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Collaborative Work Platforms
On average, how many emails do you exchange with co-workers everyday? And how much time does it normally take to brief your team on goals or progress? If your answers make you cringe, you should consider updating your collaboration tools.
Team collaboration software is on the rise. From communication to project management, technology offers an abundance of options. More online collaboration tools spring up every year, while existing ones are constantly improving their features and functionality. Some companies grow and thrive through holacracy, a collaborative management structure.
Here’s a list of 15 of the best collaboration tools that can support your team’s needs:
Communicate with your team
People can’t collaborate if they don’t communicate. From instant messaging to video conferencing tools (the best alternative to face-to-face meetings), there are many options for team collaboration tools:
- Flowdock
Flowdock is a group and private chat platform. Its most interesting feature is its team inbox which aggregates notifications from other channels, like Twitter, Asana and customer support tools. - GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting is an online video conferencing software that allows users to schedule meetings and share screens. It’s one of the most popular video tools with millions of users. - Slack
Slack is a popular and well-crafted platform offering instant messaging, file transfers and powerful message search. It has many features and dozens of integrations with other tools like Trello and Intercom. - WebEx
Cisco’s WebEx provides personalized video meeting rooms where users can to host and join meetings. People can use WebEx for team collaboration, webinars, training and customer support.
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Manage projects and tasks
Project management tools are critical. Who can coordinate effectively when they can’t monitor task progress or keep track of objectives?
- Asana
One of the most well-known project management tools, Asana allows users to assign tasks to other members, add followers to projects and monitor deadlines. It’s very useful as a to-do list or calendar for strategic planning. - Dapulse
Dapulse is a collaboration tool that helps you communicate, set objectives and assign tasks. Its big advantage: it has a great visual design so it’s easy to understand and work with. - ProofHub
ProofHub is a work management tool that offers a comprehensive suite of collaboration and project management functions. On this platform, you can organize files, plan and monitor projects and discuss with colleagues and stakeholders. ProofHub also lets you review and approve files through an online proofing tool. - Redbooth
Redbooth is an easy-to-use project management tool. Its platform allows users to plan and collaborate through many functions from video conferencing to creating Gantt charts. - Trello
Trello has an intriguing interface that resembles solitaire (you can even drag task cards across columns, just like you would playing cards). It’s easy to learn and works well for monitoring projects and assigning tasks. Trello also makes using Agile, Scrum and other project management frameworks easy. - Wimi
Wimi offers users their own ‘unified workspaces’ where teams can manage projects and share files and calendars. You can control access in each workspace with a rights-based system. Wimi Drive, their file syncing software, helps you make the most out of cloud technology. - Milanote
Milanote is one of the qualified tools that can be used for serving numerous purposes including blogging. Using this tool, you can organize creative projects and place them into excellent visual boards. It will provide you a feel like you’re working on the wall in a creative studio. Milanote would be a great fit too for designers who work remotely.
Related: Recruiting tools and techniques for modern HR teams
Create together
A task isn’t always one person’s responsibility. Sometimes team members need to create together. These are the best collaboration tools:
- Codingteam
Coders can easily collaborate when writing their code through platforms like Codingteam. It offers a free ‘software forge’ that encourages visibility and collective code building. - Igloo
Igloo is a company intranet that allows people to communicate and get work done. Its wiki allows colleagues to share information and ideas. - Google Docs
Google needs no introduction. Google’s collaboration tools include its Docs and Sheets services, which are designed to allow teams to edit files at the same time and save all their changes automatically. - Quip
Quip started off as a mobile app and released a desktop version later. Teams can import and work live on different file types. Edits are saved automatically and its chat, comment and checklist features make collaboration easy.
How do I choose?
Companies should choose software that meets their individual needs. Here are some criteria that you can use to identify the best service for your team:
Prefer multiple features
Some tools offer excellent service but are only focused on one aspect of team collaboration. Give some thought to how efficient this really is. Teams may end up spending time changing between complementary software. It’s better to look for a tool that’s feature-rich and allows people to use it in many different ways.
Look for ease of use
This is obviously one of the most important criteria. If a service works but takes a lot of time to get used to, it won’t help teams (especially fast-growing teams.) Request a demo and keep an eye out for an intuitive interface and simple navigation.
