Time tracker comparison: TrustHours vs the alternatives (2026)
Honest side-by-side comparisons of TrustHours with eight tools people search for, using each vendor's own pages and dated October 2026 prices. Each page covers price, add-ons, what gets captured, features, reviews, who should stay and how to switch.
TrustHours is best for remote desk teams that want open monitoring, payroll in 40 currencies, chat and an AI connector at one price per active user. Pick Toggl or Harvest for no monitoring, Clockify for the lowest price, Hubstaff for field work, and Teramind for security-grade monitoring.
Compare TrustHours with each tool
Eight full comparisons, each with a cost calculator, a capture matrix and sourced facts.
Prices, free plans and features side by side
Lowest paid price per user per month, from each vendor's own pages on 27 October 2026. Yearly prices are the per-month equivalent when paid annually.
| Tool | Lowest paid price | Free plan | Screenshots | Payroll | Chat and calls | MCP connector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TrustHours | $8 ($4.80 launch), $6.67 yearly | Up to 3 users | Every plan, from Free | Team | Team | Read and act, asks first |
| Hubstaff | $7, $4.99 yearly (2-seat minimum) | None | Yes, capped on Starter | Team and up | No | Read only |
| Time Doctor | About $8, $6.70 yearly | None | Yes | CSV exports; native sync $200 a month | No | Read only |
| Insightful | $8 yearly | None | Yes, blurred by default | Coming soon | No | Read only |
| Clockify | $4.99, $3.99 yearly | Up to 5 users | Pro plan ($9.99, $7.99 yearly) | Earnings and exports | Pumble, separate | Official server, coming-soon label |
| Toggl Track | $12, $9 yearly | Up to 3 users | Never | No | No | Local server, all plans |
| ActivTrak | $10 yearly, annual only | Up to 3 workers | Paid add-on | No | No | Beta |
| Teramind | $14 yearly (5-seat minimum) | None | Screen recording, all plans | No | No | None found |
| Harvest | $11, $9 yearly | 1 seat, 2 projects | None | Not stated | No | None found |
Entry prices are not like for like. A low entry plan may cap screenshots, exclude payroll or need add-ons. Open each comparison for the matching plan and a calculator. TrustHours has a $4.80 launch price on Team until 31 December 2026, and the first 20 teams keep it for life.
Other tools we have looked at
We have not built full comparison pages for these yet. The facts below were verified on the dates shown.
| Tool | What we verified | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jibble | Free plan with unlimited users; official MCP server with read and write; G2 4.6 from 842 reviews | Paid prices not verified |
| TimeCamp | Starter $3.99, Premium $6.99, Ultimate $9.99 yearly; free plan with unlimited users; screenshots on Ultimate; official MCP server | Per user per month, billed yearly |
| DeskTime | Pro $6.42 and Premium $9.17 yearly; screenshots on Premium | Per user per month, billed yearly |
| Everhour | Team $8.50 yearly with a 5-seat minimum; free for up to 5 seats | No add-ons stated |
| Apploye | Elite $4.50 or $7, Power $8 or $12; free for up to 10 users; stealth add-on $2; MCP add-on $1 | Per user per month, yearly or monthly |
| Monitask | $6.49 to $15.99 per user per month | Plan names not verified |
| WorkTime | $6.99, $8.99 and $10.99; no screenshots by design | Per user per month |
| Buddy Punch | $4.99 to $12.99 per user plus a $19 monthly base fee; MCP on Pro and above | Built for hourly staff |
Checked 27 October 2026. Prices exclude tax. Re-check on the vendor site before you buy.
Which type of tool do you need?
Match the need to the tool. Rows that point to TrustHours are the ones we built it for. Others point elsewhere on purpose.
| If you want | Look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Open, employee-visible monitoring with payroll and chat | TrustHours | Screenshots from Free, payroll in 40 currencies, chat and calls on Team, no add-ons |
| No monitoring at all | Toggl Track or Harvest | Both state they do not take screenshots or track apps |
| The lowest price and a bigger free plan | Clockify, Jibble or TimeCamp | Free plans for 5 or unlimited users |
| GPS, job sites and mobile clock-in | Hubstaff | Locations add-on and iOS and Android apps |
| Analytics on how work is spent | ActivTrak or Insightful | Dashboards, goals and utilisation reports |
| Security, DLP and forensic evidence | Teramind | Keystroke logs, screen recording, hidden agent for vetted customers |
| Client invoicing from tracked time | Harvest or Clockify | Invoices and expenses built in |
| Screenshots and deep reports for a managed workforce | Time Doctor | Unusual Activity, Benchmarks, SOC 2 and ISO certificates |
Method and disclosure
Who wrote this. TrustHours made these pages, so we have an interest in you choosing us. We try to say plainly where each tool is the better fit.
