ActivTrak vs Time Doctor (2026): which should you pick?

Pick ActivTrak if

• Fits if you manage a remote team and want to see where their time goes
• Works for a manager who wants reports sent into Power BI or Tableau

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you want to bill clients by project hours, as it tracks activity, not projects
• Tight if you stay free: 3 workers and 30 days of data
• Watch out: screenshots, live view and website blocking need the Screen Details add-on
• Watch out: the $7 rate needs a 3-year term, and more than 50 licences need a paid support plan

Pick Time Doctor if

• Fits if you manage a distributed or outsourced team and need records of hours worked
• Works for managers who want web and app usage reports and prepare payroll from tracked time

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want a free plan, because a paid plan follows the 14-day trial
• Pricey if you need integrations or usage reports, which start on Standard at $11.67 a user; the API and SSO wait for Premium at $16.70
• Tight if you're on Basic and need older records, since it keeps 3 months of history; Standard keeps 6 and Premium 2 years
• Watch out: the phone apps record work hours only, with no screenshots or app tracking, and the web app can't track time at all
• Not for you if you run Linux other than Ubuntu on Xorg, as that's the only Linux setup the app supports

ActivTrak

• It monitors worker activity rather than logging project hours, so it suits oversight more than client billing.
• Screenshots, live view and website blocking need the paid Screen Details add-on.
• The $7 rate for Work Activity Tracking applies only on a 3-year subscription; the standard annual rate is $10.
• The free plan is limited to 3 workers and 30 days of data, and more than 50 licenses require a paid support plan.

Time Doctor

• The pricing page lists no free plan; a paid plan follows the 14-day trial.
• Tracking history is kept for 3 months on Basic and 6 months on Standard; 2 years needs Premium.
• The mobile apps record work hours but do not capture screenshots, apps or other phone activity.
• Time cannot be tracked in the web app itself, and the Linux desktop app supports Ubuntu on Xorg only.

ActivTrak

Automatic time tracking

Records activity in the background and summarizes it by user and team, with daily work metrics and real-time visibility.

Schedule and location adherence

Compare actual work against schedules, spot exceptions and trends, identify breaks and validate work location policy on higher plans.

Productivity and capacity reports

Utilization, workload balance, benchmarks, headcount planning and coaching opportunities, plus an on-demand Work Advisor.

AI usage measurement

An AI Insights add-on at $4 per worker per month covers AI usage, governance and compliance, adoption and productivity impact.

Screen Details add-on

Screenshots, live screen view, title bars, full URLs, alarms and website blocking are an optional add-on, not part of the base plans.

Time Doctor

Automatic or interactive tracking

The desktop app tracks time either silently in the background or under the user's control with tasks, online or offline. The web app is for dashboards, reports and settings only.

Screenshots and screen recording

Optional screenshots are part of every plan and can be configured per team. Video screen recording comes with Premium and is an add-on for Basic and Standard.

Web and app usage

From Standard, reports show which websites and apps time went to, with configurable productivity ratings and an activity summary for people and teams.

Attendance, schedules and payroll

Standard adds shift schedules, attendance, break and leave tracking, time approvals and payroll reports built from tracked hours.

Benchmarks AI and unusual activity

Benchmarks AI compares teams with matched peer groups, and the unusual activity report flags mouse jigglers and irregular keyboard input. Both are in Premium or sold as add-ons.

Integrations through the browser

From Standard, more than 60 integrations work through Chrome and Firefox extensions that add start and stop timer controls inside supported web apps.

ActivTrak

• Free$0

  for up to 3 workers

  Basic activity visibility, 30 days of data history, limited functionality. A trial downgrades to this plan.

• Work Activity Tracking$10

  per worker / month, billed annually ($7 on a 3-year term)

  Adherence to working hours and tech policy: automatic time tracking, real-time visibility, attendance, app and website usage. 6 months of data.

• Workforce Management$15

  per worker / month, billed annually

  Adds utilization and financial loss, productivity against goals, schedule exception reports and offline meeting tracking. 6 months of data.

• Productivity Optimization$17

  per worker / month, billed annually

  Adds organization productivity trends, workload balance, benchmarks and goals, capacity planning and coaching. 1 year of data.

• Workflow$21

  per worker / month, billed annually

  Finds repetitive work and AI or automation opportunities; sold through sales for AI and operations teams.

Time Doctor

• Basic$6.67

  per user / month, billed annually ($8 month-to-month)

  Automatic tracking, projects and tasks, timeline report, screenshots, online and offline tracking, and 3 months of history.

• Standard$11.67

  per user / month, billed annually ($14 month-to-month)

  Adds schedules, attendance, time approvals, web and app usage, productivity ratings, payroll, 60+ integrations and 6 months of history.

• Premium$16.70

  per user / month, billed annually ($20 month-to-month)

  Adds Benchmarks AI, unusual activity reports, video screen recording, open API access, SSO, client login and 2 years of history.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Every feature plus private cloud deployment, customizable BI dashboards, guided implementation and custom contract terms.

ActivTrak

• Other savings

  Save 30% on a two-plan bundle

  ActivTrak's pricing page offers a 30% saving when Workforce Management and Productivity Optimization are bought together.

Time Doctor

• Annual discount

  Two months free with annual billing

  Time Doctor's pricing FAQ says customers who pay annually receive two months free, a 16.6% discount on the monthly price: Basic is $80 per user a year against $8 a month.