Organizations evaluating employee monitoring software often compare DeskGate and ActivTrak due to their different approaches to productivity, visibility, and data control. While both solutions focus on workforce monitoring, they are built for very different operational and security needs.
This comparison explains how DeskGate and ActivTrak differ in deployment model, monitoring depth, remote access capabilities, and enterprise readiness. For a broader overview of monitoring fundamentals, see our employee monitoring software guide.
Core Difference
DeskGate is a self-hosted employee monitoring and remote desktop platform designed for organizations that require full ownership of monitoring data and internal infrastructure control. ActivTrak is a cloud-based productivity analytics tool focused on behavior patterns and workforce efficiency insights.
Security & Compliance
DeskGate keeps all monitoring data within the organization’s own infrastructure, allowing IT teams to enforce internal security policies, control access rights, and meet strict compliance requirements. This model is especially important for industries with data residency obligations.
ActivTrak simplifies deployment by using cloud infrastructure, but this approach can limit visibility and control for organizations that must keep sensitive monitoring data in-house.
Who Should Use Each Software
DeskGate is well suited for enterprises, government institutions, and companies that need deep monitoring, remote desktop access, and full control over employee activity data.
ActivTrak is better suited for teams primarily interested in productivity trends, workforce behavior insights, and cloud-first deployment without managing on-premise servers.
Final Verdict
DeskGate is the stronger choice for organizations that require self-hosted employee monitoring, advanced screen recording, integrated remote desktop, and strict compliance control. ActivTrak remains a viable option for cloud-oriented teams focused mainly on productivity analytics rather than infrastructure ownership.