32 Productivity Apps and Tools for the Modern Professional

A productivity app is any software tool that helps professionals work faster, stay organized, or eliminate time-wasting habits. These tools range from email analytics platforms and project managers to focus timers and automation engines.

We’ve tested and tracked dozens of these tools across our own teams and client organizations. This ranked list covers 32 of the best productivity apps, organized by category, with current pricing and feature details for each.

Many of these apps fit into more than one category. Some offer integrations with other tools, while others bill themselves as cross-category platforms.

Key Terms

Productivity app: Software designed to help individuals or teams complete work more efficiently. This includes task managers, time trackers, focus tools, and automation platforms.

Time tracking: The process of recording how work hours are spent across tasks, projects, or applications. Automatic time trackers run in the background without manual input.

Email analytics: Measurement of email activity patterns including volume, response time, and peak hours. These metrics help managers identify bottlenecks in team communication.

Project management software: A platform for planning, assigning, and tracking tasks across teams. Most include views like lists, boards, timelines, and calendars.

Focus mode: A feature or app that blocks distracting websites and notifications during designated work periods. Research shows it takes 23 minutes or more to recover from a single distraction.

Workflow automation: Technology that executes repetitive tasks automatically based on triggers. Examples include auto-sending emails, syncing data between apps, and scheduling posts.

MDM (Mobile Device Management): Software that lets IT teams manage, secure, and monitor company devices remotely. MDM tools enforce policies across Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS.

Flat-rate pricing: A billing model that charges a fixed monthly fee regardless of how many users access the platform. This contrasts with per-user pricing common in SaaS tools.

Productivity Apps for Tracking, Measurement, and Analysis

The most important part of any productivity improvement strategy is tracking, measurement, and analysis. The principle is simple: what gets measured gets improved.

The following apps let you track and measure your team’s output throughout the workday. Each tool approaches measurement differently, from email activity to time spent on websites.

1. EmailAnalytics

Quick Summary

EmailAnalytics visualizes your team’s email activity in Gmail and Outlook, showing metrics like response time, email volume, and peak activity hours. It’s the top choice for managers who need visibility into team email performance without changing existing workflows.

EmailAnalytics is at the top of this list because email remains one of the most important factors in understanding productivity. The average professional spends 28 to 52% of their workday reading, writing, and managing emails.

For the longest time, all those hours were a black hole of productivity. EmailAnalytics illuminates that gap by visualizing email activity across your entire team.

The platform shows metrics like emails sent and received, email response time, busiest days and times, and top senders and recipients. There’s no software to install and no training required.

You can also use EmailAnalytics for your entire team. It helps you identify top performers, rebalance workloads, and provide data-backed coaching.

• Key features: Email response time tracking, daily and weekly activity reports, team leaderboards, Gmail and Outlook integration, automatic data visualization, no software installation required
• Pricing: 14-day free trial; Pro plan at $15/inbox/month
• Best for: Sales teams, customer service teams, and remote team managers

Who Should Choose EmailAnalytics

• Sales managers who need to track rep responsiveness and email volume across the team
• Customer service leaders measuring average response time as a key performance metric
• Remote team managers who want visibility into daily communication patterns without micromanaging

2. Stackby

Quick Summary

Stackby combines spreadsheet simplicity with database power and built-in API connections. It’s an affordable alternative to Airtable for teams that need flexible data management.

Stackby is a project management solution that merges spreadsheets, databases, and automation in a single platform. Teams can structure tasks in a row-and-column format while adding custom fields, formulas, and API connections.

Users can toggle between Grid, Kanban, Calendar, and Gallery views to monitor project progress. Stackby also lets you connect columns directly to third-party APIs like YouTube, Clearbit, and Google Analytics.

• Key features: Spreadsheet-database hybrid, 150+ templates, API column connectors, multiple views (Grid, Kanban, Calendar, Gallery), real-time collaboration, automation rules
• Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans from $5/user/month
• Best for: Marketing, product, and operations teams handling both data and workflows

Who Should Choose Stackby

• Marketing teams that need API integrations for pulling data from YouTube, social media, or analytics platforms
• Small businesses looking for an Airtable alternative at a lower price point
• Operations teams that need both structured data management and visual project tracking

3. Asana

Quick Summary

Asana is a full-featured project management platform built around tasks, subtasks, and integrations. It’s one of the most widely adopted tools for team collaboration and task tracking.

Asana gives managers a high-level overview of assigned tasks while keeping communication organized within each task. The platform supports list, board, timeline, and calendar views for tracking progress.

It integrates with dozens of other apps, including Slack, Gmail, and Microsoft Teams. We’ve used Asana extensively and created an ultimate Asana guide covering setup and best practices.

