20 Best Productivity Tools Reviewed For 2025
10 Best Productivity Tools Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 20 tools reviewed.
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You're looking for productivity tools to help your team automate routine tasks, reduce manual errors, and facilitate better communication and collaboration. However, while productivity tools can simplify your work, the overwhelming number of options available on the market can actually do the opposite, making the selection process more stressful and time-consuming.
I can simplify the selection process by leveraging my experience managing projects and using dozens of productivity platforms. In this post, I've compiled a shortlist of the best productivity tools available, outlining each option's features and use cases to help you find the best choice for your needs.
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Best Productivity Tools Pricing Comparison Chart
Here is a table you can use to compare all the tools we just covered in the overviews.
| Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Guru Guru's AI writing assistant provides real-time suggestions, helping users create accurate knowledge cards more efficiently. | Best for quick information retrieval | 30-day free trial | From $10/user/month | Website |
| 2 |  Kintone Quickly create custom apps using a drag and drop interface. | Best for building custom productivity apps | 30-day free trial | From $24/user/month | Website |
| 3 |  Hubstaff The habit tracker learns your recurrent activities and helps you stay accountable. | Best for remote workforce | 14-day free trial | From $4.99/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 4 |  Visor Visor helps you connect data from external tools and work on it in a user-friendly UI before sending it back to where it came from. | Best for financial planning | Free plan available | From $9/user/month | Website |
| 5 |  Trello Use cards to keep tasks organized and move work across project stages. | Best for visual project tracking | 14-day free trial | From $5/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 6 |  nTask Comment on your tasks to help you keep the team on the same page. | Best for comprehensive analytics | 7-day free trial + free demo available | From $3/user/month (min 5 seats) | Website |
| 7 |  Insightful Monitor employee time and activity and draw comparisons between remote and in-office staff, among other reporting capabilities. | Best for employee productivity tracking | 7-day free trial | From $8/user/month | Website |
| 8 |  monday.com Access templates with pre-built task lists that will help you quickly get started. | Best for visual project planning | 14-day free trial + free plan available | From $8/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 9 |  Slack You can enjoy the same experience when exchange messages with your team on a computer or your phone. | Best for communication features | 14-day free trial | From $7.25/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| 10 |  Wrike Collaborate and receive feedback on project collateral in real-time. | Best for proofing files | Freemium version available | From $10/user/month (min of 2 seats) | Website |
How To Choose Productivity Tools
With so many different productivity tools available, it can be challenging to make decisions on what productivity tool is going to be the best fit for your needs.
As you're shortlisting, trialing and selecting productivity tools consider:
- What problem are you trying to solve - Start by identifying the feature gap you're trying to fill to clarify the features and functionality the productivity tool needs to provide.
- Who will need to use it - To evaluate cost and requirements, consider who will be using the software and how many licenses you'll need. You'll need to evaluate if it'll just be your team or the whole organization that will require access. When that's clear, it's worth considering if you're prioritizing ease of use for all, or speed for your tool's power users.
- What other tools it needs to work with - Clarify what tools you're replacing, what tools are staying, and the tools you'll need to integrate with, such as accounting, CRM or HR software. You'll need to decide if the tools will need to integrate together, or alternatively, if you can replace multiple tools with one consolidated productivity tool.
- What outcomes are important - Consider the result that the software needs to deliver to be considered a success. Consider what capability you want to gain, or what you want to improve, and how you will be measuring success. For example, an outcome could be the ability to get greater visibility into performance. You could compare productivity tool features until you’re blue in the face but if you aren’t thinking about the outcomes you want to drive, you could be wasting a lot of valuable time.
- How it would work within your organization - Consider the software selection alongside your workflows and delivery methodology. Evaluate what's working well, and the areas that are causing issues that need to be addressed. Remember every business is different — don’t assume that because a tool is popular that it'll work in your organization.
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Smartsheet
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.4 -
Wrike
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.2 -
monday.com
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.6
Best Productivity Tools Reviews
Here’s a brief description of each productivity tool that showcases each one’s best use case, their noteworthy features, and some pros & cons. I’ve also included screenshots to give you a snapshot of their user interface too.
Guru is an AI-powered enterprise search tool designed to connect scattered documents, apps, and chats within a company, delivering instant answers directly in the user's workflow.
Why I picked Guru: I chose Guru as a productivity tool after evaluating its comprehensive features and integrations that cater to enterprise knowledge management. Its standout feature is its AI-driven search capability, which integrates with existing workflows to provide instant answers across various platforms. I determined that Guru is best suited for AI-driven enterprise search because it uniquely connects apps, documents, and chats, enabling users to access information swiftly within their workflow.
Guru Standout Features & Integrations
Features include enterprise AI search, an employee intranet, a company wiki, AI suggest and assist, custom branding tools, collaboration and feedback tools, mobile accessibility, and access controls and permissions.
Integrations include Trello, Cognito Forms, Jira Software Cloud, Confluence Cloud, HubSpot, Google Chat, Confluence Server, and GitHub.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Robust search feature
- Improves communication with clients
- Convenient for customer-facing content
Cons:
- Limited integrations
- Potential for it to reference outdated content within the system
Kintone is a cloud-based platform that allows businesses to create custom applications for data management. It provides features for database applications, collaboration, workflow automation, and reporting.
Why I picked Kintone: The platform was an easy choice for me because it enables non-technical users to build and manage their own applications with a drag-and-drop interface, without the need for coding skills. Although it’s not a plug-and-play type of solution, I find the customization options available when building your project-related apps can improve your team’s productivity by displaying only what is needed.
