Hubstaff alternative
A simpler Hubstaff alternative for teams
Hubstaff is workforce and productivity tracking with activity levels, screenshots and payroll. 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 Hubstaff alternative
- Monitoring features (screenshots, activity levels) are not what every team wants
- Approvals require the Team plan
- Priced per seat, and every member takes one even if they don't track time
Where Hubstaff shines
- Activity and productivity monitoring
- Payroll and payments
- GPS and field-team features
Where Hourtick is different
Hubstaff proves work by watching it. Hourtick has no screenshots or activity scores: people and AI agents log time on tasks, and managers approve timesheets instead.
Hourtick vs Hubstaff at a glance
| Criteria | Hourtick | Hubstaff |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | 14-day free trial. Starter $4.99, Grow $7.50, Team $10 per seat/month billed yearly ($7 / $9 / $12 monthly); Enterprise custom. Timesheet approvals are on Team and above. |
| Team of 10, per month | $0 on Free · $29 on Pro (5 GB) | $100–$120 (Team, for approvals) |
| Free plan | Unlimited people, every feature, 500 MB of usage a month | No free plan on the pricing page; 14-day 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 | Team plan and up |
| Mac menu bar timer | Native menu bar timer with live time | See their site |
| Screenshots / activity monitoring | None — no screenshots or activity tracking | Yes (core feature): activity levels, apps and URLs, optional screenshots |
| Best for | Teams that want tasks and time tracking together, simple enough to use every day, free for everyone. | Companies that need monitoring, payroll or field-team tracking. |
Hubstaff pricing from their pricing page, checked September 2026.
Hubstaff pricing in 2026
| Plan | Per person/month, billed yearly | Billed monthly | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $4.99 | $7 | Time and activity tracking, automated timesheets |
| Grow | $7.50 | $9 | App and URL tracking, reporting, one integration |
| Team | $10 | $12 | Timesheet approvals, payments, scheduling, attendance, unlimited integrations |
| Enterprise | Custom | — | Custom setup, account provisioning, dedicated support |
- Every member takes a paid seat, even people who don't track time.
- A separate Essentials plan costs $144 a year for up to 3 paid seats, billed yearly only.
- A team of 10, per month: $100–$120 (Team, for approvals).
- 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 Hubstaff'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 Hubstaff?
For a team of 10, Hubstaff lists $100–$120 (Team, for approvals) 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 Hubstaff cost?
14-day free trial. Starter $4.99, Grow $7.50, Team $10 per seat/month billed yearly ($7 / $9 / $12 monthly); Enterprise custom. Timesheet approvals are on Team and above. (Hubstaff's pricing page, September 2026.)
Can I import my Hubstaff 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 Hubstaff's exports as the record of past hours.
When should I stay with Hubstaff?
If you rely on activity and productivity monitoring, Hubstaff may still be the better fit.
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Track your first hour in a minute.
Free for your whole team, forever. $29/month when you need 5 GB.