In order to maintain complete oversight on your business operations, most businesses are put in a complicated situation where they have to maintain the delicate balance between security and employee privacy.
While employee monitoring is key to protecting your business against data breaches and ensuring operational efficiency, it often raises concerns about privacy and trust among team members.
Instances like these is where stealth monitoring comes into play — ensuring everything runs smoothly without stepping over the line into invasive surveillance.
In this guide, we’ll cover six top rated stealth employee monitoring software solutions. We’ll look into their features, examine their drawbacks, and analyze their pricing structures to help you make an informed decision.
| Software | Key Features | Summary |
| Teramind | User Behavior Analytics (UBA), Real-Time Screen Monitoring, Keystroke Logging, Email Monitoring, Productivity Analysis, Automated Behavior Rules, Audit and Forensics | Comprehensive employee monitoring software with extensive tracking capabilities, customizable rules, and strong security features. Offers both cloud-based and on-premise deployment options. |
| Insightful | Productivity Analysis, Automated Alerts, Visibility Mode (visible and stealth options), AI-driven work pattern analysis | AI-powered employee monitoring solution that operates in the background, providing detailed productivity reports and actionable insights into team performance. |
| Time Doctor | Payroll Integration, Offline Time Tracking, Privacy Controls, Third-party app integrations | Workforce analytics platform designed for both remote and in-office teams, offering real-time tracking, detailed insights, and integration with popular project management tools. |
| ActivTrak | Activity-based Alarms, Workload Management, Location Insights, Real-time analytics dashboard | Employee productivity monitoring solution that tracks user behavior, application usage, and website visits to provide insights into workforce operations and productivity patterns. |
| CurrentWare | BrowseControl (internet filtering), BrowseReporter (user activity monitoring), AccessPatrol (device control and data loss prevention), enPowerManager (energy management) | Comprehensive suite of employee monitoring and internet management tools designed to enhance productivity, ensure compliance, and secure sensitive data. |
| Monitask | Stealth Version, SmartBlur Screenshots, IP and VPN Tracking, Time tracking with automatic timesheets | Employee monitoring software tailored for freelance workers, offering simple time tracking, activity monitoring, and task management features, with optional screenshot capturing. |
1. Teramind
Teramind is an employee monitoring software designed to extensively monitor user interactions across various system components, including applications, websites, emails, file transfers, social media, and instant messaging platforms. It captures and integrates this data into an enterprise-grade Business Intelligence (BI) dashboard.
Teramind enables users to customize, aggregate, and group data according to specific requirements, enabling dynamic visual representation. It supports trend comparisons and analyzes data fluctuation over time, provides snapshots of critical metrics and KPIs for quick overview or detailed drill-down analyses, and allows for data export to other applications.
Additionally, Teramind allows users to create behavioral rules based on user activity and work schedules, allowing for real-time alerts and notifications upon any rule infraction. Its intelligent policy and rules engine enhances security by addressing potential data breaches and insider threats, whether malicious or inadvertent. Interventions include user warnings, action blocks, or taking direct control over a user’s computer.
Features
- User Behavior Analytics (UBA). Automatically identifies anomalies in user activity based on pre-configured rules and behavioral baselines. This feature helps organizations detect insider threats and ensure compliance by monitoring for unusual access patterns or unauthorized data transfers.
- Real-Time Screen Monitoring. Allows supervisors to view live feeds of an employee’s computer screen. It can be particularly useful for hybrid and remote workforce management, ensuring that team members are focusing on their tasks and adhering to company policies.
- Keystroke Logging. Captures all keyboard activity, providing insights into what employees type during work hours. This includes emails, chat messages, and document content, offering a detailed record for audit trails and compliance verification.
- Email Monitoring. Tracks all sent and received emails to analyze content, attachments, and recipients. This helps in preventing data leaks and ensuring that communication remains within professional and regulatory guidelines.
- Productivity Analysis. Provides detailed productivity reports that categorize active and idle time. It tracks application and website usage, giving managers the data needed to boost efficiency and address productivity issues.
- Automated Behavior Rules. Administrators can set custom rules that trigger alerts or actions when specific behavior is detected, such as transferring sensitive files or accessing restricted areas.
