Productivity is not a one-size-fits-all concept. Different organizations have different needs, preferences, and goals for working efficiently and effectively. That’s why there is no single productivity tool or software that can suit everyone.
Instead, you need to find the right combination of productivity tools and software to achieve your desired outcomes, whether you want to empower teams with seamless collaboration, optimize time management, or track the tiniest details of project performance.
Productivity tools are beneficial for businesses in a multitude of ways, such as increasing customer satisfaction scores and elevating operations to new heights.
In this blog, we’ll learn about what productivity apps are and which ones are the best in the market.
What are productivity tools?
Productivity tools are applications designed to help individuals and organizations improve their work efficiency and effectiveness.
They streamline workflows, enhance collaboration, and optimize time management to empower individuals and teams to achieve their goals with less effort and in less time.
Selecting the right productivity apps for your business depends on the following factors:
- Nature of the work
- Individual preferences
- The requirements of the team or organization
Best productivity tools on the market
A productive and efficient team significantly contributes to the success of your business. Various productivity tools serve different functions that you can explore to streamline and enhance your team’s efficiency.
Here is a compilation of the top productivity apps available today.
Customer service
1. BoldDesk
BoldDesk is advanced customer service software that improves support agents’ productivity by centralizing customer inquiries, streamlining ticket management, and facilitating team collaboration.
This results in quicker resolutions and higher customer satisfaction.
Key features
- Ticket management: Organize and prioritize customer queries through a centralized system
- Knowledge base: Maintain a knowledge base for quick issue resolution and self-service options
- Multichannel support: Manage customer communications across email and live chat
- Automation: Automate repetitive tasks to improve response times
- Predefined templates: Use canned responses for consistent answers to common questions
- Shared inbox: Organize support requests, route them to the right agents, and improve customer satisfaction
- Task management: Create and manage all ticket-related tasks or activities and speed up ticket resolution
- Mobile help desk: Provide customer support from any location, at any time with access to a mobile help desk app and boost your productivity
- Reporting and analytics: Gather, gauge, and analyze different productivity metrics to understand and improve your customer support better
Pricing plans
- Starter: $10 for 3 agents/month
- Growth: $20 per agent/month
- Enterprise: $40 per agent/month
Our unlimited agents packages give you the liberty to expand your business with as many agents as you need without breaking your budget.
- Standard: $499/month
- Pro: $999/month
- Business: $1999/month
2. HubSpot
HubSpot is a cloud-based productivity software that integrates marketing, sales, and customer service.
It automates workflows, analyzes data, and provides a user-friendly interface to save time and enhance customer engagement.
Its Marketing Hub product allows teams to launch and manage marketing campaigns while utilizing HubSpot’s CRM system.
This integration tracks customer interactions, creating a shared knowledge base for seamless team coordination and connection-building with potential clients.
HubSpot centralizes customer journeys and team efforts, optimizing operations and encouraging internal collaboration.
Key features
- Contact database and easy contact management
- Sync data across marketing, customer service, and sales teams
- Email tracking and templates
- Reports and analytics
Pricing
Starts at $18 per month
Free trial duration: 14 days
Project management
3. Asana
Asana is a versatile project management productivity tool known for its user-friendly interface.
This productivity software handles work tracking and facilitates team collaboration with organizational tools.
Strategic planning is enhanced through goal setting, portfolios, and reporting dashboards. Automation capabilities, forms, and templates streamline operations.
With customizable workflows and strong integrations, Asana is essential for project management and team coordination.
Key features
- Task management: Create, assign, and track tasks with due dates and priorities
- Project planning: Visualize project timelines with boards and Gantt charts
- Integrations: Connect with various apps to enhance functionality
- Customization: Adapt fields and templates for better task organization
Pricing
Starts at $10.99 per user/month
Free trial duration: 30 days
4. nTask
nTask is one of the project management productivity tools that combines task management, time tracking, and collaboration into one solution.
It optimizes productivity with Gantt charts, risk management, and meeting modules.
It includes Kanban boards for visual workflow management and effective team interactions.
nTask seamlessly integrates timesheets into daily operations. It revolutionizes project and task management, empowering teams to achieve their goals with clarity and control.
