Best Employee Monitoring Software In Canada For May 2024

Contributor,  Editor

Updated: May 1, 2024, 10:59am

Aaron Broverman
editor

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With more people working remotely than before, employers are looking for ways to help uphold employee productivity regardless of where they are working from. For this reason, many businesses are turning to employee monitoring software, which can be used to help track productivity and evaluate efficiency, as well as identify threats, gauge the efficiency of internal systems operations and manage industry compliance standards.

Forbes Advisor Canada evaluated dozens of employee monitoring software platforms by price, ease of use and functionality to narrow down the best for May 2024.

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The Best Employee Monitoring Software of May 2024


BEST OVERALL

Teramind

Teramind
4.9
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$15 ($19.87 CAD) per seat,

per month (minimum of five users)

Keylogging

Yes

Stealth or visible mode

Both

Teramind

Starting price

$15 ($19.87 CAD) per seat,

per month (minimum of five users)

Keylogging

Yes

Stealth or visible mode

Both

Why We Picked It

Teramind’s comprehensive set of tracking tools ranges from identifying workflow bottlenecks and redundancies, immediately blocking malicious activities, alerting the security team of malicious incidents in real-time, screen recordings, tracking emails and using prebuilt and customizable rules to support a variety of global compliance regulations.

Who should use it:
Teramind’s versatility makes it a suitable choice for every type of user―from businesses struggling with employee engagement to government and small to medium-sized organizations that want to prevent noncompliant employee activities.

Pros & Cons
  • Free 7-day trial
  • Comprehensive tracking tools
  • Keystroke tracking
  • Advanced features such as sensitive content detection and redaction
  • Security features such as malicious activity blocking
  • Custom behavior rules only available on most expensive plan
  • High learning curve
  • Must have minimum of five users

BEST FOR ROBUST FREE PLAN

ActivTrak

ActivTrak
4.8
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

Free; $10 ($13 CAD)

per month (minimum five users), per user

Keylogging

No

Stealth or visible mode

Both

ActivTrak

Starting price

Free; $10 ($13 CAD)

per month (minimum five users), per user

Keylogging

No

Stealth or visible mode

Both

Why We Picked It

ActivTrak monitors employees in a transparent way with features that track how many hours employees work as well as how engaged they are while they are working. Its set of productivity tools focuses on worker productivity by tracking how much time employees engage in productive behaviors vs. idle behavior through mouse movements, keyboard activity and website usage.

One key differentiating factor is ActivTrak’s free plan. Few employee monitoring software platforms have a free plan. Those that do usually offer a free plan that is limited to one user and a small handful of basic features. ActivTrak’s free plan is available for up to three users, includes top categories, website, user, productivity and applications reports as well as activity alarms, email notifications and 24/7 access to online onboarding resources.

Who should use it:
Small businesses with a tight budget can take advantage of ActivTrak’s generous free plan.

Pros & Cons
  • Intuitive interface
  • Allows for multiple administrators
  • Tracks productivity on project level
  • Top users report
  • Payments and payroll available
  • No keystroke logging
  • Data history only stored for limited time
  • Five-user minimum

BEST FOR TASK MANAGEMENT

DeskTime

DeskTime
4.4
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

Free; $7 ($9.27 CAD)

per month, per user

Keylogging

No

Stealth or visible mode

Both

DeskTime

Starting price

Free; $7 ($9.27 CAD)

per month, per user

Keylogging

No

Stealth or visible mode

Both

Why We Picked It

In addition to outstanding employee time tracking features, DeskTime also includes task management features, such as a calendar, document, URL and app tracking, estimated project costs, project tracking and detailed project reports. The software is affordable with the basic paid plan starting at $7 ($9.27 CAD) per month, per user, and does not require a minimum number of users like other plans. It also offers a forever free plan―DeskTime Light―for one user. While the plan is limited it does include automatic time tracking, URL tracking and an integrated web timer.

Who should use it:
Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that want robust project management and project time tracking software included in their employee monitoring software.