- Audit and Forensics. Offers tools for creating detailed audit logs and video recordings of user sessions, which are crucial for compliance reviews and post-incident investigations.
Pricing
Teramind’s pricing structure varies based on the number of users, business size & type, and the specific features needed:
- Starter: Starts at $15 per seat per month.
- UAM: Starts at $30 per seat per month.
- DLP: Starts at $35 per seat per month.
- Enterprise: Customized for large organizations that require full functionality, including video recording and forensic auditing.
Each tier is available in both cloud-based and on-premise deployment options, and pricing is typically on a per user per month basis.
How does Teramind remain stealthy? → While Teramind can capture an extensive range of computer activities, it gives organizations full control over privacy settings.
Each monitored entity is configurable with monitoring profiles and detailed settings to protect user privacy. Organizations can adjust the level of monitoring to meet their specific needs, addressing privacy concerns effectively.
Additionally, a built-in Access Control panel manages administrative permissions, preventing the misuse of privileges.
2. Insightful
Insightful offers a comprehensive employee monitoring solution designed to operate seamlessly in the background, ensuring minimal disruption to daily workflows while providing in-depth analytics on employee activity.
It captures a wide range of data, including application usage, keyboard activity, and even subtle mouse movements, which it processes to create detailed productivity reports. Insightful.io is built to be virtually undetectable to the end user, maintaining employee privacy while still collecting valuable data.
The platform utilizes advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to analyze work patterns and identify inefficiencies, providing managers with actionable insights into team performance and individual focus. It supports automatic time mapping, which categorizes activity into productive and unproductive activity based on predefined criteria, customizable to specific organizational needs.
Features
- Productivity Analysis. Analyzes productivity by monitoring website and app usage. It categorizes sites and applications as productive or unproductive based on customizable rules. This also comes bundled with sub-features such as manual time entries, productivity labeling, timekeeping, manual screenshots, and employee attendance tracking.
- Automated Alerts. The platform can be configured to send automated alerts to managers when specific activities occur, such as access to non-work-related websites during office hours.
- Visibility Mode. Offers visible and stealth feature on company-owned devices.
- In the visible mode, employees see the app icon on their screen. On the other hand, the stealth mode will be hidden from employees.
Drawbacks
- Slow Support and Account Reactivation Delays. Customers report slow responses to inquiries and extended delays, up to a week, in reactivating accounts. These issues can severely disrupt operations for companies with frequent staff changes [*]
- Inaccurate Zoom Time Tracking. The software struggles to accurately track and verify the duration of Zoom meetings, leading to significant discrepancies in time reporting [*]
- Software Shutdowns During OS Updates. The software ceases to function during pending OS updates on MacBooks, affecting workflow for about 10% of employees in a 300-person organization [*]
Pricing
- Productivity Management. $6.40 per user/month.
- Time Tracking. $8.00 per user/month.
- Process Improvement. $12.00 per user/month.
- Enterprise Solution. Custom.
Related → 7 Insightful Alternatives & Competitors in 2024
3. Time Doctor
Time Doctor is a workforce analytics platform designed to enhance productivity and efficiency for both remote workers and in-office teams. It provides real-time tracking of employee activities, offering detailed insights into work hours, project completion, and employee engagement levels. It also integrates seamlessly with third-party applications like Asana, Trello, and Slack, enabling users to synchronize their workflows without disrupting their daily activities.
Furthermore, Time Doctor is equipped with advanced reporting and analytics tools that offer insights into employee productivity metrics. These tools generate detailed reports on time usage, helping managers identify productive behavior patterns and areas for improvement. The platform also features distraction alerts, prompting users when they spend too much time away from work-related tasks to maintain focus.
Additionally, Time Doctor offers optional screenshot and screen recording functions to enhance transparency and accountability within teams. This feature is particularly useful for remote teams, helping managers ensure employees stay on task. These functionalities are customizable, with adjustable privacy settings to meet each organization’s needs.
Features
- Payroll Integration. The software includes tools for automating payroll, factoring in hours worked, and managing billable rates, which can be customized by team, project allocation, or individual preferences.
- Offline Time Tracking. Time Doctor allows employees to track time even when they are offline. This is particularly useful for field or remote workers who may not always have internet access but need to record their time spent on tasks.