With this software, you can automate workflows, generate detailed reports, and effectively track project progress. It ensures transparency and efficient handling of tasks, which I think positions it as an ideal tool for comprehensive project management.
Features that stand out include the ones that filter and prioritize tasks by data field or team member to generate custom reports or dashboard views. I also appreciate the ability to automate reminders and handoffs between team members for multi-step workflows.
Integrations include Slack, Gmail, Google Calendar, Outlook, Tableau, Dropbox, Salesforce, HubSpot, Eventbrite, WordPress, QuickBooks, MailChimp, and many more through a paid plan with Zapier or via API integrations.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Data is easy to pull and manipulate into good looking reports
- Admin accounts have access to tons of customization tools
- Flexible pricing that includes special deals for schools and NPOs
Cons:
- Limited to 5GB/user storage on every pricing tier
- No single-user plan available (minimum 5 users)
Hubstaff is a time tracking and productivity management software that helps businesses and remote teams monitor the time spent on tasks and projects. It enables organizations to track employee work hours, measure productivity, and streamline remote work management.
Why I picked Hubstaff: I added Hubstaff to my list because it offers comprehensive time tracking features that enable businesses to monitor how employees allocate their time to different tasks and projects. I find this data useful to identify bottlenecks, improve resource allocation, and optimize workflows.
Secondly, the software provides remote workforce management capabilities, which I find are increasingly essential in today's distributed work environments. It offers features like activity monitoring, screenshot capture, and GPS tracking for remote teams, ensuring that employees remain accountable and productive while working from different locations.
Hubstaff Standout Features & Integrations
Features include its payroll management and task management features for agile teams. Hubstaff assists in payroll management by accurately recording hours worked, making it easier to calculate employee salaries and streamline the payroll process. The task management module allows you to set daily or weekly standups with reminders. These will help your team stay aligned and engaged in each sprint.
Integrations include Active Collab, Asana, Breeze, ClickUp, GitHub, GitLab, Insightly, JIRA, LiquidPlanner, Mavenlink, Paymo, PivotalTracker, Podio, Redbooth, Redmine, Teamwork Projects, Trello, Unfuddle, Wrike, Zoho Projects, Slack, Zendesk, Salesforce, QuickBooks, and other apps. You can boost your integration options with a paid plan through Zapier, unlocking hundreds of other possible connections.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Makes it easier to manage employee compensation
- Reports on employee productivity
- Provides precise time tracking features
Cons:
- Limited offline use
- GPS tracking features can face employee resistance
Visor is a project management platform that integrates with Jira, Salesforce, and Hubspot to streamline and enhance project planning and tracking.
Why I picked Visor: I selected this software because it offers several advantages for project teams that heavily rely on Jira for their work. Firstly, it provides a more user-friendly and intuitive interface compared to Jira's complex and sometimes overwhelming dashboard. I find that this simplification can help team members save time and reduce the learning curve, making it easier to collaborate and stay organized.
Additionally, the software enhances visibility and reporting capabilities by providing a consolidated view of Jira data. In my opinion, this can be particularly valuable for project managers and stakeholders.
Visor Standout Features & Integrations
Features include Visor's workbook and dashboards. Workbooks will let you combine information from multiple sources in a single view, allowing you to build multi-app workflows. Additionally, its dashboards and reporting tools allow users to track key performance indicators, identify bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions. This level of insight can lead to improved project planning and resource allocation, ultimately boosting productivity by helping teams stay on track and meet their goals more effectively.
Integrations include native 2-way sync with Hubspot, Salesforce and Jira.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- 2-way sync that sends back info to source
- Colorful and friendly UI
- Makes multi-app workflows possible
Cons:
- It’s only a viewer - needs another tool
- Sync credits are limited
Trello is a web-based project management tool that allows individuals and teams to organize and collaborate on tasks and projects using customizable boards and cards. It provides an easy-to-use interface and various features to streamline workflows and track progress.
Why I picked Trello: I believe this software is great for teams using agile methodologies and has a relatively flat learning curve. Part of why I chose it is due its friendly user interface, that allows you to drag and drop cards to organize your work.
Additionally, I appreciate the versatility and customization options that make it adaptable to a wide range of projects and workflows. Having customizable boards, lists, and cards allows teams to create a structure that works best for them. This ultimately enhances productivity and collaboration.
Trello Standout Features & Integrations
Features that stand out include its powerful integration capabilities and its flexible automation options. Trello can seamlessly connect with other popular tools and platforms allowing users to bring in relevant data and updates from various sources directly into their Trello boards, saving time and effort by centralizing information.
Trello's automation options, known as 'Butler,' empower users to automate routine and repetitive tasks, reducing manual work and improving productivity.
Integrations include 200+ apps and tools your team depends on, like Slack, Google Drive, Salesforce, Dropbox directly into your Trello boards. (Note: Some connections require an additional subscription fee.)
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Unlimited cards in free plan
- Easy to learn and use
- Lots of visual information on cards
Cons:
- Limited functionality for large-scale projects
- Lack of advanced reporting
nTask is a project management software that is built to help small and medium businesses track their projects, tasks, issues, risks, and time.
Why I picked nTask: This tool made it onto my list because it's packed with features which gives you lots of value for the price you pay. I love that it offers a centralized platform for tasks, projects, and team collaboration. I find it makes it easier for you to plan, execute, and monitor your projects efficiently.
