8 Best Employee Monitoring Software Tools in 2025 [Compared]
In 2025, the office is wherever the Wi-Fi is. Distributed teams, async stand-ups, and client budgets that shrink overnight make “trust but verify” the new mantra.
The best employee monitoring software no longer acts as a digital parole officer; instead, it gives managers real-time visibility into monitoring productive time, protects billable hours, and surfaces coaching opportunities before burnout hits.
Whether you run a 12-person dev shop or a 120-seat agency, the tools below turn raw activity monitoring tools data into decisions—without killing culture
Our Best 5 Top Picks
Snapshot
- TMetric – best all-round employee productivity monitoring for agencies & remote teams
- Hubstaff – GPS + geofencing for field crews
- ActivTrak – a compliant tracker with deep workforce analytics
- Time Doctor – distraction alerts for high-volume support teams
- Apploye – affordable starter plan with screenshot blurring
Comparison Table (2025 Data)
| Tool | Price (per user/month) | Free Plan Limitations | G2 Rating | Capterra Rating | Agency Fit Score | SoftDev Fit Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TMetric | $5–$7 | 2 users, basic features | 4.6/5 | 4.7/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Hubstaff | $7–$12 | 1 user only | 4.3/5 | 4.6/5 | 4/5 | 3.5/5 |
| ActivTrak | $10–$15 | 3 users, 30-day data | 4.4/5 | 4.6/5 | 3.5/5 | 4/5 |
| Time Doctor | $7–$20 | No free plan | 4.4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 |
| Apploye | $4–$6 | 10 users, limited reports | 4.5/5 | 4.7/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 |
Mini data study: The average price of time trackers in 2025 is $6.20/user/month—but agency-grade tools that bundle invoicing, budgets, and client reports skew 18% higher.
1. TMetric – Best for Agencies & Remote Teams
Price: Free; Paid from $5–$7 per user/month
Available on: Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux
Why I Picked TMetric
TMetric is the top choice for employee-monitoring software because it tracks what matters without micromanaging. Managers decide exactly what is logged and when.
Optional screenshots (blur, interval, or off) and idle-time alerts can be turned on or off for each role.
Time data flows straight into billable rates, client budgets, payroll, and one-click invoices—no extra spreadsheets.
The live dashboards that include team dashboards for managers show who is doing what; manual entries cover off-line work.
Personal dashboards allow one to see the current task, time tracked in total, calendar events, and due tasks. The dashboards are intuitively arranged with simple widgets.
Key Features
- App/website activity tracking with productivity metrics – Automatically categorizes applications and websites as productive, unproductive, or neutral
- Optional screenshots – Configurable screenshot intervals
- Idle detection (per role/team) – Smart idle time tracking that can be adjusted based on team member responsibilities and trust levels
- Productivity reports – Visual dashboards showing focus time, distractions, and productivity trends over time with exportable data
- Budget & billing – Set hourly rates, watch project profit in real time, and generate payroll-ready reports.
Integrations: 50+ integrations – Jira, Asana, Trello, Notion, QuickBooks, Xero, GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Basecamp, plus a Chrome extension.
Pros
- Privacy-first design: every monitoring feature can be disabled or limited by person or team.
- Agency-ready: billable hours, client budgets, and invoicing built in.
- Lightweight apps that don’t slow machines; clean interface.
- Generous free tier.
Cons
- Mobile apps omit some desktop reports.
- Screenshots have no annotation tools.
Ratings
G2: 4.6/5 – "TMetric offers a clean and intuitive interface, making it easy to navigate and use. The interface provides a clear overview of your time entries and allows for quick and efficient time tracking." – View on G2
Capterra: 4.7/5 – "Best time tracking tool we've used. The activity monitoring helps us spot bottlenecks without micromanaging." – View on Capterra
Agency Fit Score: 5/5
SoftDev Fit Score: 4.5/5
Price to Value: 5/5
2. Hubstaff – Best for Field Teams with GPS Tracking
Price: Free; Paid for $7–$12 per user/month
Available on: Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux
Why I Picked Hubstaff
Hubstaff dominates the field service and mobile workforce category with robust GPS tracking and geofencing capabilities that go far beyond typical computer monitoring.