- Privacy Controls. Allows organizations to customize privacy settings to balance monitoring with respect for employee privacy. This includes options like blurring screenshots and setting monitoring to be active only during specific hours.
Drawbacks
- Unauthorized Charges on Shared Computers. Time Doctor’s design to install for “All Users” can lead to unintended charges if an unmonitored individual uses a shared computer. This inflexibility in user-specific monitoring results in significant extra costs, with the system failing to provide refunds for these unauthorized charges [*].
- Challenges with Time Doctor’s Upgrade. Upgrading to Time Doctor 2 (TD2) presents considerable challenges due to the absence of essential features that were available in the previous version. This deficiency has forced a company to relocate payroll functions and deal with an unresponsive support team, adding costly inefficiencies to their operations [*].
- Privacy and Efficiency Concerns. The software’s random screenshot feature poses privacy risks by potentially exposing sensitive information. Additionally, its reliance on continuous mouse and keyboard activity for tracking can disadvantage users in passive job roles, forcing them to perform unnecessary actions to maintain activity status. [*].
Pricing
- Basic. $5.9 per user/month.
- Standard. $11.7 per user/month.
- Premium. $16.7 per user/month.
Related → Time Doctor vs. Teramind
4. ActivTrak
ActivTrak is an employee productivity monitoring solution that tracks and collects data on how employees spend their time during work hours, providing insights into user behavior, application usage, and website visits. This data is then analyzed to highlight productivity patterns, inefficient practices, and potential compliance risks.
The platform features a real-time analytics dashboard that offers a comprehensive view of workforce operations. Managers can access various productivity reports, such as top users, most used applications, and risk level assessments, helping them make informed decisions about resource allocation, employee training needs, and workflow adjustments.
Additionally, ActivTrak supports benchmarking and goal-setting functionalities tailored to individual and team levels. This enables managers to set specific productivity targets and compare current performance against these benchmarks.
Features
- Activity-based Alarms. Receive real-time alerts on undesirable behaviors and compliance risks such as mouse-jiggler technology, PII exposure, and AI tool usage, enabling immediate corrective action.
- Workload Management. Analyze work distribution following reductions in force or attrition, rebalance tasks after reorganizations, plan resources quarterly or bi-annually, and gather data to guide hiring decisions for new FTEs or contractors.
- Location Insights. Optimize your hybrid work policy using location-based productivity data, determining employee productivity by environment, identifying working hour trends by location, and comparing individual productivity across different work settings.
Drawbacks
- Rigid and Unfair Licensing Terms. The company’s licensing terms are rigid, disallowing the reduction of licenses when downsizing. This forces small business owners to pay for unused licenses until the contract period ends [*].
- Inconsistent Support and Upselling Tactics. After the sale, customer service quality declines, with support becoming unresponsive. New features require additional payments, without resolving core problems like frequent alarm failures or slow program speeds. Support focuses on upselling rather than assistance, enforcing strict contract terms without flexibility, even amid significant service issues [*].
- Questionable Billing Methods. The company employs questionable billing practices, such as charging expired credit cards and making it difficult to cancel or modify user settings without lengthy notice periods [*].
Pricing
- Free. $0 per user/month.
- Essentials. $10 per user/month.
- Professional. $19 per user/month.
- Enterprise. Request a quote.
Related → ActivTrak vs. Teramind – Which is Best in 2024?
5. CurrentWare
CurrentWare is a comprehensive suite of employee monitoring and internet management tools designed to help businesses enhance productivity, ensure compliance, and secure sensitive data.
The suite includes four key modules:
- BrowseControl for internet filtering
- BrowseReporter for user activity monitoring
- AccessPatrol for device control and data loss prevention
- enPowerManager for energy management
Each module integrates seamlessly, providing businesses with a robust set of tools to manage and monitor employee computer activity. This suite is particularly effective for organizations looking to protect against security risks and ensure compliance with company policies.
Features
- BrowseControl. Offers robust internet and application filtering capabilities, enabling organizations to block or limit access to non-work activities. This helps reduce distractions and ensures employees use their work time efficiently. BrowseControl also allows for custom policies that can vary by department or team, giving managers the flexibility to enforce rules that best fit their operational needs.