Pros & Cons
  • Forever-free plan and low-cost paid plans
  • Productivity calculation
  • User-friendly
  • Built-in shift scheduling
  • Offline time tracking
  • Limited reporting
  • No 24/7 live rep
  • No keystroke logging

BEST FOR MONITORING A DISTRIBUTED WORKFORCE

Controlio

Controlio
4.2
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$7.99 ($10.58 CAD) per user

per month

Keylogging

Yes

Stealth or visible mode

Both

Controlio

Starting price

$7.99 ($10.58 CAD) per user

per month

Keylogging

Yes

Stealth or visible mode

Both

Why We Picked It

The cloud-based software allows users to monitor activity via the web-based dashboard at any time, regardless of where they are located. This is an excellent tool for supervisors who are required to monitor employee conduct even when they are not physically present in the workplace. Real-time monitoring of on-screen activities is one of Controlio’s most valuable capabilities.

Who should use it:
Controlio’s web and cloud-based installation is ideal for managing and monitoring a remote workforce.

Pros & Cons
  • Free 14-day trial
  • No limit on data storage for mid- and top-tier plans
  • Cloud-based
  • Monitor for insider threats
  • Wide range of advanced features
  • Only works on PCs
  • No free plan
  • No live chat support

BEST FOR PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY

Insightful

Insightful
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$6.40 ($8.48 CAD) per employee

per month (billed annually)

Keylogging

No

Stealth or visible mode

Both

Insightful

Starting price

$6.40 ($8.48 CAD) per employee

per month (billed annually)

Keylogging

No

Stealth or visible mode

Both

Why We Picked It

Insightful offers the best choice for employee privacy. The software uses both visible and stealth modes. While the software runs on visible mode when employees use their own devices, companies have the option to run it on stealth or visible mode of company-owned devices. Visible mode gives employees more control over the exposure of their data. Companies can promote accountability by sharing detailed productivity reports with their employees.

Who should use it:
Companies that want to promote transparency and give employees control over their data.

Pros & Cons
  • Free 7-day trial and low-cost paid plans
  • Real-time monitoring
  • Time and attendance tracking
  • Monthly and annual plans
  • Uses both visible and stealth mode
  • Live support for all plans
  • Only Enterprise plan offers 24/7 phone support
  • Does not work on mobile devices
  • No free version

BEST FOR EMPLOYEE TIME TRACKING

Hubstaff

Hubstaff
3.7
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

Free; $5.83 ($7.72 CAD)

per month (minimum two users), per user

Keylogging

No

Stealth or visible mode

Visible

Hubstaff

Starting price

Free; $5.83 ($7.72 CAD)

per month (minimum two users), per user

Keylogging

No

Stealth or visible mode

Visible

Why We Picked It

While Hubstaff has a suite of solid employee monitoring features, it is better known as a time tracking tool. Hubstaff was designed for employers to get a clear picture of their employee’s performance based on actual data, not guesses. Hubstaff balances maintaining employee privacy while tracking employee time and improving productivity. Hubstaff does not log keystrokes but instead tracks activity rates based on mouse and keyboard usage. This gives companies granular insights into team productivity.

Who should use it:
Businesses that want to improve their team’s overall productivity in noninvasive ways to track employee time and activity accurately.

Pros & Cons
  • Free 14-day trial
  • 60-day money-back guarantee
  • Free forever plan available
  • Unlimited screenshots
  • Time tracking comes standard
  • Idle timeout on premium plans
  • Basic reporting
  • Minimum number of users
  • Limited hours for phone support

BEST FOR A MOBILE WORKFORCE

InterGuard

InterGuard
3.4
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$25 per user ($33 CAD)

per month (five-user minimum)

Keylogging

Yes

Stealth or visible mode

Both

InterGuard

Starting price

$25 per user ($33 CAD)

per month (five-user minimum)

Keylogging

Yes

Stealth or visible mode

Both

Why We Picked It

InterGuard has the capability to monitor employees using not only Windows, Mac and Chromebook computers but also Android and iOS devices. This is an unusual feature in the employee monitoring software space which tends to focus just on monitoring computers.

Who should use it:
Companies focused on managing a remote workforce that relies on both PCs and mobile devices to complete their work.

