Choosing between great time tracking tools like Hubstaff and Clockify is never easy — but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done.
Both tools offer basic time tracking, reporting, and invoicing features, but there are a few key differences worth exploring.
You’ll also need to consider the size of your company, the work you do, and your industry.
Do your employees work from one central location, or are they remote? Do you send multiple employees to the same job site, or do they work asynchronously?
These are all questions to consider when deciding which app is right for you.
Which one is better?
Both Hubstaff and Clockify strive to take users through the full workforce management cycle, from creating tasks to tracking time to generating timesheets to paying employees. The key difference between the two apps is that Hubstaff aims to give you insights into how your team works best before you pay them. There are also some key location-based features that make Hubstaff suitable for mobile teams, as well.
With Hubstaff, you can find out:
Are employees burned out?
Are they not working enough?
Do they have the right tools to be productive?
These are just a few of the many questions Hubstaff aims to answer between tracking time and paying employees. Let’s take a side-by-side look at Hubstaff and Clockify’s respective feature sets.
Hubstaff vs. Clockify features at a glance
| Feature | Hubstaff | Clockify |
|---|---|---|
Time tracking | ||
Timesheets | ||
Apps | ||
GPS tracking | ||
Geofenced Job sites | ||
Automatic location-based clock-in and out | ||
Job routes | ||
Activity scores | ||
App and URL tracking | ||
Optional screenshots | ||
Detailed reports | ||
Invoicing | ||
Project budgets | ||
Shift scheduling | ||
Attendance tracking | ||
Payroll management | Payments must be made through third-party software. |
Time tracking features
Hubstaff
Hubstaff’s clean, intuitive timer allows you to track time on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android — and switch devices without losing a second of tracked time. Or, try the Hubstaff web app or Google Chrome extension.
Adjustable idle timeout settings ensure your employees won’t be billing for work hours when they forget to stop their timer or aren’t at their desk.
On a sales call? Out walking the dog? Have your employees use the mobile time tracking app or add a note to the entry so you can choose to keep their idle time or contest it.
Hubstaff is, hands down, the best time tracking platform on the market. My business would not function efficiently without it, and I honestly wouldn't be able to be as mobile as I am without it.
If you have teams working offline or need to make corrections, you can add manual time entries. Hubstaff’s desktop time tracking app tracks time even while offline and syncs once connected again.
Whether employees track time or add it manually, you’ll have timesheets ready for approval in just a few clicks. From there, you can pay your team directly from Hubstaff.
Clockify
For a free app, Clockify has a well-organized interface that makes time tracking easy. Just add custom task labels to help you prioritize your work. Then, track time directly to items on your to-do list.
Clockify lacks premium features, but it’s a great option for basic time tracking. You can add as many users as you need without additional costs.
That said, you won’t be able to pay them directly from the app like you can with Hubstaff. You’ll have to pay for a third-party payroll tool and export your time tracking data to make payments.
Hubstaff vs. Clockify time tracking overview
| Feature | Hubstaff | Clockify |
|---|---|---|
Automatic time tracking | ||
Timesheets | ||
In-app payments | ||
Time off tracking | ||
Work breaks | ||
Time tracking reminders | ||
Idle time reminders | ||
Windows app | ||
Mac app | ||
Android app | ||
iOS app | ||
Linux app | ||
Chrome extension | ||
Manual time entries | ||
Unlimited To dos |
Location tracking
Hubstaff
Hubstaff’s GPS features make it easy to check in with construction, landscaping, or HVAC teams — and pay them more easily. Start by creating geofenced Job sites to prevent time theft and buddy punching.
Crews can then clock in and out automatically whenever they enter or leave a Job site. This tracked time then becomes an automated timesheet in just a few clicks.
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Try Hubstaff todayIf you manage on-the-go teams route tracking allows you to see how your crew gets from Job site to Job site. You’ll also be able to see when they stop for breaks, materials, or gas.
Then, create your own custom invoices to account for these expenses and reimburse your team directly. Add your own logo, branding, and custom line items and send them to clients right from the Hubstaff web app.
Clockify
With a premium upgrade, Clockify users will gain access to some basic GPS location tracking features. A live map will help you check in on your team’s whereabouts.
Unfortunately, your crew still needs to clock in and out manually. You won’t be able to see job routes, set reminders, or create detailed work orders either. For upwards of $7.99 per user/month, you might be best to consider tools with more advanced location tracking features.
Hubstaff vs Clockify location tracking overview
| Feature | Hubstaff | Clockify |
|---|---|---|
Automatic time tracking based on location | ||
GPS tracking | ||
Geofenced time tracking | ||
Automatic clock-in/out | ||
View job routes | ||
Work orders | ||
Live map view | ||
Location-based reminders |
Productivity measurement, activity monitoring, and optional screenshots
Hubstaff
Hubstaff is a versatile time tracking app with plenty of features, but activity and productivity measurement are where it really stands out compared to Clockify.