If your team spends more time on job sites than at desks, Hubstaff's mobile-first approach tracks location, routes, and on-site time with impressive accuracy.
For hybrid teams that mix office workers with field staff, Hubstaff provides unified visibility across both contexts. The desktop app tracks computer activity and website tracking, while the mobile app seamlessly switches to GPS mode.
Key Features
- GPS tracking and geofencing – Real-time location tracking (offers customizable geofences for job sites)
- Screenshot monitoring – Automated screenshots (show activity level, provide blur options)
- App and website tracking – Categorizes productive vs unproductive applications
- Time tracking with idle detection – Automatic pause when activity drops below threshold
- Payroll integration – Direct connections to automated payments vendors
- Scheduling and shift management – Create schedules and track attendance
Integrations: Hubstaff connects with over 30 tools, including Asana, Trello, GitHub, Jira, QuickBooks, Xero, Gusto, and Slack. The API allows custom integrations for enterprise workflows.
Pros
- Best-in-class GPS accuracy & battery life (Android/iOS)
- Mobile app = 100 % feature parity with desktop
- Payroll automation saves ~2 hrs per pay-run (benchmarked)
- Shift module replaces standalone scheduling tool
- Focus reports surface peak productivity blocks for planning.
Cons
- Starts $7/user; scales to $20/user for GPS + scheduling
- GPS always-on can feel “big-brother” for pure remote desk roles
- Screenshots are too frequent and may feel obtrusive for some cultures
Ratings
Agency Fit Score: 4/5
SoftDev Fit Score: 3.5/5
Price to Value: 3.5/5
G2: 4.5/5 – "I really like how easy Hubstaff makes it to track time without overcomplicating things. The desktop app runs smoothly in the background and gives me accurate logs of what I worked on. The screenshot feature is helpful for transparency with clients, and the reporting tools give me a clear picture of where my time goes. It’s also great that it integrates with tools I already use, so I don’t need to constantly switch between platforms." – View on G2
Capterra: 4.6/5 – "Hubstaff Tasks has been a great experience so far. It's easy to use, keeps our team organized, and the integration with Hubstaff for time tracking is super convenient." – View on Capterra
3. ActivTrak – Best for Workplace Analytics and Insights
Price: Free; Paid for $10–$15 per user/month
Available on: Web, Windows, macOS
Why I Picked ActivTrak
ActivTrak’s employee-productivity solution is built on workforce analytics, not surveillance.
Data are rolled up to the team level, so managers see collective patterns—never one-person dossiers—protecting trust and morale while still supplying hard numbers.
The platform answers macro questions: which applications teams rely on, where context-switching erodes minutes, and which workflows stall progress.
Because the method is non-invasive, individual focus time remains intact, yet leaders can still re-allocate resources using the aggregated time metrics.
Key Features
- Productivity scoring and benchmarking – provides productivity analysis to compare team performance to industry standards
- App and website tracking – identifies productive vs unproductive activities
- Alarms and coaching opportunities – sends configurable alerts when unproductive behavior patterns emerge
- Work-life balance insights – tracks overtime along with burnout risk indicators
- Privacy-first approach – focuses on aggregated data
- Custom productivity labels – makes lists of productive activities.
Integrations: ActivTrak integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams. It offers API access for custom reporting dashboards. The integrations cover the essential collaboration tools.
Pros
- Privacy-focused approach builds trust
- Focises on providing actionable data
- Excellent analytics
- Reporting with customizable dashboards
- Work-life balance monitoring
- Strong free plan for small teams
Cons
- Limited integrations compared to TMetric or Hubstaff
- No mobile app tracking (desktop only)
- Lack of screenshot capability may be a dealbreaker for some use cases
Ratings
Agency Fit Score: 3.5/5
SoftDev Fit Score: 4/5
Price to Value: 4/5
G2: 4.3/5 – "ActivTrak has been a game-changer for our team and we use it on daily bases. The level of comprehensive and detailed analytics is outstanding, giving us a clear picture of how work gets done. It's incredibly user-friendly and helps us identify bottlenecks and balance workloads without being invasive. The focus on employee well-being, like burnout detection, is a huge plus. Integration and setup was easy. Highly recommend it for any team, especially remote or hybrid!" – View on G2
Capterra: 4.6/5 – "ActivTrak makes it easy to see how our team is spending their time. It’s helpful for keeping track of productivity, especially since we manage a lot of moving parts, office rentals, conference room bookings, and customer support. The dashboard is clear, and the reports are useful for checking in without micromanaging." – View on Capterra
4. Time Doctor – Best for Comprehensive Activity Monitoring
Price: $7–$20 per user/month
Available on: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome
Why I Picked Time Doctor
Time Doctor is one of the most exhaustive solutions, which offers granular visibility into how work hours are spent. By merging time logs, automatic screenshots, application and URL monitoring, and—if desired—webcam snapshots, it creates a near-gapless audit trail.