Key features
- Project management: Comprehensive tools for task and project management
- Time tracking: Built-in time tracking features for better productivity analysis
- Collaboration: Discussion boards, document sharing, and team collaboration
- Gantt charts: Visualize project timelines and dependencies
Pricing
Starts at $3 per month
Free trial duration: 7 days
5. Trello
Trello is a well-regarded project management productivity tool that visualizes workflows, making project collaboration smooth and satisfying for support agents.
Its intuitive design makes it simple to create and arrange tasks utilizing an eye-catching virtual board system.
Effective monitoring and categorization are ensured by features like labels, checklists, and adjustable deadlines.
For real-time collaboration, Trello easily integrates with other productivity apps, such as Slack and Google Drive.
Trello also has an integrated automation solution, Butler, that helps teams work more efficiently by automating tedious activities.
Key features
- Visual project management: Organize tasks on boards with cards and lists
- Collaboration: Assign tasks, comment on cards, and share boards
- Automation: Automate workflows and tasks
Pricing
Starts at $5 per user/month
Free trial duration: 14 days
6. GanttPRO
GanttPRO is an online project management productivity software designed to enhance productivity and collaboration within teams.
At its core, GanttPRO provides a visual representation of project timelines through Gantt charts, allowing for clear and intuitive tracking of project progress.
Users can select a grid view for detailed task information, a board view for agile project management, and a portfolio view for an overview of all ongoing projects.
Key features
- Interactive Gantt charts for project planning
- Task dependencies and critical path analysis
- Team collaboration with real-time updates
- Resource management and workload tracking
Pricing
Starts at $7.99 per user/month
Free trial duration: 14 days
7. ProofHub
ProofHub is a productivity software that revolutionizes project management and team collaboration.
It promotes organization, accountability, and seamless communication. Users can assign tasks, manage workflows, and track time easily.
It centralizes and streamlines processes, enhances collaboration, and encourages a cooperative workspace.
Its real-time chat and comprehensive time tracking features ensure swift teamwork and effective time management.
Key features
- Task management: Visualize task progress and dependencies through task lists and boards
- Integration: Integrate support for popular productivity apps like Google Calendar and Dropbox
- Time tracking: Keep track of time spent on each step
- Discussion and collaboration: Centralize discussions for effective team communication
Pricing
Starts at $45 per month
Free trial duration: 14 days
Task management
8. ClickUp
ClickUp is a versatile project management tool with customizable features for effective task management, collaboration, and advanced reporting.
Its user-friendly interface allows easy switching between views and workflow automation.
ClickUp docs and whiteboards facilitate team documentation and brainstorming.
Key features
- Task management: Robust tools for creating, assigning, and tracking tasks
- Project management: Plan and manage projects with customizable features
- Collaboration: Shared workspaces, comments, and document sharing
- Views: Offers multiple views like Kanban, Gantt charts, and more to accommodate diverse workflows
Pricing
Starts at $7 per user/month
9. Todoist
Todoist is a comprehensive task management system that helps users organize, prioritize, and collaborate on tasks efficiently.
The intuitive interface allows for quick setup of tasks, recurring due dates, and detailed sub-tasks, all neatly organized within customized projects.
Todoist also visualizes progress to help users maintain motivation and focus. This productivity software is compatible across platforms, ensuring access to to-do lists and enabling seamless collaboration whether at your desk or on the go.
Key features
- Task management: Prioritize tasks with due dates and priority levels
- To-do lists
- Collaboration: Real-time updates for collaborative work
- Productivity tracking: Track completed tasks and set daily/weekly goals
Pricing
Starts at $6 per user/month for teams
Free trial duration: 30 days
Email management
10. Rightinbox
Rightinbox is a Gmail extension productivity software that transforms your inbox into a powerful tool for email management.
With features like email scheduling, recurring emails, and email tracking, it optimizes your email interactions.
It seamlessly integrates into Gmail, providing convenient options like send later and email reminders to help you stay organized.
By using Rightinbox, users can streamline their email tasks and turn each correspondence into an opportunity for success.
Key features
- Email productivity: Enhances Gmail with features like email tracking and send later
- Email reminders: Set reminders so you never forget an important conversation
- Read receipts: Get notified when recipients read your emails
- Multiple signatures: Set up custom signatures and use the right one at the right time
Pricing
Starts at $ 7.95 per month
11. Shift
Shift is a productivity tool that simplifies digital workload management by bringing together multiple email accounts, applications, and extensions into a single interface.