Features like task assignment, time tracking, Gantt charts, and customizable project templates are also appreciated. In my opinion, nTask equips you with the tools you need to streamline workflows and stay organized.
nTask Standout Features & Integrations
Features include billing methods and financial alerts. nTask lets you choose between an hourly rate per resource or task and fixed rates. This way, you can have better control over your project financials. And speaking of financials, the platform lets you send a reminder when your project actuals go over the percentage you specify for them.
Integrations include pre-built options with Google, Outlook and Apple calendars, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zoom. Additionally, you can connect to thousands of other tools via Zapier which requires a paid subscription.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- In-app chat for project-focused team conversations
- Comprehensive project management features
- Available via web and mobile app
Cons:
- Limited pre-built integrations
- Gantt charts and Kanban boards not available in Basic plan
Insightful is an employee productivity software with features for time and activity tracking, insider threat detection, and employee burnout predictions.
Why I picked Insightful: This software can be used to better understand productivity levels across your organization by tracking employee time and activity. You can compare productivity levels between remote and in-office employees to better understand how people work best.
The software also has employee monitoring features like screen recording and device screenshots. This helps admins keep track of what employees are doing regardless of where they’re working from. You can also track employee time, including paid and unpaid breaks.
Insightful Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include the software’s unique insider threat detection tool. Administrators will receive real-time notifications when a potential threat to IT security is detected, helping you stay ahead of risks. Another useful feature is its employee burnout detector. You’ll be notified of early signs of employee burnout, empowering you to take action and address issues before they become bigger problems.
Integrations include Jira, Asana, Trello, Workday, ADP, BambooHR, ClickUp, BigQuery, Okta, Zoho People, and Aha!, among others.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Cloud and on-premise versions available
- Intuitive, user-friendly interface
- Automatic time tracking and productivity measurement
Cons:
- Customer support limited in lower-tier plans
- Employees may find some monitoring features intrusive
Monday.com is a cloud-based project management platform that allows businesses to manage tasks, projects, and team work.
Why I picked monday.com: This software is excellent for building custom workflows and task lists. I say this because it offers a highly flexible and customizable platform. The platform provides the versatility to create task lists, track progress, set deadlines and collaborate in real time, enabling seamless communication and transparency.
I appreciate the visual and intuitive interface, which ensures that all team members are on the same page, enhancing productivity. I also find that it helps reduce time wasted in meetings and follow-ups, making multi-step processes organized and manageable. This level of organization and efficiency can have a significant, positive impact on team productivity and throughput.
monday.com Standout Features & Integrations
Features that stand out to me include the automations builder and custom fields. The automations builder is a drag and drop interface that you can use to quickly whip up automatic actions that the system can take, like notifying a specific user, based on certain triggers. This will help get rid of repetitive tasks. The custom fields on the other hand will allow you add more visual information to your task tables, allowing you to see more information about a task at a glance.
Integrations include pre-built connections to apps like Slack, Google Drive, DocuSign, Gmail, Google Calendar, Jira, GitHub, Trello, Dropbox, Typeform and many more. Additionally, you can connect to thousands of additional apps via Zapier.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Helpful visual/color coding customization
- Long list of supported integrations
- Huge focus on collaboration
Cons:
- Gantt charts locked to mid-level plan
- Complex pricing rubric
Slack is a communication platform designed for businesses. It provides channels where team members can communicate, collaborate, share files, and more.
Why I picked Slack: This software's comprehensive features that streamline communication and collaboration made it an easy choice to include on my list. It serves as a central hub for team discussions, organized by various topics or departments, where information exchange takes place in real time, thus enabling quicker decision-making.
Slack Standout Features & Integrations
Features that stand out to me include channels and integrations. Channels allow you to organize your communication by department, project, or any way you like. I find that this makes it easy to find relevant discussions, decisions, files and it keeps conversations well-focused. Integrations let you connect to other apps and use them within Slack. Therefore, scheduling a meeting, planning a project, or even big tasks data analysis can all be done within Slack, saving you time and increasing productivity.
Integrations include Teamline, Workstreams, ClickUp, Asana, Sentry, SimplePoll, Trello, and dozens of development, management, communication, finance, media, marketing, design, wellness, and other apps.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Files and conversations are searchable
- Integrations allow you to multi-task within the app
- Segregate chats by project
Cons:
- Can quickly become expensive as your operation scales
- Too many notifications enabled by default
Wrike is a cloud-based project management software that allows teams to collaborate and manage projects online.
Why I picked Wrike: I picked Wrike because of its proofing module. It offers a centralized platform for reviewing, editing, and approving digital content such as images, documents, videos, etc., which I think is really handy. It allows team members to easily submit their work for review, while managers and other team members can provide feedback directly on the document, reducing the need for lengthy email chains or separate feedback documents.
This feature not only saves me time but also reduces miscommunication and ensures everyone is on the same page, leading to faster decision-making and improving overall productivity.
Wrike Standout Features and Integrations
Features that stand out include time tracking and its interactive Gantt charts. I like the built-in time tracking features because they allow you to monitor how much time is spent on a particular task or project. It provides detailed insights into productivity and can help in managing workload, prioritizing tasks, and ensuring deadlines are met. The Gantt charts allow you to easily adjust schedules by dragging and dropping tasks, set dependencies between tasks, and see how changes in one area affect the overall project.