How we checked. Vendor statements come from the vendor's pricing page, help centre or review listings, opened on 27 October 2026. Where a vendor loads prices with JavaScript, we use its own guide or its G2 listing and say so. Vendor claims are shown as claims.
Corrections. If something is out of date, tell us and we will fix it.
Time tracker questions people ask
What is the best employee time tracking software?
It depends on what you need. TrustHours suits remote desk teams who want open monitoring, payroll and chat at one price. Hubstaff suits field teams, Clockify suits tight budgets, Toggl suits teams that refuse monitoring, and Teramind suits security-led monitoring. Our comparison pages cover each.
What is the cheapest time tracker with screenshots?
TrustHours includes screenshots on its Free plan for up to 3 users, and on Team from $8, or $4.80 at launch. Clockify offers screenshots from its Pro plan at $7.99 yearly. Hubstaff Starter is $4.99 yearly with screenshots capped at 500 per user per month.
Is there a free time tracker with screenshots?
TrustHours Free includes screenshots every 10 minutes for up to 3 users, kept 2 weeks. Clockify Free and Toggl Free do not include screenshots, and ActivTrak Free does not save them. Several others offer free plans without screenshots.
Which time tracker does not monitor employees?
Toggl Track states it will never offer screenshots, keystroke tracking, location or webcam monitoring. Harvest states it takes no screenshots or video and tracks no apps, websites or GPS. Clockify's core tracker is also non-monitoring, but its Pro plan adds monitoring.
Do time trackers record what you type?
Most mainstream trackers count keyboard activity without recording the text. Hubstaff, Time Doctor, Insightful, Clockify, ActivTrak and TrustHours state they do not log keystrokes. Teramind can log keystrokes on its UAM plan and above, and can be configured to turn that off.
Which time trackers can run hidden from employees?
Insightful offers a stealth mode and Teramind a Hidden Agent for vetted customers. Hubstaff has a Silent App and Time Doctor an Automatic app that run without a timer window, though neither calls it stealth. TrustHours has no hidden mode. Notice laws apply in many places.
Do time trackers detect mouse jigglers?
Several say so. Hubstaff, Time Doctor, Insightful, Teramind and ActivTrak describe jiggler detection features, and they are vendor claims, not independent tests. Insightful says hardware jigglers are not detected, and ActivTrak says some hardware may slip past. TrustHours does not market jiggler detection.
Which time trackers have an MCP or AI connector?
Hubstaff, Time Doctor, Insightful, Toggl, Clockify, TimeCamp, Jibble and ActivTrak all list one, mostly read-only. TrustHours' connector can also act, such as approving requests, only for the permissions you grant and with approval before each action.
How do you choose between time tracking tools?
Start with what you must have: monitoring or none, payroll or invoicing, platforms, and compliance papers. Then compare the plan that has those features, not the entry price, and include add-ons, seat minimums and yearly versus monthly billing. Use a trial with your real team before you commit.
Is it legal to monitor employees with time tracking software?
The software is lawful in most places, but notice rules vary. New York, Connecticut and Delaware require written notice, Maine added rules in 2026, and UK guidance expects openness and the least intrusive approach. This is general information, not legal advice.
Why does TrustHours publish comparisons that mention its own limits?
Because buyers search for them, and a comparison that hides weaknesses is not useful. TrustHours has no mobile app, no GPS, no public API and no SOC 2 claim today, and macOS is coming. We say so on each page.
Main sources
Each comparison page lists its own full sources.
- Hubstaff pricing guide. hubstaff.com/hubstaff-pricing-guide
- Time Doctor pricing. www.timedoctor.com/pricing
- Insightful pricing. www.insightful.io/pricing
- Clockify pricing. clockify.me/pricing
- Toggl pricing. toggl.com/pricing
- ActivTrak pricing. www.activtrak.com/pricing/
- Teramind pricing. www.teramind.co/services/price/
- Harvest pricing. www.getharvest.com/pricing
- Everhour pricing. everhour.com/pricing
- Jibble. www.jibble.io/
- TrustHours pricing. trusthours.com/pricing/
Try it with your own team.
14 days free, no card needed. Start with the Free plan for up to 3 people, or try Team with everyone. If it does not fit, you have lost nothing.