Hubstaff Review for 2026
Hubstaff is a feature-rich time tracker with GPS, monitoring, and scheduling. But its tiered pricing and complexity may be more than desk-based teams need. Here is an honest assessment.
What Is Hubstaff?
Hubstaff is a workforce management platform that combines time tracking with GPS location monitoring, employee screenshots, activity tracking, and automated payroll. Founded in 2012, it serves both field-based teams (construction, delivery, cleaning services) and desk-based remote workers.
The platform is one of the more feature-complete options in the time tracking space. It offers scheduling, attendance tracking, project budgets, and 40+ integrations. However, this breadth comes with complexity and tiered pricing that can surprise teams who start on the basic plan.
Hubstaff Pricing Breakdown
Starter
$4.99/user/mo
Time tracking, activity levels, limited screenshots, 1 integration
Grow
$7.50/user/mo
Unlimited screenshots, app tracking, GPS, scheduling, payments, unlimited integrations
Team
$10/user/mo
Auto payroll, idle timeout, custom reports, task budgets, client access
Enterprise
Custom
SSO, SOC 2 compliance, dedicated support, custom onboarding, SLA
Pricing as of March 2026. Starter plan requires minimum 2 users.
What Hubstaff Does Well
Strong GPS and location tracking
Hubstaff excels at tracking field workers with real-time GPS, geofencing, and location-based clock-in/out. If you manage mobile teams, delivery drivers, or construction crews, this is one of the best options available.
Comprehensive activity monitoring
Screenshots, app and URL tracking, activity levels based on keyboard and mouse usage, and idle time detection are all included. Hubstaff gives managers clear visibility into how time is spent.
Built-in scheduling and attendance
The Grow plan and above include shift scheduling, attendance tracking, and schedule adherence monitoring. This makes Hubstaff more complete than basic time trackers like Toggl or Clockify.
40+ integrations
Hubstaff connects with project management tools (Asana, Trello, Jira), accounting software (QuickBooks, FreshBooks), and payroll services. The integration library is one of the largest in the category.
Auto payroll and payments
The Team plan includes automated payroll based on tracked hours, with integrations to payment platforms like Wise, PayPal, and Payoneer. This removes manual payroll calculations for hourly teams.
Where Hubstaff Falls Short
Tiered pricing locks key features
The Starter plan is limited to basic tracking with only 1 integration. GPS, scheduling, unlimited screenshots, and app tracking all require the Grow plan ($7.50/user). Auto payroll requires the Team plan ($10/user). Costs escalate quickly for teams that need the full feature set.
Complex for desk-based teams
Hubstaff was built for both field and desk workers, which means the interface has GPS controls, geofencing settings, and location features that desk-based remote teams do not need. This adds complexity without value for office-only teams.
No leave or time-off management
Despite being a workforce management tool, Hubstaff does not include PTO tracking, time-off requests, or holiday calendars. You need a separate tool or HR system for leave management.
Minimum seat requirements
Some Hubstaff plans require a minimum number of users. The Starter plan requires at least 2 users. This can be a friction point for very small teams or solo users evaluating the product.
Can feel intrusive to employees
The combination of screenshots, activity levels, GPS tracking, and app monitoring can feel heavy-handed. Some teams report employee pushback during rollout, particularly when GPS is enabled for desk workers.
Who Should Use Hubstaff?
Hubstaff is a good fit for:
- Field teams that need GPS tracking and geofencing
- Companies with both field and desk workers
- Teams that want automated payroll from tracked hours
- Organizations that need 40+ third-party integrations
Hubstaff may not be the best fit for:
- Desk-based remote teams that do not need GPS features
- Small teams looking for simple, affordable monitoring
- Companies that need built-in leave and PTO management
- Budget-conscious teams that want all features without tier upgrades
A Simpler Option for Desk-Based Teams
If your team works from desks — not in the field — you may not need Hubstaff's GPS and geofencing features. HiveDesk offers the core workforce management features desk teams actually use, at a simpler price point.
| Feature | Hubstaff | HiveDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $4.99/user/mo | $5/user/mo |
| All features in one plan | No (4 tiers) | Yes |
| Screenshots | Limited on Starter | Yes (all plans) |
| Employee scheduling | Grow plan ($7.50/user) | Yes |
| Attendance tracking | Grow plan ($7.50/user) | Yes |
| Leave management | No | Yes |
| GPS tracking | Yes (Grow+) | Yes (iOS) |
| Integrations | 40+ | Asana |
14-day free trial · No credit card required · All features included
Frequently Asked Questions
Hubstaff starts at $4.99/user/month for the Starter plan, which includes basic time tracking and limited screenshots. The Grow plan ($7.50/user) adds GPS, scheduling, and unlimited screenshots. The Team plan ($10/user) adds auto payroll and advanced reporting. Enterprise pricing is custom.
Yes, Hubstaff includes shift scheduling and attendance tracking on the Grow plan ($7.50/user/month) and above. The Starter plan does not include scheduling. For teams that need scheduling at a lower price point, HiveDesk includes scheduling in its single $5/user/month plan.
Hubstaff is a solid choice for remote teams that need monitoring and GPS tracking. However, it can be more tool than necessary for desk-based remote teams. The GPS and geofencing features add complexity that office workers do not benefit from. For desk-based remote teams, simpler alternatives like HiveDesk may be a better fit.
No. Hubstaff does not include PTO tracking, time-off requests, or holiday calendars. You need a separate HR tool for leave management. Alternatives like HiveDesk include leave management as a built-in feature at $5/user/month.
For desk-based remote teams, HiveDesk offers a simpler, more affordable option at $5/user/month. It includes automatic screenshots, activity monitoring, employee scheduling, attendance tracking, leave management, and timesheet approval in a single plan — without the GPS and field-worker features that add complexity in Hubstaff.
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