It improves productivity by offering quick access to emails, messaging platforms, and more. Shift enhances workflow efficiency with focused web tabs, a universal search feature, and customizable workspaces for collaboration.
By consolidating all digital productivity apps into one interface, Shift boosts productivity and simplifies managing multiple accounts.
Key features
- Unified interface: Centralized platform for managing multiple email accounts and applications
- App integration: Easily switch between productivity tools, email, and messaging apps
- Cross-platform: Works seamlessly on Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Offers focused web tabs and unified search across accounts
Pricing
Starts at $149 per year
Free trial duration: 7 days
12. Fleep
Fleep is a flexible productivity tool designed to make teamwork and communication easier.
Its smooth email integration makes it a unique messaging tool that lets you handle discussions without getting bogged down in never-ending email threads.
It also streamlines file sharing, making it simple to send and retrieve crucial information.
Key features
- Team chat and instant messaging
- Shared file storage and collaboration
- Task creation and project coordination
- Email integration for external communication
Pricing
Starts at €5 per user/month
Communication
13. Slack
Slack is a productivity software collaboration hub that streamlines teamwork with messaging, file sharing, and project management.
It offers real-time communication and organized channels for easy connection.
With automated workflows and message archives, Slack enhances workforce productivity and collaboration.
Key features
- Real-time messaging: Instant messaging for team communication
- Channel organization: Structured channels for organized discussion
- File sharing: Share documents, images, and files within the platform
- Integration hub: Connects with a wide range of third-party apps for enhanced functionality
Pricing
Starts at $8.75 per user/month
Free trial duration: Contact for info
14. GoTo Meeting
GoTo Meeting is a versatile web conferencing productivity software that enhances virtual collaboration.Users can host and join meetings from any location.
It offers features like screen sharing, recording, and note-taking, keeping participants organized and productive.
The user-friendly interface provides clear audio and video for interaction and content sharing.
GoTo Meeting easily transforms online meetings into dynamic conference calls, and keeps scheduling and starting meetings simple.
Key features
- Video conferencing: Host virtual meetings with high-quality video and audio
- Screen sharing: Collaborate by sharing screens during meetings
- Meeting recording and transcription
Pricing
Starts at $12 per organizer/month
Free trial duration: 14 days
15. Loom
Loom is a video messaging productivity software that allows you to record your screen, camera, microphone, and application audio.
It automatically saves videos to the cloud and instantly provides a shareable link.
Key features
- Video messaging and screen recording
- Quick and easy video creation
- Screen capture for demonstrations
- Commenting and feedback on videos
Pricing
Starts at $12.50 per creator/month
Free trial duration: 14 days
16. Chanty
Chanty is a flexible productivity software that improves teamwork and communication.
Its user-friendly design integrates task management, video calling, and messaging.
Its robust search function finds information fast, saving you time and effort.
Chanty integrates with other apps to bring data together from wherever your team works.
Features like video conferencing and voice calls improve team communication even further, fostering a cohesive and effective work atmosphere.
Key features
- App integration: Connect with third-party apps to enhance functionality
- Task management: Create, assign, and track tasks
- Voice and video calls: Real-time communication for remote teams
- Permissions: Define roles and assign access levels to team members
Pricing
Starts at $3 per user/month
Automation
17. Zapier
Zapier is a productivity tool that automates workflows by linking different apps and services without any coding.
Users set up multistep automations, called Zaps, that depend on trigger events in one app and a resulting action performed in another app.
Zaps allow users to complete multiple routine tasks at once, simplifying repetitive processes.
Zapier is compatible with a diverse array of apps, making it a flexible solution. It also provides scheduling support, formatter tools, and webhooks to customize Zaps according to any business requirements.
Key features
- Automation workflows
- Multistep Zaps
- Triggers and actions
- Integration
Pricing
Starts at $19 per month
Free trial duration: 14 days
18. IFTTT (If This Then That)
IFTTT is a productivity software that connects web services and automates tasks. Users can easily automate tasks like managing social media and adjusting smart home devices using applets.
The platform supports a wide range of services, making it essential for simplifying tasks and improving efficiency.
IFTTT allows the creation of automated workflows based on conditional statements, enabling seamless integration between different apps and devices for streamlined operations.
