47 of the best productivity tools for work and life

Learning & Development

1. Fingerprint for Success

The way we see it, there's only one tool you need to improve your skills for life and work: this one!

Fingerprint for Success is our science-based app for understanding personality motivations. Trusted by organizations in 180+ countries, our people analytics help team members figure out how they work best and what areas they can focus on.

The app is accompanied by a range of coaching programs you can take on your own or as part of a team.

Things you can learn about include:

• Vital Wellbeing: increase your energy to solve problems and thrive
• Attention to Detail: get better at spotting the small things and measuring what matters
• Increase EQ: improve your emotional intelligence; master the art of non-verbal communication

Each coaching program is divided into 5-15 minute sessions, twice a week, for eight weeks. It's a small commitment that can make a big difference - why not try one today?

Writing & Research

2. Airstory

An online writing tool, Airstory was created specifically for copywriters, researchers, journalists, and bloggers who want a better way to organize their clippings.

Projects and Cards are the main components of Airstory. You can drag and drop cards into a project for easy inserting of text that you frequently use, so it's a great productivity tool for bringing different bits of information into one place.

Main Features:

• Organize your notes into different sections with a kanban board
• Clip notes from webpages for later use
• Work seamlessly with other leading applications and software
• Projects can be exported directly to WordPress, Google Docs and Google Drive

3. Google Docs

Google Docs is the free word processor that's part of the Google suite of productivity tools.

Google Docs has a features that differentiate it from its main desktop competitor, Microsoft Word. But its key selling point is online, collaborative document editing across devices and platforms.

To view or edit Google Docs you share with collaborators, they don't even need a Google account.

Main Features:

• Sharing documents online with colleagues is easy
• You can view and edit Google Docs documents offline - when you reconnect, all your work is synced
• Leave suggested changes in the comments section to make content decisions together
• Free templates available on Google Docs to help you create better content

4. Coda

Coda is a cloud-based app that's a cross between a spreadsheet, word processor and project management tool.

Everything you write and do fits into one flexible platform, and there's an endless range of cool projects you can make with it. Plus, it connects to a bunch of other apps too.

Main Features:

• A variety of building blocks and time-saving templates
• With packs, you can integrate your doc with the apps your team uses every day
• Customizable views for each user to see data in whichever way they prefer

5. Grammarly

Grammarly can help you write better. It's a real-time spelling and grammar checker that works as a browser extension.

During the writing process, Grammarly checks your work against its database of content and style guides, and offers suggestions on how the flow of your sentences can be improved.

Main Features:

• Automatic proofreading for grammar and spelling
• Punctuation, grammar context, and sentence structure are all checked
• Offers alternative words to extend your vocabulary
• Genre-specific writing style checks are also available

6. Evernote

It's no secret that Evernote is one of the best note-taking apps out there.

Evernote saves, organizes, and searches your thoughts, notes, voice memos, images, files, and anything else you add to it. It's cloud-based and you can access it from a computer, smartphone, or tablet.

You can sort and arrange your notes with Evernote's tags, geolocation tags, notebooks, and stacks of notebooks.

Main Features:

• Save web content with the browser extension
• Scan documents and search text within images
• Make better documents with templates
• Synchronize your schedule with your notes
• Put together to-do lists alongside richly formatted content

Staying Focused

7. JustRead

JustRead is an essential addition to Chrome that removes distracting elements of web pages. Websites and articles can be viewed in a more intuitive, engaging, and personalized interface.

Main Features:

• Avoid distractions and ad interruptions when reading
• Custom themes
• Remove unwanted elements manually
• Annotate and highlight text

8. Stayfocusd

With StayFocusd, you can minimize the amount of time you spend on time-wasting websites. The sites you block will not be accessible until the timer you set expires.

The app helps you resist the temptation to browse the web or social media, increasing your productivity keeping your attention on the task at hand.

Main Features:

• Installs in Google Chrome as an extension
• Block specific websites that cause you problems
• Easy-to-use interface without distractions
• Super useful for chronic procrastinators

9. Forest

Forest is a mobile app similar to StayFocusd that brings gamification to the act of maintaining your attention.