• Key features: Task dependencies and subtasks, Gantt chart timelines, workflow automation, 200+ integrations, AI-powered features (Starter and above), custom fields and forms
• Pricing: Free plan (up to 10 users); Starter at $10.99/user/month (annual); Advanced at $24.99/user/month (annual)
• Best for: Cross-functional teams that need structured project tracking with deep integrations

Who Should Choose Asana

• Mid-size teams that need workflow automation, timeline views, and custom reporting dashboards
• Marketing departments coordinating campaigns across content, design, and distribution teams
• Organizations already using Slack, Google Workspace, or Salesforce that want seamless integration

4. iDoneThis

Quick Summary

iDoneThis is a lightweight daily check-in tool that prompts team members to log completed tasks, blockers, and upcoming work. It replaces status meetings with async updates.

iDoneThis sends daily reminders asking team members to reply with a digest of what they accomplished, what blocked them, and what still needs attention. It’s a simple prompt that builds transparency.

The platform helps managers monitor historical performance and proactively identify obstacles. It integrates with Slack and email for frictionless daily reporting.

• Key features: Daily email check-in prompts, team activity digests, Slack integration, historical progress logs, customizable reports, goal tracking
• Pricing: Plans start at approximately $13/user/month
• Best for: Remote teams and startups that want lightweight accountability without heavy project management overhead

Who Should Choose iDoneThis

• Remote teams that need a simple alternative to daily standup meetings
• Startup founders who want quick visibility into what everyone accomplished each day
• Managers in creative industries where rigid project management tools feel like overkill

5. Scalefusion

Quick Summary

Scalefusion is a mobile device management (MDM) platform that helps businesses manage and secure devices across Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS from a single dashboard.

Scalefusion enhances productivity by minimizing device downtime, preventing unauthorized access, and ensuring employees have exactly what they need to work. It supports zero-touch enrollment, remote troubleshooting, and app management.

The platform is trusted by over 10,000 businesses across 120+ countries. It’s particularly strong for organizations managing remote, hybrid, or frontline device fleets.

• Key features: Unified device dashboard, zero-touch enrollment, remote troubleshooting, app and content management, web usage controls, kiosk mode, location tracking
• Pricing: Starts at $2/device/month; 14-day free trial
• Best for: IT teams managing multi-platform device fleets across distributed workforces

Who Should Choose Scalefusion

• IT administrators managing hundreds or thousands of devices across multiple operating systems
• Healthcare and retail organizations that need kiosk mode and strict app access controls
• Companies with frontline workers using shared tablets or rugged devices in the field

6. DeskTime

Quick Summary

DeskTime is an automatic time tracking app that runs in the background and categorizes your activity as productive, unproductive, or neutral. It’s ideal for teams that want accurate time data without manual timers.

DeskTime tracks time spent on applications, websites, and documents automatically. It also includes project tracking, shift scheduling, and an absence calendar for workforce management.

The platform categorizes activities based on your company’s definitions of productive work. We’ve got a list of the best time tracking apps and time management tips for additional guidance.

• Key features: Automatic time tracking, productivity scoring, project cost tracking, shift scheduling, absence calendar, optional screenshots, offline time tracking
• Pricing: Free plan available; Pro at $7/user/month; Premium at $10/user/month; Enterprise at $20/user/month
• Best for: Small to mid-size businesses that need automatic, hands-off time tracking

Who Should Choose DeskTime

• Agency owners who need to track billable hours accurately across client projects
• HR managers who want attendance tracking, shift scheduling, and absence management in one tool
• Remote team leaders who need productivity insights without requiring employees to start and stop timers

7. ProofHub

Quick Summary

ProofHub is a flat-rate project planning platform that includes task management, time tracking, and team communication in one workspace. Its pricing model charges per workspace, not per user.

ProofHub integrates task management, centralizes task-specific communication, and provides workflow overviews for managers. It supports Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and table views.

The flat-rate pricing model makes ProofHub especially cost-effective for larger teams. You pay the same monthly fee whether you have 10 users or 100.

• Key features: Flat-rate pricing for unlimited users, Gantt charts, Kanban boards, built-in chat, time tracking, file proofing and approvals, custom workflows
• Pricing: Essential at $45/month (40 projects); Ultimate Control at $89/month (introductory) then $135/month (annual billing)
• Best for: Growing teams that want all-in-one project management without per-user fees

Who Should Choose ProofHub

• Companies with 20+ team members who want predictable monthly costs without per-user billing
• Creative teams that need built-in file proofing, markup tools, and approval workflows
• Organizations looking to consolidate multiple tools (chat, tasks, time tracking) into one platform

8. RescueTime

Quick Summary

RescueTime tracks your digital habits automatically and delivers visual reports showing where your time goes. It’s built for individuals and teams who want to understand and improve their focus patterns.

RescueTime runs in the background and monitors the apps, websites, and documents you use throughout the day. It assigns a daily productivity score and provides detailed breakdowns of time allocation.

The FocusTime feature blocks distracting sites during scheduled work periods. At the end of each day, you get a visual report analyzing how you spent your time.

• Key features: Automatic activity tracking, productivity scoring, FocusTime distraction blocking, daily and weekly reports, goal setting, cross-device syncing
• Pricing: Free Lite plan; Premium at $6.50/month (annual) or $12/month (monthly); Team at $6/user/month (annual)
• Best for: Knowledge workers and managers who want passive time insights without manual logging

Who Should Choose RescueTime

• Individual professionals who want to understand their daily digital habits and reduce screen time waste
• Freelancers tracking billable hours who need automatic, hands-off time capture
• Team managers who want aggregate productivity insights without invasive monitoring

9. ZoomShift

Quick Summary

ZoomShift is employee scheduling software built for hourly teams. It combines shift scheduling, time clocking, and timesheet management in a single drag-and-drop interface.

