You may be overpaying for time tracking if your plan costs $5 to $12 per user per month, or if key features like screenshots sit on a higher tier. TimoDesk costs $1 per user per month with every feature on one plan, and you pay only for members who tracked time. No hidden fees. For many teams, switching cuts the bill by 80 percent or more.
Whether you manage a remote team, contractors or an office, accurate time tracking matters. But many businesses pay premium prices for tools packed with features they never use. This article explains where the extra cost comes from, what TimoDesk offers, how it compares, and how to switch.
What are the hidden costs of overpaying for time tracking software?
With remote and hybrid work now common, more teams need a time tracker. Many popular tools cost more than they first appear. Here is where the money goes.
Per-user prices add up. Toggl Track's Starter plan is $9 per user per month. Hubstaff's Team plan, which includes the features most monitoring teams want, is $10 per user per month on annual billing. Time Doctor's Standard plan is $11.67. (Prices checked in August 2026.) For a team of 20, that is $180 to $230 a month, before any add-ons.
Features behind higher tiers. The entry price often leaves out what you need. Clockify, for example, puts screenshots on its Pro plan. Insightful sells screenshots as a paid add-on. You end up on a bigger plan than you planned.
Paying for unused features. Large tools bundle payroll, GPS, scheduling and many integrations. If you don't use them, you still pay for them through the per-user price.
Low adoption. When a tool is complex, people avoid it. Time goes unrecorded, and managers spend hours fixing timesheets by hand.
Costs that grow with the team. As you hire, per-user fees rise fast. Some tools also have seat minimums or require annual contracts for the best price.
Pressure to "get your money's worth". An expensive tool can push managers to watch everything closely to justify the cost. That hurts morale.
What is TimoDesk?
TimoDesk is a time tracking and team productivity tool for remote teams, agencies and staffing providers. It focuses on the core: time tracking, tasks, activity levels, screenshots and reports, all for $1 per user per month.
Members install the desktop app on Windows, macOS or Linux and start the timer on a task. The app then records time, apps and websites, and activity levels in the background. Idle time is removed on its own. If the internet drops, tracking goes on and syncs when the app reconnects within 30 days.
Beyond time logs, TimoDesk has project boards, activity reports and a team dashboard that flags overdue tasks, long workdays and low activity. Screenshots give proof of work for clients and managers.
The dashboard is simple enough for people who are not technical. There is a 15-day free trial with no card. TimoDesk has no mobile app, and it does not offer integrations, payroll or invoicing.
Which TimoDesk features give the most value?
Time tracking on tasks
Members start the timer on a task. The app records work time and app usage in the background, so nobody has to fill in a timesheet. For remote teams, offline tracking keeps the data complete during internet drops.
Activity levels and screenshots
Activity level is the share of tracked time with keyboard or mouse input. Screenshots are taken every 3 to 60 minutes and can be switched on or off for each member. App and website reports show where time goes. Typed text is never recorded.
Reports and analytics
Daily, weekly and monthly reports break down time by project, task and member. You can download time and activity, app usage and website reports as PDF or CSV. The monthly timesheet downloads as a PDF. Use these to improve estimates and plan work.
Projects and tasks
TimoDesk links time to tasks and projects. Each project has a kanban board, a list view and a calendar view. Tasks have estimates, and TimoDesk flags tasks that go over.
Access and privacy controls
Roles control who sees what. Staff see only their own data, and team managers see only their teams. Manual time is off until the organizer turns it on, and then it goes through approval. Read more on the security page.
What are the benefits of switching to TimoDesk?
Real savings
The clearest win is cost. If your current tool costs $10 per user per month, moving a 50-person team to TimoDesk saves $450 a month, or $5,400 a year. And because you only pay for members who tracked time, you never pay for unused seats.
Less admin, more focus
Tracked time replaces manual timesheets. App and website reports help people see their own distractions and protect focus time.
Accountability and morale
Shared data builds trust when it is used fairly. Staff see their own work, and managers can recognize strong performers with real numbers. The monthly leaderboard can even produce a "Performer of the Month" PDF.
Clearer client billing
For client work, accurate project time makes billing easier to defend. Clients can get their own login to the client portal and see only the projects you share with them.
Better resource planning
The dashboard shows who is working now and flags long workdays. This helps prevent overload and plan staffing.
How does TimoDesk compare with top competitors on value?
Prices below are per user per month on annual billing where offered, checked in August 2026. Check each vendor's site before you buy.
| Feature / Tool | TimoDesk | Toggl Track | Clockify | Hubstaff | Time Doctor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $1 | $9 (Starter) | $3.99 (Basic) | $4.99 (Starter) | $6.67 (Basic) |
| Screenshots | Yes | No | Pro plan ($7.99) | Yes | Yes |
| Activity levels | Yes | No | Not stated | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | No (15-day trial) | Yes | Up to 5 users | No | No |
| Every feature on one plan | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Integrations | Not yet | 100+ | Yes | Extensive | 60+ |
Toggl Track is easy to use but has no screenshots or activity levels. Clockify has a free plan, but screenshots need the Pro plan. Hubstaff and Time Doctor have strong monitoring and extras like GPS or video recording, at a higher price. See the full comparisons: TimoDesk vs Hubstaff and TimoDesk vs Clockify.
TimoDesk wins on price for teams that mainly need tracking, screenshots, activity levels and reports. If you need integrations, payroll or GPS, a pricier tool may be worth it.
How do you switch to TimoDesk?
- Check your needs. List the features you really use and your team size. Then start the 15-day free trial.
- Keep your old records. Export your past timesheets from your old tool and keep them for reference. TimoDesk starts fresh with new tracked time.
- Onboard your team. Invite members by email or link and ask them to install the desktop app. Explain why you are switching.
- Choose settings. Create projects, set the idle timeout and screenshot interval, and decide who has screenshots on.
- Review and adjust. Use the first reports to fine-tune settings and workflows.
- Grow as needed. Add members at any time. Each costs $1 for a month in which they track time.
Most teams can switch in a week or two with little disruption.
What does switching look like in practice?
A typical case is a small agency paying for a higher-tier plan just to get screenshots. After moving to TimoDesk, it keeps screenshots, activity levels and reports, and its tool bill drops sharply. Another common case is a remote team that used manual timesheets. Tracked time removes the weekly timesheet chase, and managers get a live view of who is working.
In both cases, the savings come from two things: a lower price per user, and paying only for people who tracked time. See also our guide to budget time tracking software.
Conclusion
There is no need to overpay for time tracking. TimoDesk gives you time tracking, screenshots, activity levels, project boards and reports for $1 per user per month, with no tiers. Start your free trial and compare it with what you pay today.
Frequently asked questions
How much should time tracking software cost?
Most popular tools cost about $4 to $12 per user per month for the plans teams actually use. TimoDesk costs $1 per user per month with every feature included.
Is cheap time tracking software worth it?
It is if it covers what you need. Check for screenshots, activity levels, reports and offline tracking. TimoDesk includes all of these on its only plan.
Is there a free trial before I switch?
Yes. TimoDesk has a 15-day free trial with no card. Usage during the trial is never billed.
Do I pay for team members who don't track time?
No. You are billed after each month only for members whose desktop app tracked time. Invited people who never track are not billed.
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