Table of Contents
31 Productivity Apps Everybody Should Try. 1
Best Productivity Apps for Task Management and To-do List. 1
What you can do with Google Calendar. 2
Productivity Apps to help you Get Organized.. 5
What Remote Workers should know about Slack. 8
Web Automation Productivity Apps. 10
15. IFTTT (If This, Then, That) 11
Improve Habits with these Productivity Apps. 12
Productivity Apps for Business, Offices, and Collaboration. 16
Productivity apps ease your tasks, help you beat deadlines, and allow you to reach your set goals. In today’s overly competitive world, we all strive to accomplish more every day and surpass our expectations. With numerous free and paid plan apps today, choosing the right one for your needs can be difficult. Here are some of the best apps you can adopt to become more productive and get value out of your time.
Best Productivity Apps for Task Management and To-do List
1. Google Calendar
Google calendar is a popular time management cross-platform application that many people already use. Touted as one of the best calendar apps available, it comes with user-friendly scheduling tools to facilitate the setting of appointments, tasks, and reminders. Google calendar allows you to remain on top of your events and work. If you have a busy schedule, then Google calendar should come to your rescue.
What you can do with Google Calendar
Google calendar allows you to generate and edit events. You can even enable reminders for events and include a schedule, the type of event, and location. Apart from inviting other users to your events via this mobile app, you can activate or deactivate calendar visibility, depending on the type. Google has continued to advance the calendar to include additional features and give it more functionality. You can download Google calendar on your browser extensions.
2. nTask
nTask has various comprehensive features to help you remain productive. It comes with an easy to use interface and is ideal for businesses, teams, freelancers, and even homemakers. nTask is also an excellent project management application that features seven natural-built components. These components are risks, projects, tasks, issues, and meeting management.
Use this app without switching between multiple getting things done applications which make users more productive. With these components, teams can avoid investing in third-party integration services or regular swapping between different tools for different projects and workspaces.
You can use nTask as a to-do list app, and it can also come in handy to help you keep notes. This app also allows you to design projects and allocate different tasks to them. nTask helps you track ideas, assess task status, and check the progress of your projects.
nTask Features
- Two-factor authentication for enhanced security
- Team-based workspaces that you can monitor and manage at the same time
- A simple user interface that gives you access to a variety of components
- Ability to create, allocate, prioritize, share, and organize tasks
- Leverage slack to change comments into tasks
- A dedicated time tracking component that allows users to design and manage team-specific segments for employee payroll and task attempts
You can use nTask on your Android device or iPad. This application is available for free, but you can also get the Pro version for $1 per user per month, which you pay annually.
3. RescueTime
Rescue time is one of the best Android, Chrome, Linux, Mac, and Windows apps that facilitate the fast execution of tasks. This app monitors every site you visit and the apps that you access. It will then log the time you spend on each of these components and gauge your productivity for the day. It comes with a collection of apps such as Google Docs and Word to differentiate distracting and productive apps.
RescueTime displays a graph indicating your most productive day during the week to help you maintain your focus during the day. You can get the free version of this application. The RescueTime premium version can block distracting websites and alert you when you have spent too much time on unproductive apps. This app allows you to get a detailed report on your time expenditure practices.
4. TeamViewer
TeamViewer is a popularly used productivity app across the world. With this screen sharing tool, users can remotely give other people access to their gadgets. TeamViewer is a flexible and versatile application that is compatible with nearly all operating systems. After launching TeamViewer, you get an identification number for your device and a secret key. You then share the information with the people you wish to share your screen.
TeamViewer is available free of charge for personal use. However, you can also get the business version, a paid plan that authorizes multiple sharing. You will then be able to share files, brand your screen sharing discussions, and remotely print for both Windows and Mac.
Setting up remote conversations on TeamViewer is easy and hassle-free, increasing its popularity in the professional field. Clients can see where their projects are progressing in real-time while companies can collaborate with their employees efficiently.
5. Any.do
Any.do is an efficient, user-friendly, and fun productivity app. You can access it for free or in paid premium plan. It gives you various options to complete your work fast. After signing up for an account, Any.do prompts you to create your first list of options and choose the tasks you want to achieve during the week. The Any.do menu includes:
- Starter. Here you can choose between 1 and 5 tasks.
- Pro. Here you can choose between 10 and 20 tasks.
- All-star. Choose between 20 and 50 tasks.
- Super-star. Choose 50 or more tasks.