ZoomShift enables managers to create schedules in minutes using a drag-and-drop builder. Employees can clock in for assigned shifts using the web or mobile time clock.

The platform prevents timesheet errors and runs payroll in minutes. Employees can swap shifts, view schedules, and manage availability from the free iOS and Android apps.

• Key features: Drag-and-drop schedule builder, web and mobile time clock, shift swapping, timesheet management, payroll integration, availability management
• Pricing: Plans vary by team size; free trial available
• Best for: Restaurants, retail stores, and service businesses with hourly shift workers

Who Should Choose ZoomShift

• Restaurant managers who need to build, adjust, and share shift schedules quickly
• Retail operations teams that want employees to clock in and swap shifts from their phones
• Small business owners who need simple payroll-ready timesheets without complex HR software

Productivity Apps for Email Improvement

Email consumes a huge portion of the workday, so tools that help you manage it faster directly boost productivity. For a broader list, see our post on email productivity tools and email management software.

In addition to EmailAnalytics, these are the best email-focused productivity apps to consider.

10. Unroll.Me

Quick Summary

Unroll.Me lets you see every email subscription in your inbox and unsubscribe from unwanted ones in a single click. It also consolidates remaining subscriptions into a daily digest called “The Rollup.”

Unroll.Me scans your inbox for recurring subscription and promotional emails, then displays them in one organized list. You can unsubscribe, keep, or roll up each subscription individually.

The service is completely free. It supports Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, AOL, and iCloud. Note that Unroll.Me is owned by Nielsen Consumer and may use anonymized inbox data for market research.

• Key features: One-click mass unsubscribe, daily email digest (“The Rollup”), multi-account support, subscription overview dashboard, mobile apps for iOS and Android
• Pricing: Free
• Best for: Anyone overwhelmed by marketing emails and newsletter subscriptions

Who Should Choose Unroll.Me

• Professionals whose inboxes are cluttered with dozens of newsletters they never read
• Anyone who wants a quick, free solution to reduce email volume without manual unsubscribing
• Users who want a daily digest of subscriptions instead of individual emails throughout the day

11. Mailbird

Quick Summary

Mailbird is a Windows email client that manages multiple accounts in one unified inbox with custom keyboard shortcuts and a modular interface.

Mailbird uses its own keyboard shortcuts alongside traditional Gmail shortcuts. The interface is expandable, so you can customize which features are active.

Color-coded account indicators help you manage multiple email accounts without confusion. The app integrates with popular services like Slack, Asana, and Google Calendar.

• Key features: Unified inbox for multiple accounts, custom keyboard shortcuts, color-coded account indicators, expandable interface, app integrations, speed reader feature
• Pricing: Free Lite version; paid plans available
• Best for: Windows users managing multiple email accounts who want a faster email client

Who Should Choose Mailbird

• Windows users juggling three or more email accounts who need a single inbox view
• Professionals who rely heavily on keyboard shortcuts for email speed
• Anyone looking for a Gmail or Outlook alternative with a cleaner, more customizable interface

12. Boomerang

Quick Summary

Boomerang adds email scheduling, follow-up reminders, and send-later functionality to Gmail and Outlook. It’s ideal for professionals who need to time their outreach precisely.

With Boomerang, you can draft emails and schedule them to send at your desired time. For more options, see our guide on how to schedule an email to send later in Gmail.

The app also sets reminders to follow up if you haven’t received a response by a certain day. It includes an AI assistant for composing emails and a meeting scheduling feature.

• Key features: Email scheduling (send later), follow-up reminders, read receipts, AI email assistant, meeting scheduling, inbox pause
• Pricing: Free plan (10 credits/month); paid plans from $4.98/month
• Best for: Sales professionals and anyone who sends time-sensitive emails

Who Should Choose Boomerang

• Sales reps who need to schedule prospecting emails to land at optimal times
• Account managers who want automatic reminders when clients haven’t replied
• Professionals in different time zones who draft emails at odd hours but want them delivered during business hours

For more email productivity tools to try, check out our post on the best Gmail plugins.

Productivity Apps for Focus and Distraction Elimination

Distractions are one of the biggest threats to daily output. Research shows it takes 23 minutes or more to fully recover from a single distraction.

These tools help you stay focused for longer stretches, reducing wasted time across every workday.

13. OmniFocus

Quick Summary

OmniFocus is an Apple-exclusive task management app built on the Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology. It helps you prioritize actions and projects so you always know what to work on next.

OmniFocus lets you create “actions” and “projects,” then view them through customizable perspectives. You always know what the next most important task is.

