It was a good experience however we just moved to a different time tracker as we need to integrate our own system with the time tracker at a lower cost. We did a get a refund once but it never happened again, and this was due to some tech issues on their end.
Pros
Hub staff is very convenient to use and very detailed as screenshots from what the workers were doing are available but it isn't readily available real time. The interface is user-friendly. The percentage of work and movement is there, so you kind of have the idea if the worker is idle or not, hub staff capture 3 random screenshots every 10 minutes so it does really help a lot in catching workers who are doing unrelated things while they should be doing work. Apart from this, the admin can restrict the workers from deleting the screenshots but it could also be enabled in the setting, when screenshots are deleted, it also deducts the 10 mins. Both admins and users can add time manually depending on what you set up.
With the support people, I think they are okay, but can only be reached through emails and chatbox on the website.
Cons
One of the issue 90% of us encountered with hubstaff is with setting up, the timezone is really hard to set up, but hubstaff provided a troubleshooting guide link also posted on their website, but still it is quiet techy for someone who is not tech savvy.
Another thing that I least like about the software is that, they can't track real time, which I think is very essential for most businesses. They don't have a live monitoring set up.
The Customer service is good, however it is very unconvenient to reach them, I would really prefer them to have a phone line so I don't have to type a very long email explaining about my technical issues. Apparently, they can only be contacted through chatbox in their website (which is not 24/7) and through emails.
Lastly, I really don't like how google gives ideas and accesses on tutorials on how to bypass the hubstaff system. There are a couple of ways a worker can bypass the hubstaff system and it may seem to you that the worker is working but actually not. Applications and tricks are available online.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 8/10
As a time tracking, payment management, and employee monitoring software, Hubstaff does a great job. It does help many companies keep track of their employees and is pretty comprehensive and even fun to use (when you look at it form the browser). Aside from the archaic Windows app, which has many problems, I have no complaints.
Pros
I've only used Hubstaff for time tracking with my company, I've never used it individually, but I've worked with it with two separate companies so far (as a freelancer), and when comparing it to other time tracking and monitoring tools, I find Hubstaff to be one of the most easy to use and amenable. The thing I like the most is the comprehensive user experience from my end, though I can't speak for admins. As a worker I enjoy being in control and up-to-date with my activity.
Cons
I would say that working with Hubstaff can get a little pressuring because of the activity system in place. What I mean is that I understand the way they measure activity but I do believe that looking for an activity sign every second can be very daunting, especially when some affiliate companies look for activity percentages higher than 80% for their employees. This forces many freelancers into a burnout trying to achieve these impossible productivity standards. Of course, Hubstaff can't claim responsability for what its users decide to do with it, but since it's fairly understandable that we (as workers) don't necessarily press keys or move the mouse at all times, maybe it would be better if they counted one activity sign every two (2) seconds, for example. Or if they offered ways to take breaks that were a direct part of the software and not something entirely at the discretion of one's employer. Hubstaff is great, but its current system does seem to favor employers more than employees, in my opnion, and this could lead to exploitation. Another thing is that the Windows app really needs an update, it has many bugs and doesn't look well on the UX side. There should be more options, not just an outdated-looking time tracker.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 7/10
We've been using Hubstaff for a few years now, and it's the best time tracking software I've come across. It tracks all our employee's hours, activity levels and takes 3 screenshots every 10 minutes so you can look more carefully into your employees' performance if necessary. They also recently introduced badges which are awarded if someone has consistently high activity levels, which is also motivating for employees. They also offer a billing section which we don't use but is useful for businesses who pay employees per hour.
Pros
The best part is that the software downloads onto your PC and runs in the background with minimum interference. If you stop working, it will record idle time and ask you f you want to keep the idle time as work time or not - which is really useful. Another stellar feature is that it tracks activity levels. If an employee's activity levels are low, you get an email with a screenshot of their screenshot showing what they were doing at that time.
Cons
I can't think of anything we don't like.
It is great to hear that you are enjoying Hubstaff,
If you have any questions feel free to contact us anytime.
Thanks again!
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 10/10
When I started working as a freelancer I tested most of the most famous time tracking software services out there. I always ended up coming back to Hubstaff! The free plan was perfect for starting out, and now it also works perfectly for our small team. And we hope the same will happen once the company grows bigger.
Pros
The ease of use and the fact it's so feature-rich. They have many integrations and even offer API for custom implementations.
Cons
I'd like to have the ability to set different pay/bill rates in different currencies, regardless of the primary currency set at the Organization top level.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 10/10
My overall experience with this software is a very poor one. While I appreciate what you're trying to accomplish with the software, especially for remote employees such as myself, it just isn't working out for me personally. As I said earlier, it's going to wind up costing me my job because the software is telling my management that I'm not working when I am. The software also doesn't account for things like needing a lavatory break or taking our (legally required) paid time breaks. If I were to take my 30 minute paid time breaks every day, my productivity would just sink into the teens. There's also no way to account for meetings or times I am on the phone where I am still being productive and working but since I am not clicking anything or typing it thinks I am sitting doing nothing.
Pros
I like the way Hubstaff is designed. It's intelligent and user-friendly. It's sleek and very polished and up-to-date with modern design standards and as a user I am easily able to access the dashboard and different features and see the differences in productivity from minute to minute, see the screenshots, see the tracking points, etc. From the perspective of direct user experience, it's ace.
Cons
However, my qualms with Hubstaff far outweight its superior design structure. The program, to me, is broken. No matter how hard I work, I have never had a day above 40% productivity - and that only happened once. I am usually rate in the mid to high 20s, even on days when I am busting my butt to get work done. I don't know why I am having these problems with the software, because I know I am working, I know I am getting work done, but why am I being rated so poorly? This software is going to wind up costing me my job, and that makes me furious.
