If you’re like many people these days, you might feel like you’re constantly trying to do more with the little time you have at work. But just downloading the latest productivity apps won’t automatically make you more efficient. Your productivity really depends on:
- Your industry,
- Your personal preferences, and
- The specifics of your job.
The good news is that you can still use productivity tools to help streamline your approach. I’ve tested some of the most popular productivity apps and sorted them into 6 categories.
Check out these categories to see which ones fit your needs, and find an app that works best for you.
Let’s dive in and explore your options!
Best productivity apps for team communication
If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past few years, it’s that remote work productivity hinges on how well teams communicate.
So, let’s dive into 3 communication apps that have really transformed how we handle asynchronous communication.
Pumble
Pumble is a super user-friendly team communication app with a bunch of great features for businesses of all sizes.
What sets Pumble apart is its comprehensive free plan, making it a budget-friendly option for improving internal communication.
Pro: Pumble offers both high-quality voice and video calls, perfect for when you need to see your team members face-to-face. As part of a remote team, my coworkers and I use Pumble for smooth virtual meetings, and we’ve rarely had issues like lagging.
Con: Right now, Pumble has fewer native integrations compared to some other tools. But don’t worry—more integrations are on the way.
What’s new: Pumble has recently upgraded its notification sounds, so you can choose a pleasant tune to let you know when you’ve received a message or call.
Available on: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS
Pricing: There’s a free plan, and paid plans start at $2.49 per user per month.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a handy platform that works seamlessly with Microsoft Office tools. It offers:
- Messaging
- Audio calls
- Video calls
Since its launch in 2017, Microsoft Teams has become a go-to productivity app for businesses using Microsoft solutions.
Pro: If you’re already using Microsoft 365, Teams is included at no extra cost—a nice bonus if you’re happy with the Microsoft ecosystem.
Con: Teams limits you to 30 private and 200 public channels per team. While this might be fine for smaller businesses, larger ones might find themselves needing to look for alternatives.
What’s new: Teams has recently added an SMS feature, so you can send and receive text messages right through the app without picking up your phone.
Available on: Windows, macOS, Web, iOS, and Android
Pricing: It’s free for Microsoft 365 users; paid plans start at $4 per user per month.
Google Chat
Google Chat has a clean and straightforward design that makes team communication and collaboration easy.
In addition to chatting with your team, you can:
- Schedule meetings
- Check your calendar
- Request time off
Pro: You don’t have to open a separate app to check messages; you can access Google Chat directly from the left-hand side of Gmail.
Con: The in-line threading feature isn’t very user-friendly and might make it hard to keep track of important info. If you often work with multiple people and switch between teams, you might want to consider other chat options.
What’s new: Google Chat now includes Duet AI, which uses artificial intelligence to summarize conversations and documents shared in your chat spaces.
Available on: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, iOS, and Android
Pricing: It’s free for personal use; the paid plan is part of Google Workspace, starting at $6 per user per month.
Best productivity apps for making to-do lists
Staying productive can be tough when you forget your daily tasks. To help keep you on track, give one of these apps a try!
Todoist
Todoist is a popular note-taking app that keeps all your notes and tasks synced across your devices. Even if you’re offline, it will update everything once you’re back online.
Main pro: The app is super easy to use, making it quick and enjoyable to create task lists. You can add details with labels and colors and break tasks down into smaller steps.
Main con: While the free version is user-friendly, even the paid plans don’t offer many advanced features.
What’s new: Todoist now has a calendar view that helps you see all your scheduled tasks at a glance.
Available for: Web, Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android
Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $4 per user per month
TickTick
If you’re looking for a great tool to boost your productivity, check out TickTick. It’s a feature-packed to-do list app that goes beyond just jotting down tasks.
With TickTick, you can:
- Create task lists
- Track your time
- Use tags
- Filter and sort tasks
- Set reminders
Main pro: I loved how easy it was to find completed tasks in the “Completed” section. Plus, you don’t even have to open the app to add a new task—each user gets a special TickTick email address. Just send an email to that address, and TickTick will turn it into a task for you.
Main con: To access the calendar and timeline views, you’ll need a Premium account.
What’s new: TickTick now lets you assign tasks to others, so you always know who’s responsible for what.
Available for: Web, Linux, Windows, Apple Watch, iOS, Android, and macOS
Pricing: Free plan available; Premium subscription is $35.99 per user per year
Habitica
Habitica is a fun, open-source app that turns your to-do list into a game. It’s perfect for people who like role-playing games or want to make their daily tasks a bit more exciting.