Once you finalize the setup process, you can view all your tasks on the mainboard. Any.do allows users to create work-related or personal functions and customized lists. Apart from adding reminders, you can also create subtasks or share your tasks. Further, you can add, drop, or upload files as attachments for additional clarity. Any.do is compatible with iOS and Android gadgets.
6. Habitica
Habitica allows users to gamify their habits and complete their tasks while having fun. Use this mobile and web app to create daily goals, habits, and to-do lists, and get rewarded when you check off. The rewards you get unlock various other in-app features and help you upgrade your avatar.
This application is compatible with different individual needs. For example, you can use it to track your eating habits, work habits, or fitness goals. Habitica allows you to compete with fellow Habitica users, challenge yourself, hold each other answerable, and achieve your set goals.
Productivity Apps to help you Get Organized
7. Strict Workflow
Strict Workflow is a Pomodoro technique based application that blocks websites from distracting you as you work. Are you looking for new strategies to become more organized and productive? This app should be ideal.
8. Serene
Serene is a macOS app that helps modern-day teams, freelancers, and remote workers focus on their tasks to achieve their goals. Apart from promoting organization, this application assumes a unique approach to help increase focus and enhance habits. Serene prompts users to set single objectives for each day and then divide them into small tasks. Doing so bars them from getting interrupted by things that do not add value to their daily goals.
With your main goal separated into small tasks, you can work in controlled schedules for every role with short breaks between them. Taking breaks regularly and having short working schedules keep you refreshed and helps you hit targets across the day. With Serene, distractions will not divert you from focusing on your goal for the day. Again, you will not struggle with large unmanageable workloads.
Serene Features
- Website blocker. This feature blocks all sites that distract you, like news and social media platforms.
- Interruption free sessions. With this feature, you can work in controlled sessions while taking regular breaks to enhance productivity.
- App blocker. Use this feature to block apps that divert your attention from work, such as your email or social apps.
- Session timer. This feature displays the amount of time you have left to finish off your tasks, motivating you to push on to completion.
- Day planner. Use this feature to define your objective for each day, schedule your tasks, and complete your tasks with ease.
- To-do lists. You can manage your work while allocating roles to the appropriate team members.
- Phone Silencer. Your phone is one of the biggest distractors. However, you can leverage this feature to switch it to silent mobile as you work to avoid interruptions.
You can choose the free version or the premium option that comes with advanced features.
9. Wunderlist
Wunderlist comes with numerous advanced features. Unlike Todoist that works well for individuals, and Trello that is ideal for teams, Wunderlist is perfect for groups and individuals. This task management application is similar to Trello, with the difference being that it focuses on to-do lists instead of cards. Wunderlist helps you design lists and categorize them into folders.
Features
- Task management. Allocate tasks, set deadlines, activate reminders, and add notes or even comments.
- To-do lists. Generate to-do lists for teams and individuals and classify them into folders for large projects or tasks. Members of your team can then obtain and edit them when the need arises.
- Wunderlist is a robust platform that comes with many productivity features that you can access for free. You can choose the subscription version, which is available at a reasonable fee for each user.
10. Slack
Slack is a powerful messaging platform that is ideal for teams. It is also a robust communication tool that remote workers can leverage to enhance their productivity. The Slack app enables instant messaging.
Team members can join these channels and leave accordingly, and members-only receive notifications or messages specific to them. Team members can chat on different topics in separate threads. Doing so prevents irrelevant messages from interfering with project-oriented conversations.
Features
- Instant messaging. Team members can participate in live communication sessions to facilitate seamless collaboration.
- File sharing. Drag and drop record sharing for images, Adobe files, and videos. You can even place files in your dropbox folder.
- Statuses. Users can activate availability statuses to concentrate on individual tasks.
- Screen sharing. With this feature, team members can share their work with their colleagues in real-time to facilitate robust collaboration.
- Video and voice calls. Initiate video and voice calls from within the app
What Remote Workers should know about Slack
If you are a remote worker, you should understand how the pricing policy of this application works. The free version of Slack allows users to design one workspace for limited teams. Paid versions are available for reasonable prices per month for every active user.
To give each team member a fully-collaborative workspace, organizations should opt for the paid versions of Slack. Small groups can use the free version of this application to enhance their work. Doing so improves collaboration across the office environment. It is worth mentioning that Slack helps remote workers work together with team members in different locations.
11. Airtable
Unlike in the past when Microsoft Excel was the provisional project management tool option, numerous productivity tools are available today. Even with the current advancements in technology, Excel remains one of the robust tools available.
Airtable is a spreadsheet-based application that is ideal for teams who have been managing projects on programs similar to Excel. If you have used Microsoft Excel before, then this application should be a walk in the park. However, the functionality of this application can be hard for novice users.
