Hubstaff
Smokeball
| Feature | Hubstaff | Smokeball |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $4.99/mo | From $39/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | remote-team-managers, field-service-companies, agencies, construction-teams | small-law-firms, mid-size-firms, litigation-practices, billable-hour-firms |
| Founded | 2012 | 2007 |
| Time Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Gps Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Screenshots | ✓ | ✗ |
| Activity Levels | ✓ | ✗ |
| Payroll | ✓ | ✗ |
| Geofencing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Automatic Time Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Document Automation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Matter Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Billing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reporting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Microsoft Integration | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Smokeball Pros
- Automatic time recording
- Deep Microsoft Office integration
- Strong document automation
- Excellent for billing accuracy
✗ Smokeball Cons
- Windows-only desktop app
- Higher price point
- Learning curve for automation
The Verdict
Hubstaff is built for remote team managers and field service companies, with a focus on time-tracking and gps-tracking. Smokeball targets small law firms and mid size firms and leads with automatic-time-tracking and document-automation.
On pricing, Hubstaff is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $4.99/mo compared to $39/mo for Smokeball. That $34.01/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Neither tool offers a free plan, so factor the subscription cost into your decision from the start.
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.