Hubstaff calculates the percentage of time each employee spends interacting with their mouse and keyboard. Every 10 minutes, you’ll see this information reflected under Recent Activity on your dashboard. If you manage a team, you can view this activity from your dashboard, as well.
You can see weekly activity, hours worked, projects completed, and app & URL usage in real-time. Employees can earn achievement badges for activity hot streaks, hours worked, and more.
Have certain metrics you care about more than others? Your dashboard is fully customizable. Toggle between optional screenshots, weekly limits, and add more widgets to manage your team with ease.
Clockify
Like Hubstaff, Clockify has a dashboard that shows how employees spend their time. You’ll be able to see how long each of your employees spends on each of their to-dos and capture screenshots.
Unfortunately, that’s pretty much the full extent of productivity measurement on Clockify. You won’t be able to see activity or check in on what apps and URLs they’re using like you can with Hubstaff.
While some of this information is available as a report, you won’t be able to see it in real-time either.
Hubstaff vs Clockify productivity features overview
| Feature | Hubstaff | Clockify |
|---|---|---|
Dashboard | ||
Productivity features | ||
Achievement badges | ||
Activity levels | ||
Optional screenshots | ||
Apps and URLs |
Reporting features
Hubstaff
Hubstaff offers over 30 different reports for time tracking, activity, invoicing, attendance, and more. As previously mentioned, a lot of this information is available in real time via the dashboard and Insights.
Reporting is very in-depth and the level of control the app offers in terms of tracking options is amazing.
For more formal reporting, here are a few of the most popular reports:
Time off reports: Keep track of your team’s time off with balance and transaction reports. You’ll be able to see how much time off has been used, which type was used, and what dates were covered.
App & URL usage: Identify which apps and websites your team uses most. This way, you can identify time-wasting tools and manage access and subscriptions accordingly. You can also experiment with new tools to see if productivity fluctuates.
Time & Activities report: See activity scores, tracked time, and more for each of your employees. Then, select dates and time frames and export in a few clicks. You’ll be able to spot productivity trends.
Clockify
For a free platform, Clockify really delivers with its reporting capabilities. In addition to a helpful dashboard, you’ll be able to export a few of these reports as Excel or PDF files:
Summary time reports: Sort by project to see hours worked for each user.
Detailed time reports: See all time logged and make manual edits as needed.
Weekly timesheet reports: Get a weekly glimpse into tracked time broken down by user and project.
Clockify also allows you to create your own custom reports too.
Hubstaff vs Clockify reporting features overview
| Feature | Hubstaff | Clockify |
|---|---|---|
Customizable reports | Only after export | |
Customizable dashboards | ||
App & website reports | ||
Activity reports | ||
Location reports | ||
Project budget reports | ||
Attendance reports | ||
Time off reports | ||
Payroll reports | ||
Expense reports |
Invoicing
Hubstaff
Paying your team is only half the battle. With Hubstaff, you can convert time tracking data into automated invoices. Then, add own branding, auto-generate line items, and send invoices right from Hubstaff.
You’ll be notified anytime a client views an invoice. When you filter by Clients or Teams, you’ll have a record of pending, partial, and completed payments in the invoices tab.
If you already have an invoicing workflow in place, that’s fine too. Hubstaff integrates with popular accounting software like QuickBooks, FreshBooks, and Wise.
Clockify
You’ll have to upgrade to a paid plan to create invoices in Clockify. Then, you’ll just need to enable “invoicing” in workspace settings.
Once you’ve got everything set up, Clockify’s invoicing features are simple and intuitive. Like Hubstaff, you can import time logs and produce automated invoices with just a few clicks. Save them as PDFs when you’re finished.
Simplicity isn’t always the best when it comes to invoicing, though. With Clockify, you’ll miss out on custom invoices and status alerts. You’ll have to manually deploy invoices too.
Hubstaff vs Clockify invoicing features overview
| Feature | Hubstaff | Clockify |
|---|---|---|
Generate invoices from timesheets | ||
Email, PDF, and HTML invoices | ||
See when clients view an invoice | ||
Export as PDF | ||
Add custom logos, branding, etc. | ||
Accounting software integrations |
Project budgeting features
Hubstaff
Keep your projects on track with Hubstaff’s budgeting features. You can set budgets for hours worked, bill rates, and pay rates. Then, enable notifications so that you always know when you need to make adjustments.
