What Hubstaff Actually Tracks
Hubstaff is one of the most widely deployed employee monitoring tools for remote teams. Over 95,000 companies use it to track how their distributed workforce spends time. Before you can manage your reports, you need to understand exactly what data Hubstaff collects and how it interprets that data.
The platform uses five distinct monitoring methods simultaneously. Each one works differently, and not every employer has all of them enabled — the monitoring capabilities depend on the plan they pay for.
Activity Levels and How They Are Calculated
This is the metric most employers watch. Hubstaff divides your work session into 10-minute intervals and samples mouse and keyboard input during each window. If you move your mouse or press keys for 8 out of 10 minutes, that interval scores 80%.
Most employers consider anything above 60% as normal for knowledge work. Sustained periods below 40% may trigger alerts on the manager dashboard. The critical detail: Hubstaff does not measure the quality or relevance of your input. It only measures whether input happened. Reading a PDF with no interaction registers as 0% activity, even though you are working.
Your employer sees both a daily aggregated average and can drill into individual 10-minute blocks. Some managers set minimum thresholds and receive automatic notifications when employees drop below them.
Screenshot Capture and Screen Recording
Hubstaff captures screenshots at random intervals — typically 1 to 3 times per 10-minute window. The randomization prevents you from predicting when a capture will happen. Screenshots show whatever is on your primary monitor at that moment.
On the Grow plan and above, employers can also enable screen recording, which captures continuous video rather than periodic snapshots. You can delete screenshots you do not want your employer to see, but the corresponding time is also removed from your timesheet, and your employer can see that deletions occurred.
Whether you receive a notification when a screenshot is taken depends on your employer's settings. Many companies leave notifications off, meaning captures happen silently.
App and URL Monitoring
Starting from the Grow plan ($7.50/user/month), Hubstaff logs which applications and websites you use during tracked time. Your manager sees a breakdown showing how many minutes you spent in each app — your code editor, browser, Slack, Spotify, everything.
URL tracking captures the specific websites you visit, not just the browser application. This data appears in the reporting dashboard where managers can filter by date, project, or team member. If you are on a Starter plan, your employer cannot see this data.
Idle Time Detection
When Hubstaff detects no input for a configurable period — typically 5 to 20 minutes depending on employer settings — it flags that time as idle. Idle time is not automatically counted toward your billable hours.
When you return, Hubstaff prompts you to keep or discard the idle time. If you keep it, an idle flag appears in your timesheet. Frequent idle periods create a visible pattern. Some companies use idle frequency as a performance metric.
GPS and Geofencing
On the Team plan ($10/user/month), Hubstaff tracks your GPS location through its mobile app. This primarily serves field service teams, delivery drivers, and contractors who work at client sites. GPS data appears as a map in the employer dashboard showing movement patterns throughout the day.
Geofencing creates virtual boundaries around job sites. When you enter a geofenced area, the timer can start automatically. When you leave, it stops. This is common in construction, agriculture, and facility management. To set GPS and geofencing up yourself, see our step-by-step Hubstaff guide; for how this compares to other monitoring approaches, see our Hubstaff vs Time Doctor comparison.
Hubstaff Pricing and Plan Differences (2026)
The monitoring your employer can deploy depends entirely on their plan. Knowing which plan your company uses tells you what data they can see:
- Free (1 user) — Basic time tracking only. Limited screenshots. No app tracking, no GPS.
- Starter ($4.99/user/month) — Time tracking, activity levels, limited screenshots, basic reporting. No app or URL tracking.
- Grow ($7.50/user/month) — Full screenshots, app and URL tracking, idle detection, detailed reporting, integrations with 30+ tools.
- Team ($10/user/month) — Everything in Grow plus GPS tracking, geofencing, automated payroll (ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks), and advanced scheduling.
- Enterprise (custom pricing) — SOC 2 compliance, dedicated support, custom integrations, single sign-on, and advanced security.
You can sometimes identify your company's plan by observing which features are active on your Hubstaff client. If there is no GPS tracking on your mobile app, your employer likely uses Grow or below. If you see no app usage reports in your dashboard, they are probably on Starter.
What Your Employer Actually Sees
Understanding the employer dashboard is just as important as understanding the tracking methods. Here is what managers see when they open Hubstaff:
The activity timeline shows a color-coded bar for each employee's day. Green means high activity (60%+), yellow means moderate (40-60%), red means low (below 40%), and gray means idle or no tracking. Managers scan this view first to spot patterns.