Pay attention to privacy options
Collaborating with teams doesn’t mean all conversations and files should be public. Sometimes, you’ll want team members to have private conversations or work on sensitive projects. Make sure you look at privacy options before you choose a service.
Opt for cloud
Cloud-based technology has many advantages. It can solve your version control headaches by allowing you to see recent edits and activity. All information is stored online so everyone can be on the same page, no matter where they are.
Ask for integrations and compatibility
Remember that it’s better to use a tool with multiple features? Well, not always. Occasionally, you discover a tool that does one thing perfectly. Integrations are key. Look for tools that seamlessly integrate with other apps or software. Compatibility is also important. For example, your tools should support all the file types your team normally uses.
examples of collaborative platforms
Online collaboration tools & software empower employees to work together on projects from anywhere in the world.
At SnackNation, we believe that collaboration and transparency are two key components to the modern workplace experience. Our teams harness the power of the best online collaboration tools to help increase productivity and efficiency.
Remote working conditions (or aspects of it) have become commonplace in today’s workplace. And with this kind of shift, it is more urgent than ever for organizations to leverage the best online collaboration tools to keep their teams on the same page at all times.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” -African Proverb
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”CLICK TO TWEET
Thankfully, there is nearly an endless list of such online tools for remote team collaboration available today. In this guide, we look at some of the tried and true selections that can help boost your team’s productivity and remote onboarding experience.
Online collaboration tools help both remote and in-house teams achieve greater levels of transparency, execute projects better, optimize resources and work together better overall.
There are collaboration tools for just about every aspect or type of business.
Most online collaboration tools support more than one means of communication such as chat, instant messaging, screen sharing, audio/video conferencing, and file sharing.
It is important to choose your collaboration tools based on your business needs and budget.
Once you finish reading through our list, you can get additional online team collaboration and employee engagement ideas from The Assist — a free weekly email for professionals full of actionable workplace culture, productivity, and leadership inspo.
“One thing The Assist has helped me immensely with is keeping our company culture alive during this new shift to hybrid work. It is important for us to have a team who is happy and healthy and The Assist has provided tons of options to help make that possible for our team.” -Julie P. Executive Assistant, Classcraft
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Page Contents (Click To Jump)
Online Communication Tools
- monday.com
monday-com_in_action
What would it mean for your productivity if you never had to check email, Slack, Salesforce, and Excel just to track down information about one project?
Whether you’re working in the office, from home, or from across the globe, monday.com helps your entire team stay in sync. This work operating system (Work OS) keeps all of your work clearly organized on one visual platform everyone can access.
Without any coding skills, you can customize monday.com so that it works best for your team. Automate data entry, workflows, and other repetitive tasks, so you can focus on more meaningful work. Then assign tasks so nothing falls through the cracks.
Plus, we surveyed 1,273 executives that use collaboration tools on a regular basis. And they voted monday.com as their favorite platform.
Pros
Sign up for a free trial without entering your payment details
Download pre-designed templates perfectly suited to your workflows
Get the “bird’s eye view” of multiple projects in one convenient location
Check your progress at any time from the mobile app
View your projects in a calendar mode so you never miss any deadlines
Assign new tasks to available team members so no one is overloaded
Automate your workflows without coding
Integrate all of your other apps on one unified platform
Cons
Mobile app can be cumbersome, but they are working on it constantly
More content on advanced concepts
- Nectar
Nectar is an award-winning employee recognition & rewards platform that bolsters online collaboration. It creates a simple, standardized way for organizations to give out recognition, spot bonuses, awards and wellness challenges all within budget. This includes peer to peer recognition as well as manager to direct reports.
With Nectar, you can reinforce great work anytime, anywhere through an interactive recognition feed. Keep morale up, teams connected and promote your company’s core values in an online working environment.
Pros
Connects with your other tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams and more to make recognition as seamless as possible
Has a robust rewards engine with hundreds of global gift card options or branded company swag
Has a free tier along with paid plans
Explore pricing and features to find the Nectar plan that best fits your team.
Cons
Wish there was more functionality on the free tier
Reward options are limited outside of the US, UK or Australia
- Bonusly
Make visibility a priority this year with Bonusly. This online collaboration platform gives managers, executives, and employees the ability to see and celebrate great work through an easy-to-use interface. Helping to create a culture where recognition is part of your day, Bonusly encourages employees to recognize their colleagues and promotes workplace collaboration.
