Subscription time trackers charge per user per month, are hosted by the vendor and are updated for you; one-time-purchase trackers charge once, are usually installed on your own computer and leave updates and backups to you. The right choice depends on team size, how long you will use it and who will look after the computer.
Side by side
| Subscription (cloud) | One-time purchase (self-hosted) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost model | Per user, per month or year | Single purchase, sometimes with a yearly updates fee |
| Cost as a team grows | Rises with each user | Flat within a plan's limits |
| Where data lives | Vendor's servers | Your own computer |
| Setup | Create an account | Install on a computer, then add people |
| Backups and updates | Vendor | You |
| Works if internet is down | No | On your network, yes |
| Manager access from anywhere | Yes | Depends on the product; Clockgauge's dashboard is on the Host computer |
| Leaving | Export and cancel | Keep running what you have |
A way to compare cost
Multiply the monthly per-user price by your number of users and by 36 for three years, and compare it with the one-time price plus any yearly fee and the cost of a computer to host it. Use real quotes.
Things to consider
- How many people will use it, and will that number change?
- Do you want to be the one who maintains a host computer?
- Do managers need to log in from several places?
- How sensitive are the screenshots and activity data you collect, and where should they live?
Questions to put to any vendor
- What do I pay in year two and year five?
- What happens to my data if I stop?
- Where are screenshots stored and who can view them?
- How are managers added and removed?
Questions people ask
Is Clockgauge a subscription?
The licence is a one-time purchase. There is an optional yearly fee for updates and support that does not switch anything off if you stop.
General comparison. Product features and prices change; check each vendor's current terms.
Try Clockgauge
Clockgauge is an employee and freelancer time tracker that runs on your own computer: timers, consented random screenshots, activity levels, clients, projects and tasks, budgets, payroll balances and reports, paid once instead of per user per month..