Main pro: You can join communities and take on challenges to stay motivated, adding a social twist to your routine.
Main con: The design feels a bit like old-school video games, which can be overwhelming for new users. It might take a little while to get used to.
What’s new: Habitica hasn’t had many updates recently, so it sticks to the same features it’s had for a while.
Available for: Web, macOS, Linux, Windows, Android, and iOS
Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $4.99 per user per month
Best productivity apps for project management
Project management is another key part of staying productive. Luckily, there are some great apps out there to help you keep track of deadlines and never miss a due date again.
Plaky
Main pro: Plaky stands out with its user-friendly design, making it easy to set up boards and organize tasks. My team uses Plaky to manage our work, and I also enjoy using it for personal projects, breaking down tasks into smaller subtasks for better focus.
Main con: Plaky doesn’t offer automation features just yet. But, the good news is that automations are on their way according to the Plaky Roadmap.
What’s new: The new Gantt Timeline View provides a visual chart of all project tasks, making it easier to track schedules and deadlines.
Available for: Web, iOS, and Android
Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $3.99 per user per month.
Wrike
Wrike is a project management app that helps you keep track of:
- Schedules
- Tasks
- Projects
- Other business processes
The app has grown over time and now includes financial features like invoicing and budgeting.
Main pro: The Work Intelligence suite is a standout feature. It uses AI to automate tasks and predict potential project risks, which I found really impressive.
Main con: Wrike can be quite pricey, so it might not be the best fit for smaller businesses.
What’s new: They’ve recently updated custom text fields to include rich text options like hyperlinks, bold, italic, and strikethrough text.
Available for: Web, Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS
Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $9.80 per user per month.
monday.com
Monday.com is a cloud-based app designed for collaboration and work management. It’s great for professionals in various fields like:
- Software development
- Marketing
- CRM
- HR
Even though it’s quite feature-rich, Monday.com has a clean and simple interface, making it easy for new users to get the hang of it quickly.
Main pro: I found that monday.com really focuses on helping users learn the platform. There’s a great selection of recorded and on-demand webinars to help you get up to speed.
Main con: Some of the more advanced features are only available with paid plans. For example, you’ll need a Pro subscription to use time tracking.
What’s new: They’ve just introduced WorkCanvas, which lets you create whiteboards and visual materials directly within the app, so you don’t need any extra software.
Available for: Web, Android, and iOS
Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $8 per user per month.
Best productivity apps for taking notes
Whether I’m researching for an article or just reading for fun, I always have my laptop handy to jot down notes. Out of all the note-taking apps I’ve tried, these three have really helped me keep both my personal and professional life organized.
Notion
Notion is a super flexible and user-friendly note-taking app that has grown into a favorite project management tool for small businesses and freelancers.
Main pro: Notion starts with a simple page layout, and when you first open the app, there’s a handy tutorial to help you create your first page. I love how easy it is to customize my pages with icons, headers, comments, and even embed videos or Google Maps.
Main con: While the paid versions offer better security features, if you’re using the free plan, you might want to be cautious about what you upload.
What’s new: For organizations using Notion, the new “My Task View” feature lets you see all your assigned tasks in one spot.
Available for: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android
Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $8 per user per month
Google Keep
Looking for a tool to capture, manage, and share ideas with digital sticky notes? Google Keep might be just what you need.
Main pro: I was really impressed with how quickly I could start using Google Keep. Just tap the “Take a Note” bar, and you’re ready to go. You’re not limited to text—you can add as many pictures as you want and even use the drawing tool to make your notes more engaging.
Main con: Like many Google products, Google Keep doesn’t offer direct customer support. If you run into issues, you’ll need to check out the Help Center.
What’s new: With Android 14, you can set Keep as your default note-taker and use a stylus to jot down notes and to-do lists.
Available for: Android, iOS, and Web
Pricing: Free
Obsidian
Main pro: I’m used to apps that let me link things, but Obsidian’s flexibility blew me away. I could easily organize my notes into folders and subfolders using the sidebar. The internal links made my notes feel like a connected web.
Main con: While the internal linking is a standout feature, it’s also a bit tricky. I struggled to get the hang of it and often had to look up tutorials for help.
What’s new: Obsidian’s latest upgrade includes a Markdown table editor, which gives you better control over managing rows and columns.
Available for: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android
Pricing: Free for personal use; $50 per user per year for commercial use
Also Read: Cloud Storage 101: A Beginner’s Guide
Best productivity apps for tracking time
How can you stay productive and focused if you don’t know where your time goes? With these handy time trackers, you’ll always know exactly where your time is being spent.