Using this team collaboration software is a breeze, as it integrates seamlessly into the other online communication tools at your business. You can use it on a daily basis without feeling like you’re doing any extra work!
Bonusly’s 360-degree recognition also makes teamwork visible to everyone and empowers employees at all levels of your company. You can show appreciation for each other and build stronger working relationships while incentivizing a culture of online collaboration.
Pros
Analytics point out team members’ strengths
Make it easy for managers and leaders to gather, understand, and act on employee feedback with fun, lightweight surveys of all types.
Easy onboarding meaning employees can start using it on their first day
Best suited for teams/companies of 100+
Automated custom rewards for employee milestones and completed projects
Cons
No free plan, but they do offer a free trial here
Expanding list of rewards
- Favro
Remote and asynchronous teams face communication challenges that in-office teams don’t. With Favro’s stopwatch-style timer, teams can track time and see real-time updates from their desktop, web browser, or mobile device.
A virtual dashboard lets them view activity scores, enable optional screenshotting, and set productive and unproductive apps and websites for each member of their team. Integrations with over 30 popular project management, help desk, and HR apps make Favro even more powerful for growing teams.
Pros
Beautiful UI/UX
Simple tracking
Unlimited screenshots
Automated timesheets
Customizable invoices
Easy team payments
Cons
Relies on integrations
If you’re looking for just a time tracker, there are free options that don’t provide the same features Favro does but are cheaper.
- Teamwork
Teamwork was built so you can manage ALL your client work in one platform. From invoicing, to time tracking, to unlimited client access, everything you need to run your client services is in Teamwork.
Teamwork gives you the tools and reports you need to maximize resources and never miss a billable minute again. Get a bird’s eye view of every project, from milestones to capacity planning, budgeting and time tracking and more.
Break work and projects into tasks and layers of subtasks – so nothing slips through the cracks and everyone knows what to do and when it’s done.
Pros
Signup for a free 30-day trial of Teamwork with no commitments
Teamwork has the growth-focused features like time tracking, custom client permissions, assigning tasks to multiple people and more
A user-friendly learning curve and the essential features (like reports and resource management)
Teamwork has the collaboration, client features and robust flexibility necessary for managing multiple complex projects
Solid functionality so your team can manage large, complex projects without the learning curve and limitations
Collaborate in real-time with your team and clients to get your questions answered and projects delivered on time & on budget.
Cons
UX can be a bit cumbersome, but they are currently working on an overhaul
- Empuls
Empuls
Empuls is a holistic employee engagement solution that aims to improve company culture & bring the entire digital workplace to life.
It helps HR leaders, CHROs, and CXOs to effortlessly execute key activities such as award workflows, budget automation, and industry-endorsed real-time surveys. With many key features such as communication feeds, messaging, and groups, the software equips employees to engage meaningfully with their peers and aligns them with the organization’s shared values.
Empuls also enables organizations to constantly measure and analyze the levels of employee satisfaction by keeping track of Employee NPS and thus helping them improve the overall employee experience and drive higher productivity. Explore pricing and features to find the Empuls plan that best fits your team.
Pros
Empuls is self serve & DIY and makes it extremely easy for HRs to get started within a day.
HRs can also start from existing tools like HRIS, Slack, Teams, Gsuite & more seamlessly.
Comes with rich features to engage employees through game mechanics, contests, water coolers, one on one feedback, peer & social recognition, and a wide variety of benefits like rewards & perks.
Good for small & medium size companies
Cons
No free plan, but they do offer a free trial
Expanding list of rewards
- Nifty
Nifty-Dark-Mode
True collaboration is where communication meets action. If you’re planning in one place and discussing in another — where is the collaboration truly occurring?
Nifty is the award-winning project management tool that closes the gap between communication and action to serve as the all-in-one remote office you and your team have been looking for. Packed with easy-to-use project management tools as well as direct and group messaging experiences, Nifty is the glue between planning and execution.
Pros
Build roadmaps with Nifty’s milestones which are phase-based Gantts that roll up tasks into actionable steps and automate progress as the tasks are completed.
Timeline, Kanban, List, and Swimlane views let teams of all types visualize their work in the way that suits them best.
Tags scale across tasks, docs, and files in all projects to create scalability within the workspace
Built in docs, including a two-way Google Doc, Sheet, and Presentations bring your notes, content, and specifications directly into your workspace.
