Top Business Apps: 15 Apps That Will Make You Insanely Productive
Testing out the top business apps to use as a freelancer can take a lot of time. The good news though, is that I’ve done the work for you!
After spending several years as a self-employed biz owner myself, and working with a team of 3-4 people, I’ve tested out lots of different tools and apps to help streamline our business process.
This has allowed me to be more productive, as well as earn more money in less time.
From managing financial goals, to working with clients, to balancing everything on the go, we all want to work smarter not harder.
Likewise, you have big business goals and to accomplish them you need some serious apps to be more productive. And you want tools that stop you from wasting a lot of time and money!
To that end, here are the top business apps that will make you insanely productive so you can run your biz like a boss. They can help you make your business a massive success this year!
1. Focuster (focus & schedule management) Business apps
Focuster is an awesome new program that allows you to schedule your most productive workday without even thinking. By inputting all of your tasks (work related and personal) you can organize them by how long they will take to complete.
Focuster will then prompt you to sync your Google Calendar so you can quickly create a schedule for that day.
If you don’t complete a task that day, no problem. Focuster Business apps will send you alerts and reminders until the task is complete. So you never have to worry about forgetting something on your list!
Click here to try Focuster free for 14 days and use it to schedule a better workday.
2. Asana (project & task management)
Asana is a task management tool that I swear by! It helps me collaborate with team members and stay on top of deadlines. But the best part is that it allows me to forward emails from my inbox to Asana and automatically creating a task.
I especially love that it keeps my inbox clear from unnecessary back-and-forth emails. Hello inbox zero! And Asana’s mobile app is a must-have when you work as a location independent freelancer.
If you’re already an Asana user then you know how awesome it is! But you can make daily use of Asana even better with the Asana For Bloggers course. This course is packed with tips and tricks to help streamline your productivity.
Click here to check out the Asana For Bloggers course! It’s only $25.
3. QuickBooks Self-Employed (accounting software)
QuickBooks Self-Employed is one of the top finance apps for freelancers and small business owners. After not liking QuickBooks for many years, I’ve officially been converted. Now, I swear by this app!
You can use QuickBooks Self-Employed to track business income, expenses, create financial reports and even estimate quarterly taxes. You can also create invoices for client work, take pictures of receipts and track time for certain projects.
Plus, it comes with a business expense tracker and business mileage tracker. This will ensure you always get the most tax deductions possible.
You can also use it on cloud using cloud desktop. Apart from QB self-employed you can use QuickBooks Premier Hosting as an alternative.
Click here to try QuickBooks Self-Employed free for 30 days!
4. Discover’s Cashback Debit (banking service)
If you’re looking for a great free personal checking account, you might like Discover’s Cashback Debit account. It’s a great tool for banking, saving, and it doesn’t have any fees!
They offer totally free business checking and savings accounts, so you can run your biz like a boss. And did I mention you get all of this doesn’t for NO monthly fee?
Score! Open a new Discover Cashback Debit account for free!
5. FreshBooks Cloud Accounting (invoicing app)
FreshBooks Cloud Accounting is an all-in-one invoicing and bookkeeping app for virtual business owners. I use FreshBooks to track time on my projects, send out all my invoices, and to manage my monthly reports.
I like FreshBooks because it’s so user-friendly, makes invoicing (and following up) with clients hassle free! Plus, you can save LOADS of money on PayPal fees and only have to pay a $0.50 flat fee, instead of the usual 3ish percent.
Use the FreshBooks Cloud Accounting app free for 60 days!
6. Dropbox (cloud syncing software)
Where would I be without Dropbox? It helps me save all of my photos, videos, PDFs, and documents on the cloud (it’s a great backup!). Not only that, but I can share my files easily back-and-forth from my iPhone.
You can get a free plan, but in the event you need more storage, you can upgrade to a paid plan. If you want to organize all your digital media (and sync it with your mobile phone), Dropbox is where it’s at.
Join Dropbox for free and use it to organize your business on the go!
7. Grammarly (editing software)
If you are a writer or editor, then this tool will completely change the way you work. Grammarly is an online writing app that enhances and checks your writing for spelling mistakes, errors in punctuation, grammar, vocabulary usage, and more.