The Airtable interface works like a spreadsheet even though it comes with functionalities unavailable in Excel. Airtable helps you design and allocate tasks, add attachments, activate statuses, and include notes in less time.
Airtable Features
- Project management. Airtable converts spreadsheets into a fully developed project management tool.
- Views. Manage projects into different outlooks such as the gallery, grid, Kanban board, and calendar.
- Dynamic fields. Convert sections into checkboxes or add attachments, links, or text notes to fields.
- Team collaboration. Allows team members to update work statuses, interact with projects, prioritize workflows, and add messages.
Airtable also comes with instant messaging to facilitate hassle-free collaboration. Its cross-platform compatibility makes it accessible to each member regardless of their location or preferred operating system.
12. Screencastify
Different platforms feature screenshot tools that allow you to capture an image of the content on your screen. Did you know that you can record a video of your screen content? Screencastify is an ideal Chrome productivity app when it comes to recording what is on your screen. All you need is to install the Screencastify Chrome extension to video record your desktop. With this app, you can document a presentation or screencast to demonstrate various tasks to your team.
Once you finish recording, leverage the editor on Screencastify to trim the video length and display the exact content. The paid version of Screencastify comes with advanced features that allow you to add other details. Screencastify automatically saves your video to Google Drive, allowing you to share the recording with your preferred audience.
13. Pixlr
While photoshop still reigns when it comes to photo editing on PCs and Macs, Pixlr is ideal for editing photos. For example, you can use this application to brighten or crop photos, blur text out, remove small dots, or even add details. This app is one of the best mobile and web apps.
Plixlr is user-friendly and comes with robust adjustment tools to resize, sharpen, rotate, and fix images. It features Instagram-mode borders, effects, text, and stickers to create fun graphics from your photos. If you are a professional, consider using Pixlr Pro and Pixlr Editor. These versions come with advanced tools like editing history, layers, smart healing tools, and photoshop-mode tools. Leverage Pixlr Pro version to import Sketch and Photoshop apps to enable editing from your browser.
Web Automation Productivity Apps
14. Zapier
Sometimes you may have to work with multiple applications to accelerate the completion of tasks. Switching apps can often reduce productivity and trigger frustration, which is where Zapier becomes crucial. Syncing and automating all your daily applications provides a smooth user experience.
Zapier is a free productivity application that links all your apps while creating workflows and helping you focus on crucial things. These workflows are also known as Zaps. This application operates on generate, and effect approach, allowing users to initiate an action that replicates whenever a particular trigger occurs.
Features
- An activity dashboard
- Zap creation capability
- Ability to access history of tasks
- Online Zap templates
- More than 1000 application integrations
The Zapier basic plan is free, while premium plans begin at $20.
15. IFTTT (If This, Then, That)
The IFTTT tool operates on generate and effect principle to integrate different applications and facilitate smooth operations. You can leverage IFTTT to connect apps and devices with the resulting combinations referred to as Applets.
Creating Applets allows you to link two gadgets and boost the application to complete tasks automatically. You can pre-determine a duty and let the application finalize it on a single application. That action will depend on the status of another app. IFTTT comes with an inbuilt Applets archive that you can use to ease your operations. Still, you can create the Applets based on your preferences.
Features
- Availability of inbuilt Applets
- Ability to integrate home appliances
- More than 300 app integrations
- An activity dashboard
- A user-friendly interface
- Custom notifications
A free version of IFTTT is available, but you can also subscribe to the developer paid plan.
16. Semaphore
With Semaphore, developers can acquire appropriate continuous delivery by eliminating possible technical restrictions. Semaphore is an easy to use tool that comes with the following features.
- Customizable scaling
- Unique flexibility
- Programmable pipelines
You can use the free version of Semaphore or subscribe to the Pay-as-you-go version. You can always unsubscribe to the latter anytime.
Improve Habits with these Productivity Apps
17. Loop
Loop is a habit tracker productivity app that is ideal for Android devices only. Loop does not attempt to bar bad habits from distracting your life and work. It focuses on helping users invest time in creating beneficial habits. These habits can be focusing on ignored admin roles, spending more time with your family when you are free, and reading through your emails.
Features
- Schedule. Set specific dates and times or even weekly schedules to ensure your goals become more achievable.
- Develop better habits. This feature helps you set targets for what you want to invest more time in.
- Habit score. Determine your progress with individual habits or gauge your overall habit score.
- Reminders. Have reminders to keep you accountable
- Reports. Detailed statistics and graphs to help you monitor your habits and track your progress over time.