You plant a digital tree when it's time to focus, and it starts to grow. If you pick up your phone and start using distracting apps, it dies. The goal is to grow a forest of 'attention trees'.

Main Features:

• Keeps you focused on what's important
• Helps the environment by donating to real tree-planting charities while you play
• See real progress over time about how well you're keeping focused

10. Toggl Track

Track your time and figure out what you really do all day, with Toggl Track.

You can track the time you spend on different tasks with Toggl's simple and friendly interface. This time management app lets you track hours worked, bills owed, or other metrics for personal projects, and you can use the app as an individual or as part of a team.

Main Features:

• Track time with a single click from your desktop app, mobile app, or browser extension
• Set reminders and triggers so you don't forget to track things
• Use the calendar view to add or start time entries based on Outlook or Google Calendar
• Organize your most frequent recurring tasks for easy access

11. Harvest

The Harvest time tracking app is an invoicing, expense, and team management tool designed for freelancers and business teams. Similar to Toggl Track, it's simple to use and easily integrates with other business applications.

Main Features:

• Keep track of your working hours by setting and stopping timers during the day
• Available on desktop and mobile devices
• Integrate Google Calendar & Outlook to track time more easily
• Analytics help you understand which projects are most profitable
• Understand your team's capabilities and adjust their workload appropriately

Utilities

12. Alfred

Alfred is an app launcher and productivity app that is available for Mac. It's free, but you can upgrade for extra features.

With Alfred, you can quickly launch Mac apps and perform recurring tasks with simple hotkeys and keywords. It's got tons of features that improve your desktop experience with various small enhancements.

Main Features:

• Access files on your Mac or the web quickly. Alfred learns when and how you interact with your Mac and becomes more efficient over time
• Clipboard History can be used to find any text, image, or document that you copied so you can paste it again
• To create a workflow, you simply place hotkeys, keywords, and actions together; no coding is involved
• Get quick access to files, contact information, and music player controls

13. LastPass

LastPass is a password manager that stores all of your usernames and passwords in one secure vault. It automatically saves passwords to your Vault when you create them.

Using LastPass, you can log in to a website without having to type your username or password. Having a secure online life is essential for working efficiently each day without the threat of information breaches - and a password manager is a great way to achieve that.

Main Features:

• Use the built-in generator to create secure passwords
• Find out if your information has been exposed online automatically by monitoring your accounts
• Check your accounts' health and safety with security dashboards

14. Zapier

Zapier is an online platform that automates workflows for you by connecting your apps and services together.

With Zapier, you can connect tons of your apps, sharing data and working together automatically, without coding knowledge.

You can create 'Zaps' (actions that run automatically) from scratch or from templates, saving you tons of time performing repetitive tasks.

Main Features:

• Create workflows for almost any app
• Automate recurring tasks
• No coding knowledge needed
• Creating workflows is as easy as clicking a few buttons

Project and Task Management

15. Airtable

You might never encounter a more useful database tool than Airtable. Collaboration and information management becomes much easier for you and your team with Airtable.

It looks like a more colorful Google Sheets spreadsheet, but it's actually a versatile way to collect, manage and display all sorts of data.

You can manage projects, work tasks, do financial calculations, plan events, build publishing calendars, and more.

Compared to similar, older database management systems, it looks easy to use, with a friendly colour scheme and intuitive icons. Additionally, it can be customized and connected with lots of other apps, making it a supremely powerful project management tool and database.

Main Features:

• Intuitive and attractive user interfact
• Customizable views for a large range of data types
• Useful extensions and a wide range of templates to get you started

16. Asana

Asana is a powerful collaboration tool that helps teams manage multiple projects simultaneously.

At a glance, Asana provides users with an overview of all assigned tasks. Users can customize their assignments so everyone can stay accountable for their work.

With Asana, you can monitor the progress of your team in real-time in an easily-understandable interface.

