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Software · head to head

Hubstaff vs Roam Research

Hubstaff logo

Hubstaff

Software

Time tracking and team management for remote teams

From
$5.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Roam Research logo

Roam Research

Software

A note-taking tool for networked thought

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hubstaff billed per seat; the pricing page's own proration example states the Team plan costs $10 per seat per month, with fees adjusted when seats are added or removed mid-cycle; Roam Research cloud-dependent: no local-first option, all data stored on Roam servers
  • They diverge on capability: Hubstaff covers Time tracking with timer, Roam Research covers Bi-directional linking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hubstaff and Roam Research actually diverge.

Attributes where Hubstaff and Roam Research differ
AttributeHubstaffRoam Research
Starting price$5.99/month$15/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, WindowsWeb, iOS, macOS, Windows
Founded20122017

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Roam Research

  • Bi-directional linking
  • Block references
  • Daily notes
  • Graph visualization
  • Sidebar navigation
  • Version history
  • Markdown support
  • TODO management

What people use each for

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

Hubstaff

  • Productivitynot Roam Research
  • Collaborationnot Roam Research
  • Task managementnot Roam Research
  • Organizationnot Roam Research

Roam Research

  • Research notesnot Hubstaff
  • Writing projectsnot Hubstaff
  • Personal knowledge managementnot Hubstaff
  • Academic worknot Hubstaff
  • Creative thinkingnot Hubstaff

Where each one falls short

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

Hubstaff

  • Billed per seat; the pricing page's own proration example states the Team plan costs $10 per seat per month, with fees adjusted when seats are added or removed mid-cycle

Roam Research

  • Cloud-dependent: no local-first option, all data stored on Roam servers
  • Offline sync issues: offline databases experience slow startup and synchronization problems
  • No native Android app
  • Requires internet connection for most functionality

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

Roam Research

$15/month
  • Pro$15/month
    • Unlimited graphs
    • Unlimited blocks
    • Daily notes
  • Believer$500/5 years
    • All Pro features
    • Cost effective long-term subscription

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 Roam Research if

  • You need bi-directional linking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want block references.
Roam Research review

Questions people ask

Is Hubstaff or Roam Research better?
Neither clearly leads. Hubstaff starts at $5.99/month and Roam Research at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hubstaff or Roam Research?
Hubstaff starts at $5.99/month and Roam Research at $15/month.
Does Hubstaff or Roam Research run on more platforms?
Hubstaff runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows. Roam Research runs on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows.
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 Roam Research is typically brought in for.
What can Hubstaff do that Roam Research cannot?
Hubstaff covers Time tracking with timer, Activity monitoring, GPS location tracking, Screenshots. Roam Research covers Bi-directional linking, Block references, Daily notes, Graph visualization.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Roam Research: Does Roam Research have a free plan?

No, Roam Research does not offer a free plan. However, it includes a 31-day free trial before requiring a subscription to either the Pro plan ($15/month) or Believer plan ($500 for five years).

Source
Roam Research: Can I use Roam Research offline?

Roam Research has limited offline support. Offline databases have significant performance issues, including slow startup times and sync problems. The platform is cloud-dependent and requires internet connectivity for most functionality.

Source
Roam Research: What platforms does Roam Research support?

Roam Research is available as a web app and native mobile apps for iOS and macOS. Windows users access it through the web app or Electron desktop wrapper. Android support is limited.

Source
Roam Research: Can I export my data from Roam Research?

Yes, you can export your entire database or individual pages as JSON or Markdown format by clicking the three-dot menu. However, block references do not translate perfectly, and migration to other tools may require manual cleanup.

Source
Roam Research: Does Roam Research integrate with Slack?

Roam Research integrates with Slack through Zapier, allowing you to send Slack messages to Roam or add Slack messages to your Roam daily notes. No native Slack integration is available.

Source
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