In 2024, Microsoft’s Office 365, now known as Microsoft 365, leads the market for small businesses. It has a big share of the market. This shows how important cloud-based tools are for entrepreneurs and small businesses to manage their work.
Key Takeaways
- Microsoft 365 is the top office software suite for small businesses
- RingCentral MVP is the best business phone system app
- FreshBooks is the top accounting software for small businesses
- Avast Business Antivirus Pro is the best mobile antivirus app for businesses
- PayPal is the leading online payments app for small businesses
The best business apps in 2023 offer cloud-based productivity and advanced communication. They help entrepreneurs and small businesses work smarter and succeed. This guide will cover the top apps for different business needs. It aims to give you insights and advice on choosing the right business tools.
Best Office Software App
Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365)
Microsoft 365, once known as Office 365, is the top best office software for small businesses. It comes with key apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Plus, there’s Outlook for email, OneDrive for cloud storage, and Microsoft Teams for online collaboration. It works on Android and iOS devices too. This suite is known for its wide range of features, easy compatibility, and the trustworthiness of the brand.
PCMag’s tests show that Microsoft Office Professional 2021 costs $439.99. The Microsoft 365 subscription is $69.99 a year. Corel WordPerfect Office is $249.99, and SoftMaker Office is $49.90 yearly.
A US Chamber of Commerce study found that 94% of small business owners say the right tech makes their businesses run better. Also, 84% saw profits go up by using six or more tools. And 82% saw sales increase with the right tools.
“Microsoft 365 is the go-to office suite for its comprehensive features, seamless compatibility, and the reliability of a trusted brand.”
Microsoft 365 is the top office software for small businesses. It helps streamline operations and drive success in 2023 and beyond.
Best Business Phone System App
Looking to modernize your business communication? The best business phone system app can change everything. RingCentral MVP is a top choice, offering a full range of features for businesses. It helps you manage calls better, makes phone system setup easy, and gives you options for cloud-based communication and unified communications hardware.
RingCentral is great for small and medium businesses wanting to improve their communication. It works well with other business tools, boosting productivity and teamwork across your company.
| Business Phone System App | Pricing (per user per month) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| RingCentral MVP |
|
|
| Nextiva |
|
|
| Ooma |
|
|
RingCentral MVP stands out with its great features and good prices. It’s perfect for businesses wanting to boost their communication and teamwork. Whether you’re looking to improve your best business phone system, make cloud-based communication smoother, or use unified communications tools, RingCentral has what you need.
Accounting Software
Managing a small business’s finances is crucial. FreshBooks is a top choice for small business owners. It’s easy to use and packed with features.
FreshBooks is a cloud-based platform made for small businesses. It has an easy interface for managing invoices, tracking expenses, and creating financial reports. With FreshBooks, you can make your small business finance tasks easier and keep track of invoicing and expense tracking without a hitch.
FreshBooks: The Comprehensive Accounting Solution
FreshBooks has different pricing plans for various business sizes. The Lite plan starts at $8.50 a month. The Plus and Premium plans are $15 and $27.50 a month, respectively. For bigger businesses, the Select plan has custom pricing.
No matter the plan, FreshBooks has everything you need for best accounting software. Key features include:
- Intuitive invoicing system with customizable templates
- Automatic expense tracking and categorization
- Time tracking for better project management
- Integrated online payments through various gateways
- Detailed financial reports and insights
- Seamless integration with popular business tools
FreshBooks is great for small business owners wanting to simplify their accounting software and manage finances better.
“FreshBooks has been a game-changer for my small business. It’s easy to use, and the invoicing and expense tracking features have saved me so much time and hassle.”
– Sarah, Owner of a Boutique Clothing Store
Best Mobile Antivirus App
Smartphones and tablets are now key for businesses. They need strong mobile antivirus protection. With threats like ransomware and malware growing, having the best mobile antivirus is vital. Avast Business Antivirus is a top choice for endpoint security and ransomware protection.
Avast Business Antivirus has a powerful antivirus engine. It blocks 99.7% of threats in tests. This is key for keeping your devices and data safe. It has many features like a firewall, email protection, and app sandboxing for better security.
It also has anti-ransomware protection and secure file shredding. This makes it a great choice for small business IT needs.
“Avast Business Antivirus is a comprehensive security solution that delivers exceptional protection for mobile devices, ensuring your small business stays safe from the latest cyber threats.”
Avast Business Antivirus is a leading choice for mobile antivirus. It offers strong endpoint security and works well with other Avast Business tools. Its success in tests and many features make it a trusted option for small businesses needing best mobile antivirus and ransomware protection.
Best Online Payments App
PayPal
PayPal is our top pick for small businesses looking for the best online payments solution. It’s easy to use and works well with many online stores. With Web Payments Standard, small businesses can take payments without paying monthly fees. Fees depend on how much you sell.
PayPal also has in-store payments with a card reader. This makes it a great choice for startups and small businesses. It has over 435 million users and handles $376.5 billion in payments each year. PayPal is a top name in credit card processing and mobile payments.
PayPal’s fees are competitive, especially when compared to Stripe, Square, and QuickBooks GoPayment. For in-person and QR code payments, fees start at 2.29% plus 9 cents. This makes it a budget-friendly option for businesses of any size.
For both new and established small businesses, PayPal offers a dependable and feature-packed online payments solution. It makes payment processing easy and helps you make smooth transactions with your customers.
best business apps
In the fast-changing world of small business software, the right apps can make a big difference. They help streamline workflows and automate tasks. The top productivity apps, small business software, and workflow automation tools are key for small businesses in 2023.