Perspectives let you review progress and learn from past habits. The app syncs across Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

• Key features: GTD-based task management, custom perspectives, project and action organization, Siri integration, Apple device sync, forecast view for upcoming deadlines
• Pricing: Subscription at $9.99/month or $99.99/year (includes all platforms)
• Best for: Apple users who follow GTD or need advanced personal task management

Who Should Choose OmniFocus

• Professionals who follow the Getting Things Done methodology and need a tool built for it
• Apple ecosystem users who want seamless sync across Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch
• Individuals managing complex personal and professional task lists who need powerful filtering

14. StayFocusd

Quick Summary

StayFocusd is a free Chrome extension that limits the time you can spend on distracting websites. Once your allotted time runs out, the site is blocked for the rest of the day.

StayFocusd lets you set firm upper limits for time-wasting sites. For example, you might allow only 30 minutes on social media per day.

The extension is fully customizable, so you choose which sites to block and how much time to allow. Check out our list of Chrome productivity extensions for similar tools.

• Key features: Per-site time limits, full site blocking, customizable block lists, “Nuclear Option” for zero-tolerance blocking, require-a-challenge settings
• Pricing: Free
• Best for: Chrome users who need help reducing time spent on social media and news sites

Who Should Choose StayFocusd

• Anyone who catches themselves mindlessly browsing social media during work hours
• Students or remote workers who need external limits on distracting websites
• Chrome users who want a simple, free solution with no account or subscription required

15. 30/30

Quick Summary

30/30 is an iOS time-boxing app with a gesture-based interface that helps you assign time blocks to tasks and stay on track throughout the day.

With 30/30, you create an unlimited number of tasks and assign time durations to each. The app alerts you when a time period ends, keeping you focused on one task at a time.

The gesture-based interface makes it fast to learn and use. It prevents you from getting lost when new to-do items appear as distractions.

• Key features: Gesture-based interface, unlimited tasks, customizable time blocks, visual countdown timer, task reordering, alert notifications
• Pricing: Free
• Best for: iOS users who want a simple Pomodoro-style timer for daily task management

Who Should Choose 30/30

• Freelancers who need to time-box client work and stay on schedule throughout the day
• Professionals who struggle with task switching and need forced single-task focus
• iOS users looking for a free, minimal time management app without account setup

16. Noizio

Quick Summary

Noizio uses customizable ambient sound mixes to create a focused, productive work environment. It replaces total silence or distracting music with background noise tuned to your preferences.

Noizio doesn’t block websites or force you to change tasks. Instead, it creates the right auditory atmosphere for deep work.

You can mix and match ambient sounds like rain, coffee shop chatter, wind, and thunderstorms. Each sound has an individual volume slider for precise control.

• Key features: Customizable ambient sound mixes, individual volume controls per sound, timer functionality, offline playback, macOS and iOS apps
• Pricing: Free version with limited sounds; Pro unlocks full library
• Best for: Professionals who work better with background noise than in total silence

Who Should Choose Noizio

• Writers, designers, and creatives who need ambient sound to enter a flow state
• Open-office workers who want to mask distracting conversations without headphones
• Remote workers who miss the background hum of a coffee shop or co-working space

17. Momentum

Quick Summary

Momentum is a Chrome extension that replaces your new-tab page with a personal dashboard featuring to-do lists, inspirational quotes, and a daily focus prompt.

Every time you open a new tab, Momentum shows your primary focus for the day instead of a blank page. This breaks the habit of opening tabs to visit distracting sites.

The dashboard also includes weather, custom links, and a to-do list. It’s a subtle but effective way to stay on track.

• Key features: Custom new-tab dashboard, daily focus prompt, to-do list, inspirational quotes, weather display, custom background photos
• Pricing: Free; Plus version at $3.33/month (annual) for extra features
• Best for: Chrome users who want a gentle, visual reminder of their priorities

Who Should Choose Momentum

• Chrome users who habitually open new tabs and drift to distracting websites
• Professionals who want a visual daily focus reminder without a separate task management app
• Anyone who appreciates a clean, aesthetically pleasing browser experience

18. Freedom

Quick Summary

Freedom blocks distracting websites and apps across all your devices on a schedule you control. It works on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and Chrome.

Freedom lets you create blocklists and schedule focus sessions across your entire device ecosystem. You could block social media during office hours on every device simultaneously.

For more ideas on maintaining focus, check out our guide on how to stay focused at work.

• Key features: Cross-device website and app blocking, scheduled focus sessions, custom blocklists, locked mode (prevents disabling), ambient sounds, session history
• Pricing: Plans start at approximately $3.33/month (annual billing)
• Best for: Professionals who need distraction blocking across multiple devices simultaneously

Who Should Choose Freedom

• Professionals who get distracted on their phone when they block sites on their computer
• Writers, students, or researchers who need locked focus sessions they can’t override
• Anyone who has tried single-device blockers and found themselves switching to another device

Productivity Apps for Notes and Scheduling

Disorganized notes and scattered calendars waste hours every week. These tools consolidate your note-taking, task tracking, and scheduling in one place.

19. Evernote

Quick Summary

Evernote is a note-taking and organization platform that syncs across all devices. It handles notes, tasks, web clippings, and document storage in a searchable, tag-based system.

