15 Best Time Doctor Alternatives in 2023

Time tracking is a valuable tool to help project managers gain insights into how their team members are spending their time in order to increase efficiency. Time Doctor lets you track time and proof of work. However, is it the perfect fit for your team?

Choosing the right tool has quite some variables. It will depend on things such as whether you’re a freelancer or small business owner, or the type of project your team handles. For example, project management for creative agencies has different needs and requirements than project management for software development. 

In this blog, we’ll break down the 15 best Time Doctor alternatives for project management, along with photos, popular features, and pricing for each. 

Why look for a Time Doctor alternative? 

Using spreadsheets to track timesheets and budgets can quickly get out of hand, being human error one of the biggest concerns. Each company has its way of tracking progress and productivity, making it vital to find a tool that meets your needs and the company's policy. 

Time Doctor offers automated time tracking, employee monitoring, distraction alerts, and project management features. The tool focuses on creating oversight to help run the organization more efficiently.

While Time Doctor offers productivity features for your team, some reviews suggest you might want to look at alternatives.

#1 Syncing problems 

Some users say they’ve experienced syncing problems where tracked time and tasks don’t always update across devices. Slow syncing that causes decreased productivity is quite the opposite of what you want from time-tracking software. 

#2 Annoying pop-ups and notifications

Because employee monitoring is a large part of Time Doctor’s offerings, the tool sends pop-up alerts when users open another browser, program, or app, and they can be challenging to turn off. Time Doctor also shows a pop-up timer whenever it detects low activity, but online reviewers say it isn’t always the best at identifying when you’re actually not working versus when you’re watching a video or reading an article. 

#3 Invasion of privacy 

Logging keyboard and mouse strokes and capturing screenshots might feel like an invasion of privacy, resulting in a lack of morale across the team. While accountability is important, using software like Time Doctor can make employees feel like upper management doesn’t trust them to get their work done. 

Also read: The Project Management Checklist: 12 Steps to Follow

The top 15 Time Doctor alternatives in 2023

Earlier this year, we curated a list of the 12 best Time Doctor alternatives. But as we’re entering 2023, we’ve revised and expanded this list to account for software updates and new options on the market. Below you’ll find an overview of the 15 best Time Doctor alternatives for 2023. 

Don’t see one that fits right away? Just keep reading – we’re sure at least one productivity-tracking app will be a good match.

1. Rodeo

Rodeo is the perfect solution if you require an all-in-one tool for your projects. Unlike Time Doctor, admins, and team members can do more than just keep track of time and progress. 

The platform’s structure is designed to optimize collaboration and streamline processes that take up a lot of time and are therefore costly. Creative businesses, for example, benefit from well-thought-out features to support the complete lifecycle of a project.

Who is this tool for? 

Rodeo is built for small to medium-sized teams in need of a centralized single source of truth for projects. With time tracking, task management, estimates, invoicing, budgeting, and more, Rodeo is an all-in-one solution – particularly for creative teams. 

Dutch video marketing company Sticky Chapters required a scalable project management solution fit for their fast-growing business, which led them to discover Rodeo. 

Founder Jessy van der Vlist: “Now that our team is getting bigger, I wanted to use data in a smarter way, for ourselves as well as for (future) customers. I felt like some of our processes could be optimized, even though this was just an intuitive feeling as I couldn’t correlate anything to the specific numbers or data.”

When project managers log into Rodeo, they’ll find their team insights and processes in one place to help them make decisions based on data rather than gut feelings. 

Another Rodeo customer – digital agency JaxX – made their projects 30% more profitable using Rodeo, as the tool helped them track time more efficiently. 

Rodeo’s key features 

Both Time Doctor and Rodeo keep track of time and projects. Time Doctor offers time tracking and productivity insights but doesn’t show you the complete 360 views of current projects. You would need to integrate third-party tools such as Asana, Trello, Slack, or Salesforce to make it a complete picture. These add-ons come with additional subscription costs and the risk of disorganization. 