Key features
- Automation: Create automated workflows (applets) based on conditional statements
- App integration: Connects with a wide range of apps and devices
- Customization: Users can define triggers and actions to automate tasks
- Syncs tasks and calendars across multiple platforms
Pricing
Starts at $3.20 per user/month
Free trial duration: 7 days
Time tracking
19. Toggl
Toggl Track is a reliable productivity software for tracking employee timesheets. Its user-friendly interface allows for effortless time tracking across projects.
The software’s reporting capabilities provide insights into work habits, benefiting freelancers, teams, and businesses.
By replacing traditional timesheets and integrating with multiple applications, Toggl saves time and optimizes efficiency.
Key features
- Time tracking: Track billable and non-billable hours
- Reporting: Analyze project timelines and budget allocation
- Integration: Integrate with various project management productivity tools
Pricing
Starts at $9 per user/month
Free trial duration: 30 days
20. Harvest
Harvest is a productivity tool for freelancers and project management teams.
It focuses on accurate time tracking, expense tracking, and project budget management. It integrates with project management software for detailed reporting.
Harvest simplifies billing processes, provides a clear overview of time allocation, and helps optimize workflow.
It allows time tracking through web interfaces, smartphones, and external applications. Harvest is invaluable for productivity, accuracy, and financial transparency.
Key features
- Invoicing: Create professional invoices based on tracked time and expenses
- Delivers intuitive time tracking across platforms and devices
- Reporting: Generate detailed reports for time analysis and project insights
Pricing
Starts at $10.80 per user/month
Free trial duration: 30 days
21. Everhour
Everhour is a useful productivity tool for freelancers and small businesses. It helps with tracking time, improving productivity, and simplifying billing tasks.
The productivity app integrates with popular project management tools and allows for clear project planning and expense tracking.
With comprehensive reports, users can effectively manage project budgets to promote growth and success.
Key features
- Time tracking: Simple and intuitive interface for tracking work hours
- Billable hours: Easily distinguish and track billable and non-billable hours
- Reporting: Generate reports for time analysis and project insights
- Team collaboration: Facilitates team communication on project progress
Pricing
Starts at $8.50 per user/month
Free trial duration: 14 days
22. Hubstaff
Hubstaff is a productivity software that facilitates time tracking and increases team productivity.
It provides activity monitoring and project management features that allow businesses to streamline operations, monitor remote teams, and optimize project workflows.
It can be accessed via mobile or desktop apps.
Key features
- Time tracking: Monitor work hours and activities
- Project management: Track projects, tasks, and team productivity
- Invoicing: Generate invoices based on tracked time
Pricing
Starts at $4.99 per user/month
Free trial duration: 14 days
23. Forest
Forest is a mobile app that boosts productivity by encouraging focused work intervals through a gamified approach, fostering better time management and reducing distractions.
It turns concentration into a game, motivating users to grow virtual trees as they focus on tasks.
If users leave the app, their tree withers, encouraging them to stay engaged.
Experience a peaceful digital forest, with each tree reflecting your attention to tasks. Embrace this unique method, plant your first tree, and watch your forest flourish as a symbol of your accomplishments.
Key features
- Focus management: Encourages focus by growing virtual trees during work sessions
- Gamification: Users earn rewards for avoiding distraction
- Productivity tracking: Analyzes daily focus patterns and screen time
- Customization: Allows users to set their focus duration and preferences
Pricing
Forest is available in free or paid formats for Android, and is only available as a paid app for iOS. It is also available as a Google Chrome extension.
24. Paymo
Paymo is one of the productivity tools for small- and medium-sized businesses that enhances productivity.
It integrates resource scheduling, Gantt charts, and invoicing to optimize workflows and improve efficiency.
With robust time tracking features, Paymo allows users to monitor jobs accurately and generate informative reports.
Paymo’s intuitive interface makes it a valuable partner in project success and business growth.
Key features
- Project management: Plan, execute, and track projects with task management features
- Time tracking: Monitor billable hours, time entries, and expenses
- Invoicing: Create professional invoices based on tracked time
- Reporting: Generate detailed reports for project insights and financial analysis
Pricing
Starts at $5.90 per user/month
Free trial duration: 15 days
Knowledge management
25. Bit.ai
Bit.ai is a premier document collaboration productivity app that provides a unified space for creating, collaborating, and organizing knowledge effortlessly.