Clockify
Whether you’re running a business or starting a solo venture, Clockify is here to help with:
- Reporting
- Time-tracking
- Billing
Main pro: One of my biggest challenges as a remote worker was dealing with distractions. Clockify’s Calendar feature solved that problem for me. I can now set aside dedicated time blocks for focused work, which has really improved my productivity. Plus, you can sync your Outlook and Google calendars with Clockify, so everything’s in one place.
Main con: While freelancers can use Clockify to keep track of their hours, the app’s full potential shines when you use it with a team or organization.
What’s new: The latest feature, Favorite entries, lets you easily reuse frequently used time entries, making time tracking even more efficient.
Available for: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android
Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $3.99 per user per month
Toggl Track
Another popular time tracker, Toggl Track, helps users see exactly how much time they’re spending on tasks. It’s a favorite among freelancers for tracking billable hours, but it’s also great for students or anyone wanting to be more organized and responsible.
Main pro: I really like how Toggl’s Pomodoro Timer works with its time-tracking features. If you, like me, sometimes get distracted while working from home, this tool can help you stay focused on urgent tasks.
Main con: I found that the free version doesn’t let you pause a task. You can only mark it as complete and start a new task after your break.
What’s new: You can now import events from Google Calendar into your Toggl Plan, which is a handy addition.
Available for: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, and Web
Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $9 per user per month
TimeCamp
TimeCamp is a time-tracking tool designed to help you figure out which apps are boosting your productivity and which ones are dragging it down. Once it gathers this data, you can use it to manage your time more effectively.
Main pro: TimeCamp is great for remote teams that want to keep track of accountability. It provides detailed attendance reports so you can see how and when your team members are working. You can also use labels like projects and clients to get a better idea of where your time is going.
Main con: To get the most out of TimeCamp, you’ll need one of the paid plans, which might be a bit much for small businesses and startups.
What’s new: TimeCamp hasn’t rolled out many updates recently and has mostly focused on keeping its core features strong.
Available for: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android
Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $2.99 per user per month
Best productivity apps for scheduling calendar events
No list of top productivity apps would be complete without including some great scheduling tools. Let’s dive into how these three apps stack up!
Calendly
If you’re finding it tough to keep track of all your business appointments, Calendly might be just what you need to simplify your busy schedule.
Connecting your Google Calendar is quick and easy, and with Calendly, you can:
- Adjust your availability,
- Create different types of calendar events, and
- Get a preview of your schedule.
Main pro: I found Calendly’s biggest strength is how well it avoids double bookings. Instead of constantly checking with coworkers about their availability, they can book meetings based on your open slots, which saves a lot of hassle.
Main con: While Calendly is great for scheduling, you’ll still need other tools for communication and collaboration within your team.
What’s new: Calendly has updated its web app with a new navigation bar on the left side of the homepage for easier use.
Available for: Web, iOS, and Android
Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $10 per seat per month
Google Calendar
If you’re looking for a straightforward way to schedule appointments, Google Calendar has you covered. It’s perfect for sharing availability and keeping track of events.
The platform also shows you RSVPs, which is super handy if you’re into video conferencing a lot.
Main pro: What I really like about Google Calendar is that you can create multiple calendars. This helps keep your work and personal appointments separate, so your digital space doesn’t get cluttered. Plus, you can share specific calendars with others and even let them edit if needed.
Main con: Managing multiple calendars on a mobile device can be a bit tricky. I didn’t have this problem on the web version, but it was a bit confusing on my phone.
What’s new: In 2023, Google Calendar added a feature that lets you include more details about your location throughout the day.
Available for: Web, Android, iPhone, iPad, and Wear OS
Pricing: Free
Zoho Bookings
Wrapping up our list of top productivity apps is Zoho Bookings. This scheduling and appointment management tool is designed with small businesses and entrepreneurs in mind.
With Zoho Bookings, you can:
- Set your availability
- Customize your personal booking page
- Send email or SMS reminders and confirmations
Main pro: If you’re already using other Zoho products, you’ll love how well this app integrates with them. It also works smoothly with a lot of third-party tools.
Main con: The interface can be a bit confusing. For example, I had to dig into the “Settings” to find reports and resources, which I expected to see in the main menu.
What’s new: The updated Help widget now lets you record your screen and send the video to Zoho’s support team for faster help.
Available for: Web, Android, and iOS
Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $6 per user per month
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