Evernote has been a top name in note-taking for years because of its deep feature set. It offers notes, tasks, project management, deadline tracking, and cross-device sync.

The platform also has strong collaboration features for sharing files and notes with team members. Its search can even find text inside images and handwritten notes.

• Key features: Cross-device sync, web clipper, document scanning, task management, tag-based organization, OCR search in images, team collaboration spaces
• Pricing: Free plan; Personal at $14.99/month; Professional at $17.99/month
• Best for: Professionals who need a comprehensive note-taking system with search and organization

Who Should Choose Evernote

• Researchers and writers who capture content from multiple sources and need powerful search
• Professionals who want one app for notes, tasks, web clippings, and document storage
• Teams that need shared notebooks with collaboration features and access controls

20. Google Keep

Quick Summary

Google Keep is a lightweight, free note-taking app integrated directly with Gmail and Google Workspace. It turns emails into notes and to-dos with minimal friction.

Google Keep lets you create color-coded notes, checklists, and reminders. You can automatically turn Gmail messages into notes and share them with colleagues.

There aren’t many bells and whistles, but it comes free with Gmail. It’s ideal if you want something simple that works within Google’s ecosystem.

• Key features: Gmail integration, color-coded notes, checklists, reminders, voice notes, image notes, sharing and collaboration, cross-device sync
• Pricing: Free (included with Google accounts)
• Best for: Google Workspace users who need quick, simple note-taking without a separate app

Who Should Choose Google Keep

• Gmail users who want to convert emails into actionable notes without leaving their inbox
• Anyone who prefers a lightweight, visual note system over feature-heavy alternatives like Evernote
• Teams already using Google Workspace who want seamless note sharing and collaboration

21. Just Press Record

Quick Summary

Just Press Record is an iOS voice recording app with automatic transcription. It transforms spoken thoughts into searchable, organized written notes.

The app does exactly what its name promises: press one button and start recording. It transcribes your voice automatically and organizes all recordings for easy retrieval.

Just Press Record supports Apple Watch, Siri Shortcuts, and iCloud sync. It’s the fastest way to capture ideas when typing isn’t practical.

• Key features: One-tap recording, automatic transcription, iCloud sync, Apple Watch support, Siri Shortcuts, searchable note organization
• Pricing: One-time purchase (approximately $4.99)
• Best for: Apple users who frequently capture ideas verbally and need automatic transcription

Who Should Choose Just Press Record

• Professionals who get ideas while commuting, exercising, or away from their computer
• Apple Watch users who want to capture voice notes from their wrist
• Anyone who thinks faster by speaking and wants automatic text conversion

22. Nebo

Quick Summary

Nebo is a handwriting-focused note-taking app for stylus users. It converts natural handwriting into digital text and lets you sketch diagrams alongside your notes.

Nebo is built for people who prefer the feeling of writing by hand with a stylus. You can jot notes in your natural handwriting and it converts them to typed text.

The app also supports flow charts and diagrams, so you can visualize your thoughts in the same workspace. It works on iPad, Windows, Android, and Chromebook with a compatible stylus.

• Key features: Handwriting recognition and conversion, diagram sketching, math equation recognition, PDF export, multi-platform stylus support, interactive ink editing
• Pricing: Free version available; full version at a one-time purchase price
• Best for: Tablet and stylus users who prefer handwriting over typing

Who Should Choose Nebo

• iPad Pro or Surface users who take meeting notes by hand and need digital conversion
• Designers and architects who sketch diagrams and want them alongside written notes
• Students and professionals who retain information better through handwriting

23. ClickUp

Quick Summary

ClickUp is an all-in-one productivity platform that combines tasks, docs, goals, whiteboards, and chat. Its free plan is one of the most generous in the project management space.

ClickUp lets you take notes, create tasks, manage projects, and collaborate, all in one workspace. The platform supports 15+ views including lists, boards, timelines, and mind maps.

You can share and exchange lists with coworkers, track goals, and automate repetitive workflows. The free plan includes unlimited tasks and users.

• Key features: 15+ project views, unlimited free tasks, collaborative docs, whiteboards, goals and OKRs, time tracking, 1,000+ integrations, workflow automation
• Pricing: Free Forever plan; Unlimited at $7/user/month (annual); Business at $12/user/month (annual)
• Best for: Teams that want a single platform to replace multiple productivity tools

Who Should Choose ClickUp

• Startups and small teams that want maximum features at the lowest cost
• Teams currently paying for separate tools for tasks, docs, goals, and time tracking
• Product and engineering teams that need sprint management alongside general project tracking

Productivity Apps for Collaboration

Remote and hybrid work makes collaboration tools essential. For a comprehensive list, see our full post on online collaboration tools.

24. Google Drive

Quick Summary

Google Drive is a cloud storage and real-time collaboration platform for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. It’s the default file-sharing solution for Google Workspace teams.

Google Drive gives every team member a separate account with access to shared folders. Multiple people can edit the same document simultaneously with real-time change tracking.

The platform includes 15 GB of free storage and integrates natively with Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. It saves teams significant time and frustration during collaborative work.

