Best EmpMonitor Alternatives in 2026
The top EmpMonitor alternatives are ActivTrak, Time Doctor and Hubstaff: 15 employee desktop monitoring software our editors would look at instead of EmpMonitor, in our ranking order.
EmpMonitor: Broad workforce surveillance with annual plans starting at $3 per user monthly. Where it falls short: no permanent free plan; access is through a 15-day trial.
Switching from EmpMonitor? For most employee desktop monitoring software buyers the best EmpMonitor alternative is ActivTrak, built for organizations needing broad workforce visibility. On a budget, Kickidler starts at $2.75/user/mo, against $3/user/mo for EmpMonitor. Controlio offers the most data retention (180 days).
Why People Look for an EmpMonitor Alternative
- No permanent free plan; access is through a 15-day trial
- Keystroke monitoring and screenshots may be excessive for some teams
- Diamond pricing requires a personalized quote
- No free plan — 2 of the alternatives below have it
- Paid from $3/user/mo — Kickidler is $2.75/user/mo
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallActivTrak9.4
Organizations needing broad workforce visibility
Visit ActivTrak - Lowest priceKickidler8.4
Paid plans from $2.75/user/mo
Visit Kickidler - Best free optionActivTrak9.4
Has a free plan (EmpMonitor has none)
Visit ActivTrak - Most data retentionControlio8.8
180 days
Visit Controlio
All 15 EmpMonitor Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forOrganizations needing broad workforce visibility
- Better than EmpMonitor:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.4 vs 8.6
Broad workforce visibility with tracking, analytics and planning tools across paid tiers.
9.4/10★★★★★Visit ActivTrak -
Best forTeams wanting monitoring and payroll workflows
- Better than EmpMonitor:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 8.6
Time Doctor links work tracking, attendance, and payroll workflows across teams.
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Time Doctor -
Best forDistributed teams needing monitoring plus operations tools
- Better than EmpMonitor:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 8.6
Combines desktop monitoring with timesheets, scheduling, attendance and payroll tools.
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Hubstaff -
Best forTeams focused on workforce analytics
- Better than EmpMonitor:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 8.6
Insightful combines time, attendance and activity reporting with capacity planning and workflow tools.
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Insightful -
Best forTeams needing time, attendance, and desktop monitoring
- Better than EmpMonitor:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 8.6
Broad desktop, attendance, and productivity tracking, with no free plan.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit DeskTime -
Best forDeep screen and activity surveillance at low cost
- Better than EmpMonitor:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 8.6
Deep desktop surveillance with cloud, on-premises and private-cloud deployment.
- Screen recording
- Idle detection
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Controlio -
Best forEnterprise monitoring and data-loss prevention
- Better than EmpMonitor:
- Editor score 8.7 vs 8.6
Broad endpoint DLP controls suit organizations managing insider risk and sensitive data.
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Teramind -
Best forOrganizations needing forensic workforce monitoring
A broad monitoring toolkit for organizations investigating workforce activity and policy issues.
- Screen recording
- Idle detection
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit InterGuard -
Best forLow-cost monitoring with recording and remote access
- Better than EmpMonitor:
- Paid from: $2.75/user/mo vs $3/user/mo
Affordable annual plans combine time tracking with monitoring, recording, remote access, and DLP.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Kickidler -
Best forSMBs needing monitoring and payroll-ready timesheets
Monitoring and payroll-ready timesheets, with tracking depth that grows across paid tiers.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Monitask -
Best forEmployers needing intensive screen and device controls
A wide-ranging monitoring suite for employers who need detailed visibility into work-device activity.
- Screen recording
- Idle detection
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit CleverControl -
Best forOpen-source teams needing basic monitoring
- Better than EmpMonitor:
- Free plan
A free, self-hostable team time tracker with screenshots, activity tracking, and reports.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Cattr -
Best forEnterprise insider-risk and behavioral monitoring
Enterprise insider-risk monitoring combines behavioral signals, alerts, and investigation evidence.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Veriato -
Best forTeams combining monitoring with breach detection
eMonitor combines workforce monitoring with credential-exposure detection and response workflows.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit eMonitor -
Best forContact centers focused on schedule adherence
A schedule-adherence-focused WFM tool with activity monitoring, starting at $5 per user monthly.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit HiveDesk
EmpMonitor Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to EmpMonitor?
ActivTrak: #1 in our Employee Desktop Monitoring Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. Broad workforce visibility with tracking, analytics and planning tools across paid tiers.
Is there a free alternative to EmpMonitor?
Yes. ActivTrak and Cattr have a free plan or a free tier.
What is the cheapest paid alternative to EmpMonitor?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Kickidler starts lowest, at $2.75/user/mo.
Why do people look for EmpMonitor alternatives?
No permanent free plan; access is through a 15-day trial; Keystroke monitoring and screenshots may be excessive for some teams; Diamond pricing requires a personalized quote.
Which EmpMonitor alternative has the most data retention?
Controlio, with 180 days.
How do I switch from EmpMonitor?
Export your data from EmpMonitor (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel EmpMonitor.
How to Switch from EmpMonitor
- Export your data from EmpMonitor (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel EmpMonitor.
EmpMonitor vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | EmpMonitor | No | $3/user/mo | 8.6 |
| 1 | ActivTrak | Yes | 9.4 | |
| 2 | Time Doctor | No | 9.2 | |
| 3 | Hubstaff | No | $4.99/user/mo | 9.1 |
| 4 | Insightful | No | $8/seat/mo | 9.0 |
| 5 | DeskTime | No | $6.42/user/mo | 8.9 |
| 6 | Controlio | No | $6.67/user/mo | 8.8 |
| 7 | Teramind Data Loss Prevention | No | 8.7 | |
| 8 | InterGuard | 8.5 | ||
| 9 | Kickidler | No | $2.75/user/mo | 8.4 |
| 10 | Monitask | No | $6.49/user/mo | 8.3 |
| 11 | CleverControl | No | 8.2 | |
| 12 | Cattr | Yes | 8.1 | |
| 13 | Veriato Insider Risk Management | No | 8.0 | |
| 14 | eMonitor | No | $3.90/user/mo | 7.9 |
| 15 | HiveDesk Contact Center WFM | No | $5/user/mo | 7.8 |
Head-to-Head
- EmpMonitor vs Time Doctor
- EmpMonitor vs Hubstaff
- EmpMonitor vs Insightful
- EmpMonitor vs DeskTime
- EmpMonitor vs Controlio
- EmpMonitor vs Teramind Data Loss Prevention
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update