Around
Time Doctor
| Feature | Around | Time Doctor |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $10.99/mo | From $7/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | remote-teams, quick-standups, pair-programming, distributed-teams | remote-teams, outsourcing-companies, managers, virtual-assistants |
| Founded | 2020 | 2012 |
| Floating Video | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Leveling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Noise Cancellation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Screen Sharing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Reactions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Virtual Backgrounds | ✓ | ✗ |
| Time Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Screenshots | ✗ | ✓ |
| Activity Monitoring | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payroll Integration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Project Budgets | ✗ | ✓ |
| Distraction Alerts | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Around Pros
- Lightweight and fast
- Minimal floating interface
- Good noise cancellation
- Reduces meeting fatigue
✗ Around Cons
- Limited features vs Zoom
- Smaller user base
- No recording on free
✓ Time Doctor Pros
- Detailed activity monitoring
- Payroll integrations
- Client login portal
- Distraction alerts
✗ Time Doctor Cons
- Invasive monitoring can hurt morale
- Complex setup for larger teams
- Occasional tracking glitches
The Verdict
Around is built for remote teams and quick standups, with a focus on floating-video and auto-leveling. Time Doctor targets remote teams and outsourcing companies and leads with time-tracking and screenshots.
Pricing is close: Time Doctor starts at $7/mo versus $10.99/mo for Around — not a deciding factor on its own.
Around has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Time Doctor requires a paid subscription from day one.
Both tools are a solid fit for remote teams — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.