Unlike some productivity apps that focus on what you should not be doing, Loop focuses on the things you can do better.
18. Notion
Notion acts as long-term memory for your team and the missing part of Slack. This app integrates well with Slack to create a centralized location for valuable resources to your team. These resources can include crucial guidelines and documentation. This application aims to replace multiple separate productivity apps with one platform.
Features
- Docs and Notes. You can create and share documents, media files, and notes.
- Project management. You will get customizable Kanban calendars and boards that adapt well to your tasks.
- Team Wiki. Develop a general knowledge center for essential guidelines and information for each team member.
- Live collaboration. You can leverage this feature to collaborate on tasks in real-time.
- File sharing. Notion facilitates easy editing, focused writing, and rich media.
Use Notion in place of Evernote and Google Docs to achieve what the latter apps do with ease. Leverage the project and task management features of this application instead of complex tools in the market.
Notion also comes with databases and spreadsheets, which you can use instead of Google Sheets and Excel. Are you tired of using multiple productivity tools? The Notion app provides a single platform that helps you eliminate the use of various apps. While Notion may not be more effective than the individual apps, it provides convenience by syncing different apps.
19. Spark
Spark is an email client application that transforms your inbox into an asset instead of a productivity killer. It comes with a smart inbox that classifies your emails automatically from each account allocated to it. With this feature, you can filter out irrelevant emails while prioritizing important ones. You can assign emails to team members, snooze some emails so that you can check them later, chat with colleagues, set reminders, and share drafts. You can also list emails to send at a specific date and time.
Features
- Smart inbox. This feature allows you to clean your inbox, conduct a Smart search to find your preferred email, and snooze irrelevant emails.
- Allocate emails. With this feature, you can allocate emails to the right person in your team.
- Smart notifications. Activate this feature to get only valuable emails that need your attention immediately.
- Schedule emails. Send emails at the most appropriate time.
- Team email. This feature allows you to share drafts, activate private team comments and template responses, as well as instant chat.
- Reminders. Receive reminders to follow up progress on a specific task.
Spark allows multiple team members to collaborate on the same email simultaneously and still communicate through instant messaging.
20. WeDo
Originally, WeDo was only for students. It later evolved into an ideal life and work, task management tool that professionals can use. If you are looking to balance your life and work, then WeDo is your go-to app.
Apart from setting due dates and creating tasks, WeDo helps you develop excellent habits so much so that you can develop a separate habits list. WeDo will even ask you how long you spent on tasks once you complete them and your perception about them.
Features
- To-do lists. Set due dates, create to-do lists, prioritize tasks, and add reminders.
- Time estimates. Estimate the amount of time you will need to complete tasks and schedule your program accordingly.
- Folders. Classify connected lists together in different folders.
- Habit lists. Create separate lists for any new habits you want to build or uphold.
- Rate tasks. Log the amount of time it takes to complete tasks. Indicate their level of importance and how you felt after finishing them.
- Sub-tasks. Break down tasks into manageable sub-tasks
21. Kiwake
If you are struggling to stop snoozing your alarm, Kiwake should be your go-to app. Studies suggest that snoozing can have a negative effect like wasting of time. With Kiwake, you can be sure to stop this habit.
Features
- Wake your body up. This feature requires you to prove that you have woken up and left the bed. You do so by capturing an image of an item based far from your bed.
- Activate your motivation. Review your main objectives to stimulate your motivation
- Wake your brain up. Play a quick game that requires you to concentrate fully.
While these features sound like a tedious and time-consuming process, Kiwake will guide you through until you get used to timely waking up schedules.
Productivity Apps for Business, Offices, and Collaboration
22. Apple iWork
The Apple office suite comes with three applications; numbers for the purpose of spreadsheets, pages to facilitate word processing, and Keynote for presentations. You can download these applications for free on any Apple gadget. iCloud users can also access them as web apps for free. These applications balance features and power with ease of use and simplicity. macOS users can develop simple office suites to cater to their productivity needs.
23. G Suite
G Suite is Google’s office suite. It is also the business model of Google Sheets, Docs, and Slides. It also supports other applications that facilitate productive collaboration between coworkers. The G Suite comprises voice and video conferencing, Gmail, shared calendars, and cloud storage. The primary office suite applications are collaborative and ideal for the automatic syncing of your tasks.
24. Microsoft OneNote
This note-taking app is available for free. Sync the Microsoft OneNote app with other Microsoft products. This application is similar to Evernote in terms of concept, but it comes with a different layout. If you use Outlook for calendaring and email, or if Microsoft OneDrive is your preferred storage option, you may want to use OneNote because this app connects to the two programs.
