17 Small Business Organization Apps

What are the best business and organization apps?

Check out the following 17 apps that can boost productivity in your organization. Some are free to download and use, while others are more robust tools that require a subscription. 

1. LivePlan

To start out strong, use the LivePlan business organization app to create a custom business plan. The platform will take you through business plan creation step by step with a few questions, including cash flow projections. Once created, you can tweak your business plan to account for new revenue sources, funding or inventory.

LivePlan requires a Standard ($15 monthly) or Premium ($30 monthly) subscription. The desktop platform is Google mobile-friendly, so you can log in on a mobile device. Visit the LivePlan website to learn more.

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2. CamScanner

Need to sign forms or email documents? CamScanner turns your smartphone camera into a scanner, creating PDF or JPG files you can save, email or print wirelessly. Once you take a picture of the document you want to scan, the app removes backgrounds, adjusts the angle and tilt, fixes issues with brightness or color and creates a high-resolution final document. 

A CamScanner Basic account is free; you can upgrade to a Premium account starting at $4.99 per month. The CamScanner app is available for iOS and Android. There’s also a desktop version for document management available for Windows and macOS devices. Visit the CamScanner website to learn more. 

3. Goods Order Inventory

If you sell physical products, inventory management can be a huge concern. Goods Order Inventory is an inventory tracking app that will help you track your stock along with sales, invoices, payments, locations, suppliers, clients, balance sheets and shipments. The app includes a barcode scanner and multiple reporting options. It integrates with various accounting applications and sales platforms like eBay and Amazon.

The Goods Order Inventory app is available for iOS and Android. It also has POS, web, checkout and other apps. Subscriptions start at $100 per month. Learn more by visiting the Goods Order Inventory website.

4. Gusto

Handling payroll is simpler with an app like Gusto. Gusto can help you manage payroll, compliance, sick days, vacation time and employee benefits all in one place. It also helps you calculate and file your federal and state payroll taxes. Plans start at $40 per month plus $6 per user. Learn more about Gusto’s platform, mobile apps and pricing by reading our in-depth Gusto Payroll review.

5. TripIt

If you are a frequent business traveler, TripIt consolidates your travel information, regardless of where you bought tickets, rented your car or booked hotel rooms. When you receive travel confirmation emails, you can forward them to TripIt to create a custom itinerary for each trip. The app also allows you to view departure times, get directions, receive travel alerts and check delays or weather reports.

TripIt works on iOS and Android devices. There’s a free version with essential functionality and a Pro version with enhanced features for $49 annually. Learn more by visiting the TripIt website.

6. Hireology

Hireology can help you improve the hiring and recruitment process. The platform streamlines the process of creating and sharing job ads. Use the app to create a post for the available position. You can then easily market open roles across multiple channels. Then, you can access resumes, move clients to the next step in the recruiting process, message candidates in real time and schedule follow-up messages.

Hireology is an online platform with an iOS mobile app. Pricing starts at $249 monthly. The Hireology website provides more details. 

7. Opal

Time management is a struggle for many small business owners, especially with smartphones providing endless distractions. You can boost your productivity with Opal. This business productivity app tracks your phone usage and gives you a clear snapshot of how you spend your day. You can block specific apps and websites, set daily working hours and stay motivated to stay on track with rewards and milestones.

Opal has iOS and Chrome apps. There’s a free version and several paid versions with additional features. Visit the Opal website to learn more.

8. Hootsuite

Hootsuite helps you track your social media marketing efforts. It’s compatible with over 35 social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and lets you schedule hundreds of posts simultaneously. Unlike many other social media management apps, it also has extensive analytics and monitoring options to track the effectiveness of your campaigns.

The Hootsuite app is available for iOS and Android devices. Pricing starts at $99 per month. Visit the Hootsuite website to learn more. 

What are the best team management apps?

9. Slack

Slack is one of the best-known team management apps to help employees communicate more efficiently and effectively. This instant messenger for business reduces the need for back-and-forth emails or long informational meetings. You can create multiple message channels within it for individual products, topics, events or projects, then add the relevant employees to each.

Slack has iOS and Android apps. Prices vary, including free and custom plans. Visit Slack online to learn more. 

10. GoTo Meeting

If your business needs a video conferencing service to facilitate calls with employees or clients, GoTo Meeting is a great solution. It provides a single hub that connects users from their phone, computer or tablet. The app includes screen sharing as well as an audio and video connection; you can also record calls for later playback. GoTo Meeting can sync with your calendar, so you can schedule meetings in advance or create regular team appointments.

GoTo Meeting has iOS and Android apps. Pricing starts at $14 per user per month. Visit the GoTo Meeting website to learn more. 

11. Asana

Project management app Asana provides a platform for teams to collaborate, communicate and stick to a schedule. An Asana board lets you create tasks and projects, monitor progress, share notes, upload files and communicate directly with team members and employees. This task management app also integrates with Google Drive and Dropbox for file sharing and lets you post updates to your Slack channels.