- BrowseReporter. Provides detailed insights into employees activities. It tracks websites visited, applications used, and the time spent on each activity, giving managers rich data to analyze productivity trends and identify outliers. The activity logs generated by BrowseReporter can be used for performance reviews, audits, and compliance checks to ensure employee behavior aligns with organizational policies.
- AccessPatrol. Enhances the Currentware offering by providing tools to prevent data leakage and manage device use. It enables administrators to control access to removable storage devices and monitor file transfers, helping to prevent unauthorized data removal and protect against external threats.
- enPowerManager. Contributes to cost-saving efforts by allowing remote management of power settings on connected devices, helping reduce energy consumption across the enterprise.
Drawbacks
- Limited Customization for Alerts. CurrentWare does not offer personalized alert options, making it difficult for users to quickly identify critical events [*].
- Setup Complexity and Lack of Support. CurrentWare’s initial setup is notably complex, lacking clear standards and essential contextual information, which limits efficient execution. The absence of real-time support worsens the situation, making the setup phase challenging and frustrating for users [*].
- Inefficient User Interface and Slow Data Handling. The layout of CurrentWare’s user interface is confusing, and slow loading times significantly hinder daily operations [*].
Pricing
- BrowseControl. $5 per user/month.
- BrowseReporter. $5 per user/month.
- AccessPatrol. $5 per user/month.
- enPowerManager. $5 per user/month.
6. Monitask
Monitask tailors its employee monitoring software mainly for freelance workers , offering a simple platform to track time, monitor activity, and manage tasks efficiently.
The software enables real-time monitoring of employee computers, capturing data on the applications and websites used during work hours. This feature allows managers to see how team members use their time, crucial in remote settings where direct supervision is minimal.
A key feature of Monitask is its time tracking capability, which includes automatic timesheets and the option to manually track time for specific projects or tasks. This helps managers process payroll and allocate resources effectively, using accurate time tracking insights. Monitask also generates detailed productivity reports that categorize employee activity by hour, day, or project, essential for performance reviews and planning.
Additionally, Monitask offers an optional screenshot capturing feature, which managers can set to take random or scheduled screenshots during work hours.
Features
- Stealth Version. Runs invisibly on employee devices, ensuring undetected monitoring of activities and productivity metrics without alerting users to its presence.
- SmartBlur Screenshots. Automatically obscures sensitive information in screenshots, providing privacy protection while still allowing managers to review employee activity.
- IP and VPN Tracking. Monitors and logs the IP addresses and VPN usage of employees, ensuring secure and compliant access to company resources.
Drawbacks
- Task Selection Challenges in Monitask. Users experience frustration with Monitask when selecting tasks from a dropdown menu; the software often fails to highlight or select the desired task without multiple attempts [*].
- Functionality Issues with Restarting. Monitask users have recently faced problems, especially when the software gets stuck and does not resume correctly after a restart. Instead of continuing from where it stopped, it restarts from the beginning, causing lost progress [*].
- Limited Advanced Features. Monitask is primarily designed as a straightforward employee monitoring tool, which means it may lack the advanced analytical or customization features that more complex projects or larger organizations might require.
Pricing
- Free. $0 per user/month.
- Pro. $5.99 per user/month.
- Business. $8.99 per user/month.
- Enterprise. Request a quote.
Recommended → Employee Monitoring: Ethical Guidelines for Employers
Invisible Oversight: How Teramind Protects Silently
Implementing employee monitoring in your organization is a smart move for several reasons: ensuring compliance, and boosting productivity, detecting inefficiencies, preventing data leaks, — and many more.
However, knowing that their actions are being monitored can sometimes affect employee morale and create a feeling of mistrust among the workforce.
To solve this, Teramind offers a stealth monitoring solution that operates invisibly, without altering the daily routines of your employees. This system integrates seamlessly into everyday operations, providing comprehensive insights into employee activities while maintaining a low profile. This way, you safeguard your company’s data and operations without the overt presence of surveillance tools, which can sometimes be off-putting.
Plus, Teramind takes security one step further by encrypting all monitored data, ensuring that sensitive information is protected against any threats. Opting for Teramind not only helps you monitor effectively but also preserves the trust and integrity of your workplace, making it a win-win for both security and employee satisfaction.