Integrations include 400+ pre-built native integrations, including integrations with the most popular file management software from Microsoft, Google, and Dropbox, along with sales and marketing software from Salesforce and Marketo.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Many options and opportunities to customize
- Holistic, comprehensive task modeling
- Different ways to view the same data
Cons:
- No offline access
- No subtasks in the freemium plan
Other Productivity Tools
Here are a few more worthwhile options that didn’t make it to the top but are still worth your consideration.
- Hive
For flexible project views
- Smartsheet
For teams requiring a balance of project management and data organization
- Harvest
Productivity tool for time tracking with invoicing
- Zapier
For automating workflows through integrations
- Evernote
For note taking
- Clockify
Productivity tool for free time tracking
- Basecamp
For small to medium-sized teams looking for a simple platform
- ClickUp
For teams looking to get an all-in-one platform that is versatile
- Todoist
For personal task management
- Asana
For custom workflows
Related Project Management Reviews
If you still haven't found what you're looking for here, check out these other project management tool reviews we've curated for you:
- Project Tracking Software
- Project Scheduling Software
- Project Management Software
- Resource Management Software
- Workflow Automation Software
- Time Tracking Software
Selection Criteria For Productivity Tools
Selecting productivity tools for project-based organizations involves a careful evaluation of their functionality and how well they meet specific use cases.
This decision is crucial for addressing buyer needs, alleviating pain points, and ultimately enhancing productivity within the organization. After personally trying and researching various tools, I've developed a set of criteria for evaluation, weighted according to their importance in meeting the needs of project teams.
Core Productivity Tools Functionality (25% of final scoring): Common features for productivity tools typically include task management, real-time collaboration, document sharing, project tracking, deadline reminders, communication platforms, cloud storage, data analysis, customizable dashboards, and integration capabilities. To be considered for inclusion on my list of the best productivity tools, the solution had to support the ability to fulfill common use cases. These include:
- Task assignment and tracking
- Collaborative document editing
- Project timeline and milestone management
- Communication and meeting coordination
- Resource allocation and workload management
Additional Standout Features (25% of final scoring): For a tool to score highly in this category, it must offer unique features not commonly found among competitors, such as:
- AI-driven analytics for project insights
- Advanced automation for workflow optimization
- Seamless integration with a wide range of external tools
- Real-time language translation for global teams
- Environmental scanning for external project influences
Usability (10% of final scoring): When evaluating usability, look for intuitive interface design, such as drag-and-drop calendars in scheduling tools. You also want a minimal learning curve with clear navigation, customizable views that cater to different user preferences, and responsive design for cross-device compatibility.
Onboarding (10% of final scoring): Effective onboarding is key, including:
- Comprehensive training materials like videos and interactive tours
- Template libraries for quick setup
- Customer service availability for immediate assistance
- Community forums or knowledge bases for peer support
Customer Support (10% of final scoring): Top-notch customer support is evaluated by:
- 24/7 availability through various channels (chat, email, phone)
- Proactive support, including monitoring and alerts for potential issues
- Dedicated account management for enterprise clients
- A robust online help center with detailed guides and FAQs
Value For Money (10% of final scoring): Assessing value involves:
- Competitive pricing models that align with the features offered
- Transparent costs without hidden fees
- Flexible plans that cater to businesses of different sizes
- Free trials or demos to test the tool before committing
Customer Reviews (10% of final scoring): Lastly, customer reviews are examined for:
- Overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend
- Specific feedback on the tool’s impact on project efficiency
- User experiences with customer support
- Any recurring issues or limitations highlighted by users
Through this rigorous evaluation process, potential project managers can make informed decisions when selecting productivity tools that not only address the immediate needs of their teams but also provide lasting value and support as their organizations grow and evolve.
Trends In Productivity Tools 2025
The future of project work will be driven by cutting-edge technology and user-centric design principles. Below, is a summary of trends shaping the productivity software industry.
Artificial Intelligence Infusion
- AI-powered Assistance: Platforms such as Beautiful.ai and Jasper AI leverage artificial intelligence to automate design and content creation, significantly reducing the time spent on these tasks and allowing teams to focus on more strategic activities.
- Automated Task Management: AI-driven tools like Motion use automation to plan and prioritize tasks, helping users manage their workload more efficiently and stay focused on meeting deadlines.
User Experience and Mobility
- User-friendly Design: Tools are increasingly focusing on intuitive design and user experience, making it easier for teams to adopt and utilize them without extensive training. Flattening the learning curve will be a priority for many tools.
- Mobile Productivity: The integration of mobile apps with desktop applications ensures that users can stay productive even when away from their workstations. Currently, most mobile experiences lack features to make them a viable tool to work while commuting.
Productivity tools are evolving to meet the demands of a diverse and dynamic workforce, emphasizing AI and machine learning and user-centric initiatives. The key to harnessing these advancements lies in selecting tools that align with your project's unique needs and challenges, thereby maximizing your team's productivity and success.
What Are Productivity Tools?
Productivity tools are a category of applications designed to help individuals and teams enhance their efficiency, manage their tasks, and streamline their work processes. Productivity software encompasses a broad range of tools, including but not limited to task management systems, time tracking apps, collaboration platforms, scheduling software, and document management systems.
These tools are intended to automate routine tasks, reduce manual errors, and facilitate better communication and collaboration among team members. By leveraging the capabilities of productivity software, organizations can achieve their project goals more effectively, with improved alignment among team members and a clearer focus on strategic objectives.