Here’s what makes Rodeo unique: 

Super easy timesheets 

The importance of time management for employees is unquestionable. Knowing how long your projects are taking is vital for a healthy and happy company. 

Ideally, you want to know the impact of hours worked across budget and project milestones. Rodeo offers an integrated time-tracking system to help you achieve this. The timesheets are easy to use, encouraging your team members to keep on track. 

Ready to start? Hit the timer or add a time card. Time for a coffee? Hit pause. You can also fill in the pre-populated timecards at your convenience. Did that photoshoot take longer than expected? Quickly adjust your timesheet, and the team is up-to-date.

Easy-to-use interface 

Rodeo has a very intuitive interface resulting in a project management tool that anyone can use with little experience required. The user interface is designed to give you an all-in-one view to help you spot the gaps in your workflow in a blink of an eye. If you wish to create a reoccurring project, you can select a template from your previous projects and start in seconds.

Task planning that helps you manage team capacity

Tasks are the core of every project. In Rodeo, tasks correlate to a budgeted activity, helping you better manage productivity and budget. Those with project manager access can assign tasks and manage team capacity. Adding a comprehensive description for each task brings clarity, and you can also easily indicate the status and priority, so your project flows at the right pace. 

Efficiently managing everyone’s workload results in happy faces. Rodeo shows you who’s available and what skill sets they offer, ensuring the planning is right from the get-go.

The task creator allows you to add more details, including priority, activity within the budget, attachments, and comment thread. Once created, the assignee will see the task on their Dashboard under My Tasks.

Rodeo’s task management helps you keep track of what team members are working on without the need to invade anyone’s privacy. 

Additional features:

• Free customer onboarding support 
• Detailed budgeting: Build your budget in phases to help plan your project activities. 
• Estimates: Create and send client-ready estimates straight from Rodeo.
• Invoicing: This feature generates invoices faster. Split invoices into phases or set up recurring ones to automate your processes.
• Expenses & Purchase Orders: Track project expenses efficiently with your own POs.
• Quickbooks (US) and Xero (UK) Integration: Create a smooth bookkeeping and billing process. 
• Multilanguage: You can easily switch languages in Rodeo by selecting Dutch, English, or German under Preferred language.

Pricing: 

Rodeo offers a transparent and flexible pricing structure to support businesses of all sizes. Rodeo’s base price is $29.99 per month, which includes a full user license and integrations with QuickBooks (US) and Xero (UK). Beyond that, you can invite as many users as you need based on the level of access they require: 

• Additional full user license: +$14.99 user/month 
• Additional standard user license: +$8.99 user/month 
• Planner add-on: +4.99 user/month

You want to know where the project stands and what it needs fast. Rodeo’s dashboard provides the overview without pop-ups or notifications to distract you from your work, and our platform is designed to optimize your workflow. 

Start saving time and eliminate stress with Rodeo. Test it yourself by signing up for a free 14-day trial!

2. Harvest

^{Source: Harvest}

Harvest is designed for time tracking, budgeting, and invoicing and depends on third-party tools for task management and project planning. This means that Harvest doesn’t support subtasks, although this is usually a feature that’s highly desired by project managers. The tool helps organize bandwidth and invoicing but doesn’t give you a complete productivity overview like Time Doctor does. 

Popular features: 

• Stopwatch timer 
• Web, desktop, and mobile apps 
• Some reporting features

Who is this tool for? 

Harvest is all about increasing efficiency and profitability for its clients in the professional services sector. The tool is beneficial to field teams on the go. The mobile app offers units to track hours, submit timesheets, and file expense reports.

Related: 10 Harvest Alternatives for Project Management in 2023

Pricing: 

• Basic plan: Free 
• Pro plan: $12 per user/month

3. Hubstaff 

^{Source: Hubstaff}

Hubstaff is a suitable alternative to Time Doctor for remote teams. The time tracking tool is available on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux and as a Google Chrome extension, allowing team members to track their time wherever they are.