Main Features:

• Collaborate with up to 15 team members (in the free version)
• Capture documents, notes and next steps for all team members
• List, board, and calendar views are available for viewing your projects
• Easily integrate with other apps
• Break your projects into manageable tasks, collaborate with other teams, and set deadlines for completion

17. TickTick

"Do something creative each day" with TickTick, an app that captures inspiration, organizes your life, and keeps track of your tasks. This powerful to-do and task management app uses cloud synchronization to work across multiple devices. It's a simpler alternative to some of the more complex options out there.

Main Features:

• With voice input, you can add tasks faster and easier
• Stay on top of your to-do list by organizing it into four categories
• Natural text input for new tasks
• Pomodoro timer that helps you stay focused and productive

18. Todoist

Whether you're working on your tasks alone or with others, Todoist organizes them for you. It's a to-do list app that keeps track of your productivity and works as an easy-to-use life management system.

With Todoist, all of your tasks and notes sync automatically across your devices.

Main Features:

• Get a clear picture of everything on your plate at a glance
• Always know what to do next as it shows you the right tasks at the right moment
• Make your daily tasks more manageable by delegating to others
• Workflow and task views can be tailored to your unique needs
• Sync Todoist with your email, calendar, and files to streamline your workflow
• Track your productivity results

19. TeuxDeux

TeuxDeux is one of the simpler digital tools for organizing your day-to-day life. It's a minimalist app that offers the convenience of paper-based to-do lists along with the capabilities of a digital app.

Main Features:

• Once midnight strikes, all unfinished tasks begin anew
• Straightforward and easy to use
• Interface has a minimalist look

20. Trello

Trello is one of the most popular productivity apps out there, known for its colorful kanban boards and simple approach to task management.

Under the hood, it's a powerful and customizable tool for tracking all the moving parts of large projects.

Using a Kanban Board, project teams in Trello can manage, organize, track, and monitor their work. Everyone knows what tasks they need to do at any given time, as you can delegate tasks to users, add completion dates, and view data in different configurations.

Main Features:

• Streamline workflows and simplify task delegation with cards
• User-friendly, intuitive, no steep learning curve
• Several display options and features allow users to personalize the system to their needs

21. TeamGantt

TeamGantt, is a collaborative Gantt chart-based project management tool.

A Gantt chart allows you to view and manage all the parts of a project at once, in a way that shows task dependencies as well as a timeline. So if Task B can't be completed until Task A is done, you can plan for this and see who's responsible.

TeamGantt is simple to use, even if you've never used Gantt charts before. The charts provide a lot of detailed information without being overwhelming.

Main Features:

• Easily identify conflicts between projects and plan by combining all your projects into one Gantt chart
• The availability tab allows you to keep track of resources, keep costs in check, and ensure everyone is working without being stressed out
• View and share all project notifications and documents on one page
• Find out which tasks are behind with the project health reports
• Choose between a calendar, Kanban board and list view
• Baseline reports allow you to compare the original timeline projection with the real timeline of the project

22. Wrike

Wrike is a powerful tool for teams that makes it easy to manage ongoing projects and integrate new ones. It's great for cross-functional collaboration and department-specific workflows (eg. marketing).

Features include a system that can predict when projects may fall behind schedule and alert users about possible causes, as well as a powerful digital asset library that users can share feedback through.

Main Features:

• Integrate visibility into every step of your process
• Real-time tracking of your project across teams
• Automate workflows with over 400 integrations with other apps

23. Monday.com

Monday.com is a browser-based project management tool designed for teams. With highly customizable boards, team members can log their tasks in an intuitive visual environment.

Each team member can see all active tasks and their progress on them, making it easy to delegate work to others or step in quickly if someone becomes unavailable. It's easy to use and has a modern and attractive interface.

Main Features:

• Optimize your workflow for maximum productivity
• Drive impact for your business by bringing together the right teams
• Plan, organize, and manage projects of all kinds
• Keep track of goals so you can achieve them more quickly

24. ClickUp

ClickUp is 'one app to replace them all', bringing together task management, documents, communication, note-taking, planning, and more.