Features Of Productivity Tools
Here, I highlight the most important features to look for in productivity tools, aimed at enhancing productivity for individuals working on projects.
- Automated Workflow Creation: Streamlines repetitive tasks by automating them. Automation saves valuable time by handling routine tasks, allowing project workers to concentrate on more complex issues.
- Real-time Collaboration: Enables team members to work together seamlessly. This feature is crucial to keep all team members aligned and exchanging information fast so they get back to their tasks promptly. Productivity tools often offer features like messaging, comments, file sharing, and integration with email or chat applications.
- Task and Project Tracking: Provides visibility into project progress and individual tasks. You can define checklists, assign tasks to team members, set due dates, and track progress. Keeping track of progress and deadlines ensures that projects stay on course and that any potential delays are addressed promptly.
- Document Management and Sharing: Simplifies the storage, retrieval, and sharing of project documents. Efficient document management saves time by preventing the loss of work and making it easy to share information with stakeholders.
- Customizable Dashboards and Reports: Allows personalization to suit individual or team needs. It offers various metrics, charts, and reports to help you measure KPIs, identify bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions.
- Time Tracking and Billing: These tools commonly provide a time tracker that allows you to monitor the time spent on tasks and projects, helping you manage resources efficiently. Time tracking can also aid in tracking billable hours to evaluate project costs and estimate future projects accurately.
- Security and Compliance: Protects sensitive project information. In today's digital age, ensuring that your project data is secure and that the tool complies with relevant regulations is crucial for maintaining trust and integrity.
Selecting productivity tools with these features ensures that you can maximize efficiency, streamline project management processes, and enhance collaboration.
Benefits of Productivity Tools
If you are exploring ways to elevate your team's performance and organizational outcomes, it's important to understand the primary benefits of productivity tools. Here are four key advantages that these tools offer:
- Enhanced Efficiency: Simplifies and automates routine tasks. By automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, productivity tools free up team members to focus on more strategic and high-value activities, significantly boosting overall efficiency.
- Improved Collaboration: Facilitates seamless teamwork and communication. These tools provide platforms for real-time collaboration and communication, breaking down silos within and across teams, which is essential for the swift resolution of issues and the advancement of project goals.
- Better Time Management: Enables effective scheduling and deadline tracking. Productivity tools come equipped with features for task scheduling, deadline reminders, and time tracking, helping project managers allocate resources more effectively and ensure that projects are delivered on time.
- Increased Transparency: Offers visibility into project progress and performance. With dashboards and reporting functions, stakeholders can gain insights into the status of various tasks and the overall progress of the project, enabling informed decision-making and timely interventions.
Adopting productivity tools in project management not only streamlines operations but also empowers teams to deliver higher quality work within shorter timelines. As the project management field continues to evolve, the role of productivity tools in driving success becomes increasingly indispensable, marking a pivotal shift in how projects are managed and delivered.
Costs & Pricing For Productivity Tools
One of the most important aspects of selecting productivity tools for managers is understanding the different pricing plans available. In general, software buyers will find various plan options designed to cater to different needs, from individual use to large enterprises. However, pricing plans for collaboration tools also typically fall into common categories.
Additionally, understanding these common plan options and their pricing is important to making an informed decision that aligns with your organizational needs and budget constraints. The last thing you want is to pay for features you won't use or accidentally overpay for common features.
Here's a breakdown of common plan options and their features:
Plan Comparison Table For Productivity Tools
| Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features Included |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $0 - $15 per month | Task management, basic project tracking, limited integration capabilities, personal dashboard, and basic reporting. |
| Professional | $15 - $30 per user/month | Advanced task management, project tracking, expanded integration options, customizable dashboards, enhanced reporting, and collaboration tools. |
| Team | $30 - $60 per user/month | All Professional features, plus team collaboration spaces, workflow automation, resource allocation, and advanced security options. |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | All Team features, plus enterprise-grade security, scalability options, dedicated support, and custom integrations. |
| Free Option | $0 | Basic task management, limited projects, minimal collaboration tools, and some integration capabilities. |
Typically, plan options are structured to progressively offer more sophisticated features and support as the price increases, allowing users to select the level that best fits their requirements. As such, when selecting a plan, it is important to consider both the immediate and potential future needs of your organization to ensure the tool can scale with your growth.
Moreover, it is always a good idea to take advantage of free trials and basic plans to test the software before committing to a larger investment. Remember that you can always upgrade your plan as needed.
Common stages where your company may want to upgrade their pricing plan include:
- Team Expansion: When the company is hiring more employees and requires additional user licenses, access permissions, and collaboration features to accommodate a larger team.
- Increased Project Volume: When the number of projects or tasks managed within the productivity tool increases significantly, necessitating more advanced project management features and storage capacity.
- Need for Advanced Analytics and Reporting: When the company needs more sophisticated analytics, reporting capabilities, and data visualization tools to track performance, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.
- Integration with Other Systems: When the business requires seamless integration with other software systems (CRM, ERP, HRMS, etc.) to streamline workflows and improve overall efficiency.
- Enhanced Security and Compliance: When there is a need for advanced security features, compliance with industry regulations, and data protection measures that are typically included in premium plans, especially for companies handling sensitive information.
By assessing the balance between cost and the features offered for the various options available, you can make an informed decision and find the best value for your team.
New & Noteworthy Product Updates
Below you’ll find our release notes and take on the latest and greatest productivity tool product updates. Discover what’s now possible through feature releases, improvements, and updates on web, desktop and mobile apps. Learn what’s new, if it’s hot - or not, and why it matters for enhancing your productivity.
