DeskTime
Loom
| Feature | DeskTime | Loom |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $7/mo | Free / from $12.5/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | managers, remote-teams, freelancers, agencies | remote-teams, developers, customer-success, managers, educators |
| Founded | 2011 | 2015 |
| Automatic Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Productivity Calculation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Screenshots | ✓ | ✗ |
| Url Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Project Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Absence Calendar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Screen Recording | ✗ | ✓ |
| Video Messages | ✗ | ✓ |
| Transcription | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reactions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Video Editing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Analytics | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Loom Pros
- Instant async video communication
- Screen + webcam recording
- Auto-transcription and captions
- Slack and Notion integration
✗ Loom Cons
- 25-video limit on free plan
- 5-minute recording limit on free
- Requires good internet for fast uploads
The Verdict
DeskTime is built for managers and remote teams, with a focus on automatic-tracking and productivity-calculation. Loom targets remote teams and developers and leads with screen-recording and video-messages.
On pricing, DeskTime is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $7/mo compared to $12.5/mo for Loom. That $5.5/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Both tools are a solid fit for managers, 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.