Individual employee reports break down each day into 10-minute blocks with the activity percentage, screenshots, and apps used during each block. This is where managers drill in when they see a red or gray period.
Automated alerts notify managers when an employee's activity drops below a configured threshold, when idle time exceeds a limit, or when tracked hours fall short of a daily target. Some companies set these aggressively; others do not use them at all.
Weekly summaries aggregate data across the team, showing average activity levels, total hours tracked, and top apps used. Managers use these to compare team members and identify trends over time.
How to Keep Your Activity Consistent
The gap between real productivity and measured activity is the core problem with Hubstaff. Thinking through a solution, reading documentation, sketching on paper, or taking a phone call all register as zero activity. Here are practical strategies to close that gap.
Stay interactive during focused work. If you are reading a long document, scroll through it rather than staring at a static page. Take notes in a text editor. Move between sections. This creates the input signals Hubstaff needs without changing how you work.
Keep work tools in the foreground. Since Hubstaff logs which apps are active, make sure your visible window is always work-related before screenshots. Close or minimize personal browser tabs and messaging apps during tracked time.
Use TrickTack for short breaks. TrickTack simulates natural mouse movement and keyboard activity while you step away. It runs silently in the background, generating input signals that keep your activity percentage consistent during bathroom breaks, coffee refills, phone calls, or any short absence.
TrickTack supports multiple simulation modes — mouse movement, keyboard input, scrolling, and app switching. The idle detection feature automatically starts simulation when it detects you have stepped away and stops when you return. You can configure intensity levels to match your natural work rhythm.
For a detailed technical breakdown of Hubstaff's monitoring capabilities and additional strategies, see our dedicated Hubstaff activity guide. For strategies that work across all monitoring tools, read the complete guide to time tracking software.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Hubstaff calculate activity percentage?
Hubstaff divides your work time into 10-minute intervals and measures mouse and keyboard input during each window. If you interact with your devices for 7 out of 10 minutes, that interval scores 70%. Anything above 60% is generally considered normal. The system counts any input — movement, clicks, or keystrokes — without distinguishing between types. Your employer sees both the aggregated daily average and individual interval breakdowns.
Can Hubstaff detect mouse jigglers or activity simulators?
Hubstaff measures whether mouse and keyboard input occurs, but it does not analyze the pattern or source of that input. It cannot distinguish between a human moving the mouse and software-generated movement. However, employers reviewing screenshots may notice if the screen content does not change despite high activity levels. The most effective approach combines activity simulation with realistic screen content.
What is the difference between Hubstaff Starter and Team plans?
The Starter plan at $4.99/user/month includes basic time tracking, activity levels, and limited screenshots. The Team plan at $10/user/month adds GPS location tracking, geofencing, full app and URL monitoring, payroll integration, and advanced scheduling. The monitoring capabilities your employer has depend entirely on which plan they use — Starter cannot track your apps or location.
Does Hubstaff track you when the timer is off?
No. Hubstaff only monitors activity, takes screenshots, and tracks location while the timer is actively running. When you stop the timer, all tracking stops immediately. You have full control over when tracking is active. However, some employers require minimum tracked hours per day, so stopping the timer too frequently may raise questions about your total logged time.
Can I delete Hubstaff screenshots before my employer sees them?
Yes. Hubstaff allows employees to delete screenshots they do not want their employer to see. However, the time associated with deleted screenshots is also removed from your timesheet. Your employer can see that screenshots were deleted, and frequent deletion may prompt questions. Some employers disable the screenshot deletion feature through their admin settings.
Conclusion
Hubstaff monitors remote workers through activity levels, random screenshots, app and URL tracking, idle detection, and GPS location. The intensity of monitoring depends on the plan your employer pays for — a Starter plan sees far less than a Team or Enterprise plan. For a detailed comparison of how Hubstaff stacks up against a trust-based alternative, see our Hubstaff vs Toggl comparison.
The fundamental gap in Hubstaff's tracking is its inability to recognize non-digital work. Reading, thinking, phone calls, and in-person conversations all register as zero activity. Understanding this gap — and using tools like TrickTack to bridge it — is the most practical way to keep your reports consistent without changing how you actually work.
Keep Your Hubstaff Activity Consistent
TrickTack simulates natural mouse and keyboard activity while you step away. Works silently alongside Hubstaff with no conflicts.
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