With customizable workflows and workspaces, teams can tailor their environment for seamless document management.
Key features
- Customizable workflows: Tailor your collaborative environment for efficient project management
- Collaboratibe workspaces: Create dedicated spaces for different projects or teams
- AI Genius: Enhance productivity with an AI-powered content creation tool
- Multimedia integration: Embed rich media in documents for a dynamic and engaging experience
Pricing
Starts at $8 per user/month
26. Evernote
Evernote is one of the versatile productivity tools that provides a centralized platform for comprehensive note-taking, document organization, and multimedia integration that ensures seamless information retrieval across devices.
It offers features like task management, document scanning, and web clipping to improve productivity.
It is essential for professionals, students, and anyone who values organization.
Key features
- Note-taking: Use text, images, audio, scans, PDFs, and documents
- Organization: Utilize notebooks, tags, and a hierarchical structure for efficient organization
- Cross-platform: Evernote syncs notes across devices for accessibility on the go
- Powerful search capabilities and customizable dashboard
Pricing
Starts at $10.83 per month
Free trial duration: 14 days
27. Dropbox Paper
Dropbox Paper is a productivity software that provides collaborative workspaces and streamlines document-centric tasks.
Key features
- Real-time collaborative document editing
- Task assignment and inline commenting
- Integration with Dropbox for file storage
- Support for multimedia content in documents
Pricing
Included with Dropbox, which starts at $20 per user/month for teams.
Free trial duration: 30 days
Note-taking
28. Simplenote
Simplenote is one of the productivity apps that is an effective and easily accessible note-taking program.
Its elegant design makes seamless cross-device synchronization possible.
Orderly management of notes is encouraged by its uncluttered design.
A smooth note-taking experience is facilitated by features like version history, labeling, and quick syncing.
Simplenote is among the useful productivity apps for organizing processes and taking notes while on the go.
Key features
- Minimalist note-taking: Quick and easy note creation with a clean interface
- Synchronization: Sync notes across devices
- Tags: Organize notes with tags for easy retrieval
- Collaboration: Share and collaborate on notes
Pricing
Free, but provides an optional $19.99 per month subscription to support Simplenote’s development.
29. Google Keep
Google Keep is among the user-friendly note-taking productivity apps that boosts productivity.
It includes support to create, store, and manage notes, lists, and reminders.
Accessible on multiple devices and browsers, it is widely used for individual and collaborative note-taking.
Its intuitive interface resembles digital sticky notes, enabling users to jot down thoughts and to-dos anytime, anywhere.
Key features
- Simple note-taking: Capture and organize notes, checklists, and images
- Reminders: Set reminders based on time or location
- Cross-platform sync: Access and sync notes across devices
- Organization: Color-code and label notes
Pricing
Included with Google Workspace, which starts at $6 per user/month for businesses.
Free trial duration: 14 days
30. Box Notes
Box Notes is a game-changing productivity software that transforms team collaboration on documents.
This online note-taking productivity software simplifies note creation and real-time sharing while boosting productivity with its extensive version history, robust templates.
The interactive commenting features fosters efficient teamwork and document management.
With its live editing feature, Box Notes guarantees secure and effortless idea flow among team members.
Key features
- Collaborative note-taking: Create and edit notes in real time with team members
- Integration with Box: Allows seamless access to cloud storage
- Rich embeds: Preview Box files like videos and presentations inside a note
Pricing
Starts at $5 per user/month
Free trial duration: 14 days
The power of productivity tools
By integrating the right productivity apps, companies can foster a culture of continuous improvement and agility in any department, enabling them to respond to market demands with finesse and deliver exceptional service that keeps customers coming back for more.
Embracing these technologies is not just about keeping up; it’s about setting the pace in a world where exceptional operational efficiency and customer delight go hand in hand.
Schedule a free trial or book a live demo of BoldDesk to experience the various features that can maximize your support agents’ productivity. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the BoldDesk team.
We hope you found this blog on productivity tools helpful and insightful. We’re eager to hear your feedback. How have you incorporated productivity tools into your day-to-day work?
Do you have any advice or strategies for improving team collaboration and streamlining workflow processes using these productivity apps? Share your suggestions and experiences in the comment section below.
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