Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Hubstaff · ⏳ time tracking
Hubstaff vs solidtime
Modern multi-user timers, clients and billable rates in one Compose stack; the desktop apps are still beta. Here is how solidtime ($0/mo open source) stacks up against Hubstaff ($7/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.
solidtime
$0.00/mo · AGPL-3.0
Hubstaff vs solidtime Specification Matrix
facts verified 2026-08-10
| Dimension | Hubstaff (Paid) | solidtime (Replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $7 / mo | $0 / mo |
| 1-Year Cost (1 seat) | $84 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $84) |
| 1-Year Cost (5 seats) | $420 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $420) |
| 1-Year Cost (10 seats) | $840 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $840) |
| Source & License | Proprietary SaaS | open source AGPL-3.0 |
| Where It Runs | Vendor Cloud | Local or hosted (your machine or their cloud) |
| Platforms | Web / Cloud | desktopwebself-hosteddocker to self-host |
| GitHub Stars | — | ★ 8.8k (active jul 2026) |
Deep Dive: Switching from Hubstaff to solidtime
Trade-offs, installation & data architecture
What you trade away
solidtime’s desktop clients remain less mature and its approvals, scheduling, payroll, and management reporting are much thinner than Hubstaff’s.
How to deploy solidtime
Create a managed account or deploy the official Docker Compose self-hosting stack
What it takes to run
Self-hosting needs Docker Compose, PostgreSQL, environment and application keys, mail configuration, persistent storage, migrations, and a reverse proxy with TLS
Where your data lives
Users, organizations, projects, clients, and time entries live in PostgreSQL, with application state in persistent Docker volumes, on solidtime's service or the user's host
Why fork solidtime instead of vibe-coding a Hubstaff clone?
A consolation build is possible, but the paid product's decisive value sits outside a solo rebuild. For Hubstaff, track opt-in work time without screenshots, keystrokes, or hidden monitoring. The hard boundary is workforce tracking, payroll, gps, scheduling, reports, and compliance operations, plus ubiquitous capture, coaching, and team workflow.
Hubstaff vs solidtime FAQ
Is solidtime a good free alternative to Hubstaff?+
Yes. solidtime is a verified open-source (AGPL-3.0) replacement for Hubstaff. Modern multi-user timers, clients and billable rates in one Compose stack; the desktop apps are still beta.
What is the catch when switching from Hubstaff to solidtime?+
solidtime’s desktop clients remain less mature and its approvals, scheduling, payroll, and management reporting are much thinner than Hubstaff’s.
How much do you save switching from Hubstaff to solidtime?+
Hubstaff costs $7/mo ($84/yr) per seat, whereas solidtime is $0/mo. Switching saves $84/yr for a solo user, $420/yr for a 5-person team, and $840/yr for a 10-person team.
How do I install or self-host solidtime instead of Hubstaff?+
Install: Create a managed account or deploy the official Docker Compose self-hosting stack. Setup: Self-hosting needs Docker Compose, PostgreSQL, environment and application keys, mail configuration, persistent storage, migrations, and a reverse proxy with TLS
