DeskTime alternative
A simpler DeskTime alternative for teams
DeskTime is automatic time tracking with app, website and productivity monitoring for teams. Hourtick focuses on the core — a Mac menu bar timer, tasks, timesheets, approvals and billable reports — free for your whole team.
Why teams look for a DeskTime alternative
- Built around monitoring, which many client-service teams don't want
- Project and client billing come second to productivity
- Priced per user
Where DeskTime shines
- Fully automatic tracking from the desktop app
- Productivity and app and website analytics
- Shift scheduling and an absence calendar
Where Hourtick is different
DeskTime measures productivity by watching apps and websites. Hourtick doesn't monitor anyone: people track time on the work they choose, and reports show billable hours, not activity scores.
Hourtick vs DeskTime at a glance
| Criteria | Hourtick | DeskTime |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free for unlimited people with 500 MB of usage a month. $29/month for 5 GB. Every feature on both plans, no per-seat fees. | Pro $6.42 and Premium $9.17 per user/month billed yearly; Enterprise custom for 200+ users. Screenshots are on Premium. 14-day free trial. |
| Team of 10, per month | $0 on Free · $29 on Pro (5 GB) | $64.20–$91.70 (Pro or Premium, yearly) |
| Free plan | Unlimited people, every feature, 500 MB of usage a month | 14-day free trial |
| Task board and list | Board and list, assignees, chat, files, checklists. Every plan | No built-in task board |
| Built-in timer | Mac menu bar and web, offline. Every plan | Yes |
| Timesheet approvals | Included | See their site |
| Mac menu bar timer | Native menu bar timer with live time | See their site |
| Screenshots / activity monitoring | None — no screenshots or activity tracking | Yes: apps, websites and document titles; screenshots on Premium |
| Best for | Teams that want tasks and time tracking together, simple enough to use every day, free for everyone. | Companies that want automatic attendance and productivity monitoring. |
DeskTime pricing from their pricing page, checked September 2026.
DeskTime pricing in 2026
| Plan | Per person/month, billed yearly | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | $6.42 | Automatic tracking, app and URL tracking, document titles, productivity calculations |
| Premium | $9.17 | Screenshots, integrations and API, shift scheduling |
| Enterprise | Custom | For 200+ users |
- Annual billing includes one free month compared with paying monthly.
- Prices exclude VAT.
- A team of 10, per month: $64.20–$91.70 (Pro or Premium, yearly).
- Hourtick: Free for unlimited people with 500 MB of usage a month. $29/month for 5 GB. Every feature on both plans, no per-seat fees.
From DeskTime's pricing page, checked September 29, 2026. Prices change; check theirs before you buy.
Switching in an afternoon
- Sign up free and add your clients and projects (task types are created for you).
- Mark which task types are billable and set project rates and budgets.
- Invite the team with a link — every plan includes unlimited people.
- Install the Mac menu bar app and track your first hour.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hourtick cheaper than DeskTime?
For a team of 10, DeskTime lists $64.20–$91.70 (Pro or Premium, yearly) per month on the relevant plan (September 2026). Hourtick is free for unlimited people with 500 MB of usage a month, or $29/month for 5 GB.
How much does DeskTime cost?
Pro $6.42 and Premium $9.17 per user/month billed yearly; Enterprise custom for 200+ users. Screenshots are on Premium. 14-day free trial. (DeskTime's pricing page, September 2026.)
Can I import my DeskTime data?
There's no one-click import yet. Most teams recreate clients and projects in a few minutes (an admin's AI assistant can do it over Hourtick's MCP server), start tracking from a clean date, and keep DeskTime's exports as the record of past hours.
When should I stay with DeskTime?
If you rely on fully automatic tracking from the desktop app, DeskTime may still be the better fit.
Keep comparing
Track your first hour in a minute.
Free for your whole team, forever. $29/month when you need 5 GB.