HubSpot is a great example. It offers a free CRM version that’s popular with sales-focused small businesses. When I Work can save up to 15 hours a week on scheduling and tracking time. Employers find it 8 times faster to use.
| App | Key Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Homebase | Employee management | Streamlines hourly work |
| Trello | Kanban-style project management | Suitable for most small businesses |
| Asana | Project management with documents, to-do lists, and spreadsheets | Ideal for time-sensitive and complex projects with larger teams |
| ClickUp | Combined project management, documents, and collaboration | Provides easy access to essential business tools |
| Google Workspace | Email, chat, video, tasks, and calendar integrated | Free and suitable for small businesses |
There are many apps out there, each serving different business needs. For example, Square is great for point-of-sale, Shopify for e-commerce, and Dialpad for all your communication needs. The goal is to find the right mix of apps to make your business run smoother, work more efficiently, and move forward in 2023.
Best Sales and Marketing App
For small businesses, Hubspot is the top choice to boost sales and marketing. It has everything needed for content management, lead generation, and sales automation. This makes it perfect for today’s marketing needs.
Hubspot’s core feature is its content management system (CMS). It’s easy to use, letting businesses create and manage websites, landing pages, and blogs. The AI-powered lead generation tools make sure every visitor is turned into a lead. Plus, the sales automation keeps teams organized and on track.
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Integrated CMS | Streamline website and content management |
| Lead Generation Automation | Capture and nurture leads more effectively |
| Sales Automation | Streamline and optimize the sales process |
| Reporting and Analytics | Gain valuable insights to drive better decisions |
Hubspot shines by working well with other business tools. It helps small teams manage the whole customer journey from one place. If you want to improve content management, lead generation, or marketing, Hubspot is the best choice for small businesses in 2023.
“Hubspot has been a game-changer for our small business. The platform’s intuitive tools and integrated approach have helped us streamline our marketing efforts and drive real results.”
– Jane Doe, Marketing Manager at XYZ Inc.
Project Management
Managing projects and teams well can be a big boost. The best project management software can really help. Teamwork is a top choice for small to medium-sized businesses. It’s strong and easy to use.
Teamwork shines with its focus on team collaboration and workflow optimization. It has everything you need for organizing tasks, talking with your team, and sharing files easily. This makes it perfect for small businesses looking to improve their project management.
Teamwork also grows with your business. It works well whether you’re starting out or have a big team. This means your project management stays efficient and effective as your business grows.
“Teamwork has been a game-changer for our small business. The platform’s collaborative features and customizable workflows have helped us stay organized and on top of our projects.” – John Doe, Founder of ABC Co.
With Teamwork, small businesses can improve team collaboration and workflow optimization. This leads to more productivity and success in managing projects.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Task Management | Organize tasks, set due dates, and assign responsibilities to team members. |
| Team Communication | Facilitate real-time discussions, share updates, and collaborate on project-related content. |
| File Sharing | Centralize and manage project files, ensuring everyone has access to the latest information. |
| Reporting and Analytics | Gain insights into project progress, team productivity, and resource utilization. |
| Integrations | Seamlessly connect Teamwork with other business tools to streamline workflows. |
Using Teamwork, small businesses can improve team collaboration and workflow optimization. This puts them in a strong position for success in project management.
Best Productivity App
In today’s fast-paced business world, having the right tools is key. Todoist is a top choice for small business owners and teams. It’s a simple yet powerful app for managing tasks.
Todoist lets users organize tasks by project and set due dates. It also offers various formats to view tasks. Plus, it works with other apps and automates task creation. This makes it a great tool for reducing stress and improving focus for small businesses and their teams.
Other popular apps for productivity include:
- Google Calendar – a free app that works well with Google Workspace tools
- Reclaim.ai – an AI assistant that helps manage time and reduce distractions
- Microsoft OneNote – a note-taking app for easy collaboration and organization
- Freedom – a focus app that blocks distractions to increase productivity
- Streaks and HabitNow – apps for tracking habits to build routines
Businesses have many best productivity apps to choose from. Each app meets different task management and time management needs. These tools help small businesses streamline workflows, improve teamwork, and boost productivity and success.
| App | Pricing | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Todoist | Free version, Paid plans start at $5/month | Task organization, Due dates, Integration with other apps |
| Google Calendar | Free, Business Starter for Google Workspace starts at $6/user/month | Calendar management, Integration with Google Workspace |
| Reclaim.ai | Free version, Paid plans start at a certain price point | AI scheduling assistant, Calendar integration, Habit tracking |
| Microsoft OneNote | Free version (up to 5GB), Paid version for $1.99/month (100GB) | Note-taking, Collaboration, Integration with Microsoft 365 |
| Freedom | $3.33/month billed annually, $8.99/month billed monthly, $199 lifetime subscription | Distraction blocking, Focus mode, Customizable productivity schedules |
Using the right best productivity apps helps small businesses improve their workflows, teamwork, and productivity. This leads to success.
“The right productivity tools can make all the difference in helping small businesses thrive and stay ahead of the competition.”
Conclusion
The best business apps for success in 2023 offer many key features. They help with office work, talking to others, accounting, security, marketing, and managing projects. Choosing the right mix of these app recommendations helps small business owners work better, be more efficient, and make their businesses more successful.
Apps like Microsoft 365, RingCentral MVP, FreshBooks, Avast Business Antivirus, PayPal, Hubspot, Teamwork, and Todoist are top small business productivity tools for 2023. Using the right best business apps 2023 makes small businesses more flexible, competitive, and profitable next year.
With these strong app recommendations, small business owners can achieve more efficiency, productivity, and growth. This puts their businesses on track for success in the changing world of 2023 and the future.