• Key features: 15 GB free storage, real-time document collaboration, shared folders, file versioning, offline access, native integration with Google Workspace apps
• Pricing: Free (15 GB); Google One from $1.99/month (100 GB); business plans from $6/user/month
• Best for: Teams already using Gmail and Google Workspace for daily operations

Who Should Choose Google Drive

• Organizations using Google Workspace that need seamless file collaboration across departments
• Teams that frequently co-edit documents and need real-time commenting and version history
• Budget-conscious teams that need generous free storage and affordable paid upgrades

25. Dropbox

Quick Summary

Dropbox is a cloud storage platform with strong file syncing, sharing, and collaboration features. It’s known for reliable sync speed and a clean interface.

Dropbox offers many of the same collaboration features as Google Drive but with a different approach to syncing. Some users find its file management faster and easier to organize.

Dropbox also includes Dropbox Paper for collaborative documents and integrates with tools like Slack, Zoom, and Trello. Which one you choose often comes down to personal preference.

• Key features: Fast file syncing, shared folders, Dropbox Paper, smart sync (access files without downloading), file requests, version history, third-party integrations
• Pricing: Free (2 GB); Plus at $11.99/month (2 TB); Business from $15/user/month
• Best for: Teams that need fast, reliable file syncing and don’t use Google Workspace

Who Should Choose Dropbox

• Creative teams working with large files (video, design) that need fast, reliable sync
• Businesses not embedded in Google Workspace that want a standalone cloud storage solution
• Teams that share files with external clients and need simple, secure sharing links

26. Slack

Quick Summary

Slack is a team messaging platform with channels, direct messages, integrations, and workflow automation. It’s the dominant real-time communication tool for modern teams.

Slack organizes conversations into channels for different teams, projects, or topics. You can chat one-on-one, share files, set status messages, and integrate with thousands of third-party apps.

The platform’s search functionality makes it easy to find past conversations and shared files. Slack also supports voice and video calls, huddles, and workflow automations.

• Key features: Organized channels, direct messaging, 2,600+ app integrations, file sharing, search, voice and video calls, workflow builder, custom status messages
• Pricing: Free plan; Pro at $8.75/user/month (annual); Business+ at $12.50/user/month
• Best for: Teams of any size that need organized, searchable real-time communication

Who Should Choose Slack

• Remote and hybrid teams that need organized, topic-based communication channels
• Companies using multiple SaaS tools that benefit from Slack’s integration ecosystem
• Fast-moving teams that prefer real-time chat over email for day-to-day coordination

27. RingCentral Events

Quick Summary

RingCentral Events is an enterprise platform for creating immersive virtual and hybrid event experiences. It handles everything from attendee management to studio-quality production.

RingCentral Events lets you plan events from start to finish, including attendee management, breakout sessions, and post-event analytics. You can customize marketing tools to reflect your brand.

If you’re looking for a unified collaboration tool using messaging, video, phone, and events, RingCentral covers all four in one ecosystem.

• Key features: Virtual and hybrid event hosting, attendee management, breakout sessions, branded landing pages, analytics and reporting, studio-quality production tools
• Pricing: Custom pricing based on event size and features
• Best for: Organizations hosting large-scale virtual conferences, webinars, or hybrid events

Who Should Choose RingCentral Events

• Enterprise marketing teams hosting webinars, product launches, or annual conferences
• HR departments running company-wide virtual town halls or onboarding events
• Organizations already using RingCentral for phone and messaging that want an integrated events platform

There are hundreds of collaboration tools available. Be sure to check out this list of online collaboration tools from AllThatSaas for more ideas.

Productivity Apps that Speed Up Certain Tasks

Automation is one of the best ways to improve productivity. It takes a previously manual task and handles it instantly. These tools each target a specific time sink.

28. Lumen5

Quick Summary

Lumen5 is an AI-powered platform that converts text content into social media videos in minutes. It automatically selects relevant images, video clips, and music to match your script.

Lumen5 analyzes your text through AI and assembles the best music, video, and images accordingly. It’s designed for repurposing blog posts and articles into video format.

The platform saves hours of video editing time and requires no design experience. It’s ideal for content teams that need to produce video at scale.

• Key features: AI text-to-video conversion, stock media library, brand kit customization, multiple aspect ratios, auto-scene generation, drag-and-drop editor
• Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans from $29/month
• Best for: Marketing teams repurposing written content into social media video

Who Should Choose Lumen5

• Content marketers who need to turn blog posts into shareable social media videos quickly
• Small business owners without video editing skills who need professional-looking video content
• Social media managers producing daily video content across multiple platforms

29. 1Password

Quick Summary

1Password stores all your passwords in one encrypted vault and auto-fills login credentials across devices. It eliminates the time and security risk of managing passwords manually.

1Password automatically logs you into your most-used sites and apps after a single authentication. That may sound small, but even five minutes saved daily adds up to hours per month.

The platform also generates strong passwords, alerts you to breached accounts, and supports team sharing with granular access controls.

