For those engaging in the Hubstaff vs. Time Doctor debate, it’s about more than tracking hours. Teams are also trying to understand how that time is spent.
Maybe their focus is on accurate billing or simplified payroll. Maybe it's ensuring people in different time zones are working on the right things.
Thousands of teams and freelancers use both tools. However, they're built with different ideas in mind.
Hubstaff leans into team structure — timesheets, scheduling, payroll, productivity analytics. Time Doctor functions more as employee monitoring software, helping individuals stay on task.
This guide breaks down the differences to help you determine which tool best suits your team's workstyle.
112,000+ businesses trust Hubstaff for time tracking
Hubstaff vs Time Doctor: Feature by Feature
| Feature | Hubstaff | Time Doctor |
|---|---|---|
Best for | Teams that need a structured time tracking app with configurable productivity insights — not rigid oversight. | Teams prioritizing real-time monitoring, distraction prevention, and activity compliance. |
Free plan | No free plan — 14-day trial only | No free plan – 14-day trial |
Paid pricing plans (Monthly) | Starter: $7/user/month Grow: $9/user/month Team: $12/user/month Enterprise: $25/user/month | Basic: $8/user/month Standard: $14/user/month Premium: $20/user/month Enterprise: Custom pricing |
Time tracking methods | Manual, timer, idle timeout customization, background tracking, GPS tracking, desktop + mobile apps | Manual, timer, passive idle time tracking, optional screenshots and webcam shots, live screen recording, silent/background tracking |
Timesheet approvals | Available in Team and Enterprise plans | Available on Standard+ |
Work monitoring | Optional screenshots | Optional screenshots, video screen recording, activity percentages, app and URL tracking |
Productivity analytics | Activity percentages, app and URL trackin, more advanced metrics with Insights add-on | Activity percentages, see apps and URLs used, distraction alerts |
Payroll & payments | Built-in payroll + integrations | Built-in payroll + integrations |
Invoicing | Native invoicing (clients & team), expense tracking | No invoicing |
Compliance & security | SOC 2 Type II, optional 2FA, HIPAA, account provisioning | GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001, SOC 2 |
Integrations | 35+ integrations + Zapier | ~60 integrations + Zapier |
Support | Starter: Help center Grow: Chat + 1-day SLA Team: Enhanced support Enterprise: Concierge setup + 2hr SLA, SSO client login access | 24/7 support |
Who is it for?
| Use case | Best tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
Remote teams with payroll needs | Hubstaff | Tracked time flows directly into timesheets. Timesheet approvals trigger payments directly from the Hubstaff app using third party payment integrations. |
Teams needing deep productivity insights | Hubstaff | Teams can view focus times, time spent on meetings, and industry benchmarks. |
Teams focused on distraction control | Time Doctor | Has alerts, pop-ups, screenshots, and live screen recording. |
Compliance and security-heavy orgs | Both | SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, GDPR compliant |
Time tracking and timesheets
Hubstaff and Time Doctor both offer familiar time tracking tools: start/stop timers, manual time entry, and desktop and mobile apps.
Hubstaff gives teams the flexibility to track time to tasks and projects. From there, the app seamlessly converts tracked time to automated timesheets. Users can add manual time tracking entries, leave notes, and submit for approval, adding a layer of oversight without extra steps. Features like idle time tracking and reminders help reduce missed payments and payroll inaccuracies.
Time Doctor also supports manual and timer-based tracking, with built-in idle detection and distraction alerts. Like Hubstaff, the app automatically generates timesheets from tracked time. That said, there's less built-in structure for approvals or editing unless teams set up workflows around it.
In short: Both tools offer reliable time tracking and timesheet generation.
“Time keeping is a breeze and inspecting timesheets is really easy [with Hubstaff].”
Productivity and insights
Hubstaff and Time Doctor offer productivity tracking features but package them differently.
Hubstaff’s employee productivity features help managers make more informed decisions. You can track projects worked, idle timeouts, website and app usage, and keyboard and mouse activity rates in real time directly from the dashboard. The Insights add-on also helps you gauge utilization rates, balance meeting and focus time, and spot unusual activity that could put your business at risk. Managers can use this data for better project budgets and staffing to prevent money leaks and reduce employee burnout.
Time Doctor includes built-in tracking of app and URL usage and alerts for idle time and distractions. It gives managers a glimpse of each employee’s workday, but doesn’t offer enterprise-grade workforce analytics features like Hubstaff’s add-on.
In short: Both tools help teams see value beyond raw hours. Hubstaff adds an optional analytics suite for those who want richer insights, while Time Doctor takes a more straightforward approach without added depth.
Work monitoring
Both Hubstaff and Time Doctor offer screen capture features, but their approach to monitoring reflects different philosophies about trust and control.
Hubstaff includes optional screenshots (up to three per 10 minutes), which teams can enable, disable, or blur based on their preferences. Users can also delete their own screenshots, giving them more control over what's recorded. The focus is on creating visibility without crossing into heavy surveillance.
