Activity Trackers Explained: What Hubstaff, Time Doctor & Others Actually Monitor

Activity monitoring software is increasingly common in remote workplaces. Understanding what these tools track — and how their idle detection works — helps you make informed decisions about your workflow.

How Activity Trackers Work

Most activity monitoring tools use a lightweight agent installed on the employee's computer. This agent monitors several signals:

• Mouse and keyboard activity — The primary signal. Most tools measure "activity percentage" based on how often input is detected.
• Active window titles — What application and document you have focused.
• Screenshots — Some tools capture your screen at random intervals (typically every 5-10 minutes).
• Website and app usage — Categorized as "productive," "neutral," or "unproductive."
• Time tracking — Total hours logged, broken into active vs. idle time.

Popular Activity Trackers Compared

Hubstaff

Hubstaff tracks mouse and keyboard activity as a percentage, captures screenshots at configurable intervals, monitors app and URL usage, and includes GPS tracking for field teams. Idle detection triggers after a configurable timeout (default: 5 minutes of no input).

Time Doctor

Time Doctor monitors keyboard and mouse activity, takes screenshots, tracks websites and apps, and shows a pop-up alert when it detects idle time. The idle time threshold is typically 3-5 minutes.

ActivTrak

ActivTrak focuses on productivity analytics — it monitors which apps and websites you use, categorizes them, and generates productivity scores. It detects idle periods based on lack of input activity.

Teramind

Teramind is one of the most comprehensive monitoring tools. It tracks keystrokes, emails, file transfers, screen recordings, and can even detect policy violations in real-time.

Other Notable Tools

• DeskTime — Automatic time tracking with productivity calculations. Detects idle time after 3 minutes of no input.
• Veriato (formerly SpectorSoft) — Enterprise-grade monitoring with keystroke logging and screen recording.
• CurrentWare — Website filtering and monitoring with idle detection.
• InterGuard — Employee monitoring with stealth mode and screenshot capture.
• StaffCop — Activity monitoring with file tracking and communication monitoring.
• Kickidler — Real-time monitoring with video recording of employee screens. Configurable idle detection.
• WorkPuls (Insightful) — Productivity monitoring with automatic time tracking and idle time detection.
• BambooHR — HR platform with basic time tracking and activity monitoring features.

What Triggers Idle Detection?

Across all these tools, idle detection is triggered by the same thing: lack of mouse and keyboard input. The typical threshold is 3-5 minutes of no activity. When triggered:

• Your "active time" counter stops
• Your productivity percentage drops
• Some tools (Time Doctor, Hubstaff) show a notification asking if you're still working
• Screenshots during idle periods may flag to managers

Legitimate Reasons for Idle Periods

Not all idle time is unproductive. Common legitimate activities that trigger false idle alerts:

• Reading long documents or code reviews
• Phone calls and video meetings (when not actively clicking)
• Thinking through complex problems
• Quick breaks to stretch or get water
• Waiting for builds, deployments, or downloads

How Still Here Helps

Still Here is a mouse jiggler software that generates the input signals these monitoring tools look for. It simulates realistic mouse movement, keyboard typing, scrolling, and app switching. Because it generates actual system-level input events, activity monitoring tools register it as genuine human activity.

This is not about hiding unproductive time — it's about not having legitimate work and break time flagged as idle by overly simplistic detection algorithms.