What is Hubstaff and what is it used for?
Short answer: Hubstaff is time tracking and workforce management software. Companies use it to record hours worked, see how time is spent across projects, approve timesheets and pay their teams, whether those teams are remote, in an office or in the field.
A quick overview
Hubstaff was founded in 2012 by Dave Nevogt and Jared Brown, and was built from the start as a fully remote company. According to its website, it has more than 140,000 users around the world. It works on Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Android and iOS.
Main features
According to Hubstaff's official features page:
- Time tracking: timers on desktop and mobile, plus attendance, shifts and time off.
- Timesheets: generated automatically and sent for approval, which can trigger payments.
- Projects and budgets: time is linked to projects and tasks, with budget limits and cost tracking.
- Activity levels: a percentage based on how often the mouse and keyboard are used. Hubstaff states that it does not log the keys you press.
- Screenshots: optional; the company can turn them off or blur them.
- App and website usage: which apps and sites are used while the timer is running.
- Idle time: separates active time from idle time.
- GPS and geofencing: for field teams that clock in and out at job sites.
- Payroll and invoicing: payments through providers such as Wise, PayPal and Payoneer, and invoices from tracked hours.
- Reports and integrations: more than 20 reports and more than 30 integrations with other work tools.
Which of these features are turned on depends on the plan and on how each company configures it.
Who uses Hubstaff
- Agencies, software and consulting firms that bill clients by the hour.
- Outsourcing companies, BPOs, virtual assistant services and call centers.
- Remote and hybrid teams that need a shared record of hours.
- Field teams such as construction, cleaning or home services, through GPS and job sites.
- Freelancers who want proof of hours for their clients.
What to know if your company uses it
If you're asked to install Hubstaff, it's reasonable to ask your company which features are on (for example, screenshots or app tracking), when tracking runs, who can see the data and how long it's kept. See Your employer requires a monitoring app? These are your rights.
Information reviewed in October 2026 from Hubstaff's official website. Hubstaff is a trademark of its owner; Zuturno is not affiliated with Hubstaff.
FAQ
What is Hubstaff used for?
To track hours worked, link them to projects and clients, approve timesheets, run payroll and see reports on how a team spends its time.
Does Hubstaff record what I type?
Hubstaff states that its activity levels measure how often the keyboard and mouse are used, and that it does not log keystrokes.
Does Hubstaff take screenshots?
It can, if the company turns that feature on. Screenshots are optional and can be disabled or blurred.
Is Hubstaff only for remote teams?
No. It's also used by office teams and field teams, which use GPS and geofencing to clock in at job sites.