Smokeball
Time Doctor
| Feature | Smokeball | Time Doctor |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $39/mo | From $7/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | small-law-firms, mid-size-firms, litigation-practices, billable-hour-firms | remote-teams, outsourcing-companies, managers, virtual-assistants |
| Founded | 2007 | 2012 |
| Automatic Time Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Document Automation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Matter Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Billing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Reporting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Microsoft Integration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Time Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Screenshots | ✗ | ✓ |
| Activity Monitoring | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payroll Integration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Project Budgets | ✗ | ✓ |
| Distraction Alerts | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ 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
Smokeball is built for small law firms and mid size firms, with a focus on automatic-time-tracking and document-automation. Time Doctor targets remote teams and outsourcing companies and leads with time-tracking and screenshots.
On pricing, Time Doctor is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $7/mo compared to $39/mo for Smokeball. That $32/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.
Bottom line: Smokeball has a slight overall edge — but if detailed activity monitoring matters most to you, Time Doctor may still be the right call.