Q4 2024 Productivity Tool Software Updates
Kintone Update Notes
In Q4, Kintone introduced several updates to enhance application management and user experience. A key feature is the new Maintenance Mode, which allows administrators to temporarily make apps private during essential updates and checks. While in this mode, regular users are notified of the app's unavailability, ensuring that only administrators can access and modify settings. This functionality streamlines maintenance processes, improves operational efficiency, and ensures that critical updates can be performed without disrupting regular users
Additionally, Kintone has revamped its front-end architecture, particularly within the Kintone Marketplace, to facilitate faster product improvements. This overhaul includes updates to the design and layout of settings pages, enhancing user navigation and interaction. Furthermore, the REST API now supports streamlined management of inline editing permissions, allowing users to retrieve and update these settings across multiple apps more efficiently.
These updates are particularly beneficial for system administrators and developers who require greater control over app accessibility and maintenance.
Verdict: Hot! No one likes to have their work interrupted by updates, but this new feature at least makes those interruptions more manageable.
Check out Kintone's most recent pricing information.
Visor Update Notes
In Q4, Visor introduced a new integration with Asana, enabling users to consolidate multiple Asana projects into a single platform. This integration allows for the creation of Gantt charts, dashboards, spreadsheets, Kanban boards, multi-project roadmaps, and capacity planning charts, facilitating seamless portfolio management and collaboration.
The bi-directional integration ensures that any updates made in Visor are reflected in Asana and vice versa, maintaining data consistency across platforms. This feature is particularly beneficial for teams using various SaaS applications, as it eliminates collaboration silos and unifies project data.
Project managers, product managers, and teams seeking to enhance their project visualization and reporting capabilities will find this integration especially valuable. By leveraging Visor's tools, they can achieve clearer alignment with stakeholders and improve overall project management efficiency.
Verdict: Not. An integration with Asana is an amazing update, but it is not new in the project management software landscape.
monday.com Update Notes
The Engineering Performance Dashboard is a new feature in monday.com that integrates with GitHub to provide real-time insights into development workflows. It tracks key metrics such as time to pull request, code review, approval, merge, and overall cycle time, offering a comprehensive view of the development process.
This dashboard includes tables displaying items currently in each phase and their histories, detailing item names, pull request links, story points, owners, and time spent in each phase. These features can also help teams identify bottlenecks and make data-driven decisions to enhance efficiency.
Currently in beta, the Engineering Performance Dashboard is accessible to users with the GitHub integration enabled. Development teams, project managers, and stakeholders aiming to optimize their development cycles and improve workflow transparency will find this feature particularly beneficial.
Verdict: Hot! Accurate data tracking can be difficult, so anything that makes it easier is a great improvement.
Wrike Update Notes
In Q4, Wrike introduced AI Widget Generation, a feature that enables users to create dashboard widgets using natural language descriptions. By simply typing phrases like "leads by channel" or "leads by month column chart," the system generates the corresponding widgets, streamlining the dashboard customization process. This functionality is currently available in Wrike Labs under the Work Intelligence preview and requires activation to access.
This enhancement is particularly beneficial for project managers, data analysts, and team leads who regularly utilize dashboards for reporting and data visualization. The AI-driven approach reduces the time and effort needed to set up widgets, allowing users to focus more on interpreting data and making informed decisions. Additionally, it lowers the barrier for those less familiar with manual widget configuration, promoting broader adoption of advanced reporting tools within teams.
By leveraging AI, Wrike aims to simplify complex tasks and provide users with intuitive tools that adapt to their needs, fostering a more efficient and user-friendly environment for project management and collaboration.
Verdict: Hot! It may still be in the preview stage, but this update has excellent potential to streamline data visualization in the future.
Check out Wrike's most recent pricing information.
ClickUp Update Notes
ClickUp's Release 3.36 introduces several enhancements aimed at improving user experience and productivity. Notably, users can now filter views and reports by Custom Relationships, allowing for more tailored data insights. Additionally, Microsoft Teams link previews enable users to view shared Teams content directly within ClickUp tasks, Docs, and Chat, reducing the need to switch between applications.
The update also includes a new 'My Work' page for mobile users, consolidating tasks, events, and calendar entries into a single, organized view grouped by day. This feature facilitates efficient task management on-the-go, allowing users to create tasks, view event details, and complete reminders with ease.
These enhancements are particularly beneficial for project managers, team leads, and mobile users who require streamlined workflows and improved integration between communication platforms.
Verdict: Hot! Better data, better integration, and better mobility, all in one update!
Check out ClickUp's most recent pricing information.
Smartsheet Update Notes
Smartsheet has introduced a File Library feature within workspaces, enabling users to store, search, and collaborate on various file types—such as documents, presentations, images, and videos—directly alongside their projects. This integration simplifies access to relevant content, allowing teams to upload files via drag-and-drop, search and filter by attributes like name and type, and maintain version control to ensure all stakeholders are aligned with the latest information.
The File Library also offers tools for asynchronous collaboration, including the ability to leave directed annotations with customizable pins, shapes, and arrow mark-ups, as well as commenting and @mentioning team members directly on files. These features streamline feedback loops and expedite content reviews, reducing the need for external communication channels and enhancing overall workflow efficiency.
This update is particularly beneficial for project managers, creative teams, and organizations that rely on centralized content management within their workflows.
