Cost guide
Lifetime vs subscription time tracking: the real cost for 5, 15 and 50 staff
The short answer
Lifetime vs subscription time tracking comes down to how soon the subscription costs more than the licence. For 15 staff on Hubstaff Starter at $4.99 per user per month, the first annual bill is $898; AirStaff Tier 2 is $198 once. Below: 10 trackers, for 5, 15 and 50 staff, over 1, 3 and 5 years.
- 10
- subscription trackers priced, each with a source link
- 5 months
- the longest any plan takes to pass AirStaff’s price at 15 staff, spread monthly
- $3
- per seat per month for AirStaff seats beyond 50
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How is the cost worked out?
Every subscription figure is the vendor’s published price per user per month, on annual billing where the vendor publishes one, multiplied by the number of staff, by 12 and by the number of years. No add-ons, no tax and no price rises, so the real subscription cost is usually higher than shown.
For each tool we use the cheapest plan that includes screenshots, or its cheapest paid plan where screenshots are not offered or are sold as an add-on. That keeps the comparison conservative: it never shows a competitor as more expensive than its cheapest honest option. The AirStaff figure is the smallest tier that covers the team, paid once: $99, $198, $297, $396 for 5, 15, 30, 50 staff seats.
Two labels to note. Teramind does not publish prices, so its figures come from a third-party review. Backlsh publishes one price without saying whether it is an annual or monthly rate. To run your own team size and plan, use the cost calculator.
What do 5 staff cost over 1, 3 and 5 years?
| Tool and plan | Per user / month | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirStaff Tier 1 | — | $99 once | $99 | $99 |
| Backlsh Premium | $2.99 (basis not stated) | $179 | $538 | $897 |
| WebWork Pro | $3.99 | $239 | $718 | $1,197 |
| Hubstaff Starter | $4.99 | $299 | $898 | $1,497 |
| Time Doctor Basic | $6.67 | $400 | $1,201 | $2,001 |
| Clockify Pro | $7.99 | $479 | $1,438 | $2,397 |
| Insightful Workforce Analytics | $8 | $480 | $1,440 | $2,400 |
| Toggl Track Starter | $9 | $540 | $1,620 | $2,700 |
| DeskTime Premium | $9.17 | $550 | $1,651 | $2,751 |
| ActivTrak Work Activity Tracking | $10 | $600 | $1,800 | $3,000 |
| Teramind Starter | $14 (third-party figure) | $840 | $2,520 | $4,200 |
What do 15 staff cost over 1, 3 and 5 years?
| Tool and plan | Per user / month | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirStaff Tier 2 | — | $198 once | $198 | $198 |
| Backlsh Premium | $2.99 (basis not stated) | $538 | $1,615 | $2,691 |
| WebWork Pro | $3.99 | $718 | $2,155 | $3,591 |
| Hubstaff Starter | $4.99 | $898 | $2,695 | $4,491 |
| Time Doctor Basic | $6.67 | $1,201 | $3,602 | $6,003 |
| Clockify Pro | $7.99 | $1,438 | $4,315 | $7,191 |
| Insightful Workforce Analytics | $8 | $1,440 | $4,320 | $7,200 |
| Toggl Track Starter | $9 | $1,620 | $4,860 | $8,100 |
| DeskTime Premium | $9.17 | $1,651 | $4,952 | $8,253 |
| ActivTrak Work Activity Tracking | $10 | $1,800 | $5,400 | $9,000 |
| Teramind Starter | $14 (third-party figure) | $2,520 | $7,560 | $12,600 |
What do 50 staff cost over 1, 3 and 5 years?
| Tool and plan | Per user / month | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirStaff Tier 4 | — | $396 once | $396 | $396 |
| Backlsh Premium | $2.99 (basis not stated) | $1,794 | $5,382 | $8,970 |
| WebWork Pro | $3.99 | $2,394 | $7,182 | $11,970 |
| Hubstaff Starter | $4.99 | $2,994 | $8,982 | $14,970 |
| Time Doctor Basic | $6.67 | $4,002 | $12,006 | $20,010 |
| Clockify Pro | $7.99 | $4,794 | $14,382 | $23,970 |
| Insightful Workforce Analytics | $8 | $4,800 | $14,400 | $24,000 |
| Toggl Track Starter | $9 | $5,400 | $16,200 | $27,000 |
| DeskTime Premium | $9.17 | $5,502 | $16,506 | $27,510 |
| ActivTrak Work Activity Tracking | $10 | $6,000 | $18,000 | $30,000 |
| Teramind Starter | $14 (third-party figure) | $8,400 | $25,200 | $42,000 |
How many months until a subscription costs more?