Using ClickUp, teams, and companies of all sizes and types can create workflows in the cloud. Lots of systems are consolidated and data is centralized into one online solution.

Team members can be assigned tasks, projects are managed for clients, and documents can be collaborated on. Work can be done efficiently and easily with ClickUp.

Main Features:

• Easily create and manage any project type, no coding required
• Work on any project together using an array of collaboration tools
• Get your team to collaborate on product ideas, document bugs, or take notes on meetings with ClickUp Docs
• Work in real-time with others, with rich editing capabilities, and keep everyone up to date with a robust knowledge base
• Manage resources more effectively, track progress, and set goals

Visual Creativity

25. Canva

Using Canva, you can edit photos even if you have no prior experience in photo editing. In just a few minutes, you can create social media graphics, presentations, posters, documents, and other visual content using this free-to-use online software tool.

Main Features:

• Collaborate using almost any device from anywhere in the world
• Easily combine photos and text all in one place
• Enhance your pictures with awesome photo effects
• Record videos to explain a topic, demonstrate a process, or even showcase a product
• Make professional-looking videos by smoothly splitting and splicing clips

26. Figma

Figma is a web-based graphics editing and user interface design app. You can use it for various graphic design tasks, including wireframing websites, designing mobile app interfaces, prototyping designs, creating social media posts, and more.

Main Features:

• Make your designs responsive with Auto Layout
• Integrate plugins into your work to automate and augment it
• Cloud storage makes it possible to access files from anywhere
• Share files online with a live link
• Version history for convenient editing and collaborative working

File storage and sharing

27. Google Drive

Google Drive is one of the best free cloud storage and sync services available, with a bunch of different productivity features. Among its many features are document creation, editing, syncing, and easy collaboration / sharing.

Main Features:

• Share your files and folders with external users - they don't need an account
• Search features that allow you to find things super-fast
• Drag-and-drop uploading is supported
• Scanned images can be saved directly to your Drive via your phone camera
• Files you need to access regularly can be marked as favorites so you'll find them easier

28. Dropbox

Dropbox, one of the first cloud storage and syncing services, allows users to sync desktop files to the cloud from anywhere.

Using Dropbox, you can sync, store, and collaborate on files. It works simply by placing your files in the Dropbox folder - that's it. With Dropbox, your files sync automatically, so they're available on any computer with an internet connection, whether it has Dropbox installed or not.

By referring friends (an additional 500MB for every new member, up to 16GB) and contributing to the user forum, you can earn more disk space.

Main Features:

• Accessible with any device
• Automated backup and organization system
• Synchronize your data efficiently and easily
• Share links easily via chat, email or text message

Marketing and social media

29. Hootsuite

Hootsuite is one of the top and most comprehensive social media management tools.

A single interface consolidates all your social feeds, making it easier to monitor and post instead of opening each platform separately.

Hootsuite automates post schedules, gathers key performance metrics, and also pulls analytics data from your accounts. It's much better than doing all your social media work manually.

Main Features:

• Create and schedule posts simultaneously to several social networks
• Check your social media channels for updates and messages, and keep track of your posts
• Get real-time recommendations on the best time to publish based on your social profiles, and see upcoming scheduled content in real-time
• Engage users from various networks in the same stream. Get answers, boost positive reactions, and share messages in a single click
• Create tailored reports that show the success of your social media marketing across all your social networks

30. Buffer

Similar to Hootsuite, Buffer lets you manage multiple accounts and schedule posts across different social media platforms. It's a simpler interface, with a calendar view providing an overview of all the posts you've got coming up.

Using it for social media account integration allows you to manage multiple accounts with minimal effort and time. In just a couple of clicks, you can install it as a Chrome extension, for sharing interesting things you find around the web.

Main Features:

• Clip text or images you like and queue them up
• Send your tweets at the best possible time
• Keep track of your best performing posts and recycle them
• Make sure your key metrics are up to date

31. Hubspot

HubSpot is a comprehensive digital marketing solution offered as a cloud-based service. If you're doing any form of online marketing, HubSpot can probably help you.

