Head to head
Time Doctor vs DeskTime: prices, screenshots and a third option
Two per-user subscriptions compared on published prices and features, with AirStaff alongside for anyone who would rather pay once.
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The short answer
On published annual prices, Time Doctor is cheaper: Time Doctor Basic is $6.67 and DeskTime Premium is $9.17 per user per month. For 15 staff over three years that is $3,602 against $4,952. AirStaff covers 15 staff for $198, once, with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
- $3,602
- Time Doctor Basic, 15 staff, three years
- $4,952
- DeskTime Premium, 15 staff, three years
- $198
- AirStaff Tier 2, 15 staff, once
At a glance
| Time Doctor | DeskTime | AirStaff | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per user, per month | Per user, per month | One payment (lifetime licence) |
| Cheapest paid plan | $6.67 per user per month | $6.42 per user per month | $99 once for 5 staff seats |
| Plan in our cost tables | Basic, $6.67 | Premium, $9.17 | Smallest tier that covers the team |
| Screenshots | Yes, from the Basic plan | Premium and Enterprise only — not on Pro | Included on every tier: detailed low-res by default, blurred at capture, or off; deleted after 60 days by default |
| Free plan | None listed | None listed | No free plan; live demo with no signup, and a 60-day money-back guarantee |
| Free trial | 14 days of Premium features | 14-day free trial | Live demo, no signup or card |
| Billing | Monthly or annual (annual is two months free) | Monthly or annual | One payment, nothing to renew |
| Lifetime option | None published | None published | Yes — the whole product is a lifetime licence |
Cost for 5, 15 and 50 staff
| Team | Time Doctor | DeskTime | AirStaff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 staff | $400 | $550 | $99 |
| 15 staff | $1,201 | $1,651 | $198 |
| 50 staff | $4,002 | $5,502 | $396 |
| Team | Time Doctor | DeskTime | AirStaff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 staff | $1,201 | $1,651 | $99 |
| 15 staff | $3,602 | $4,952 | $198 |
| 50 staff | $12,006 | $16,506 | $396 |
| Team | Time Doctor | DeskTime | AirStaff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 staff | $2,001 | $2,751 | $99 |
| 15 staff | $6,003 | $8,253 | $198 |
| 50 staff | $20,010 | $27,510 | $396 |
Which one to pick
Choose Time Doctor if
- Desktop apps for Windows, Mac and Linux, plus Chrome and mobile apps
- Payroll and client login from the Standard plan
- More than 60 integrations on Standard and above
- Video screen recording as a paid add-on
Choose DeskTime if
- Integrations with Jira, Asana, Outlook, Google Calendar, GitLab, Trello and Zapier on Premium
- Shift scheduling and an absence calendar on Premium
- Document title tracking from the Pro plan
Choose AirStaff if
- You want desktop time tracking, screenshots, activity and timesheets on Windows and macOS
- You would rather pay once than per user, every month
- You want staff to see their own data and accept a notice before anything is recorded
- You do not need GPS, mobile tracking or payroll in the same tool
Every plan, side by side
Time Doctor
| Plan | Annual billing | Monthly billing | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $6.67 | $8 | Time tracking with screenshots |
| Standard | $11.67 | $14 | Adds payroll, client login and 60+ integrations |
| Premium | $16.70 | $20 | The full feature set |
| Enterprise | Custom quote | Not published | Custom plan and contract terms |
DeskTime
| Plan | Annual billing | Monthly billing | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro | $6.42 | Not published | No screenshots |
| Premium | $9.17 | Not published | Screenshots, integrations and API, shift scheduling |
| Enterprise | Custom quote | Not published | Custom pricing, 200+ users |
What your staff experience
Staff did not choose the tracker, so what they see matters as much as the price. On AirStaff:
- Nothing is recorded until they accept a monitoring notice, and notice periods such as the 14 days required in New South Wales run first.
- Keyboard and mouse activity is counted, never captured. There is no keystroke log.
- They can see which screenshot mode is on, and screenshots are deleted after 60 days by default.
- Their own “My data” view shows the same hours, screenshots and activity their manager sees, with a one-click download.
- Nothing is recorded while they are clocked out, and idle time is never counted as paid time.
The detail is on the privacy-first monitoring page.
Related comparisons
Sources and how we checked
Prices checked on each vendor’s own pricing page, in US dollars per user per month on annual billing unless stated. Plans and prices change — check the vendor’s page before you decide.
- Time Doctor pricing plans and features (support article)
- Time Doctor pricing page (plan features, platforms)
- DeskTime pricing page (plans, screenshots, integrations)
Time Doctor, DeskTime are trademarks of their owners. AirStaff is not affiliated with or endorsed by any company named on this page. No competitor logos or screenshots are used.
Questions people actually ask
Which is cheaper for a small team, Time Doctor or DeskTime?
For 5 staff on annual billing, Time Doctor Basic costs $400 a year and DeskTime Premium costs $550, at published prices with no add-ons. AirStaff Tier 1 covers 5 staff for $99, once.
Do Time Doctor and DeskTime both take screenshots of staff screens?
Time Doctor: Yes, from the Basic plan. DeskTime: Premium and Enterprise only — not on Pro. AirStaff includes screenshots on every tier, detailed but low-resolution by default or blurred at capture, and staff can see which mode is on.
Which has a free plan or a free trial, Time Doctor or DeskTime?
Time Doctor: no free plan listed; 14 days of Premium features. DeskTime: no free plan listed; 14-day free trial.
What do 15 staff cost on Time Doctor versus DeskTime over three years?
$3,602 on Time Doctor Basic and $4,952 on DeskTime Premium, at published annual-billing prices before add-ons and tax. AirStaff Tier 2 is $198, once.
Is there a cheaper option than both Time Doctor and DeskTime?
Over more than a few months, yes: AirStaff is a lifetime licence from $99 for 5 staff seats, with screenshots, activity, timesheets and reports on every tier. It leaves out GPS, mobile tracking and payroll, so it is cheaper for desktop teams rather than for everyone.
Which should I pick if I need GPS or mobile tracking for field staff?
We did not find GPS listed on Time Doctor’s pricing page. We did not find GPS listed on DeskTime’s pricing page. AirStaff does not offer GPS or mobile tracking in version 1.
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