• Key features: Encrypted password vault, auto-fill across devices, password generator, breach monitoring, team sharing and permissions, two-factor authentication support
• Pricing: Individual at $2.99/month; Families at $4.99/month; Teams from $19.95/month (up to 10 users)
• Best for: Individuals and teams who manage many accounts and want secure, automatic login

Who Should Choose 1Password

• Anyone managing 20+ online accounts who wastes time on password resets
• Teams that need to share login credentials securely with role-based access controls
• Security-conscious professionals who want breach monitoring and strong password generation

30. Eventbot

Quick Summary

Eventbot is a Slack integration that adds shared event calendars, RSVPs, and automatic reminders directly inside your team’s Slack workspace.

Eventbot lets you create events, offer RSVPs, and build a shared calendar without leaving Slack. It also supports recurring events for regular meetings.

Automatic reminders ensure nobody misses important events. It’s ideal for teams that live in Slack and don’t want to switch to a separate calendar app.

• Key features: Shared calendar in Slack, RSVP management, recurring events, automatic reminders, timezone support, event descriptions and attachments
• Pricing: Plans start at $3/month; free trial available
• Best for: Slack-heavy teams that need lightweight event management without a separate calendar tool

Who Should Choose Eventbot

• Teams that coordinate meetings, standups, and social events primarily through Slack
• Distributed teams across time zones who need automatic timezone-aware reminders
• Organizations that want to reduce calendar app fragmentation and keep scheduling in Slack

31. SwiftScan (formerly Scanbot)

Quick Summary

SwiftScan (previously known as Scanbot) is a mobile document scanner that creates high-quality PDFs from physical documents, business cards, and receipts using your phone camera.

SwiftScan uses AI to detect edges, correct perspective, and optimize scan quality automatically. You can scan business cards, receipts, contracts, and whiteboards.

Scans upload to cloud storage automatically and are searchable via OCR (optical character recognition). It saves significant time when digitizing paper documents.

• Key features: AI edge detection, automatic perspective correction, OCR text recognition, cloud upload, PDF and JPG export, multi-page scanning, folder organization
• Pricing: Free version; Pro subscription available
• Best for: Professionals who regularly scan receipts, documents, or business cards on the go

Who Should Choose SwiftScan

• Sales reps who scan business cards at events and need digital contact records
• Accountants and business owners who digitize receipts for expense tracking
• Field workers who need to scan and share documents from job sites instantly

32. IFTTT

Quick Summary

IFTTT (short for “If This, Then That”) is an automation platform that connects thousands of apps and devices with conditional workflows. It eliminates repetitive manual tasks across your entire digital life.

IFTTT lets you create automatic workflows called “applets” that trigger actions when conditions are met. For example, you can auto-save email attachments to Google Drive or get weather alerts before your commute.

The platform supports thousands of apps and smart devices. With creativity, you can take dozens of daily tasks off your plate.

• Key features: Conditional automation (“if this, then that” logic), 800+ app and device integrations, pre-built applets, custom multi-step workflows, mobile app, smart home support
• Pricing: Free plan (5 applets); Pro at $3.49/month; Pro+ at $14.99/month
• Best for: Anyone who wants to automate repetitive digital tasks across multiple apps

Who Should Choose IFTTT

• Professionals who perform the same manual copy-paste or notification tasks daily
• Smart home users who want their devices to respond automatically to conditions and schedules
• Marketing and operations teams who need simple cross-app automation without developer resources

Comparison Table: All 32 Productivity Apps

App	Category	Starting Price	Free Plan	Best For
EmailAnalytics	Tracking & Analysis	$15/inbox/month	14-day trial	Team email analytics
Stackby	Tracking & Analysis	$5/user/month	Yes	Data + workflow management
Asana	Tracking & Analysis	$10.99/user/month	Yes (10 users)	Team project management
iDoneThis	Tracking & Analysis	~$13/user/month	No	Daily team check-ins
Scalefusion	Tracking & Analysis	$2/device/month	14-day trial	Device management (MDM)
DeskTime	Tracking & Analysis	$7/user/month	Yes	Automatic time tracking
ProofHub	Tracking & Analysis	$45/month (flat)	14-day trial	All-in-one PM (unlimited users)
RescueTime	Tracking & Analysis	$6.50/month	Yes (Lite)	Personal productivity insights
ZoomShift	Tracking & Analysis	Varies	Trial available	Hourly shift scheduling
Unroll.Me	Email Improvement	Free	Yes	Email unsubscribe management
Mailbird	Email Improvement	Free (Lite)	Yes	Unified email client (Windows)
Boomerang	Email Improvement	$4.98/month	Yes (10 credits)	Email scheduling + reminders
OmniFocus	Focus	$9.99/month	14-day trial	GTD task management (Apple)
StayFocusd	Focus	Free	Yes	Website time limits (Chrome)
30/30	Focus	Free	Yes	Time-boxing tasks (iOS)
Noizio	Focus	Free	Yes	Ambient focus sounds
Momentum	Focus	Free	Yes	New-tab focus dashboard
Freedom	Focus	~$3.33/month	Trial available	Cross-device distraction blocking
Evernote	Notes & Scheduling	$14.99/month	Yes	Comprehensive note-taking
Google Keep	Notes & Scheduling	Free	Yes	Quick notes in Google ecosystem
Just Press Record	Notes & Scheduling	~$4.99 (one-time)	No	Voice recording + transcription
Nebo	Notes & Scheduling	Free / one-time	Yes	Handwriting notes (stylus)
ClickUp	Notes & Scheduling	$7/user/month	Yes	All-in-one work platform
Google Drive	Collaboration	$1.99/month	Yes (15 GB)	Cloud storage + collaboration
Dropbox	Collaboration	$11.99/month	Yes (2 GB)	File sync + sharing
Slack	Collaboration	$8.75/user/month	Yes	Team messaging + integrations
RingCentral Events	Collaboration	Custom	No	Virtual/hybrid events
Lumen5	Task Automation	$29/month	Yes	Text-to-video conversion
1Password	Task Automation	$2.99/month	14-day trial	Password management
Eventbot	Task Automation	$3/month	Trial available	Slack event management
SwiftScan	Task Automation	Free	Yes	Mobile document scanning
IFTTT	Task Automation	$3.49/month	Yes (5 applets)	Cross-app automation