The platform’s primary focus is on time tracking and employee monitoring, so you’ll need to rely on integrations to achieve a more robust project management solution. Hubstaff has other products – such as Hubstaff Tasks – that you can use to do so, but you’ll need to purchase each software separately. 

Popular features: 

• GPS monitoring
• Geofencing
• Productivity measurement
• Scheduling
• Agile project management

Who is this tool for? 

Hubstaff offers project and team managers a clear view of staff productivity. The tool focuses on remote, in-field, and office teams. GPS tracking and real-time productivity measurements help spot any irregularities or identify roadblocks.

Also read: 12 Best Hubstaff Alternatives for Project Management

Pricing: 

• Basic plan: Free 
• Desk Starter plan: $7 per user/month
• Desk Pro plan: $10 per user/month 
• Enterprise plan: Customized pricing
• Note: Paid plans require a minimum of 2 users. 

4. Paymo

^{Source: Paymo}

Paymo helps teams with collaboration, timesheet management, and project accounting. The main focus of the app is helping teams to manage projects from start to finish. You are able to break big tasks into manageable pieces and prioritize them.

Online reviewers have reported difficulties using the tool’s complex UI and expressed frustration with the app’s disorganized planning processes and difficult invoicing capabilities, however. 

Popular features: 

• Task management and scheduling
• Time tracking
• Resource management
• Invoicing and online payments

Who is this tool for? 

Paymo is mainly used by creative agencies, marketing teams, PR firms, consultancies, and software companies varying from small to medium size. 

Related: 15 Paymo Alternatives to Try [Free & Paid]

Pricing: 

• Basic plan: Free 
• Starter plan: $5.95 per user/month 
• Small office plan: $11.95 per user/month 
• Business plan: $24.95 per user/month

5. DeskTime

^{Source: DeskTime}

DeskTime is both an app for time and activity tracking as well as project management. In addition, DeskTime offers a workforce management tool that allocates staff and focuses on preventing under- or overstaffing. 

Unlike Time Doctor, DeskTime allows users to invoice time tracked through the platform. Both offer a similar suite of employee monitoring features, although Time Doctor offers more native project management tools. 

Popular features: 

• Automated time tracker
• Internet usage monitoring, URL, and app tracking
• Screenshots option for remote teams
• Data collection on time spent away from a work device

Who is this tool for? 

Productivity, time tracking, and scheduling are the core features of DeskTime. The tool focuses on individual team members and shift-based work environments.

Pricing: 

• DeskTime Lite plan: Free
• Pro plan: $7 per user/month 
• Premium plan: $10 per user/month 
• Enterprise plan: $20 per user/month 

6. Toggl Track

^{Source: Toggl Track}

No manual input or start/stop timers are required with Toggl Track. The software focuses on automation and eliminating steps for the individual project member, differentiating themselves from Time Doctor. 

Toggl Track claims to reduce timesheet admin by a whopping 75% and is less robust than Time Doctor or other alternatives on this list. They have a strict anti-surveillance policy and are against monitoring keyboard strokes and screenshots – a key difference from Time Doctor. 

That said, you’ll need to purchase Toggl Plan separately and integrate the two tools should you want any project management capabilities. 

Popular features: 

• Automated time tracking
• Project progress tracker
• Team resource planning
• Task scheduling

Who is this tool for? 

Toggl Track works well if you want a straightforward way of time management, team allocation, and reporting to clients, for example, when you are a freelancer or work in a small team. Their privacy approach empowers team members to take the reins. This tool is ideal for self-managing groups.

Also read: The 14 Best Toggl Alternatives in 2022

Pricing: 

• Basic plan: Free for up to 5 users
• Starter plan: $10 per user/month 
• Premium plan: $20 per user/month
• Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

7. Clockify 

^{Source: Clockify}

Clockify is a free forever Time Doctor alternative with an intuitive interface. Employees track time for each task on their to-do lists. The dashboard shows worked hours, project spending, and task breakdowns. 

