice for businesses needing a more advanced tool to manage distributed teams.
Ready to transform your team’s productivity?
Try a free demo today and see why it’s the ultimate choice for smart businesses.