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

Pick Controlio if

• Fits if you manage Windows and Mac staff and need activity reports
• Works for companies that want the data kept on their own servers

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if your team uses Linux or phones, as agents run on Windows and Mac only
• Skip it if you need billing or invoicing, as it is built for monitoring, not billing clients
• Watch out: the agent can run hidden, so check local monitoring and consent laws first
• Watch out: the API, single sign-on and burnout views need Advanced at $9.99, and on-premises starts at 10 users

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

Controlio

• Endpoint agents run on Windows and macOS only.
• The agent can run in a stealth mode with no visible icon, so local monitoring laws matter.
• Prices shown are for annual billing; the monthly rate is not stated in the page text.
• On-premises installs start at 10 users and private cloud at 100 users, on request.

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.

Controlio

Productivity measurement

AI-based categorization of activity as productive or distracting, with scores for users and departments.

Work time logging

Breaks the day into applications and websites, with attendance and working-hours reports.

Screen recording

Records screens as continuous video instead of periodic screenshots, and offers a live view of user desktops.

Behavior rules

Alerts on rules about apps, websites, keystrokes, USB devices, sessions and idle or active periods.

Cloud or on-premises

Runs as a hosted dashboard or on-premises, with server support for AWS, Windows and Linux.

Compliance modes

Offers a GDPR mode, and says on-premises deployment can be used to meet HIPAA.

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.

Controlio

• Basic$6.67

  per user / month, billed annually

  5 to 10,000 users: productivity and time reports, behavior rules, screen live stream and video, 6 months of storage.

• Advanced$9.99

  per user / month, billed annually

  Adds workload and burnout views, mouse jiggler detection, REST API, single sign-on and location tracking.

• EnterpriseCustom

  For 100+ users: private cloud, custom storage and SLA, onboarding and priority support.

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.

Controlio

• Annual discount

  Save 17% with annual payments

  The pricing page labels annual payments as 17% off compared with monthly payments.

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.