Why time tracking matters for recruitment outsourcing firms.
In this model, clients rely on the firm not just to find talent but to manage the work relationship end-to-end. Time tracking becomes the backbone of that service:

Proof of work for clients – Screenshots, activity logs, and tracked hours demonstrate that hired workers are delivering on expectations.
Accurate client billing – Time entries link directly to invoices, ensuring clients pay for actual hours worked with no disputes.
Payroll for hired workers – Tracked hours flow into payments, allowing the firm to handle salaries, retainers, or hourly contracts smoothly.
Operational visibility – Firms can see how much time each client project consumes, helping them measure profitability and optimize assignments.

In this guide, we rank the top 10 time tracking tools for recruitment outsourcing firms in 2025. Our evaluation highlights the features that matter most in this model: activity monitoring, client-facing transparency, project-based billing, and ROI measurement that connects tracked hours directly to both client value and firm margins.

#10: RescueTime – Basic Productivity Insights

Overview: RescueTime provides automatic productivity tracking but lacks the project allocation and client billing features recruiting firms need.

Key Features for Recruiting:

• Automatic application and website tracking
• Productivity scoring by category
• Time spent on LinkedIn/job boards
• Distraction alerts
• Weekly email reports
• FocusTime for deep work sessions

Pricing:
Free Lite Plan (limited features)
Premium: $12/month or $6/user/month for teams

Pros:

• Completely automatic tracking
• Good for understanding time usage patterns
• Tracks recruiting platform usage
• No manual entry required

Cons:

• No client or requisition tracking
• Cannot allocate time to specific searches
• No billing or invoice features
• Limited team management
• No screenshot capabilities

Best For: Firms that only need a basic overview of worker productivity patterns without client billing or proof-of-work requirements.

#9: Deputy – Scheduling-Focused Platform

Overview: Deputy excels at shift scheduling but offers limited value for recruiting firms that need project-based time tracking and productivity monitoring.

Key Features for Recruiting:

• Basic time tracking
• Task management
• Team scheduling
• Mobile clock-in/out
• Leave management
• Simple reporting

Pricing:

• Time & Attendance: $4.50/user/month
• Premium: $6.00/user/month

Pros:

• Good for managing office schedules
• Simple interface
• Mobile-friendly
• Affordable pricing

Cons:

• No requisition or project tracking
• No productivity monitoring
• Cannot track activities by client
• Limited reporting for recruitment metrics
• No screenshot or activity tracking

Best For: Agencies that focus heavily on internal scheduling and attendance for on-site or shift-based workers, but don’t require detailed client reporting.

#8: TimeCamp – Keyword-Based Automation

Overview: TimeCamp offers automatic time tracking using keywords, which can help categorize recruiting activities, though setup is complex.

Key Features for Recruiting:

• Automatic tracking based on keywords (candidate names, job titles)
• Project-based time allocation
• Basic activity monitoring
• Billable hours tracking
• Budget tracking for retained searches
• Invoice generation

Pricing:

• Free Plan: Basic features
• Starter: $2.99/user/month
• Premium: $4.99/user/month
• Ultimate: $7.99/user/month

Pros:

• Keyword automation useful for recruiting
• Can track time by requisition
• Affordable pricing
• Billing capabilities included

Cons:

• Complex keyword setup required
• Limited screenshot features
• No recruiting-specific metrics
• Weak activity tracking
• Poor mobile experience

Best For: Outsourcing firms looking for low-cost billing capabilities and willing to configure keyword-based automation to categorize worker activity.

#7: Harvest – Clean Project Tracking

Overview: Harvest provides excellent project-based time tracking and client billing, making it suitable for retained search firms.

Key Features for Recruiting:

• Project and client time tracking
• Timesheet approvals
• Budget tracking for searches
• Invoice generation
• Expense tracking for client expenses
• Team capacity planning
• ROI reporting by project

Pricing:

• Pro: $11/user/month
• Premium: $14/user/month

Pros:

• Excellent for retained search tracking
• Professional invoicing
• Clean, intuitive interface
• Strong project budget management
• Good for client billing

Cons:

• No activity or productivity monitoring
• No screenshot capabilities
• Limited automation features
• Cannot track sourcing vs. BD activities automatically
• Higher price point

Best For: Firms that prioritize clean client billing and project budget management over activity monitoring, especially in retained or fixed-scope assignments.

#6: Clockify – Free with Good Reporting

Overview: Clockify offers unlimited free users with solid reporting capabilities, making it attractive for growing recruiting firms on a budget.

Key Features for Recruiting:

• Unlimited projects (requisitions)
• Time tracking by client and role
• Detailed time reports
• Team dashboard
• Billable rates settings
• Audit log for compliance
• Screenshot monitoring (Pro plan)

Pricing:

• Free Plan: Unlimited users
• Basic: $3.99/user/month
• Standard: $5.49/user/month
• Pro: $7.99/user/month (includes screenshots)

Pros:

• Free for basic use
• Good project categorization
• Detailed reporting
• Can track by requisition
• Affordable screenshot option

Cons:

• Manual time entry required
• Limited automation
• Basic activity tracking
• No recruiting KPIs
• Screenshots only on Pro

Best For: Growing firms that want free or basic project-based time tracking with solid reporting, and are open to manual entry for basic proof-of-work.

#5: Toggl Track – Excellent User Experience

Overview: Toggl Track offers the best user experience with powerful reporting, though it lacks the monitoring features some firms require.