While the intensity of oversight will not suit every culture, it is especially useful for coordinating freelancers, distributed staff, or any scenario demanding verifiable proof of effort.
Where the product stands out is its ability to turn raw surveillance into polished, client-facing deliverables. Consultancies that invoice by the hour can export timesheets that pair each billing entry. It eliminates back-and-forth validation.
There are also built-in idle-time flags and on-screen distraction nudges.
Key Features
- Layered activity capture – it records active minutes, mouse/keyboard pulses, software usage, and browsing history
- Configurable screenshots – it snaps at intervals you set, with optional webcam overlays
- Focus nudges – sends alerts when off-task sites are opened during scheduled hours
- Granular productivity analytics – users get exports on focused vs. non-focused periods, complete with activity timelines
- Payroll automation – one-click payouts via PayPal, Wise, or Gusto
- Client portals – read-only links that present cleaned-up progress summaries
Integrations: It has native connectors to Asana, Jira, Trello, Slack, GitHub, GitLab, Basecamp, Salesforce, Zoho, QuickBooks, Zapier, and more.
Pros
- Wide range of surveillance tools in one dashboard
- Client confidence rises when invoices provide timestamped evidence
- Self-correcting focus prompts to reduce manual supervision
- Payroll workflows are hands-free
- Accuracy for strict audit demands
Cons
- Absence of a free tier complicates pre-purchase trials
- Continuous monitoring can feel intrusive for experienced, high-trust employees
- Premium capabilities are locked behind upper pricing bands
Agency Fit Score: 4.5/5
SoftDev Fit Score: 4/5
Price to Value: 3.5/5
G2: 4.4/5 – "It has now automated idle time deduction and it also improved on manual tracking reminders. Improved automatic pause during the inactivity of the user." – View on G2
Capterra: 4.5/5 – "Nice experience, good to track time and keep people productivity updated. The information is clear and concise." – View on Capterra
5. Apploye – Best Budget-Friendly Option for Small Teams
Price: Free; Paid for $4–$6 per user/month
Available on: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Why I Picked Apploye
Apploye provides powerful employee monitoring that can be used in remote working teams. It is affordable to start ups.
The service includes all necessary bases, such as time tracking, the monitoring of screenshots, and app and web tracking, as well as the reports.
While Apploye doesn't match the advanced analytics of ActivTrak or the agency-specific features of TMetric, it provides exactly what small teams need to maintain accountability and improve project estimates.
The interface is straightforward, onboarding is quick, and the core monitoring features work reliably across all platforms.
Key Features
- Automatic time tracking with idle detection – tracks active work time and idle time
- Screenshot monitoring – capturing screenshots at intervals
- App and website tracking – marks productive vs unproductive activities
- GPS and location tracking – offers mobile tracking for hybrid employees
- Basic invoicing – invoices from tracked time
- Team scheduling – shift management for businesses
Integrations: Apploye offers integrations with the most popular tools, though the integration library is smaller than competitors.