Pros & Cons
  • Monitor both computer and mobile devices
  • Six dashboard view types
  • Works on mobile devices
  • Outstanding reports
  • Minimum of five users
  • Expensive compared to alternatives
  • Not as intuitive as competitors

Summary: The Best Employee Monitoring Software of May 2024


Company Forbes Advisor Rating Starting price Keylogging Stealth or visible mode LEARN MORE
Teramind
$15 ($19.87 CAD) per seat, per month (minimum of five users) Yes Both View More
ActivTrak
Free; $10 ($13 CAD) per month (minimum five users), per user No Both View More
DeskTime
$7 ($9.27 CAD) per month, per user No Both View More
Controlio
$7.99 ($10.59 CAD) per user, per month Yes Both View More
Insightful
$6.40 ($8.48 CAD) per employee, per month (billed annually) No Both View More
Hubstaff
Free; $5.83 ($7.72 CAD) per month (minimum two users), per user No Visible View More
InterGuard
$25 ($33 CAD) per user, per month (five-user minimum) Yes Both View More

Methodology

To determine the best employee monitoring software, Forbes Advisor Canada looked at a variety of factors, including ease of use, cost, customer support, features and functionality. We also considered each company’s reputation and real user reviews.

Key criteria to determine the best employee monitoring software:

  • Ease of use: We considered how easy the software was to not only install but to use on an everyday basis.
  • Cost and fees: We looked into the monthly cost of the software plan, whether it had a free plan or free trial and what the minimum number of users were for each plan.
  • Customer support: We examined what type of customer support was included with the software, which plans came with what type of customer support and if the support was free or at an additional cost.
  • Features and functionality: We considered the range of features each software platform provided as well as how easy they were to operate.

Is Employee Monitoring a Good Idea?

While research shows that employee monitoring improves worker productivity, it can also be destructive when it comes to morale and company culture. No one wants to feel like they are being watched or are not trusted. Benefits of employee monitoring could include increased productivity, increased security and cost savings, downfalls can include employee frustration, increased turnover, ethical issues and potential legal issues.

With remote work becoming the norm rather than the exception, many companies want to ensure their employees are as productive working remotely as they are in the office. A few nontechnical ways to do that is to schedule weekly review meetings, create a healthy workforce culture with consistent open communication, focus on employee’s growth, incorporate positive feedback and create transparent feedback rituals.

To keep employee trust, companies that do elect to use employee monitoring software should be transparent with their employees about when, where, how and why they are being monitored. Companies should clearly state work expectations, have specific policies in place around employee monitoring, ensure employees are aware of these policies, only use their software in visible mode and be open to honest conversations with employees about any concerns that may arise.


How To Choose an Employee Monitoring Software

There are three basic areas you should consider when choosing employee monitoring software. The first is cost. One of the main reasons companies use employee monitoring software is to increase productivity and security that, in turn, saves the company money. Employee monitoring software can get expensive, especially with large companies with a lot of employees. If the software is more expensive than what a company earns in increased productivity, it is not worth the investment.

Ease of use is another factor to consider when choosing employee monitoring software. As with cost, employers that choose complicated software will spend more time learning the features and functionality of the software, which cuts into productivity and profits.

Finally, an employee monitoring system that is heavy on productivity, time tracking and project reporting features will help to increase overall productivity. Measuring an employee or team’s productivity helps employers discover strengths and weaknesses within their company. Employers can make more educated executive decisions after gaining greater knowledge about each team member’s work record.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the benefits of using employee monitoring software?

Employee monitor software gives employers a big picture of the work their employees produce on company time. This is especially helpful in the era of remote work. Benefits include increased productivity, increased security and expanded savings.

What is keylogging?

Keylogging is a feature used in many employee monitoring software platforms that tracks, captures, logs and records all the keystrokes on the computer being monitored. While this feature may be useful for monitoring staff productivity, its use could be detrimental to employee morale and have the potential to violate the law.

What is employee monitoring software?

Employee monitoring software is computer software that tracks an employee’s computer usage automatically. Companies use it to evaluate or stay current automatically on staff productivity and attendance as well as all computer and software use.

Is employee monitoring software secure?

As with most types of software, the best HCM software programs offer many levels of security. When choosing this type of software, you want to look for security features like two-factor authentication (2FA) or multifactor authentication (MFA), documentation that shows frequent security updates and patches, intrusion detection, the monitoring of user activities, data encryption and privacy protection.


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