10 Best Apps and Software for Business Productivity

Running a business means juggling multiple tasks. While staying organized helps to get things done, it can be challenging for businesses. This is where apps for business productivity come in. They do the day-to-day work and can create a centralized place for business operations.

Business productivity apps have grown by 65% in the last few years, which speaks of the importance of these apps.

Generally speaking, low productivity can hinder a business from achieving its goals, but aligning tasks boosts work efficiency.

Here are some of the best apps and software for business productivity.

Hive

Hive is a productivity app that works the same as Slack or TopTracker. It’s a valuable communication tool that offers a myriad of features to supercharge productivity.

The team members can access projects by status or assigned labels and collaborate on the set schedule. In addition, Hive comes with a file-sharing feature that allows businesses to streamline their work.

The manager can also get alerts and real-time notifications if there are some anomalies in the team’s productivity.

Best of all, the user can decide on the package that suits them best. Hive app can be downloaded on Windows PC, IOS, or Android devices.

BaseCamp

When projects feel scattered, it’s difficult to see where things stand. But when everything is kept in one place, the progress is clear, and a sense of calmness sets in.

BaseCamp is a collaboration tool that helps businesses manage their projects without guesswork. Users can view all the tasks in one spot and enhance communication within the team.

The app offers features like a message board, a to-do list, and a place to save files. The members also get an update on a specific project.

After downloading the app, the team can break the work into different projects and combine everything in one place.

SharePoint

The flexibility and ease of use make SharePoint the best console to handle management tasks.

Moreover, there are various ways to create a dashboard in SharePoint, allowing users to customize and display relevant data in an accessible format. By utilizing pre-built templates or creating custom designs, businesses can tailor their dashboards to meet specific needs, making it easier to monitor and analyze crucial information.

Not to mention, one can create or delete groups, share space, and track critical permission changes. It also has a SharePoint statistics tool, which is designed to help businesses optimize their operations and gain real-time data.

Apart from that, it collects important details like the number of unique visitors or hits in a day. Another perk that comes with the software is that no server is required for side installation.

Plus, the SharePoint app enables administrators to meet compliance requirements and store data for a specific period. Users can also integrate the tool with other applications like Office Graph, One Drive for business, and more.

Trello

Trello is an app designed to help the team move forward and reach a new peak in productivity. Businesses can organize tasks, manage projects, and build team spirit – all in one place.

Trello comes with intuitive features that give the team ability to customize the workflow and any other thing. Since the lists are the building blocks of organizing work, managers can allocate assignments, timelines, and productivity metrics. Another key feature is the cards.

They ensure the entire team stays up-to-date and every task can be shared, managed, and tracked. Businesses looking for strategies to reduce tedious tasks can use the in-built automation feature.

ProofHub

Feeling overburdened and unorganized when working on or managing tasks is quite common. In order to boost productivity, increase responsibility, improve communication, and keep everyone on the same page, ProofHub can help businesses accomplish all of these. 

By using ProofHub, businesses will enhance their teamwork in many ways. Teams can proof any design or document by using the proofing tool in real-time. You can send one-on-one messages or can use its group chat function to send messages directly.

ProofHub simplifies everyday processes of businesses, such as creating plans, collaborating with people, keeping things organized, tracking time spent on activities, and delivering projects on time. Overall, ProofHub ultimately saves your business a lot of time, which automatically results in boosting the business productivity. 

Slack

Slack isn’t just another chat app. It’s your entire office—digitally speaking. With organized channels, Slack makes it effortless for teams to collaborate, share files, and keep conversations productive. Connect it to apps like Google Drive, Trello, and Zoom, and you have a one-stop hub for team coordination. But what truly sets Slack apart? Its powerful search capability ensures you never lose track of important conversations or decisions. It’s the digital equivalent of walking over to a co-worker’s desk for a quick chat, minus the distractions. If Slack is not what you are precisely into, you can consider switching to a Slack alternative.

ClickUp

ClickUp positions itself as the “one app to replace them all,” and honestly, it delivers. With task management, docs, goals, and reminders rolled into a single platform, ClickUp simplifies even the most complex projects. The intuitive dashboards help teams visualize workloads, track milestones, and boost overall efficiency. And if you’re tired of switching apps, ClickUp’s powerful integrations bring everything you need into one cohesive workspace. It’s perfect for teams that love staying organized without feeling overwhelmed.

Notion

Think of Notion as your business’s Swiss army knife. It blends notes, databases, task management, and wikis into one elegant platform. The beauty of Notion lies in its flexibility—you can design workspaces that fit precisely how your business operates. Whether you’re building a content calendar, tracking sales leads, or documenting processes, Notion adapts effortlessly. Plus, its collaborative features ensure your whole team stays on the same page. If productivity had a personal trainer, it’d be Notion.

Asana

Asana takes task management to the next level with simplicity and clarity. Its clean, intuitive interface helps teams assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress without confusion. Real-time updates mean you always know who’s doing what and when. What I love most is Asana’s built-in automation, which saves you hours on repetitive tasks. Whether you’re managing a small team or large projects, Asana provides clarity so your team spends less time organizing and more time getting things done.

Zapier

Zapier is the secret weapon behind automation. It connects your favorite apps and creates seamless workflows without you writing a single line of code. Automatically add new contacts to your CRM, sync calendars, or even push data between hundreds of services — Zapier does it all. It’s perfect for eliminating tedious manual tasks, so you can focus on higher-value activities. With a tool like Zapier handling the busywork, productivity skyrockets in any business, for that matter.

The best way to think about productivity is by using objective information and analyzing it.

The above apps can boost business productivity through workload balancing, employee progress, and teamwork.

Even better, they can help managers identify the areas that need improvement and rebalance the workload. Some focus on time management while others boost collaboration.

Recommended Productivity Books

I’ve tested every productivity app on this list over the past 16 years. Apps handle your workflow. But the real productivity gains come from changing how you think about work. These five books did more for my output than any app subscription.

Atomic Habits is the one I recommend first. It’s about building systems that make productive behavior automatic. Deep Work changed how I structure my workday. The Power of Habit explains why some routines stick and others don’t. Read all three, and you’ll need fewer apps. For more, see my time management apps guide.

Best Headphones for Focused Work

Unpopular opinion: noise-cancelling headphones are a better productivity investment than any app on this list. I bought AirPods Pro two years ago, and they turned my co-working space into a private office. The Beats Studio Buds are the budget pick at $100.