OneNote comes with specialized features affiliated with mathematics that students can Leverage. OneNote comes with excellent features for people who leverage it to record audio lectures while taking notes.
25. Quip
Quip is an online application that facilitates the collaborative creation and editing of documents. It is ideal for analyzing and managing existing documents. Salesforce owns this unique application that becomes more effective when integrated with company CRM software. You can use the free version of this app even though paid versions will give you unlimited storage.
26. Evernote
Evernote is a notebook application for everything. It allows users to write goals and format them using rich text. It comes with checklists for reminders and to-do lists for notes you want to remember. You can scan documents with the inbuilt camera tool or drag files in and monitor receipts, tickets, and forms.
Organize your tasks with tags and notebooks to develop a custom productivity procedure. You can also rely on the search tool in this application that identifies internal scans and images. Snip recipes, articles, and references online with the Evernote Web Clipper.
You can even use the Evernote camera mobile app tools to pick data from business cards and convert it into digital notes. Evernote allows users to tag notes based on their location to backtrack their steps and thoughts. The premium version of this application comes with advanced features like:
- Offline notebooks
- Business card scan tools
- Text search in Adobe PDF.
27. LastPass
LastPass is a password management application that helps you secure all your private information. This application works anywhere when the need arises. All you need is to register an account and install the right browser extensions.
Every time you create a new account, let LastPass generate a secure password and fill it in automatically whenever you log into the site. LastPass can remember other details such as addresses and credit card data. This application will also memorize crucial information to fill in forms, eliminating the need to keep on retyping information every time.
LastPass monitors your accounts to identify insecure passwords and updates them automatically to enhance your security. This application allows password sharing with your team or family, allowing them to operate shared accounts.
LastPass is compatible with nearly any gadget. It is available for free, but you can get the premium version for advanced features like encrypted cloud storage, flexible password sharing, and multiple-factor options.
28. Scanbot
Scanbot is compatible with iOS, Android, and iPhone. It is ideal for scanning and faxing documents from your tablet or phone. Unlike some universal apps, Scanbot will not operate in your browser, laptop, or even desktop. To use this application, launch it and point the camera on your device at any document.
Scanbot will capture a clear scan regardless of the quality of your phone. Now save the file on Google Drive to facilitate free optical character recognition (OCR). You can also leverage its in-application purchases to identify text, define your scanned document, and fax it from your phone. Scanbot works well with other desktop productivity applications.
Time Tracking Apps
29. Toggl
Toggl is a dedicated time tracking app that has robust features to help users manage their time better. You can activate the toggle task timer whenever you start working and switch it off when you complete your task. You can also leverage the different reporting tools that allow you to monitor your performance.
Identify where you are spending the most time and evaluate your situation to get the most value. The advanced version of Toggl has comprehensive time tracking features such as email reports and timesheet management. Toggle has an intuitive and appealing user interface that facilitates effortless and smooth navigation across the application. Asana is an excellent time tracking alternative for Toggl.
30. TickTock Lab
TickTockLab has a robust time-tracking application that helps you maintain focus and calm in your quest to complete your tasks and achieve set goals. This application allows you to use multiple time tracking sheets to record your time and date. Leverage these sheets to execute various tasks like tracking client bills, time monitoring and management, and payroll.
You can even set time estimates to figure out the number of hours it takes you to complete specific tasks. Gauge yourself to determine whether you surpassed your previous time estimate. You can use this powerful time tracker to decide whether you should automate, delegate, or eliminate tasks.
Leverage the 80/20 rule to establish the amount of time you spend in specific areas within your business. You can also rate your days while maintaining a journal to document your achievements for the day.
31. Harvest
Harvest is a time tracking app that you can use for your invoicing needs. This application comes with timesheets that allow users to track expenses and time spent on a specific task. The timesheets also monitor the time each person spends on a particular task weekly based on their capacity. With Harvest, you can log in billable hours and generate invoices for your consumers.
Features
- Tracking expenses
- Time tracking
- Automatic reminders
- Tracking of work capacity against actual work
- Management of invoices
- Multiple integrations for third-party application
Take Away
- Time management plays a critical role in your productivity.
- Productivity apps are fast becoming must-have tools in the fast-evolving world where everybody has so much to do in a limited time.
- Choosing the right productivity app should no longer be a difficult task. Leverage these apps to improve your performance and become more productive in your work.
Time management is a broad topic with a never-ending learning curve. Read comprehensive articles from our blog for more information.