Pros
- A generous free plan in the category
- Affordable paid plans for essential features
- Simple, intuitive interface requires minimal training
- Reliable cross-platform apps for desktop and mobile
- Good customer support
Cons
- Limited advanced reporting compared to premium options
- Fewer integrations with payroll platforms
- Basic productivity analytics
Ratings
Agency Fit Score: 3.5/5
SoftDev Fit Score: 3.5/5
Price to Value: 5/5
G2: 4.6/5 – "The most remarkable thing about Apploye is it has too many features with a very minimum monthly subscription fee. Apart from time tracking, it also provides a Task Management feature that helps organizations monitor employees' productivity. I don't need to use any other project management tool like Trello or Asana when Apploye came with all the features in one single step." – View on G2
Capterra: 4.7/5 – "Since it’s so easy to get sidetracked with tasks, I definitely needed something like Apploye to help me keep track of project timings. While I don’t really use the options for employee tracking and monitoring, our team does work remotely across different countries, so the app makes it easier to keep track of the work progress, eliminate time wasted on less important tasks, and be on top of deadlines." – View on Capterra
6. DeskTime – Best for Automatic Productivity Tracking
Price: Free; Paid for $7–$18 per user/month
Available on: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Why I Picked DeskTime
DeskTime is the productivity tracker that reduces user interference, so the teams that require the monitoring process and do not desire to manually enter the time every minute are good candidates.
The platform automatically classifies all applications and websites as productive, unproductive, or neutral, and constructs detailed productivity reports without employees having to fire start/stop timers.
DeskTime is very powerful in a team that has multiple projects, needs automatic shift scheduling, or project time allocation.
Key Features
- Fully automatic time tracking – tracks everything automatically based on computer usage
- Productivity pulse – productivity scoring in real time
- Screenshot capture – screenshots with configurable intervals
- Project budgets and cost tracking – checks project profitability in real-time
- Shift scheduling – absence and schedule management
- Pomodoro timer integration – Built-in focus time management
Integrations: DeskTime integrates with Google Calendar, Asana, Trello, Jira, and Basecamp.
Pros
- Truly automatic tracking, which means that it eliminates the need for manual time entry
- Productivity pulse for getting instant feedback on focus
- Project detection to reduce admin work
- Balance between monitoring and autonomy
- Productivity reports with exportable data
Cons
- Single-user free plan limits testing for teams
- Automatic categorization sometimes misclassifies applications
- Limited invoicing capabilities
Ratings
Agency Fit Score: 3.5/5
SoftDev Fit Score: 4/5
Price to Value: 4/5
G2: 4.5/5 – "I can create different groups and schedules for each of the groups, making it more precise to measure productivity as a group, and then I can focus on a specific employee. None of the employees where it was installed have noticed any difference in the performance of the equipment. It works to provide more precise feedback with data, helping to detect problems with employees in terms of understanding or prioritization. It operates transparently, meaning the user doesn't have to do anything. But once the user understands, it is a great help to know if they are being productive." - View on G2
Capterra: 4.5/5 – "The use of the app can be done from home when working remotely. Also found it easy to download from the App Store and google play store." - View on Capterra
7. Teramind – Best for Security and Compliance
Price: Custom pricing (typically $12–$25 per user/month)
Available on: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Why I Picked Teramind
Teramind is a tool that suits well security-first workplaces (for instance, banks and hospitals) that must follow strict rules.
It guarantees to watch for data leaks, rogue employees, and stolen log-ins while logging every click for audits that satisfy SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR.
That extra protection costs more and takes longer to set up than simpler tools, but it’s worth it when one slip can trigger fines or breaches.
Its AI flags weird behavior—say, a coder downloading the whole codebase at 3 a.m.—before damage is done.
Teams guarding proprietary code or client secrets feel safe knowing Teramind is on guard.
Key Features
- User behavior analytics – AI-based detection of the abnormal activity patterns
- Data loss prevention- surveys and prevents inappropriate data transfers
- Keystroke logging and OCR – logging of in-depth user activity with text recognition in screenshots
- Policy-based blocking – automatically block access to unauthorized applications or websites
- Full audit trails – detailed compliance and investigations logs
- Risk scoring – risk levels on user activities.
Integrations: Teramind can be integrated with SIEM solutions, Active Directory, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and other HR systems to provide a full-fledged security monitoring system.
Pros
- Security and compliance solutions at the top of the industry
- Ideal when the industries are regulated and need an in-depth audit trail
- High-tech insider threat detection using AI analytics
- Very tailor-made policies and alerts
- Powerful data loss prevention solutions.
