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

Pick StaffCop if

• Fits if you must watch for data leaving the company and can host the software yourself
• Works for IT teams that need records of what staff do on company computers

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you just want a timer or timesheets, as it's a monitoring product
• Not for you if you want a published price, because everything is by quote from 5 endpoints
• Watch out: it records keystrokes, webcam snapshots and voice, so consent and local law need checking
• Tight if you have no IT staff, since it runs on your own infrastructure and the pages we read show no hosted version

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

StaffCop

• No prices are published: licenses are per monitored user, from 5 endpoints, on perpetual, 12-month or 24-month terms, by quote.
• Its monitoring is broad, including keystrokes, webcam snapshots and voice recording, which raises legal and consent questions.
• It is a monitoring and security product rather than a simple timer or timesheet tool.
• It is installed on the customer's own infrastructure, not offered as a hosted service on the pages read.

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.

StaffCop

Activity monitoring

Records web activity, email, instant messages, file activity, printed documents and application usage, with live desktop viewing and screen capture.

Productivity analytics

Activity against idle time analysis, productive and non-productive lists of sites and apps, a user card and a custom report constructor.

Insider threat rules

Smart rules and alerts can be set on web, email, keystrokes, file transfers and messaging, with session recording for audits.

Data loss prevention

DLP features and USB device control aim to stop sensitive data leaving, with OCR search across captured content.

Remote administration

Remote desktop control of monitored computers, plus capture of Linux terminal sessions for privileged users.

On-premises storage

The vendor says monitoring data can be kept on-premises or in the customer's private cloud.

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.

StaffCop

Pricing could not be confirmed. See staffcop.com.

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.

StaffCop

No public discounts listed.

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.