Verdict: Not. While having an all-in-one system is great, you can achieve the same results with an integrated DAM system.
Check out Smartsheet's most recent pricing information.
Guru Update Notes
In Q4, Guru introduced significant enhancements to its platform, focusing on improving integrations and expanding content sources. Notably, the Slack integration now supports "Inherited Permissions," allowing synchronized content from selected channels to respect existing Slack permissions. This ensures users access only authorized information, streamlining content management within Slack.
The Google Drive integration also received a major upgrade with the introduction of Version 2 (V2). This update includes inherited permissions, enabling synchronized folders to mirror Google Drive's access controls. Additionally, event-based synchronization ensures that updates in Google Drive are immediately reflected in Guru's Answers, maintaining real-time accuracy. The V2 integration also supports syncing of Google Shortcuts, enhancing flexibility in content management.
Furthermore, Guru expanded its Answers feature by integrating new sources, including Kustomer Knowledge Base and Veeva Vault QualityDocs. These additions aim to enhance the breadth of information accessible through Guru's platform, benefiting organizations that utilize these tools. Overall, these updates are particularly advantageous for teams seeking to streamline content management and ensure users have timely access to relevant information across integrated platforms.
Verdict: Hot! Keeping everything in sync is difficult, so anything that makes it easier is a great new feature.
Todoist Update Notes
In Q4, Todoist introduced significant updates to enhance user experience and productivity. For example, the platform launched multi-window support for its desktop applications, which allows users to open multiple Todoist windows simultaneously. This feature enables cross-referencing tasks and projects without losing one's place, with edits syncing instantly between windows, even offline. Additionally, the "Float on Top" option keeps essential windows visible above others, aiding focus during multitasking.
Todoist then introduced a feature enabling users to sync scheduled tasks directly with Google Calendar. This integration allows tasks with specific due dates, times, or durations to appear alongside personal events, providing a unified view of one's schedule. Users can also reschedule tasks directly from Google Calendar, enhancing flexibility and efficiency in task management.
These updates are particularly beneficial for professionals and individuals who rely on Todoist for task management and Google Calendar for scheduling. The multi-window support facilitates efficient handling of complex projects, while the calendar integration ensures seamless coordination between tasks and events, ultimately improving time management and productivity.
Verdict: Hot! It may be simple, but being able to see multiple windows at once can save a lot of time, energy, and frustration.
Clockify Update Notes
In Q4, Clockify introduced a financial planning feature to enhance project management. This update enables users to compare projected billable income against labor costs during schedule creation, providing a clear view of potential profitability. Additionally, the feature offers project budget forecasting, allowing teams to monitor budget consumption over time and predict potential overruns based on scheduled assignments.
The financial planning tool also permits team members to plan their own schedules, fostering autonomy and improving resource allocation. By integrating financial insights directly into the scheduling process, organizations can make informed decisions, optimize project budgets, and ensure alignment with financial goals.
This update is particularly beneficial for project managers, financial analysts, and team leads who oversee project budgets and resource planning.
Verdict: Hot! Managing money can be difficult in the best of circumstances, so easy-to-use financial tools are always a welcome addition.
Asana Update Notes
In Q4, Asana introduced several enhancements to its platform, notably the "Custom Field Rollups" feature. This functionality allows users to aggregate data from individual projects within a portfolio, providing a comprehensive view of key metrics such as budget, costs, and time. By combining portfolio rollups with the flexibility of formula custom fields, teams can create tailored data aggregations that align with their specific reporting needs.
Additionally, Asana implemented "Individual Portfolio Permissions," enabling users to customize access levels for each portfolio. This update offers more granular control over who can view or edit portfolio information, enhancing security and collaboration within teams. The introduction of "Manual Rule Triggers" provides users with the ability to initiate automations at their discretion, offering greater flexibility in workflow management.
These updates are particularly beneficial for project managers, team leads, and executives overseeing multiple projects.
Verdict: Not. While these are excellent updates, these types of security and analytics features are not new in the productivity software space.
Check out Asana's most recent pricing information.
Productivity Tools FAQs
Find answers to common questions other people ask about this topic
How do you explain productivity at work?
Productivity at work refers to the efficiency and effectiveness with which an individual or team completes tasks and achieves goals within a given timeframe while maximizing the use of available resources. It is a measure of how well one can generate desired outputs, whether they are tangible products, services, or project milestones. Productivity is often evaluated by the ratio of output to input; the higher this ratio, the more productive the work is considered.
Key factors that contribute to productivity at work include time management, the quality of output, resource allocation, and the ability to minimize distractions. Effective time management involves prioritizing tasks, setting goals, and maintaining focus on important activities. Quality output ensures that the work meets or exceeds the required standards, minimizing the need for revisions and rework. Efficient resource allocation means utilizing people, tools, and materials effectively, while minimizing waste. Reducing distractions, whether they are related to technology, environmental factors, or personal habits, helps maintain a high level of concentration and output.
Ultimately, productivity at work is about achieving more with less, optimizing processes, and continuously improving work habits to reach and surpass goals efficiently. It contributes not only to an individual’s success but also to the overall success and competitiveness of large organizations and small businesses alike.
What is the key to productivity in projects?
The key to productivity in projects lies in effective project management practices. Project management is a structured approach to planning, executing, and monitoring projects to ensure they are completed on time, within scope, and within budget. Several crucial elements contribute to project productivity:
- Clear Objectives and Planning: Clearly defining project objectives and breaking them down into actionable tasks is the foundation of project productivity. A well-thought-out project plan outlines responsibilities, timelines, and resources required. It sets a clear direction for the team and minimizes ambiguity.