Hubstaff allows you to track budgets in real-time, but you can also pull detailed reports as well. There are currently over 30 reports, including:
Time & Activity report
Expense report
Apps & URLs report
Hubstaff is easy to use and provides the comprehensive reporting needed for tracking employee contributions and accurate job costing.
Clockify
Clockify’s budgeting features allow you to track job progress and set estimates based on project spend. Like Hubstaff, you’ll receive alerts when you’re in danger of going over budget — but only for fixed fee projects.
Hubstaff vs Clockify project budgeting features overview
| Feature | Hubstaff | Clockify |
|---|---|---|
Set project budgets | ||
Set project notifications | ||
Project budget reports |
Scheduling
Hubstaff
Hubstaff’s shift scheduling features give you full autonomy over your team. You can use time tracking and productivity data to create schedules, track attendance, and set weekly hour limits for each of your employees.
You’ll also receive alerts for late, missed, and abandoned shifts. With Hubstaff, GPS and geofencing technology makes it even easier to keep track of shift schedules. You can also create detailed Work orders so crews have all crucial client details in one place.
Clockify
Clockify has a basic scheduling feature. You can visualize your team’s workload by viewing their projects on an adjustable timeline. Team view lets you assess burnout by seeing each employee’s tasks.
Clockify paid upgrades allow you to create assignments for your employees. You can add notes, links, hours, and assignees to make sure every task is accounted for. Unfortunately, the ability to publish these assignments for your whole team is still a work in progress.
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Try Hubstaff freeHubstaff vs. Clockify scheduling features overview
| Feature | Hubstaff | Clockify |
|---|---|---|
Shift scheduling |
| |
Shift notifications | ||
Attendance tracking reports | ||
Weekly hours limits | ||
Work orders and jobs | ||
Work breaks |
Payroll management
Hubstaff
Most time tracking apps allow you to turn tracked time into digital timesheets. What sets Hubstaff apart is the ability to pay freelancers, contractors, and full-time employees directly through the app.
Hubstaff's powerful integrations with PayPal, Payoneer, Wise, and Bitwage help you leave the PDF and CSV exports behind. Just assign each employee a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly pay period and pay them through their preferred app.
Clockify
Like with Hubstaff, you can turn tracked time into detailed timesheets with Clockify. That said, you won’t be able to pay your team directly from the app.
Instead, Clockify users will need to export their time tracking data as a CSV file and upload them into another payroll solution. For smaller teams, this might be a feasible option. However, large teams might find this tedious and ripe with the potential for error.
Hubstaff vs Clockify payroll management features overview
| Feature | Hubstaff | Clockify |
|---|---|---|
Automated payroll | ||
In-app payments | ||
Custom pay periods | Weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly | |
Payroll integrations | PayPal, Payoneer, Wise, Bitwage, Quickbooks, Freshbooks, and Gusto | QuickBooks (via exported files) |
Hubstaff vs. Clockify: Which one is right for you?
As you can see, Hubstaff and Clockify are both great time tracking solutions — but which is better for you?
If you’re managing a smaller team working on a budget, Clockify provides basic time tracking, reporting, and invoicing features at no cost. You can expand on its limitations with powerful integrations with your favorite tools or paid upgrades.
While Hubstaff and Clockify’s free features are comparable, it’s their respective paid plans that stand out.
Pricing comparison
Clockify’s paid extras start at $3.99 per user/month. Compared to Hubstaff’s $7 per user/month Starter plan, this seems like a good investment.
Unfortunately, you’d need the Standard Clockify plan at $5.49/user per month just to compare with Hubstaff’s Starter plan.
The $7.99 per user/month Pro upgrades would get you access to GPS features for a slightly cheaper rate than Hubstaff ($10 per user/month).
Unfortunately, you’d be paying more for screenshots and alerts while still missing out on Geofencing, Job sites, and route tracking. Clockify also lacks real-time activity, app and URL usage, and productivity insights.
That’s a lot to wrap your head around.
To make it easier to compare, we’ll summarize: Clockify excels at free, basic time tracking with no limits. But once you start adding paid-ons like invoicing, scheduling, and payroll, it gets harder to compare costs. You might want to start with your list of features and then compare plans to see what you really get for that monthly price.
If you’re still undecided, here’s a concise breakdown:
| Feature | Hubstaff | Clockify |
|---|---|---|
Time tracking | ||
Timesheets | ||
Apps | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS |
Detailed reports | ||
Invoicing | ||
Productivity measurement | ||
GPS | ||
Geofencing | ||
Automatic location-based clock-in and out | ||
Job routes | ||
Project budgets | ||
Budget limits | ||
Shift scheduling | ||
Attendance tracking | ||
Work breaks | ||
Payroll management |
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