Overviews, Workloads, and All Tasks give automated managerial insight on project and portfolio health and make managing resources across projects as simple as can be.
Project Discussions and Team Chat give opportunities for group and direct communications
Cons
API in the process of being opened
- Otter.ai
Otter automatically transcribes your audio into text. Text notes full of timesaving ways to search, find, and share with your team no matter where they are. Otter has several integrations with apps like Zoom that make collaboration and remote work faster and more efficient.
Price: Starts at $9.99, billed every month. Learn more on Otter.ai Plan’s pricing page.
Free Plan: Yes, with limited usage and features. Get started.
Here are just a few of the things we love about Otter and the one minus we could think of.
Pros
Otter integrated with Zoom making it quick and easy to add live comments, delegate tasks, and action items in real-time
Allow Zoom participants to add photos, audio, and highlights in real-time to create collaborative meeting notes
Get a text summary of your meetings instantly, no waiting for notes to be cleaned up. No delays, no loss in productivity
Search within and across all your transcribed conversations
Cons
Love that Otter is available on desktop and mobile we wish more of Otter Premiums were available in the free version
- Chanty
Chanty
Chanty is a simple team chat solution, with easy-to-use collaboration features, unlimited message history, and workplace apps to enable teams to foster healthy relationships through transparent and accessible communication.
It is a messaging tool that enables your team members to complete projects, activities, or tasks easier and faster. It also helps you consolidate all the information you need in one easy-to-use application.
Pros
Unlimited searchable message history
Inbuilt task manager
Simple and clean interface
Easy-to-start and easy-to-use
Explore pricing and features to find the Chanty plan that best fits your team.
Cons
Limited in custom integrations
- Whereby
Whereby
Whereby is the best way to meet over video. You don’t need to download an app or any software. Just choose your own personalized URL and meet using your browser – on mobile or desktop – in one click.
Whereby has a range of features to help you collaborate and communicate. Like Breakout Groups, virtual whiteboards with Miro, screen sharing and recording, and integrations with Google Docs, Trello and YouTube.
Pros
Voted ‘easiest to use’ video tool – start meetings in one click
Host meetings with up to 50 participants
No apps, downloads or installs required
Simple, beautiful design
Encrypted and secure video calls
Personalized meeting room with custom backgrounds and your company logo
Breakout Groups to run classes, virtual events, and workshops more easily
Cons
45-minute time limit for meetings with more than 2 participants on the Free plans
Not as widely known as other video conferencing tools
- Nextiva
Nextiva brings all the features of traditional business phone systems to companies that work remotely or across multiple locations and time zones. Using just one robust online platform (and one service provider), you can deliver and manage reliable phone service to employees in multiple locations.
Remote and flexible companies traditionally struggle with reliable communications. In fact, LucidChart points to a Zogby Analytics study that isolated information gaps and delays as a top obstacle facing remote workers.
Nextiva helps companies overcome the remote communication barrier. Manage call traffic over the internet, establish a cloud-based call center, and so much more.
Pros
Top rated customer service and free trial period
Reliable cloud-based enterprise Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) with zero outages last year
Streamlined control panel and single platform for easy management of phone, email, chat, and SMS
Collects customer insights to supplement business decisions
Security monitoring and protection
Tons of bells and whistles, including automations and integrations
Physical phones available on request
Get a full view of all Nextiva’s products and features.
Cons
Employees may have to change existing phone numbers
May require a light communication and training plan if you’re replacing an existing system
- Slack
Slack
Slack is a smart collaboration tool that is available in both desktop and mobile versions. It allows teams to send direct messages to each other as individuals as well as groups.
You can also organize conversations into various channels for specific initiatives or projects, and integrates with the best Slack apps like Google Docs, Box and Dropbox for a more unified experience.
Pros
Hosted in the cloud so no need for costly installations
Messages are fully searchable
Supports private group communication
Allows for external sharing
Cons
Has a message visibility limit
Pretty expensive on a per user basis
Is slower to load than other apps such as Flock or Brief
It can be cumbersome to sign into each workspace to communicate with different teams
- GoToMeeting
image16
GoToMeeting is a robust online meeting and video conferencing tool designed to enable businesses to collaborate with their teams, clients, customers, and other businesses in real time via the Internet.
It is particularly great for international teams and can greatly reduce the learning curve as it also supports screen sharing.
