Hubstaff Review: Is It the Right Time Tracking System for Your Business?
Charlette has over 10 years of experience in accounting and finance and 2 years of partnering with HR leaders on freelance projects. She uses this extensive experience to answer your questions about payroll.
Zenia has several years of experience writing about HR and payroll software for small business.
What We Recommend Hubstaff For
Hubstaff earned a spot on our best free time tracking software list because of its solid employee time tracking features and robust job labor costing and reporting capabilities. Its productivity tools (app and URL tracking, idle time warning, and screenshots) identify and, subsequently, boost your team’s performance. However, its paid options are more expensive than other providers since it requires users to pay for a minimum of two seats.
In short, we recommend Hubstaff for:
- Mobile businesses and companies with field employees working at multiple locations: Using Hubstaff’s geofencing feature, you can either auto-start/stop its timer or send reminders to your staff to clock in when they arrive at their designated location. With its GPS tracker, you can monitor time spent driving and view routes taken. Both features enable you to get detailed, location-based records of work hours even if you are offline.
- Freelancers needing a time tracking tool with payroll and invoicing capabilities: Hubstaff is one of our top-recommended time tracking software for freelancers. It has online invoicing tools that let you set your rate per project, track budgets and billable hours, and create and send invoices in multiple formats (HTML, PDF, or by email) to your clients. You can also process your team’s payroll by indicating their hourly rates and schedules (weekly, biweekly, and monthly) and pay your staff using third-party providers, like PayPal, Wise, Payoneer, and BitWage.
- Companies with international contractors: Hubstaff supports multiple currencies, e.g., PHP and GDP. If you’re solely using the system to track time and productivity for international staff in one country, the app may be useful. You can send payments as needed but assign only one currency to your organization (you can’t send multiple currencies to different countries).
When Hubstaff Would Not Be a Good Fit
- Companies needing to track actual work hours of hourly staff: Hubstaff’s time tracker doesn’t monitor employee attendance, breaks, and overtime efficiently. If your business needs this functionality, we would recommend Homebase. It has solid compliance support and tracks federal and state overtime laws plus break regulations. It also has online time clocks that support PIN code clock-ins/outs.
- Gig workers that need time tracking solutions with free invoicing tools: Hubstaff gives you client billing features and integrations only with its Pro plan. If you need free invoicing, then we recommend Harvest. Although its free option is only for one user with two active projects, it comes with time tracking and invoicing. It is the best option for freelancers with a handful of projects.
Looking for something different? Read our guide to the best time and attendance software for small businesses to find a solution that’s right for you.
Hubstaff Overview
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Has geofencing and GPS trackers | No overtime and break tracking features |
| Has robust employee productivity tools | Takes a while to reach customer service using tickets |
| Can create PTO policies and manage time-off requests | Advanced features like GPS tracking, PTO, and employee monitoring tools costs extra |
Hubstaff Pricing
Hubstaff has a free plan and three paid options with scalable tiers that range from $7 to $20 per user, per month. The main difference among the plans is access to advanced functions—such as unlimited screenshots and integrations, app and URL tracking, expense tracking, mobile GPS tracking, payroll, concierge set up, and unlimited job sites.
Hubstaff Free: For a single user and has limited features—like time tracking, screenshots, keyboard and mouse activity, employee payments, 24/7 support, per-user settings, and limited data retention.
Ideal for simple time tracking and reporting.
Plan | Time Starter | Time Pro | Time Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
Users* | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Cost per user | $7 | $10 | $20 |
Monthly cost | $14 | $20 | $40 |
Features | All Time Free features plus one integration, 24-hour email, and chat support. | All Time Starter features, plus unlimited teams and integrations, PTO tracking and approval, invoicing, payroll, expense tracking, and client and project budget management. | All the Hubstaff Desk and Field features plus VIP support, concierge set up, and unlimited job sites. |
*Those interested should note that the provider requires subscribers to pay for a minimum of two users. | |||
Offers proof of work, time tracking, and team management features.
Plan | Desk Starter | Desk Pro | Desk Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
Users* | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Cost per user | $7 | $10 | $20 |
Monthly cost | $14 | $20 | $40 |
Features | All Desk and Time Free features, including activity levels and unlimited screenshots. | All Desktop Starter and Time Pro feature, including app and URL tracking, scheduling and attendance, and auto discard of idle time. | All the Hubstaff Desk and Field features plus VIP support, concierge set up, and unlimited job sites. |
*Those interested should note that the provider requires subscribers to pay for a minimum of two users. | |||
Has GPS tracking and team management.
Plan | Field | Desk and Field | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
Users* | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Cost per user | $15 | $17 | $20 |
Monthly cost | $30 | $34 | $40 |
Features | All time tracking features, plus work orders and jobs, mobile GPS tracking, fleet tracking, limited job sites, payments, scheduling, and attendance, invoicing, payroll, client and project management, expense tracking, and 24-hour support (email and chat). | All Desk and Field features. | All the Hubstaff Desk and Field features plus VIP support, concierge set up, and unlimited job sites. |
*Those interested should note that the provider requires subscribers to pay for a minimum of two users. | |||
Hubstaff offers a 14-day free trial of its paid tiers alongside the demo on its website. Also, it has a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Hubstaff Features
Hubstaff has a mix of time tracking, invoicing, geofencing, and GPS tracking capabilities, and it lets you monitor your employees’ real-time performance using its productivity tools. Paying employees and creating invoices are also easy for freelancers and/or firms that charge by billable hours. To learn more about this solution, let’s look at Hubstaff’s key features to help you determine whether or not it’s the right tool for you.