Cons
- Costly in comparison with productivity-oriented options
- Complex installation needs technical knowledge
- Monitoring can become intrusive in the normal office work.
Ratings
Agency Fit Score: 3/5
SoftDev Fit Score: 4.5/5
Price to Value: 3/5
G2: 4.6/5 – "Teramind is user-friendly and makes it easy to monitor remote employees." - View on G2
Capterra: 4.3/5 – "Love it all and open for additional features. Knowledge based and training is a bang as well. Support is available 24X7 and very accommodating." - View on Capterra
8. Insightful – Best for Analytics-Driven Management
Price: $8–$15 per user/month
Available on: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Why I Picked Insightful
It reframes “monitoring” as a management-consulting tool instead of a spy camera.
Its analytics surface where work actually slows down—bottlenecks, redundant steps, lopsided workloads—then suggest concrete changes to team structure and process design.
A live dashboard gives leaders an X-ray of collective productivity without ever needing to zoom in on a single employee’s screen.
For globally-distributed teams, the platform maps each person’s natural focus windows across time zones and turns that into a smart schedule: meetings land at overlap peaks, deep-work blocks stay protected, and collaboration feels friction-free.
Key Features
- Real-time productivity dashboard – get a live view of team activity
- Automatic time mapping – get AI-powered categorization for any activity
- Focus time analytics – shows peak productivity hours and tracks deep work sessions
- Workload balancing – team capacity on display; overwork calculated
- App and website tracking – application usage reports
- Attendance and absence tracking – basic time-off management
Integrations: Insightful connects with Jira, Asana, Slack, Microsoft Teams. It also offers webhook support for custom integrations.
Pros
- Strong focus on team analytics
- Work visibility of team members for managers
- Focus time analysis for better schedules
- Workload balance
- Clean, modern interface
Cons
- Limited invoicing and billing features, not enough for agencies
- No mobile apps if you need team tracking in fields
- Fewer integrations than competitors
Ratings
Agency Fit Score: 3/5
SoftDev Fit Score: 4.5/5
Price to Value: 4/5
G2: 4.7/5 – "Screenshot Monitoring, Time Track according to category/ fields, auto-updates clock-ins without refreshing the browser, Activity / Apps Categorization." - View on G2
Capterra: 4.7/5 – "We have a really great experience with Insightful. It solved a lot of problems like tardiness, wasting of time, over breaks, and many more." - View on Capterra
More Employee Monitoring Solutions
The tools above represent the best employee monitoring software options for most teams. Below are other solutions worth considering for specific use cases:
- Monitask – Budget-friendly option, which offers basic screenshot and tracks activity
- Timely – Focuses on AI-powered automatic time tracking
- RescueTime – Guarantees personal productivity improvement
- Toggl Track – Simple time tracking with team dashboard
- StaffCop – Enterprise-grade security monitoring
- BambooHR – HR platform with basic time tracking
- Workday – Enterprise workforce time tracking modules
- Deputy – Schedules and time tracking for shift-based teams
- When I Work – Employee schedules with a time clock and attendance.
Summary
The best employee monitoring software in 2025 balances visibility with trust.
For agencies and dev shops that live or die by billable hours, TMetric delivers the fullest toolkit—activity monitoring tools, invoicing, budgets, and 50+ integrations—at a freelancer-friendly price.
Start free, plug it into your existing project stack, and prove ROI before spending a dollar.
Selection Criteria Methodology
How We Select the Best Software
We scored and chose among 30 contenders across 3 specialized vectors:
- Agency Fit – weight 40 %
Billable tracking, client reports, invoicing integrations, role-based idle time settings, budget management, and multi-project workflows. Agencies need tools that connect time data directly to revenue. - SoftDev Fit – weight 30 %
Non-invasive analytics, Git commit correlation, focus time metrics, project detection accuracy, and respect for deep work sessions. Development teams require insights without surveillance. - Price-to-Value – weight 30 %
Features delivered per dollar spent; free-tier generosity; scalability cost curve.
We also analyzed verified G2 & Capterra reviews, examined GDPR/SOC-2 attestations, and ran hands-on tests on each platform. Tools lacking a multi-user free plan or transparent pricing were down-ranked.