The other handy features of the platform include messaging, group chat, recording, integration with other tools, and a one-click meeting feature that instantly schedules meetings in Google Calendar or Outlook.
Pros
Intuitive user interface
Can host large meetings
Allows users to record meetings so you don’t have to attend in real time
Cons
Subscription is fairly expensive
Requires a stable internet connection
- FreeConferenceCall.com
free-conference-calls-01-min-1
Like Skype, FreeConferenceCall.com is a popular online collaboration tool that allows teams to share files, share screens, video call and discuss tasks. The platform has stable and secure features including team rooms and is easy to use.
Pros
Easy to use and maneuver
Cons
Only Admins can set up chat groups
Few bugs if any at all
- Flock
image19
If you are looking for more comprehensive communication features, then Flock is a great alternative for Slack (above). It is a communication tool that allows teams to have different channels, as well as individual and group conversations.
Unlike Slack, Flock is much faster with short load times and allows users to search through all messages, URL and files with ease. The tool is optimized to find virtually any search query regardless of its source in the channels. Further, it supports screen sharing, audio and video calls. Flock users can conduct polls, set reminders, share notes, and assign tasks for maximum productivity.
Pros
Has short load times
Messages are fully searchable
Has unlimited message visibility
Cons
Has fewer app integrations than Slack
Does not support automated bots
Bonus: Facebook Workplace
image2
The world’s biggest social media network, Facebook, has a team collaboration service – Facebook Workplace – that can serve as a corporate intranet portal.
The platform has a very user-friendly interface where teams can collaborate through their own portals, as well as through the Facebook Pages, Notes and Docs. On Facebook Workplace, team members can collaborate on tasks via voice/video call and instant messaging. The platform also has machine learning bots built-in to automate certain tasks.
Pros
Supports polls to measure employee opinions
Integrates with other systems
Unlimited photo and video uploads
Cons
All data is stored on Facebook servers in the cloud, which may be prone to privacy issues.
- Microsoft Teams
image9
Microsoft Teams is a unified communications platform that merges workplace chat with video meetings, file storage, attachments and app integration. Your teams can host web conferences on this platform, and communicate through audio, video and chat – with both people from within and outside the organization.
Pros
Full integration across Office 365 apps
Ample cloud storage per user
Provides access to Microsoft Office tools in one place
Easy to use and connect with your coworkers on a safe platform
Cons
The interface is fairly complicated
Challenging to start
- Skype for Business
image15
Most of us are familiar with Skype. Simply put, it’s an online collaboration tool that allows users to communicate with any other Skype user for free via instant messaging, voice, video and screen sharing.
More importantly, Skype supports conference calls for up to 25 people, which means it can be a very convenient way to bring all your team together for a quick update of project status.
For more premium features, opt instead for Skype for Business.
Pros
The tool is free
You can call anyone in the world who has a Skype account
Supports screen sharing
The app is easy to install
Cons
Offers no language translation services
Skype picks up background noises easily
Sound quality is dependent on bandwidth
Bonus: InVideo
InVideo gives you the scope to easily design videos and share them online while you’re in a webinar or video conference. The easy accessibility and editing features on InVideo help you get creative with your data and its portrayal using corporate templates for your video presentation.
InVideo is an online collaboration tool that can be accessed from all the commonly used browsers. Its user-friendly interface helps you figure out what’s best for a corporate video and how to share it online on your organization’s social media handles and other websites.
Pros
4000+ handcrafted templates. From numerous meme templates to educational tutorial templates, InVideo covers all possible video creation purposes.
8M+ iStock Media Library and 1M+ Premium Media Library from Shutterstock and Storyblock
A feature to convert the article to video easily
An easy way to cut, trim, crop, create a composite, apply brand presets, etc.
Auto text-to-speech + ability to add your own voice-overs
24/7 live chat support + community of more than 20K creators and marketers
Cons
Users are allowed to work on one project at a time
Can be accessed only through a browser
Bonus: Karbon
Karbon
Karon is a work management platform for accounting firms and professional service businesses. It provides a truly collaborative platform to manage workflows, communicate with teams and deliver exceptional client work.
Karbon combines email, internal discussions, tasks and powerful workflows, which gives teams a single place to communicate and collaborate. It is proven to increase visibility and efficiency. In fact, according to a recent survey, the average Karbon user saves more than 10 hours each week.
