DeskTime
Hubstaff
| Feature | DeskTime | Hubstaff |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $7/mo | From $4.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | managers, remote-teams, freelancers, agencies | remote-team-managers, field-service-companies, agencies, construction-teams |
| Founded | 2011 | 2012 |
| Automatic Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Productivity Calculation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Screenshots | ✓ | ✓ |
| Url Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Project Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Absence Calendar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Time Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Gps Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Activity Levels | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payroll | ✗ | ✓ |
| Geofencing | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ DeskTime Pros
- Automatic productivity tracking
- Good free plan for individuals
- Screenshot monitoring option
- Detailed reports
✗ DeskTime Cons
- Can feel invasive to employees
- Limited project management features
- Desktop app required
✓ Hubstaff Pros
- GPS and location tracking for field teams
- Automated payroll from tracked hours
- Activity level monitoring
- Geofencing for job sites
✗ Hubstaff Cons
- Can feel invasive to employees
- Screenshot feature raises privacy concerns
- No free plan available
The Verdict
DeskTime is built for managers and remote teams, with a focus on automatic-tracking and productivity-calculation. Hubstaff targets remote team managers and field service companies and leads with time-tracking and gps-tracking.
Pricing is close: Hubstaff starts at $4.99/mo versus $7/mo for DeskTime — not a deciding factor on its own.
DeskTime has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Hubstaff requires a paid subscription from day one.
Both tools are a solid fit for agencies — 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.