As a writer or editor, your work has to be error-free. We all make mistakes, but with Grammarly you can catch all of your errors before you hit send.
Use Grammarly to make sure all your pitches and business emails are error free!
8. Focus@will (productivity music)
I love listening to music while I work, but it really takes the right kind of music to keep you focused on the task at hand. Luckily, I found just the thing to do that.
Focus@will is a music app that is scientifically proven to help you make the most of your time, be more productive, and reduce distractions.
You can choose from around 10 different “stations” of music, from acoustic, to upbeat, to sounds from a coffee house so that you can listen to music and stay focused.
Try Focus@will free for two weeks, and watch your productivity skyrocket!
9. Mint.com (budgeting app) Business apps
if you love Mint.com, then you know how awesome it is for budgeting and paying bills. But did you know you can save tons of time trying to figure out how Mint.com works by purchasing The Mint Manual?
Author Larry includes screenshots, secret tips, and even a cheat sheet with this new guide. He also uses his own finances as examples and even displays a few super nerd sections (that you can skip if you’re not a business nerd like I am).
Take your Mint.com knowledge to the next level with The Mint Manual. It’s only $29!
10. GoDaddy Bookkeeping (accounting app)
GoDaddy Bookkeeping is another top accounting software tool to estimate quarterly tax payments. It also keeps keep track of business income and expenses. It’s especially effective for managing income/expenses paid via PayPal.
It automatically syncs certain payments with the right invoices. And you can separate different income streams to monitor your progress.
I use GoDaddy Bookkeeping Business apps because it keeps my finances organized and on top of my taxes every year. That way I never get stuck with a large tax bill.
Try GoDaddy Bookkeeping for yourself and watch your income streams grow!
11. PayPal Premier or Business (payment app)
Did you know you can actually use a PayPal Premier or Business account as a checking account? It’s true! PayPal accounts come with a debit card that you can use for business expenses and other purchases.
Plus, you could qualify for a PayPal Line of Credit to help with making business investments. This means more funds to grow and expand your business.
Upgrade your PayPal account to a Premier or Business account!
12. Digit (microsavings app)
Digit is a microsavings app that helps you save money without thinking. Conversing with the app via text allows you to stash cash for upcoming savings goals.
And the best part is that it will only save money you can actually afford. So if your business account is low, it won’t withdraw any funds. I use Digit to set aside money to pay quarterly estimated taxes and it works like a dream!
Try Digit free for the first 100 days and then only pay $2.99 after that!
13. My Pocket (bookmarking app) Business apps
This is the tool I use every to save over 4 hours a week in wasted time on social media! Pocket is basically a bookmarking tool that works similar to an RSS feed.
When I come across an article, a video, or an image that I like but don’t have the time to read, or aren’t in a quiet place to watch, I simply can save it to my Pocket. I’ve also started using it to save articles I want to include in my portfolio list for later.
Use Pocket to save and organize all of the articles and videos you find across the net!
14. Qoins (debt payoff app) Business apps
Ever wish you could use your spare change to pay down your debts? Well now you can! Qoins is an app that helps you pay off debt by rounding up the purchases you make every day.
So if you spend $10.91 on office supplies, Qoins will round this up to the next dollar and withdraw $0.09. These small amounts will be saved into your secure Qoins account until it reaches $20.
Once-a-month your balance is transferred to the debt account of your choosing, to help pay down the balance. Score!
Click here to try Qoins for free and get a $3 bonus!
15. Acorns (microsavings investing app) Business apps
Acorns is a microsavings investment app that can help jump start your investing goals. If you’re new to investing, and don’t want to risk a lot of money, you’ll want to try Acorns.
Much like Qoins, Acorns rounds up the dollars you spend on business expenses and then transfers the small amounts into your Acorns account. It will then invest that money into the pre-determined portfolio of your choosing.
You can then choose to increase your savings, or add a one-time transfer, to boost your investment account.
Click here to get started with Acorns and get a $5 bonus!
BONUS: 16. Hundreds of Online Business & Entrepreneur Courses (free resource)
This awesome resource shares hundreds of links to free business and entrepreneur courses that are available for you to access on the go. There’s something for everyone, from business administration, to startup capital, to team management.
By Carrie Smith Nicholson
Courtesy: CarefulCents