Hubstaff’s dashboard
(Source: Hubstaff)
Time Tracking
Hubstaff is accessible through its Chrome extension, Windows, Mac, Linux computers, and Android (3.4 out of 5) and iOS (4.5 out of 5 stars) mobile apps. You can capture time and filter it based on specific tasks, projects, clients, or locations. You can also set limits and get detailed time sheets that you can review and approve via Hubstaff’s dashboard.
Time tracking dashboard
(Source: Hubstaff)
Geofencing and GPS tracking
Using Hubstaff’s mobile application (available on both iOS and Android devices), you and your team can track time anywhere. Users can automatically clock in and out using its geofencing features, monitor time spent driving, and view routes taken with Hubstaff’s GPS tracking—even when offline. You’ll also get detailed, location-based records of work hours regularly.
Online Time Sheets
You can view, review, and approve detailed time sheets and time-off requests on your Hubstaff dashboard. Time and activity recaps are sent daily through your email, and your staff can add time entries (if they forgot to start the timer) and write notes to explain the changes made to their time sheets.
Scheduling and Attendance Tracking
Hubstaff lets you manage employee shifts, plan your team’s schedule, and set a limit for the number of hours your team members can track weekly. You can also easily create new projects and assign tasks to your employees and receive email alerts for late, missed, or abandoned shifts.
Client Invoicing
Hubstaff’s online invoicing software enables you to enter rates for each employee per project. You can even track budgets and billable hours, create then send invoices in multiple formats (HTML, PDF, or by email) to your clients, and track the status of sent invoices.
Hubstaff’s online invoicing software
(Source: Hubstaff)
Payroll Management
Hubstaff’s online payroll tool automatically processes payroll just by inputting an employee’s hourly rate, schedule (weekly, monthly, biweekly), and setup. It’s not as robust as traditional payroll software, meaning it won’t calculate and file your payroll taxes. However, you can use it to perform general gross pay calculations and payments. You will need to set up PayPal, Payoneer, Wise, or BitWage since it seamlessly integrates with the systems and can pay your employees faster.
Employee Productivity Tools
To keep an eye on your team’s real-time performance, Hubstaff helps you manage and eradicate unproductive time through its app and URL tracking and idle time/inactivity warning. You can also monitor your employees’ work in progress by capturing screenshots.
Project Management
Hubstaff allows you to create project budgets based on hours, bill rates, or pay rates. You can also set up alerts and receive notifications when you’re going over your budget limit so that you can make the necessary adjustments.
Third-Party Integrations
It works seamlessly with over 30 software providers, including Asana, GitHub, Trello, Slack, PayPal, Gusto, QuickBooks, Salesforce, Zendesk, Freshdesk, and Zapier.
Customer Support
Hubstaff’s support team will respond to you through email, live chat, on-screen shares, or video conferencing when you send them a ticket.
Hubstaff Ease of Use
- User-friendly controls
- Intuitive user interface
- Extensive knowledge base (has FAQs, walkthrough videos, and how-to guides)
Overall, Hubstaff is a user-friendly time tracking software with a straightforward interface. It has a feature-rich mobile application that syncs well with its web version—even when offline. In addition, you can access an extensive knowledge base that has FAQs, user guides, and walkthrough videos. For support, Hubstaff has a team of experts who will respond to you through email, live chat, on-screen shares, or video conferencing.
Top Hubstaff Alternatives
Best for: Restaurants and retail shops with one location wanting free time tracking and scheduling software | Best for: Businesses looking for a low-cost time and attendance solution | Best for: QuickBooks users who want to track billable hours and employee attendance of hourly staff |
Monthly fees from: $19.95 per location but has a free plan | Weekly fees from: $2.50 per employee for its standalone time tracking solution | Monthly fees from: $20 plus $8 per employee |
If you’re unsure Hubstaff is right for you, see how it compares with our top time tracking software.
What Users Think About Hubstaff
Users who left Hubstaff reviews online said they appreciate how easy it is to deploy, given its straightforward interface. Others commented that its robust employee productivity tools helped them improve their team’s overall performance and complimented its responsive support team.
On the other hand, some reviewers complained that they experienced occasional software glitches, whereas others mentioned that they get distracted from work with the frequent screenshot capturing. Several even suggested that there should be more third-party integrations.
At the time of publication, Hubstaff reviews earned the following scores on popular user review sites:
- Capterra: 4.6 out of 5 based on 1,157 reviews
- G2: 4.3 out of 5 based on 360 reviews
These are some of the trends that I noticed when reading through its reviews:
Users Like: | Users Don’t Like: |
|---|---|
Easy to deploy | Occasional software glitches |
Straightforward interface | Limited third-party integration |
Responsive customer support | Frequency of screenshot capturing is distracting |
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a time tracking system with robust employee productivity tools, then Hubstaff is a good choice. It automatically captures work hours, including your team’s location, with its geofencing and GPS tracking features. Also, it allows you to keep an eye on your employees’ day-to-day activities using its app and URL tracking, idle time warning, and work-in-progress screenshot capturing.
If you are on a limited budget, Hubstaff has a free plan for a single user, and it’s complete with basic timekeeping and productivity functionalities. If you want to learn more about it, then sign up for its 14-day free trial.