Asana is available for iOS and Android devices. There’s a free tier and several paid tiers with advanced features. Visit the Asana website for more information. 

12. LastPass 

If your employees work with sensitive information, increase your web security with LastPass. LastPass is an authenticator solution and password manager. Adding LastPass to a website login creates a two-step verification process. Once employees enter login information, they’ll use the LastPass mobile app to verify their identity with a temporary six-digit code or one-tap push notification.

LastPass is available for iOS and Android devices. Several personal and business plans are offered. Personal plans range from free to $4 per month; business plans range from $4 to $7 monthly. Visit LastPass online for more information. 

13. ProjectManager

ProjectManager is an award-winning business project management app and to-do list tool. You can stay organized by assigning due dates, priority levels and more. The app allows you to easily filter projects by due date, owner, project and other important criteria, making it easy to stay on track. You can also collaborate, add files and receive notifications to ensure everyone is on the same page about crucial deadlines.  

ProjectManager is available for iOS and Android devices. Pricing starts at $13 per user, per month. Learn more by visiting the ProjectManager website. 

What is the best business expense app?

14. Expensify

Business expense and receipt tracking app Expensify helps you track costs and process reimbursements without worrying about paper receipts. You can link the app directly to a credit or debit account. It automatically tracks charges and places them on an expense report. If you prefer, you can also use your phone’s camera to take pictures of receipts, and Expensify will extract and upload the relevant information.

Expensify is available for iOS and Android devices. You can download and use the app for free; however, paid upgrades are available. Visit the Expensify website to learn more. 

15. QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online is one of the easiest-to-use accounting apps around. In addition to basic accounting, it covers profit analysis, tax reporting, inventory management and more. It connects to your bank account and integrates with many other payroll, inventory, point-of-sale and business expense apps to streamline your workflow. 

QuickBooks Online mobile apps are available for iOS and Android phones and tablets. Pricing starts at $30 per month. Read our QuickBooks Online review to learn more. 

16. PayPal Zettle

For those who need to get paid online and on the go, the PayPal Zettle mobile POS app can help. PayPal Zettle is PayPal’s mobile credit card reader and POS solution. Its mobile app allows you to turn your phone or tablet into a mobile register while staying connected to your PayPal account. 

Zettle can help you accept multiple payment methods, including contactless near-field communication payments. You can also use the app to customize and print receipts and collect email and sales data.

The Zettle app for iOS and Android is free; however, when you accept payments with the Zettle app on your phone, you’ll pay varying transaction fees. Visit PayPal Zettle online to learn more. 

17. Square

If your business is more brick-and-mortar than online, Square may be your best point-of-sale app option. The Square iOS and Android mobile apps let you accept mobile credit card payments with a phone or tablet; your Square account and the necessary hardware are free (you pay a set fee for each transaction). The solution also integrates with your bank account, which can help streamline your accounting. Read our detailed Square review to learn more.

How can apps help your business?

Whether you’re working from home without a full office setup, traveling for work or juggling multiple responsibilities, today’s business owners and professionals must manage numerous tasks on the go. You must be able to access critical data, connect with your teams and meet deadlines at all times. 

Business organization apps help business owners and professionals manage multiple channels from their mobile devices, boosting productivity and saving time and money. These apps can help you do the following and much more:

• Automate repetitive tasks like payment processing and recruiting
• Organize workflows
• Encourage collaboration
• Track projects 
• Extract data to inform financial and operational decisions
• Update accounting information
• Track inventory
• Manage projects
• Stay on task
• Improve efficiency

How do you create a business app?

In addition to finding helpful third-party business organization apps, many companies build their own business mobile apps. These company-specific apps can streamline mobile access to your website, administer a customer loyalty program, improve customer onboarding and retention and much more.

If you’re interested in creating a mobile app for your business, take the following steps:

1. Create a plan. Create a detailed plan and strategy for how your app will serve your business and customers.
2. Conduct research. Research other apps you want to emulate or replace, especially those your competitors use.
3. Hire a designer. Hire a designer if you don’t have an in-house person with experience in app creation. You should also hire a writer to ensure your app’s text content is professional and easy to understand.
4. Design a great user experience. Create wireframes or mock-ups that map the different screens of your app to plan out the user experience.
5. Create the app. Write, construct and code your app with the help of your designer and writer.
6. Test the app. Test your app to identify missing information or places where the user experience is unwieldy. Your app should be bug-free by the time it launches.
7. Launch the app. Release your app after making all necessary tweaks and changes.
8. Market the app. Market your app to new and existing customers; consider their feedback when making changes.

Before going to the expense and hard work of creating a custom mobile app, determine your customers’ needs and evaluate how they currently interact with your business. Consider how an app could improve their experience while helping you boost sales and gain a competitive edge.  

Business apps improve productivity and increase efficiency

Today’s technology makes it easier than ever for business owners to stay organized and productive on the go. Selecting the business organization apps that meet your needs can help streamline processes, reduce redundant administrative tasks and increase productivity.

Casey Conway contributed to this article.