Start Here: Your 5-Step Productivity Stack Checklist

Action Checklist

Don’t adopt all 32 tools at once. Start with these five steps and add tools only when you’ve identified a specific gap.

1. Measure your baseline first. Install EmailAnalytics or RescueTime to understand where your time actually goes before making changes. You can’t improve what you don’t track.
2. Choose one project management tool. Pick Asana, ClickUp, or ProofHub based on your team size and budget. Consolidate all tasks into a single platform rather than spreading them across email, spreadsheets, and sticky notes.
3. Block your biggest distraction. Install StayFocusd (free) or Freedom (paid) and block the two or three websites that consume the most of your unproductive time. Even 30 minutes reclaimed daily equals 10+ hours per month.
4. Automate one repetitive task. Set up a single IFTTT applet or Boomerang follow-up rule that eliminates a task you do manually every day. Start small and expand once you see the time savings.
5. Consolidate your collaboration tools. Ensure your team uses one file storage platform (Google Drive or Dropbox) and one messaging tool (Slack). Fragmented communication wastes more time than most people realize.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free productivity app?

ClickUp offers the most feature-rich free plan among productivity tools, with unlimited tasks, collaborative docs, and basic project management for unlimited users. Google Keep and Google Drive also stand out as strong free options for note-taking and file storage.

The best free app depends on your specific need. For email management, Unroll.Me is completely free. For focus, StayFocusd and 30/30 cost nothing.

How do I measure my team’s productivity?

Start by tracking email activity with a tool like EmailAnalytics, which measures response times, email volume, and activity patterns. Pair it with a time tracking tool like DeskTime or RescueTime to understand how your team spends their day.

We’ve found that combining email analytics with time tracking data gives the clearest picture of team output. The email data shows communication patterns, while time tracking reveals focus habits.

What is the difference between a project management app and a productivity app?

A project management app organizes tasks, timelines, and assignments for specific projects. A productivity app is a broader category that includes project managers alongside time trackers, focus tools, and automation engines.

Many modern platforms blur this line. ClickUp, Asana, and ProofHub all combine project management with broader productivity features like time tracking and collaboration.

Can productivity apps actually save time or do they add overhead?

The right productivity app saves measurable time. In our testing, email management tools save 15 to 30 minutes per day. Automation tools like IFTTT eliminate repetitive manual tasks entirely.

The key is adopting only what your workflow needs. Adding too many tools creates “tool fatigue,” where the overhead of switching between apps negates the time savings.

What productivity apps work best for remote teams?

Remote teams benefit most from a combination of tools: Slack for communication, Asana or ClickUp for project tracking, Google Drive for file collaboration, and EmailAnalytics for monitoring response times. DeskTime provides remote-friendly automatic time tracking.

The most important factor isn’t which specific app you choose. It’s ensuring the whole team uses the same tools consistently.

How much should I spend on productivity software?

Most professionals can build a strong productivity stack for $15 to $50 per month. Many essential tools offer free tiers, including ClickUp, Slack, Google Drive, and RescueTime.

Paid tools like EmailAnalytics ($15/month) and Asana (from $10.99/user/month) provide the most value for team managers. Start with free tools and upgrade only when you hit a clear limitation.

Should I use one all-in-one platform or multiple specialized tools?

Specialized tools typically outperform all-in-one platforms in their specific category. We recommend starting with two to three core tools that address your biggest pain points.

For example, pair an email analytics tool with a project manager and a focus app. This combination covers measurement, organization, and execution without the compromises of a single platform trying to do everything.

What Next?

Take your time experimenting with these productivity apps. Start with one or two from the checklist above, measure the results, and only add new tools when you’ve identified a genuine gap.

You can find even more apps in this list of productivity tools from our friends at Pixpa.

If you’re interested in taking EmailAnalytics for a spin, you can sign up for free today. The sooner you start tracking your progress, the sooner you can start making improvements.