- Effective Communication and Collaboration: Strong communication among team members and stakeholders is essential. Project managers need to facilitate open and transparent communication, ensuring everyone, including freelancers, is on the same page. Collaboration tools, regular status meetings, and clear reporting mechanisms help keep the project on track.
- Resource Management: Efficient allocation and management of resources, including people, time, and budget, are critical for project productivity. Ensuring that the right people with the right skills are assigned to the right tasks, and that resources are utilized optimally, prevents bottlenecks and delays.
- Continuous Monitoring and Adaptation: Regular monitoring and progress tracking allow for early detection of issues and deviations from the plan. This enables the project team to make necessary adjustments and decisions promptly, preventing small problems from becoming major setbacks. Agile project management methodologies, such as Scrum, emphasize adaptability and continuous improvement as a means to enhance productivity.
- Risk Management: Identifying potential risks and having a strategy to mitigate or respond to them is essential. Proactive risk management minimizes disruptions and ensures that the project stays on course.
What’s one way in which I can increase my productivity?
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that can significantly enhance personal productivity. It works by breaking your work into focused, time-boxed intervals, typically 25 minutes each (referred to as “Pomodoros”), followed by a short 5-minute break. After completing four Pomodoros, you take a more extended break of 15-30 minutes. This structured approach has several benefits. First, it promotes a sense of urgency and concentration during the work intervals, as you commit to giving your undivided attention to the task at hand for a brief period. This helps eliminate distractions and maintain focus on your work.
Second, the regular breaks incorporated into the Pomodoro Technique help prevent burnout and mental fatigue. They allow you to recharge, maintain your energy levels, and return to work with a fresh perspective. This can lead to increased overall productivity because you’re less likely to experience diminishing returns from extended, uninterrupted work periods.
If you want to get started with this method, look for mobile apps for your Android or iOS device. You can also access a Pomodoro timer via Google Chrome or any other browser and get the same experience on your Windows or Mac computer.
How can one avoid burnout while trying to stay productive?
As a project manager, avoiding burnout while staying productive is all about balance. Here are
- Prioritize tasks to focus on what truly matters—this means learning to say ‘no’ to less critical tasks.
- Regular breaks are key; they’re not a sign of slacking but a proven method to boost focus and creativity.
- Delegate when possible. It’s tempting to micromanage, but trust your team and share the load.
- Don’t forget self-care; exercise, sleep, and hobbies are not just for weekends. They help recharge your batteries.
- Lastly, set clear boundaries between work and personal life to ensure downtime is truly downtime.
Remember, productivity isn’t about doing more all the time; it’s about working smarter and taking care of yourself so you can sustain your efforts long-term.
Can these tools track productivity for specific tasks or projects only?
Absolutely—many of these productivity tools are designed with the flexibility to track productivity at both macro and micro levels. This means you can zoom in on specific tasks or projects to monitor progress, time spent, and overall efficiency.
This is particularly useful for tailoring insights to your project’s unique requirements and identifying areas for improvement or celebration. Implementing such tools allows for a more nuanced understanding of team dynamics and individual contributions, enhancing your ability to lead effectively and make informed decisions.
Are there any discounts for educational institutions or non-profits?
Yes, many productivity tools offer special discounts for educational institutions and non-profits. It’s a common practice to support these organizations by making the tools more accessible.
Typically, you’d need to reach out directly to the software provider, as they often require proof of status before applying the discount. It’s worth exploring, as these discounts can significantly reduce costs and make a wide array of features available to your team or organization at a more manageable price point.
What other types of tools can help enhance my productivity?
Enhancing productivity goes beyond just using project management software. A variety of productivity tools for work can streamline tasks, keep you focused, and optimize your workflow. Here’s a look at some of the best options:
- Note-Taking Apps: These are essential examples of productivity tools that can help capture ideas, organize thoughts, and keep track of important information. Apps like Evernote and Notion are popular personal productivity tools for individuals and teams alike.
- Focus Apps: Staying focused is key to productivity, and apps like Forest and Focus@Will are among the best productivity tools to minimize distractions and maintain concentration. These employee productivity tools are especially useful for deep work sessions.
- Calendar Apps: Managing time effectively is crucial. Calendar apps like Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook can help schedule meetings, set reminders, and plan your day efficiently, making them essential productivity software tools for managers and teams.
- Distraction Blocking Apps: Apps like Freedom and StayFocusd block distracting websites and apps, allowing you to focus on important tasks. These computer productivity tools are perfect for those looking to eliminate time-wasting activities.
- Assistive Apps: Assistive apps like Grammarly and Speechify provide writing assistance and text-to-speech features, enhancing productivity by speeding up tasks that would otherwise be time-consuming. These are ideal small business productivity tools for those juggling multiple roles.
Check out ClickUp’s most recent pricing information.
What’s Next?
A project manager's productivity is pivotal to the success of any project, and having the best productivity tool at their disposal can make a world of difference. By choosing the tool that best aligns with your project's unique needs, you can streamline your workflows, foster effective communication, and make data-driven decisions.
Ultimately, the combination of these productivity-enhancing tools empowers project managers to not only meet project goals more efficiently but also adapt and excel in an ever-evolving professional landscape. Learn more productivity tips that will help you excel in your field!
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