Key Features for Recruiting:

• Easy time tracking with one click
• Powerful reporting and analytics
• Project and client tracking
• Timeline view of daily activities
• Calendar integration
• Revenue tracking
• Team insights dashboard

Pricing:

• Starter: $9/user/month
• Premium: $18/user/month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Pros:

• Incredibly easy to use
• Excellent analytics
• Great for tracking multiple searches
• Strong API for integrations
• Reliable and fast

Cons:

• No screenshot monitoring
• No activity tracking
• Higher price point
• Limited automation
• No productivity scoring

Best For: Agencies that value simplicity and strong analytics for client reporting, but don’t require screenshots or activity monitoring to validate hours.

#4: Hubstaff – Balanced Monitoring Solution

Overview: Hubstaff provides a good balance of time tracking, activity monitoring, and project management for recruiting teams.

Key Features for Recruiting:

• Activity levels tracking
• Optional screenshots (1-3 per 10 minutes)
• Application and URL tracking
• Project-based time tracking
• Productivity ratings
• Client budgets and invoicing
• Detailed timesheets

Pricing:

• Starter: $7/user/month
• Grow: $9/user/month
• Team: $12/user/month

Pros:

• Good activity monitoring
• Can track by requisition/client
• Flexible screenshot options
• Reasonable pricing
• Good reporting features

Cons:

• Limited recruiting-specific features
• No sourcing vs. BD categorization
• Activity tracking can be gamed
• Limited automation

Best For: Firms that want a balance between time tracking, proof-of-work, and moderate activity monitoring, with enough features for both internal oversight and client billing.

#3: Time Doctor – Comprehensive Productivity Tracking

Overview: Time Doctor excels at detailed productivity monitoring, helping recruiting firms identify top performers and optimize workflows.

Key Features for Recruiting:

• Screenshots every 3 minutes
• Website and application tracking
• Productivity ratings by activity
• Time tracking by project/client
• Distraction alerts
• Detailed web and app usage reports
• Work-life balance tracking

Pricing:

• Basic: $6.70/user/month
• Standard: $9.90/user/month
• Premium: $16.70/user/month

Pros:

• Excellent productivity insights
• Detailed proof of work
• Can identify top performer patterns
• Strong activity categorization
• Offline tracking capability

Cons:

• Can feel invasive to recruiters
• No recruiting-specific metrics
• Higher cost for full features
• Complex interface

Best For: Larger outsourcing companies that need detailed productivity insights and proof-of-work for clients, even if the monitoring feels more invasive.

#2: QuickBooks Time – Enterprise Integration

Overview: QuickBooks Time offers robust time tracking with excellent reporting, ideal for established recruiting firms already in the QuickBooks ecosystem.

Key Features for Recruiting:

• Project and job code tracking
• Who’s Working dashboard
• Timesheet approvals
• Advanced reporting
• Budget vs. actual tracking
• Integration with QuickBooks Payroll
• Custom fields for recruiting metrics

Pricing:

• Premium: $20/month base + $8/user/month
• Elite: $40/month base + $10/user/month

Pros:

• Enterprise-grade reliability
• Excellent financial reporting
• Strong project tracking
• Great for firms using QuickBooks
• Professional support

Cons:

• No screenshot monitoring
• Limited activity tracking
• Most expensive option
• Requires QuickBooks ecosystem
• No productivity analytics

Best For: Established firms already running QuickBooks for payroll or accounting and looking for integrated time tracking with strong financial reporting.

#1: WebWork – The Complete Recruiting Solution

Overview: WebWork delivers the most comprehensive solution for recruiting firms, combining powerful time tracking with productivity monitoring, customizable screenshots, and recruiting-specific analytics—all at exceptional value.

Key Features for Recruiting:

• Customizable screenshot monitoring (perfect for confidential searches)
• Activity tracking to measure sourcing vs. BD time
• Application and website monitoring (track LinkedIn, job boards, ATS usage)
• Project-based tracking by requisition or client
• Productivity analytics to identify top performer patterns
• Built-in invoicing for retained searches
• ROI reporting by search assignment
• AI-powered insights for performance optimization

Pricing:

• Pro: $3.99/user/month
• Plus: $6.39/user/month (includes payroll)
• Premium: $7.19/user/month (white label + HIPAA)

Pros:

• Most comprehensive feature set for recruiting
• Flexible privacy controls for sensitive searches
• 60-75% lower cost than enterprise alternatives
• Real-time productivity dashboard
• Automatic activity categorization
• Detailed ROI metrics by recruiter and search
• Can track sourcing vs. BD vs. admin time

Cons:

• Newer to recruiting industry
• Some advanced features require higher tiers
• Initial setup for activity categories needed

Best For: Any outsourcing or recruitment firm that needs a complete solution—time tracking, activity monitoring, proof-of-work, client billing, and ROI analytics—at a lower cost than enterprise alternatives.

Why WebWork Wins for Recruiting:

1. Activity Categorization: Automatically tracks time spent on sourcing vs. business development vs. admin
2. ROI Measurement: Calculate actual cost and return per search assignment
3. Privacy Flexibility: Blur screenshots during confidential executive searches
4. Performance Insights: AI identifies patterns of top-performing recruiters
5. Complete Solution: Time tracking + monitoring + invoicing + analytics in one platform

Feature Comparison for Recruiting Firms

For recruitment outsourcing firms, time tracking is about creating transparency for clients and keeping internal operations on track. Different tools meet different needs. Lightweight platforms like Toggl Track or Harvest work well when billing and reporting are the main priorities. Hubstaff and Time Doctor offer stronger verification for firms whose clients expect detailed proof of work. WebWork brings together many of these capabilities at a lower price point, which can be appealing for firms looking for a broad feature set without the higher cost of enterprise tools.

There isn’t one tool that fits every situation. The best choice depends on your client requirements, the type of roles you manage, and how much visibility you need into daily work. The most effective system is the one that supports your business model, keeps billing accurate, and builds trust with clients through clear and reliable reporting.