Time Doctor takes monitoring further. In addition to screenshots, it offers live screen viewing, continuous screen recording, and even webcam capture — all optional, but available. These tools are designed to provide maximum visibility into daily work activity — especially for companies with strict compliance requirements.
In short: Both tools offer screenshot monitoring with some user control, but Time Doctor includes more intensive options like live view and screen recording. Hubstaff keeps monitoring lighter (and arguably more ethical), with user-managed visibility and a stronger emphasis on optionality.
Reporting and dashboards
Both tools offer reporting capabilities to help teams better understand how time is being spent across projects, tasks, and individuals.
Hubstaff includes a real-time dashboard with customizable widgets for hours worked, activity levels, and time off. It also provides 20+ reports that can be filtered, exported, and scheduled to run automatically. For deeper visibility, the Insights add-on adds utilization rates, categorized activity, and the ability to compare activity benchmarks to other Hubstaff users in your organization or industry.
Time Doctor offers reports on time worked, tasks completed, app and website usage, and activity levels. Reports can be filtered by user, project, or date range, and exported as needed. It also includes a dashboard with daily and weekly summaries to help teams monitor performance over time.
In short: Both tools provide detailed reports and time-use dashboards. Hubstaff adds options for scheduled reports and additional analytics through its Insights add-on, while Time Doctor offers focused activity and usage reporting with flexible filters.
“Beyond just tracking time, I find the Hubstaff reporting features really useful. Being able to see a clear breakdown of where my time is spent helps me understand my own productivity patterns and provides valuable data for billing and project management.”
Payroll and invoicing
Hubstaff and Time Doctor both support payroll but differ in how payments and billing are handled.
Hubstaff converts tracked time into timesheets that managers can approve, then processes payments directly from the app through payroll integrations with apps like PayPal, Payoneer, Wise, Gusto, and Deel. It also includes invoicing: you can set billable rates, generate invoices based on tracked time, and send them directly from the app.
Time Doctor supports payroll exports that work with platforms like PayPal and Gusto, but payments are processed externally. It doesn’t have invoicing features.
In short: Both tools help with payroll, but Hubstaff handles everything in-app — from timesheets to payouts to client invoices. Time Doctor supports payroll reporting but you’ll have to go outside the app for payments and billing.
Ease of use
Hubstaff and Time Doctor are both easy to use on a day-to-day basis. Starting and stopping time, switching tasks, and reviewing tracked hours are simple and accessible from desktop, web, and mobile apps.
Both tools also include helpful features like idle time alerts and reminders to support consistent tracking throughout the workday.
In short: Whether you're logging time manually or using timers, both Hubstaff and Time Doctor offer a smooth experience that fits into daily routines without getting in the way.
“I like how easy to use Time Doctor is and how I can track each employee as a whole or individual. It also helps notify users when an employee is going to a website that should not be used during work hours.”
Integrations
Hubstaff and Time Doctor support integrations with popular tools, but the scope and management of those connections vary.
Hubstaff offers 30+ integrations for task management, accounting, communication, payroll, and more. These include platforms like Asana, Trello, QuickBooks, Slack, and GitHub, with additional options available through Zapier. Integration access may vary by plan.
Time Doctor connects with 60+ tools across various categories, including productivity, CRM, and help desk platforms. Like Hubstaff, it also supports Zapier for additional connections.
In short: Hubstaff offers focused integrations that support its core workflows, while Time Doctor provides a broader range of out-of-the-box connections across more platforms.
Customer support
Both Hubstaff and Time Doctor offer multiple support channels, though the level of access depends on your plan.
Hubstaff offers email support across all plans, with live chat available on higher tiers. Team and Enterprise plans include faster response times, onboarding assistance, and access to dedicated support options. A detailed knowledge base is also available for self-service troubleshooting.
Time Doctor provides 24/7 email and live chat support regardless of plan. While it doesn’t include phone support, it does offer a comprehensive help center with how-to articles, videos, and setup guides to help teams get up to speed quickly.
In short: Hubstaff’s support becomes more hands-on as your plan level increases, while Time Doctor provides consistent access to chat and email support across the board. Both offer strong documentation and self-serve resources to back up their support channels.
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
The bottom line:
Hubstaff vs. Time Doctor
Hubstaff and Time Doctor are both capable time tracking software, but they’re built with different priorities.
If your team needs structured workflows, deeper productivity insights, and built-in tools for things like invoicing and payroll, Hubstaff offers a more comprehensive setup. It's well-suited for teams managing multiple moving parts in one flow.
If monitoring is the main concern — including features like live screen viewing, continuous screen recording, or webcam capture — then Time Doctor has the edge. It's designed for environments where direct visibility and accountability are front and center.
The right tool will depend on what kind of visibility, control, and workflow support your team values most.
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