$7/user/mo 14 day free trial API
Why it comes up: Closer neighbor for screenshot productivity, with printed Basic/Standard/Premium rates and Time Doctor AI on every plan.
Stands out: Premium adds Benchmarks AI against 250,000+ users plus Unusual Activity AI for mouse jiggler detection, and Open API access sits only on Premium.
Watch out: Basic has no payroll, no web and app usage reports, and no integrations. Those start on Standard at $14/user/mo month-to-month or $140 per user per year.
Best for
- Distributed and remote ops teams that want screenshot proof of work
- Agencies that export approved hours into payroll
- Hybrid companies comparing office vs remote productivity on Premium
4.5 on Capterra from 548 reviews
Read the Time Doctor write-up · Hubstaff vs Time Doctor
Why it comes up: Shift scheduling and labor compliance for hourly venues, not remote screenshot tracking.
Stands out: A public $5/user/month Lite seat that already covers basic rosters, clocks, and labor-law rules, with payroll connectors in the same conversation.
Watch out: Auto-scheduling, biometrics, and SSO sit on Core or Pro. Payroll via Paycor is $8/user/month plus a $49 monthly base.
Best for
- Multi-location hourly employers
- Hospitality, retail, and healthcare rosters
- Teams that need Fair Workweek-style rules
4.6 on Capterra from 773 reviews
Read the Deputy write-up · Hubstaff vs Deputy
$4/user/mo 30 day free trial
Why it comes up: SMB time clock with scheduling and PTO, without activity screenshots.
Stands out: One all-in time, PTO, and scheduling plan instead of a feature-gated starter SKU. Active users are anyone on the employee list within 20 days of the bill.
Watch out: Payroll is a separate product with a $250 setup fee, a $40 monthly base, and industry exclusions (non-US workers, cannabis, firearms, gambling, government). Time tracking above 100 employees is enterprise quote.
Best for
- US small businesses that want a cheap time clock with scheduling and PTO in one bill
- Hourly teams punching from phone, kiosk, or GPS
- Owners who may add OnTheClock Payroll later without switching time clocks
4.7 on Capterra from 792 reviews
Read the OnTheClock write-up · Hubstaff vs OnTheClock
$4.99/user/mo 14 day free trial MCP API
Why it comes up: Hourly time clocks from $4.99/user/mo if you do not need GPS or MCP.
Stands out: Published per-user prices plus a $19 base, with API on Pro and higher MCP limits on Advanced.
Watch out: Every plan adds a $19 monthly base on top of per-user fees. Monthly Starter is $5.99/user, not $4.99.
Best for
- Small US teams that want a printed time-clock rate
- Shops starting on Starter at $4.99 annual plus $19
- Teams that need API on Pro at $6.99 annual
Read the Buddy Punch write-up · Hubstaff vs Buddy Punch
