Short answer: time tracking records how long people worked. Employee monitoring also records evidence of what they worked on, such as activity levels, apps and screenshots.
- Hours and projects
- Relies on trust
- Salaried and creative work
- Hours plus activity and screenshots
- Relies on evidence
- Hourly, contractors, client proof
| Time tracking | Employee monitoring | |
|---|---|---|
| Records | Hours and projects | Hours, activity, apps, screenshots |
| Relies on | Trust | Evidence |
| Best for | Salaried, creative, project work | Hourly pay, contractors, client proof |
| Feels like | A diary | A record, if done badly, a camera |
When a timer is enough
Small teams with high trust, salaried staff measured on outcomes, and creative work where hours say little.
When you want monitoring
You pay by the hour, you bill clients for time, your team is remote across time zones, or you work with contractors you have not met.
A middle path
Track time with a 10-minute screenshot interval, blur on, breaks private, and let employees see their own data. You get proof without a feeling of being watched.
A quick test
Ask: "If a client or an employee disputed these hours, what would I show them?" If the answer is "nothing", you need more than a timer.
TrustHours lets you pick the screenshot interval (every 2, 5 or 10 minutes on paid plans) and blur.
See plans