Some online reviewers added that Clockify’s hours logged calculation is highly dependent on users remembering to stop their timer, and failure to remember to can cause issues. 

Popular features: 

• Activity tracker
• Timesheets
• Scheduling
• Invoicing

Who is this tool for? 

Freelancers and small teams can benefit from the free tool and access the most used features. As the team and your projects grow, you could look into paid add-ons.

Pricing: 

• Basic plan: $4.99 per user/month 
• Standard plan: $6.99 per user/month
• Pro plan: $9.99 per user/month 
• Enterprise plan: $14.99 per user/month

8. TimeCamp

^{Source: TimeCamp}

TimeCamp uses automated time tracking to increase project profitability. The software aims to streamline and simplify productivity logging for team members, managers, and C-level executives. Beware that some users have found it difficult to adjust previously logged time. 

Popular features: 

• Productivity tracking
• Project profitability tracking
• Automated time tracking
• Custom-built reporting
• Invoicing

Who is this tool for? 

The software offers three spear points: easy time tracking for employees, time and budget tracking for team managers, and timesheets and attendance tracking for HR professionals.

Pricing: 

• Free forever plan: $0
• Basic plan: $7 per user/month
• Pro plan: $10 per user/month
• Enterprise plan: Pricing upon request

9. ActivTrak

^{Source: ActivTrak}

ActivTrak is a productivity management solution that offers workforce analytics. While some tools use screenshots, keyboard monitoring, and recordings, ActivTrak is less intrusive. The platform differentiates itself by providing insights rather than oversights, although some reviewers say the interface can be a maze to navigate. 

Popular features: 

• Dashboards
• Team summaries
• Productivity reports
• Workload management
• Real-time user activity

Who is this tool for? 

The tool is perfect for tech-savvy managers who love analyzing data and are focused on the team's well-being. When someone falls behind on deadlines, ActivTrak will help diagnose why, for example, the number of meetings or time spent on other scheduled activities.

Pricing: 

• Basic plan: Free for up to 3 users 
• Advanced plan: $10 per user/month, billed annually
• Premium plan: $17 per user/month, billed annually 
• Enterprise plan: Pricing upon request
• Note: ActivTrak only offers annual plans. Data history and app integrations are available for purchase via add-ons. 

10. Replicon

^{Source: Replicon}

Replicon is a project cost management and time tracking software solution offering many features for enterprises, segmented per module. From billing and invoicing to productivity tracking, it’s all offered, although not in one package.

Popular features: 

• Time tracking
• Cost management
• GPS time tracking
• Productivity dashboards
• Invoicing

Who is this tool for? 

Replicon offers many features and integrations to optimize various workflows within IT, government, consulting, marketing, and engineering firms. COO/CFOs, project managers, and finance professionals will use the software the most.

Pricing: 

• TimeBill Quick Start plan: $60 per month for up to 5 users, $10 per additional user
• TimeBill Plus plan: $39 per user/month 
• ProjectTime plan: $29 per user/month 
• ProjectTime Plus plan: $39 per user/month 
• Plans for time off requests and expense tracking begin at $6 and $3 per user/month, respectively. 

11. Insightful

^{Source: Insightful} 

Insightful offers workforce analytics by employee monitoring, time tracking, and remote work management. They approach productivity differently than Time Doctor, as data and trends are compiled and offer insights into team behaviors. The settings are customizable to tailor real-time monitoring according to your policy. That said, some reviewers said the system can lag. 

Popular features: 

• Project management
• Productivity monitoring
• Automated time and attendance
• Track time on projects and tasks

Who is this tool for? 

Insightful is most used by hybrid or remote work teams in various industries to monitor time, proof of work, and manage staff allocation. Their clients range from law firms to architects, insurance, and healthcare.