The platform provides a wide range of features and customizations, which can cater to the needs of businesses of all sizes. Marketing automation, social media campaign management, and customer relationship management (CRM) are some of its specialist areas.

You can use it to drive traffic, gain customers, grow your business, and turn leads into sales with this all-in-one marketing and sales package.

Main Features:

• Easy email automation and workflows
• Integrated marketing report and metric platform
• Productivity tools for publishing your marketing content

Email management

32. Newton

Newton is a minimalist email program available on a variety of platforms. With its sparse interface, it's a pleasure to use, and makes your email experience more of a joy than a chore.

Main Features:

• Get notified when your email is read
• 'Recap' feature highlights conversations that you still need to respond to or follow up on
• Streamline your inbox by focusing on your most important emails

33. RightInbox

Using automated processes, email tracking, and scheduling, RightInbox streamlines your Gmail processes so you never miss an important email again. It's a great Gmail extension for improving your email productivity.

Main Features:

• Send emails when your recipients are most likely to read them
• Set a time for getting reminders about important emails and conversations
• Write down thoughts and ideas while avoiding cluttering your email communication with other team members
• Choose the right signature for each situation by creating templates and applying them with one click
• Prepare a follow-up email in advance
• Send automated emails
• Push important conversations from Gmail to your favourite CRM tools

34. Shift

You can use Shift to streamline your email accounts, apps ,and workflows. So instead of having tons of browser and app windows open for each service, it's all in one place - much faster than switching from one account to another.

Main Features:

• Access multiple online accounts from one platform
• Works with Google, Microsoft, Slack and other apps
• Make custom workspaces for different projects
• Unified search through all your accounts

35. Spike

Too many long threads and repeated headers and signatures can make emails messy. Spike changes your email into a chat-like conversation, removing things that distract you. This saves you a lot of time. It's like having email, but as easy as texting.

Main features:

• Organize all communications, including emails, threads, files, and profiles, neatly under each contact.
• See who's online, track messages, and identify people with profile pictures.
• Manage all email accounts in one unified Inbox, compatible with Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and more.

Communication and collaboration

36. Signal

With Signal, you can send text messages, photos, videos, voice messages, and manage group chats securely.

In Signal, your messages encrypted end-to-end. Only you and the message recipient can see its contents - not even Signal's developer can see what you send.

Main Features:

• Configure and manage disappearing messages
• 'Note to Self' feature lets you write down notes for later review or easily share files and messages with your linked devices
• Clear your chat list without deleting any messages by archiving

37. Discord

Discord is a software platform that offers VoIP chat and instant messaging. Gamers use it as one of their primary online communication tools, but it's now becoming more popular in business and other social contexts.

With Discord, you can converse with friends directly via voice, video, and text, and you can also connect to shared servers for community interaction in a chat-room format.

Main Features:

• Organize yourself into a private group that only you can access
• Get on a voice channel whenever you feel like it. You can see who's around on your server and instantly chat with them without having to call
• Establish private channels, grant members special rights, and more
• Share files, videos, and custom emojis

38. Slack

One of the world's most popular email alternatives, Slack is an asynchronous messaging app for teams. Customizable and extensible, Slack offers a wide range of settings and sharing options.

Workspaces are divided into channels (similar to Discord), and you always have the option to message someone directly.

Main Features:

• Easy-to-use interface
• Connects to various collaboration tools
• Search old messages from your archive
• Video and audio conferencing
• Connect dozens of bots and apps

39. Telegram

Telegram is a secure instant messaging service that has become one of the most popular choices for people who want to keep their personal information safe.

There are a lot of features in Telegram, but it's best known for its ability to encrypt messages and media, which prevents third parties from eavesdropping.

Main Features:

• Self-destruct feature on secret chats
• Delete media (photos, videos, and other files) shared on Telegram: the app lets you manage your files the way you want
• Fun stickers and customization options
• Drafts are automatically saved and synced across all devices
• Using the app's locking feature, you can hide private messages behind a passcode

40. ScrumGenius

ScrumGenius allows teams to conduct asynchronous, virtual agile meetings online using a chat platform. It brings the idea of stand-up meetings in the office to the world of remote work.

