Time Doctor versus Hubstaff

If you're looking for a remote team management tool for time tracking, task management, and project cost tracking, you've probably come across Hubstaff and Time Doctor. Both are popular tools that have brought time tracking to the masses.

In this post, we compare Hubstaff and Time Doctor with HiveDesk — a simpler, more affordable alternative that focuses on the core features most small businesses need.

Feature comparison

Hubstaff

Hubstaff is a time tracking tool used by a wide variety of businesses. It's an all-in-one tool for teams that work outdoors, in-office, or remotely. It has a large number of features including time tracking, geo-fencing (for outdoor teams), scheduling, payroll, and invoicing.

Strengths

• End-to-end solution from tracking time to payroll and invoicing
• Supports complex workflows like scheduling shifts and geo-fencing
• Mobile app for tracking and reporting
• Integration with 40+ tools

Main features

• Time tracking and screenshots
• Activity levels
• GPS and fleet tracking
• Scheduling and attendance
• Time off and holidays
• Expense tracking
• Invoicing and payroll processing
• Client and project budgets

Drawbacks

• Complex interface — The UI has multiple steps and choices for configuring each feature. For example, to add a user, you need to first set up an organization and project. This complexity makes it difficult to use without training.
• Limited project tracking — You still need a separate project management tool like Asana for managing projects.
• Feature overload — Features like fleet tracking, GPS tracking, and shift scheduling add cost and confusion for teams that just need time tracking.
• Timesheet approval friction — Unapproved hours do not show up in the payroll report, so you must have a designated manager approving timesheets even if your workflow doesn't require it.

Best for: Larger teams that need a one-stop solution for everything from tracking time and tasks to paying remote employees and invoicing clients.

Time Doctor

Time Doctor is another popular time tracking tool, used mainly by online marketers, web developers, and software developers. It has everything you need in a solid time tracking solution including timesheets, screenshots, activity and cost tracking.

Strengths

• Visibility into project cost and monthly payroll
• Integration with 60+ tools
• Client access to project data
• Distraction management alerts when users become inactive or spend too much time on social media

Main features

• Time tracking and screenshots
• Activity levels
• Payroll
• App and URL tracking
• Client access to project data

Drawbacks

• Distraction alerts can be annoying — The distraction management feature shows alerts when users become inactive or visit social media. This can be irritating for salespeople who spend time away from the computer, or social media marketers who use these platforms for work.
• Expensive for full features — Many features like integrations and client access require premium plans. When combined with a project management tool like Asana, the total cost can reach $50-60 per person per month.
• Limited project management — Like Hubstaff, Time Doctor needs a separate project management tool for managing projects and tasks.
• App and URL tracking can feel intrusive — You need to configure productive and non-productive app settings for each project separately.

Best for: Mid-sized and larger teams that use multiple apps and need deep integrations to tie them together.

HiveDesk

HiveDesk takes a different approach. Instead of trying to be an all-in-one platform, it focuses on the core features most small and growing businesses need: time tracking, screenshots, task management, and cost tracking.

Strengths

• Simple interface — No training needed. Your team can get started immediately.
• All features included — No feature tiers or upsells. Everything is available at $5/user/month.
• Task and project tracking built in — Create, assign, and track tasks without needing a separate project management tool.
• Configurable screenshots — Turn screenshots on or off, and change the frequency to suit your team's needs.
• Cost tracking — Assign hourly rates to team members and track project costs automatically.

Main features

• Automatic time tracking
• Periodic screenshots
• Task management
• Project tracking
• Automatic timesheets
• Activity monitoring
• Project cost management
• Multi-level access management

Best for: Small to mid-sized businesses that want affordable, easy-to-use time tracking with task management and cost tracking — without the complexity of larger platforms.

Which should you choose?

Choose Hubstaff if you need GPS tracking, shift scheduling, payroll processing, and invoicing in one tool, and you're willing to invest time in training your team.

Choose Time Doctor if you need deep integrations with 60+ tools and want features like distraction management and client access to project data.

Choose HiveDesk if you want a simple, affordable tool that covers time tracking, screenshots, task management, and cost tracking without unnecessary complexity. For detailed side-by-side breakdowns, see our HiveDesk vs Time Doctor and HiveDesk vs Hubstaff comparisons. Start a free 14-day trial — no credit card required.