Pricing: 

• Employee monitoring plan: $8 per employee/month 
• Time tracking plan: $10 per employee/month 
• Automatic time mapping plan: $15 per employee/month 
• Enterprise plan: $18 per employee/month 

12. Timely 

^{Source: Timely} 

Timely is a tool that boasts time, project, and team tracking functionalities. Unlike Time Doctor though, Timely has a strict anti-surveillance policy, meaning they do not offer screenshots, keystroke monitoring, and other employee tracking features. As a result, it lacks a lot of the features Time Doctor offers, although its project tracking features far exceed that of Time Doctor. 

Popular features: 

• Resource management 
• Time tracking 
• Reporting 
• Project tracking

Who is this tool for? 

Timely claims it offers all of the tools to keep a remote workforce connected, meaning it’s well-suited for teams working from home or in a hybrid format. 

Pricing: 

• Starter plan: $10 per user/month 
• Premium plan: $18 per user/month 
• Unlimited plan: $26 per user/month 
• Custom plans are also available 

13. QuickBooks Time 

^{Source: QuickBooks Time}

QuickBooks Time offers employee monitoring features similar to Time Doctor, including mobile timesheets and GPS tracking. The software strives to keep timesheets accurate by allowing for photo capture of employees when they punch in, as well as GPS location tracking so users know where timesheets are coming from. 

On the other hand, this tool offers virtually no project management features, so you’ll still need to rely on another software solution. 

Popular features: 

• GPS time tracker 
• Mobile app
• Timesheets 
• PTO tracker

Who is this tool for? 

This tool might be best suited for teams doing on-site field work, as the tool’s photo capture and GPS tracking features probably won’t make much sense for remote teams to implement. 

Pricing: 

• Premium plan: $20 per month for admin license, +$8 per user/month 
• Elite plan: $40 per month for admin license, +$10 per user/month 

14. UKG Pro

^{Source: UKG Pro}

UKG Pro markets as human capital management (HCM) solution by combining time tracking, payroll, workforce management, and employee scheduling. While UKG Pro offers many solutions, its time and attendance module is comparable with Time Doctor. 

Unless you’re looking for a tool with HR functionality, UKG Pro probably offers more features than you’ll actually need. 

Popular features: 

• Automated time tracking and attendance
• Alerts and reminders
• Detailed schedule information 
• Performance and reliability reporting

Who is this tool for? 

Large enterprises benefit from UKG Pro's wide range of options and modules. The tool focuses on packages for different departments. This might not be a tool to simply try since there’s no trial environment available. 

Also read: Pricing Projects Right: 7 Tips From Experts

Pricing: 

UKG Pro does not provide pricing information for this product but offers tailored demos.

15. FunctionFox 

^{Source: FunctionFox}

FunctionFox offers a range of products for different use cases, although its classic product is most similar to Time Doctor with simple time and project tracking. It also offers expense tracking, estimates, budgets, and reporting. If you’re looking to combine time tracking with robust project management features, you’ll need to look into its other product offerings. 

Popular features: 

• Time and expense tracking 
• Budgeting 
• Reporting
• Task management

Who is this tool for? 

FunctionFox’s products are built for freelancers, marketing, design, and in-house creative teams. With steeper pricing compared to other Time Doctor alternatives, it might be best suited for larger teams or companies with bigger budgets.

Also read: Top 12 FunctionFox Alternatives to Consider

Pricing: 

• Classic product (timesheets and project tracking): $35 per month for first user, +$5 per user/month 
• Premier product (advanced project management): $50 per month for first user, +$10 per user/month 
• In-house product (for in-house creative teams): $150 per month for first user, +$20 per user/month 

Takeaway

Time Doctor is a popular time management tool that offers solid features and can be integrated with plenty of enterprise tools. However, it might not be the best fit for your team if you need a solution that is cost-effective and scalable. 

Some users experience syncing problems or find that the time registration module doesn’t match their workflow. Others might find employee monitoring features such as web and app monitoring intrusive.

We’ve compared features, prices, and ease of use for you to make an informed decision about which software suits you the best.

Want to try Rodeo out for yourself? We offer a 14-day free trial so that you can check out all our features without a commitment.