The day begins with an overview of each person's daily progress, blockers, and plans instead of real-time updates. It eliminates the need to meet or synchronize at specific times - which can cause issues for remote team members - and offers a range of analytics tools to see how the team's doing over time.

Main Features:

• Keep your teams engaged in regular team meetings, wherever they are
• Focus on actions rather than getting lost in back-and-forth chat
• Integrate standups with everyday tools such as project management software, codebases, and personal calendars

41. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a platform for collaboration and video conferencing that helps people communicate across different devices. Text chats, voice calls, and video calls are available - and if you're part of the Microsoft Office ecosystem you'll love this team messaging app, as the service syncs with various Microsoft 365 services, including OneDrive and PowerPoint.

Main Features:

• Team members communicate through channels similar to message boards
• SharePoint allows you to store documents
• Make video calls and share screens online
• Anyone outside the company can be invited to online meetings without an account

42. Basecamp

Basecamp is a web-based collaboration tool that's great for project-based work in small teams. Work tasks, deadlines, files, discussions, and announcements are all stored in its central hub, which can act as a sort of central wiki for everything you've got going on.

It's designed to balance work management and communication equally, helping everyone find the tasks they're set quickly and easily.

Main Features:

• Optimized for remote working
• Instant messaging platform for real-time communication
• Analyzes all activities and team members to provide quick insights
• To-do lists, scheduling and automatic check-ins

43. Chanty

Chanty is a team collaboration tool that focuses on video calling and task sharing.

It increases communication between teams and improves productivity while keeping a simple and intuitive user experience.

Main Features:

• With Teambook, you can share all of your content, including tasks and conversations
• 4k video and audio for the highest quality calls
• Connect other services and get notifications within the app

44. Zoom

Zoom is one of the world's most popular video calling platforms. It's a great replacement for back-and-forth emails when you want to share ideas quickly, and a nice way to build a human connection when meeting remotely.

It's got HD video and audio, collaboration tools, chat functionality, and an enterprise VoIP solution.

There's no need to download the app since you can always connect via the web, but installing the app does optimize the experience.

Main Features:

• Third-party integrations with plenty of other services
• Run webinars and engage with text chat during meetings
• Automatically turns off your camera and mic when you join a meeting
• Use custom backgrounds to maintain privacy

Calendar and scheduling

45. Google Calendar

The Google Calendar App is an excellent resource for managing your daily tasks and activities. Integrated with Gmail and other Google Apps, schedules and projects are always synced and up-to-date.

Find out when important events are happening, schedule video conference meetings, and plan events.

Main Features:

• Create different calendars for different purposes and see them in the same place
• Attach files and links while creating events
• Set up reminders
• Set goals
• See what's on your coworker's calendar
• Automatic time zone conversion

46. Calendly

With Calendly, you can easily schedule appointments or meetings with customers, leads, and team members.

It lets you select your schedule, share your link or embed it on your website so people can pick a time that suits them. Both parties are notified when the appointment is confirmed.

This app aims to eliminate the laborious process of setting up appointments by phone and email. By eliminating long messages and delays, you can avoid losing people's attention and get right to the talking.

Main Features:

• Intelligently detects timezones
• Notification of upcoming appointments
• Streamlined and efficient meeting processes
• Integration of payments
• Integrates with various calendar services

47. Morgen

A unified calendar application, Morgen allows you to manage your calendar events and activities all in one place. It's privacy-focused and doesn't sell your data to third parties.

All your calendar entries are brought together to minimize constant switching - giving you some much-needed mental rest.

Main Features:

• Drag and drop individual tasks onto the calendar to set a time for them
• Sharing meeting availability is simple and quick with an in-built Calendly alternative
• Send calendar invitations for virtual meeting rooms
• Flexible integration options (Google Calendar, Yahoo, Office 365, Zapier, etc.)
• Color-code your events into different categories