Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Hubstaff vs iLovePDF

Hubstaff logo

Hubstaff

Productivity

Time tracking and team management for remote teams

From
$5.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
iLovePDF logo

iLovePDF

Productivity

Browser toolbox for merging, splitting, compressing and converting PDFs, processed on the vendor's servers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only iLovePDF has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Hubstaff no pricing amounts published on pricing page; specific dollar amounts for plans not disclosed; iLovePDF processing happens on the vendor's servers, so every file is uploaded to a third party, which rules the tools out for client documents, personal data and anything under a confidentiality obligation no matter how briefly the file is held.
  • They diverge on capability: Hubstaff covers Time tracking with timer, iLovePDF covers Single-purpose tools.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hubstaff and iLovePDF actually diverge.

Attributes where Hubstaff and iLovePDF differ
AttributeHubstaffiLovePDF
Starting price$5.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, WindowsWeb
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Productivity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Hubstaff

  • Time tracking with timer
  • Activity monitoring
  • GPS location tracking
  • Screenshots
  • Reports and analytics
  • Invoicing
  • Team management
  • Mobile apps

Only in iLovePDF

  • Single-purpose tools
  • Format conversion
  • Text recognition conversions
  • File size limits
  • Desktop and mobile applications
  • Digital signatures
  • PDF/A output
  • No account needed

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Hubstaff

  • Productivitynot iLovePDF
  • Collaborationnot iLovePDF
  • Task managementnot iLovePDF
  • Organizationnot iLovePDF

iLovePDF

  • Combining scanned pages into a single PDF or splitting a large document occasionally, without buying a desktop PDF editor.not Hubstaff
  • Compressing a PDF that a mail system or an upload form refuses to accept.not Hubstaff
  • Converting a scanned document into an editable Word or Excel file, which needs the paid text recognition tools.not Hubstaff
  • A small office needing simple PDF operations across several machines without a per-seat desktop licence.not Hubstaff

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Hubstaff

  • No pricing amounts published on pricing page; specific dollar amounts for plans not disclosed
  • Per-seat pricing structure means users charged per team member regardless of active tracking use
  • Billing model includes prorated charges on annual plans but full rates for new monthly users, creating potential cost complications

iLovePDF

  • Processing happens on the vendor's servers, so every file is uploaded to a third party, which rules the tools out for client documents, personal data and anything under a confidentiality obligation no matter how briefly the file is held.
  • The free tier is bounded by file size per tool rather than by feature, with Office conversions capped at 15 MB, so the large scanned documents most likely to need converting are precisely the ones most likely to be refused.
  • The conversions that require text recognition, meaning scanned PDF to Word or Excel, are held for the paid plan, and those are the conversions people genuinely struggle with, while the free ones mostly handle files that were digital already.
  • It is a per-account consumer subscription with no organisational administration, so a company that comes to depend on it ends up with staff holding personal subscriptions and no control over what is uploaded or by whom.
  • The API is a separate product with its own pricing, so a workflow prototyped by hand on the website cannot simply be automated under the same subscription and has to be costed again.

Pricing, plan by plan

Hubstaff

$5.99/month
  • FreeFree
    • Basic time tracking
    • Limited to 1 user
    • Basic reports
  • Starter$5.99/month
    • Time tracking
    • Team management
    • Reports
  • Pro$9.99/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • GPS tracking
    • Activity monitoring

iLovePDF

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Access to essential iLovePDF tools
    • Limited document processing
    • 1 account
  • Premium$7/month
    • Full access to all iLovePDF tools
    • Unlimited document processing
    • 1-25 accounts
  • Premium Annual$48/year
    • Same as Premium plan
    • 42% discount compared to monthly billing
  • Business$null/mo
    • Custom pricing (contact vendor for quote)
    • Scalable solutions for businesses
    • 25+ accounts

Which should you pick?

Choose Hubstaff if

  • You need time tracking with timer.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
  • You also want activity monitoring.
Hubstaff review

Choose iLovePDF if

  • You need single-purpose tools.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want format conversion.
iLovePDF review

Questions people ask

Is Hubstaff or iLovePDF better?
Neither clearly leads. Hubstaff starts at $5.99/month and iLovePDF at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hubstaff or iLovePDF?
iLovePDF has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5.99/month for Hubstaff and Free for iLovePDF.
Does Hubstaff or iLovePDF run on more platforms?
Hubstaff runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows. iLovePDF runs on Web.
Can I use iLovePDF for free?
Yes. iLovePDF has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hubstaff starts at $5.99/month.
What is Hubstaff best used for?
Hubstaff is most often used for productivity, collaboration, task management, organization. Of those, productivity and collaboration are not what iLovePDF is typically brought in for.
What can Hubstaff do that iLovePDF cannot?
Hubstaff covers Time tracking with timer, Activity monitoring, GPS location tracking, Screenshots. iLovePDF covers Single-purpose tools, Format conversion, Text recognition conversions, File size limits.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hubstaff: How much does Hubstaff cost?

Specific pricing amounts are not published on the pricing page. Hubstaff offers monthly and annual billing options with a per-seat pricing structure, a 30-day money-back guarantee on paid plans, and a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.

Source
iLovePDF: Do I need an account?

Not for the basic free tools, though they are subject to per-tool size limits and restrictions on batch processing.

Hubstaff: Is there a free trial for Hubstaff?

Hubstaff offers a free 14-day trial with no credit card required, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee on paid plans excluding the free trial period.

Source
iLovePDF: Is it safe for confidential documents?

Files are uploaded to the vendor's servers for processing. For client material, personal data or regulated documents, use a tool that works locally on the machine instead.

Hubstaff: How does Hubstaff billing work when adding team members mid-cycle?

For annual plans, Hubstaff prorates charges when adding seats mid-cycle. For monthly plans, full rates apply for new users with no prorating offered.

Source
iLovePDF: What does Premium add?

Access to every tool including text-recognition conversions and PDF/A, much larger files, unlimited processing, desktop and mobile applications, digital signatures, workflows and no adverts.

Hubstaff: Can Hubstaff plans be canceled anytime?

Plans can be canceled anytime by contacting support or archiving the associated organization. Users removed from monthly plans do not receive prorated refunds.

Source
iLovePDF: Can I use it inside my own application?

Only through the separate developer API, which is priced independently, so plan the automation cost separately from the consumer subscription.

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