On annual billing the answer is simple: for every plan in these tables, the first annual invoice already costs more than AirStaff’s one payment. Spread monthly, this is the month in which each subscription passes the AirStaff price.
| Tool and plan | 5 staff | 15 staff | 50 staff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backlsh Premium ($2.99) | Month 7 | Month 5 | Month 3 |
| WebWork Pro ($3.99) | Month 5 | Month 4 | Month 2 |
| Hubstaff Starter ($4.99) | Month 4 | Month 3 | Month 2 |
| Time Doctor Basic ($6.67) | Month 3 | Month 2 | Month 2 |
| Clockify Pro ($7.99) | Month 3 | Month 2 | Month 1 |
| Insightful Workforce Analytics ($8) | Month 3 | Month 2 | Month 1 |
| Toggl Track Starter ($9) | Month 3 | Month 2 | Month 1 |
| DeskTime Premium ($9.17) | Month 3 | Month 2 | Month 1 |
| ActivTrak Work Activity Tracking ($10) | Month 2 | Month 2 | Month 1 |
| Teramind Starter ($14) | Month 2 | Month 1 | Month 1 |
When is a subscription the cheaper choice?
We would rather you buy the right thing. A subscription can be the better deal when:
- You need it for a few months only. A short project or a trial of remote work that ends before the months in the table above.
- You do not need screenshots. Clockify is free for up to 5 users and ActivTrak for up to 3 people, without screenshots.
- You are well past 50 staff. AirStaff Tier 4 covers 50; each seat beyond is $3 per month, which is close to the cheapest per-user subscriptions. The saving is the first 50 seats, not the rest.
- You need what AirStaff leaves out. GPS, mobile tracking, invoicing, payroll runs or deep integrations. Hubstaff, Time Doctor and Clockify offer them on paid plans.
What the tables do not show on either side: tax, currency conversion, and the time it takes to switch tools. Lifetime licences also carry a question subscriptions do not, which is whether the vendor keeps operating; AirStaff’s terms say the licence covers the product for as long as we commercially operate it, and you can export your data at any time.
Related reading
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. Teramind does not publish prices; its figures are from a third-party review and are labelled as such. Backlsh publishes one price without saying whether it is an annual or monthly rate, and its lifetime-deal prices are from the deal sites’ own listings. Plans and prices change — check the vendor’s page before you decide.
- Backlsh pricing page (Premium plan, screenshots, no keystrokes)
- Dealify listing for Backlsh (lifetime deal tiers)
- DealMirror listing for Backlsh (lifetime deal tiers)
- WebWork pricing page (plans, screenshots, features)
- AppSumo listing for WebWork (lifetime deal sold out)
- Hubstaff pricing guide (plans, screenshot caps, add-ons)
- Hubstaff pricing page (trial)
- Time Doctor pricing plans and features (support article)
- Time Doctor pricing page (plan features, platforms)
- Clockify pricing page (plans and features)
- Clockify help: screenshots require Pro or Enterprise
- Insightful pricing page (plans and add-ons)
- Toggl Track pricing page (plans, no screenshots)
- DeskTime pricing page (plans, screenshots, integrations)
- ActivTrak pricing page (plans, free plan, billing, Screen Details)
- Teramind pricing page (plans; prices not shown)
- Third-party figures: WorkTime Teramind review (2026)
Backlsh, WebWork, Hubstaff, Time Doctor, Clockify, Insightful, Toggl Track, DeskTime, ActivTrak, Teramind 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
Is a lifetime licence cheaper than a time tracking subscription?
Over more than a few months, yes, for teams of up to 50. For every plan we priced, the first year of subscription costs more than AirStaff’s one payment of $99 for 5 staff, $198 for 15 or $396 for 50. Beyond 50 staff, extra AirStaff seats are $3 per seat per month.
How much does time tracking cost for 15 staff over five years?
At published prices with no add-ons, from $2,691 on Backlsh to $12,600 on Teramind (third-party figure). AirStaff Tier 2 covers 15 staff for $198, once.
Why do the cost tables leave out add-ons and tax?
To keep the comparison conservative. Add-ons such as extra screenshots, GPS or screen recording, and tax, all raise the subscription figure, so leaving them out means the tables never overstate what a competitor costs. The real saving is usually larger.
When is a monthly subscription better than paying once?
When you need tracking for only a few months, when a free plan without screenshots is enough, when your team is well beyond 50 staff, or when you need GPS, payroll or invoicing that AirStaff does not offer.
What does AirStaff cost for more than 50 staff?
Tier 4 covers 50 staff seats for $396 once. Beyond that, extra seats are $3 per seat per month, so 60 staff cost $396 once plus $360 a year for the extra 10 seats.
Where do the competitor prices in these tables come from?
From each vendor’s own pricing page, checked 25 Sep 2026, with a source link for every one at the foot of this page. Teramind does not publish prices, so its figures come from a named third-party review and are labelled.
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