When evaluating workforce management solutions for BPO contact centers, ActivTrak often appears on shortlists due to its established market presence. However, a growing number of BPO companies are discovering that HeroFocus offers significant advantages — particularly for organizations managing global customer service teams. This comparison examines the key differences between these two platforms.
Pricing: The Game-Changing Difference
The most striking difference between HeroFocus and ActivTrak is pricing structure:
HeroFocus Pricing:
- Free tier: Unlimited users, core attendance and screenshot features
- Professional: $4.99/user/month with advanced analytics
- Enterprise: $9.99/user/month with full feature set
ActivTrak Pricing:
- Free tier: Limited to 3 users with basic features
- Essentials: $10/user/month
- Professional: $17/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
For a BPO with 500 agents, the annual cost difference is substantial:
- HeroFocus Free: $0/year
- ActivTrak Essentials: $60,000/year
This pricing difference alone makes HeroFocus the obvious choice for cost-conscious BPO operations.
BPO-Specific Features
While ActivTrak was designed as a general workforce analytics tool, HeroFocus was built specifically for BPO contact centers:
Multi-Timezone Management HeroFocus natively supports teams working across multiple time zones, automatically adjusting schedules, reports, and alerts based on each agent's local time. ActivTrak requires manual configuration for multi-timezone scenarios.
Shift-Based Scheduling BPO operations run on complex shift patterns. HeroFocus includes built-in shift management with support for rotating schedules, split shifts, and holiday coverage. ActivTrak focuses more on traditional 9-5 work patterns.
Client-Specific Reporting BPO companies often need to provide attendance and productivity reports to their clients. HeroFocus includes client-facing dashboards and automated report generation. ActivTrak requires manual report creation.
Appeal Process When agents dispute attendance records or productivity scores, HeroFocus provides a structured appeal workflow. ActivTrak has no built-in dispute resolution mechanism.
Screenshot Monitoring Comparison
HeroFocus:
- 5-minute screenshot intervals on free tier
- Configurable intervals (1-30 minutes) on paid tiers
- Activity timeline visualization
- Screenshot blur for privacy-sensitive content
ActivTrak:
- Screenshots available only on Professional tier ($17/user/month)
- Limited configuration options
- No built-in privacy controls
Global Operations Support
BPO companies operating across multiple countries need software that understands global complexity:
Holiday Management HeroFocus includes pre-configured holiday calendars for 50+ countries. Managers can easily see which agents are on holiday and plan coverage accordingly. ActivTrak requires manual holiday entry.
Multi-Language Support HeroFocus supports multiple interface languages, making it accessible to agents worldwide. ActivTrak is primarily English-focused.
Regional Compliance HeroFocus includes GDPR compliance features out of the box, with data residency options for EU customers. ActivTrak's compliance features require enterprise-tier pricing.
Implementation and Support
HeroFocus:
- Cloud-based, instant deployment
- No IT infrastructure required
- Dedicated BPO implementation support
- 24/7 customer service
ActivTrak:
- Cloud-based deployment
- Standard IT setup required
- General support (BPO expertise varies)
- Business hours support on lower tiers
The Verdict
For BPO contact centers, HeroFocus offers clear advantages:
- Cost: Free tier with unlimited users vs. $10+/user/month
- BPO Focus: Purpose-built features vs. general workforce analytics
- Global Support: Multi-timezone, multi-language, multi-country
- Flexibility: Monthly billing, no annual contracts
- Screenshots: Included free vs. premium feature
While ActivTrak is a capable general-purpose workforce analytics tool, HeroFocus is the specialist choice for BPO operations. The combination of free pricing, BPO-specific features, and global operations support makes HeroFocus the clear winner for contact center environments.