Hey Diane,
Sorry you aren't having a good experience. Let me explain how Hubstaff tracks activity, and if you still think you should be getting a higher score, please contact our 24/7 support team at support@hubstaff.com.
Your activity levels may be lower or higher depending on your responsibilities. Manual and mobile time tracking can also lower your productivity levels so include a note to your employer letting them know what you were working on. Here is a helpful article about how activity levels are tracked: https://support.hubstaff.com/how-are-activity-levels-calculated/
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 0/10
Pricing starts at $5/month for 1 user on the simple plan. Bigger packages are available for bigger teams.
The next package starts at $15/month for 3 users.
Premium plans include additional features to the simple plans, like integrations, automatic payroll, app and url tracking and more.
Premium plans start at $10/month for 1 user.
Annual plans will give users 2 months for free.
Hubstaff is a time tracking solution that was designed to empower teams to work together more effectively in real time. Running as an application on the desktop, Hubstaff uses a combination of screenshots, activity levels, and in-depth reports to enable freelancers, website owners and virtual teams to keep better track of the actual time they’ve spent working on client projects.
In addition to screenshots, activity monitoring, and reports, Hubstaff’s platform also includes key features like automatic payroll and GPS. It integrates with more than 30 popular business applications, which means users can work more efficiently and managers can gain a better understanding of which third-party applications their team members are running while they track time.
Hubstaff differentiates itself from competitors with advanced features like screenshots, application monitoring, website monitoring, and the ability to pay contractors automatically. When managers have a better understanding of how much time is being spent on projects and how much their team members are actually working, they’re better able to control budgets and satisfy clients. Hubstaff is currently used by more than 8,000 remote teams worldwide.
Hubstaff is a time tracking solution created to meet the needs of remote teams, freelancers, and small businesses. Users are able to track the time they spend working on both larger projects and individual tasks, whether they’re sitting in front of a computer or working on the road.
Hubstaff offers time tracking tools for users on virtually all devices, including Windows, Mac, Linux, and iOS. A lightweight desktop timer that takes randomized screenshots and measures activity levels helps managers keep better track of remote workers. URL tracking also provides managers with insights into which websites their team members are visiting while they’re working on projects or tasks. Managers can see where time is being wasted, and which team members are working most productively during the day.
For workers who find themselves putting in time outside of the office, Hubstaff’s iOS app is particularly useful. The mobile application tracks time automatically and keeps accurate logs of how long users spend getting from worksite to worksite. This information, as well as the time spent at each destination, is automatically logged and used to generate more accurate payments.
Who is It For? * Experience level: All experience levels * Industry: Software development and marketing agencies * Business size: 3 to 100 employees * Departments/roles: All departments * Budget/point: Free trial available * Example customers: VideoMedicine, GMT Australia, OnlineSpecialists, KTSterling
Hubstaff offers native desktop applications for time tracking, which are designed for specific operating systems. Remote workers can manually enter the time they spend working on projects or track the time automatically. They can also enable multi-monitor support as a way to capture the activity on all the digital monitors they use.
In order to take full advantage of Hubstaff’s powerful time tracking capabilities, you should enable automatic time tracking. You can add notes and comments about the work you’ve done right from Hubstaff’s desktop app or the cloud. Hubstaff is setup to recognize when you’ve stopped working for the day or taken a break for lunch, and the application will automatically stop tracking time when it senses inactivity. Employee payments and rates are then updated automatically based on the exact amount of time that was spent working on client projects.
When it comes to keeping accurate records and proving the time spent working on a project, it’s impossible to argue with record that includes screenshots. Hubstaff captures images of each team member’s work screen at regular intervals as a way to monitor activity and promote accurate record keeping. (Admins also have the option to turn screenshots off at any time.)
Setup the screenshot interval you prefer. With Hubstaff, you can take up to three screenshots every 10 minutes. Randomized screenshots also give you an accurate idea of what your team members are actually doing when they’re working on client projects. Hubstaff’s screenshot tool goes hand in hand with its activity tracker, with tracks the number of mouse movements and keyboard strokes that a team member makes in a given period of time. This data is then used to generate color-coded activity bars, which you can review to see how active your team members have been each day.
Application and URL tracking provide team leaders with deep insights into what their employees are working on while they’re tracking time. This feature not only leads to more productive workers, but it also creates more satisfied clients who are confident that they’re being billed for the actual hours worked on their projects. Hubstaff’s monitoring tools run on Mac, Windows, and Linux.
Use Hubstaff’s URL and application monitoring tools to see which applications and websites your team members are using while they’re tracking time. Click on the team member’s name, and you’ll see a list of apps that he or she has visited during the period when time was being tracked. See the app name, total time spent, and percent of time used.
Hubstaff has been able to decrease the actual time managers spend dealing with payroll, and also improve payment accuracy, with automatic payroll tools. Payments can be processed through Paypal, Payoneer, or Transpay. (Additional payment options are coming soon.)
You only have to set up payments once before Hubstaff is ready to take control. Set the hourly or fixed rates that each of your contractors should receive, and Hubstaff will automatically pay each person based on the time they’ve tracked. Automatic payroll can be setup to handle weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly pay periods. Budgeting and time limit tools prevent employees from continuing to log time once they’ve hit their weekly maximums, which helps businesses avoid going over budget.
Hubstaff integrates with many popular project management solutions, allowing admins to see exactly what their team members are working on and how much time they’ve spent on individual tasks. A few of the many project management integrations include Asana, Basecamp, GitHub, Gitlab, Insightly, and JIRA.
Hubstaff offers free 14-day trials, with no credit card required. Solo Lite accounts are free. Most businesses will opt for Basic or Premium accounts, which start at $5 and $9 per month, respectively. Businesses can get two months for free when they sign up for annual plans.
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