# Hubstaff vs Timely for time tracking software

Hubstaff and Timely are closely matched for core workflows. Both support API access, zapier, manual time tracking, automatic time tracking, and desktop app. Hubstaff has confirmed screenshots, activity levels, and geofencing. Timely has confirmed billable rates.

## Key decision points

- Hubstaff has confirmed screenshots; screenshots is not yet confirmed for Timely.
- Hubstaff has confirmed activity levels; activity levels is not yet confirmed for Timely.
- Hubstaff has confirmed geofencing; geofencing is not yet confirmed for Timely.
- Timely has confirmed billable rates; billable rates is not yet confirmed for Hubstaff.

## Choose Hubstaff if…

- Choose Hubstaff if confirmed screenshots matters to you; this detail is not yet confirmed for Timely.
- Choose Hubstaff if confirmed activity levels matters to you; this detail is not yet confirmed for Timely.
- Choose Hubstaff if confirmed geofencing matters to you; this detail is not yet confirmed for Timely.

## Choose Timely if…

- Choose Timely if confirmed billable rates matters to you; this detail is not yet confirmed for Hubstaff.

## Features

| Feature | Hubstaff | Timely |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Manual time tracking | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/pricing/)) |
| Automatic time tracking | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/)) |
| Screenshots | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Not confirmed |
| Activity levels | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Not confirmed |
| App tracking | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/)) |
| Website tracking | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/integrations/chrome-time-tracking/)) |
| Idle detection | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/pricing/)) |
| GPS tracking | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/pricing/)) |
| Geofencing | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Not confirmed |
| Project budgets | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/pricing/)) |
| Billable rates | Not confirmed | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/feature/billable-rates/)) |
| Invoices | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/)) |
| Timesheet approvals | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/)) |
| PTO tracking | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Not confirmed |
| Reports | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/)) |

## Platforms

| Feature | Hubstaff | Timely |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Desktop app | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/)) |
| Mobile app | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/pricing/)) |
| Browser extension | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/integrations/chrome-time-tracking/)) |

## Integrations

| Feature | Hubstaff | Timely |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Payroll integrations | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Not confirmed |

## Security and compliance

| Feature | Hubstaff | Timely |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Privacy modes | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/features)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/)) |

## Technical

| Feature | Hubstaff | Timely |
| --- | --- | --- |
| API | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/)) |
| Zapier | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://hubstaff.com/integrations)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.timely.com/integrations/)) |

## Evidence

- **Hubstaff — Manual time tracking:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Versatile employee time tracking methods allow users to track automatically, with a start-and-stop timer, or with GPS and geofencing.”
- **Timely — Manual time tracking:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/pricing/. Evidence: “Manual timer”
- **Hubstaff — Automatic time tracking:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Versatile employee time tracking methods allow users to track automatically, with a start-and-stop timer, or with GPS and geofencing.”
- **Timely — Automatic time tracking:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/. Evidence: “Automatic time tracking”
- **Hubstaff — Desktop app:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Time tracking functions across desktop and mobile devices, Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.”
- **Timely — Desktop app:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/. Evidence: “desktop app”
- **Hubstaff — Mobile app:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Time tracking functions across desktop and mobile devices, Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.”
- **Timely — Mobile app:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/pricing/. Evidence: “Set a manual timer from your phone, tablet or computer.”
- **Hubstaff — Browser extension:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Your team has the flexibility to track time from several apps and extensions, like Linux, Mac, Windows, Chrome, Firefox, Android, and iOS.”
- **Timely — Browser extension:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/integrations/chrome-time-tracking/. Evidence: “Chrome”
- **Hubstaff — Screenshots:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Optional screenshots Get visibility into team productivity with optional screenshots you can enable, disable, blur, and securely store using role-based permissions.”
- **Hubstaff — Activity levels:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Track employee activity levels Assess mouse and keyboard activity and combine it with app and URL tracking, optional screenshots, and other Insights to better understand productivity patterns.”
- **Hubstaff — App tracking:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Monitor app and URL usage Track app and URL usage to see where your team’s time goes and how AI tools contribute to productivity.”
- **Timely — App tracking:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/. Evidence: “track time spent in every web and desktop app automatically”
- **Hubstaff — Website tracking:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Monitor app and URL usage Track app and URL usage to see where your team’s time goes and how AI tools contribute to productivity.”
- **Timely — Website tracking:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/integrations/chrome-time-tracking/. Evidence: “See all the time you spend on specific websites”
- **Hubstaff — Idle detection:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Idle time vs. active time Use Idle time detection to track active work hours vs. wasted time, while reducing time theft and buddy punching across your organization.”
- **Timely — Idle detection:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/pricing/. Evidence: “Idle detection”
- **Hubstaff — GPS tracking:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Versatile employee time tracking methods allow users to track automatically, with a start-and-stop timer, or with GPS and geofencing.”
- **Timely — GPS tracking:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/pricing/. Evidence: “Location tracking”
- **Hubstaff — Geofencing:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Versatile employee time tracking methods allow users to track automatically, with a start-and-stop timer, or with GPS and geofencing.”
- **Hubstaff — Project budgets:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Project and task tracking Track time to projects and tasks, set budget limits, and prevent scope creep with live adjustments to resources and project spend for better budgeting.”
- **Timely — Project budgets:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/pricing/. Evidence: “Budgets”
- **Timely — Billable rates:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/feature/billable-rates/. Evidence: “Billable rates”
- **Hubstaff — Invoices:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/. Evidence: “Invoicing and billing Turn tracked hours into accurate invoices and billing.”
- **Timely — Invoices:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/. Evidence: “Invoices”
- **Hubstaff — Timesheet approvals:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Timesheet approvals trigger payments to various providers, like Wise, PayPal, and Payoneer, directly from the Hubstaff app.”
- **Timely — Timesheet approvals:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/. Evidence: “One-click approve”
- **Hubstaff — PTO tracking:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Attendance and time off tracking Keep track of schedules, absences, PTO, work breaks, and time off in one place to optimize schedules and allocate resources effectively across teams.”
- **Hubstaff — Payroll integrations:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Timesheet approvals trigger payments to various providers, like Wise, PayPal, and Payoneer, directly from the Hubstaff app.”
- **Hubstaff — Reports:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Reporting Stay informed and make faster decisions with 20+ reports on productivity, payments, work sessions, and activity.”
- **Timely — Reports:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/. Evidence: “Reports”
- **Hubstaff — Privacy modes:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/features. Evidence: “Optional screenshots Get visibility into team productivity with optional screenshots you can enable, disable, blur, and securely store using role-based permissions.”
- **Timely — Privacy modes:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/. Evidence: “Private timelines. Only user-approved entries are shared.”
- **Hubstaff — API:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/. Evidence: “Time tracking API Build custom time tracking into your own product.”
- **Timely — API:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/. Evidence: “View API docs”
- **Hubstaff — Zapier:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://hubstaff.com/integrations. Evidence: “Connect Hubstaff to hundreds of apps using Zapier.”
- **Timely — Zapier:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.timely.com/integrations/. Evidence: “Zapier”