Pros
Integrated email
Automatically compiled activity timelines
Lots of task automation
Extremely robust and feature-rich
Cons
Designed for accounting firms, so many features aren’t relevant to other businesses
No free version (although there is a 14-day free trial)
Bonus: Go Brief
Brief is a team collaboration tool that boosts productivity by enabling team members to prioritize and focus on important tasks while minimizing distractions. In 2018 and 2019, Brief was featured by Apple among the Apps We Love.
It has an elegant dashboard that combines chat, video, team hubs, to-do lists and file sharing.
Pros
Turn any message into a task with one click
Create hubs that let you organize your teams, chats, tasks and files
Available on the web, desktop, iOS and Android
Has a user-friendly interface
File sharing of any size
Offers exceptional quality video and audio calls through integration with Zoom
Has an elegant dashboard
This tool is free at the moment
Cons
Has few integrations so far
Online Documentation Tools
- Google Docs
image13
This is likely nothing new to you. It is perhaps the most famous documentation tool out there. Google Docs allows multiple people to edit the same file at same time, leave comments, and see changes made by every participant (revision history).
All you have to do is invite team members to work on a file in Google docs. With that, all participants have a central place to store and share information, take notes, and just seamlessly collaborate and have access to the information they need to get work done.
Pros
Cloud based, no installations required
All changes made on documents are automatically saved to Google Drive so you won’t lose them
Multiple collaborators on a document can see changes in real time
Cons
Limited features compared to Microsoft Word
- Bit.ai
image8
This is a smart document collaboration platform that allows teams to create and collaborate on robust internal and client facing documents with built in tracking capabilities.
Bit has over 50 integrations, and lets you collaborate on interactive documents, track the engagement levels on your documents, and manage your digital content with ease.
Pros
Numerous integrations
Robust templates
Slick interface
Cons
Lacks a robust mobile app
- Office Online
image10
To edit the same document paragraph by paragraph with the rest of your team remotely or from different devices, Office online is the go-to tool.
Provided that you have internet connectivity, this web version of Microsoft Office allows you to co-author a document in real time, edit and converting PDF documents to Word documents and vice versa, resume reading your word documents where you left off, and send in-line replies to your team by email. And it allows you to do all these from any device, securely and reliably.
Pros
It is free
Works perfectly from both mobile and desktop
Changes made by collaborators are updated in real time and everyone can see who is making them.
Cons
Requires internet connectivity to work
Bonus: Filestage
Filestage.ioFilestage allows you to easily review content with your team and clients on a clean and user-friendly interface. Manage digital projects while bringing your stakeholders (internal and external) together to collaborate in real time. As an intuitive tool, Filestage allows your clients to feel great about the project review and approval process.
Pros
Manage project members (internal and external) with one platform
All-in-one platform allows you to review videos, images, and documents
Timestamped & documented approval from all stakeholders for active feedback
Cons
Does not offer a mobile/desktop app
Online Software Tools
- GitHub
image4
Consider GitHub if you are into programming. This development platform owned by Microsoft Corporation allows programmers to seamlessly collaborate and work on the same projects simultaneously.
On the platform, each collaborator gets a working copy of the code displayed on their computer through the GitHub web-based graphical interface. Any changes made on a project can be reviewed and easily rolled back if need be.
Pros
Unlimited private repositories on the tool’s free tier
Easy to use and track changes with the Gists feature
Cons
Can easily be affected by a security breach
Some great features are locked away behind a SaaS paywall
- TimeCamp
TimeCamp-Online-Collaboration-ToolTimeCamp is widely known as an automatic time tracker, but also helps teams and freelancers manage tasks efficiently. Its unique project structure allows the user to add as many tasks and subtasks to the projects, so it’s easy to assign hours spent on working for each customer.
The tool offers a wide range of reports, so that managers know exactly how their teams are performing.TimeCamp minimizes time spent on filling timesheets manually. Desktop app works in the background and tracks time for each activity performed during working hours, then it assigns them to the appropriate project. Saves a lot of time for being more creative!
Pros
You can define different billing rates for specific users and groups
Easy to invite your clients to let them keep an eye on time and resources spent for their project
Attendance module allows managers to track employees workdays, leaves, vacations and holidays
Employees can fill their timesheets automatically with activities tracked during work hours
Cons
Some users point the UX is quite outdated
- Adobe XD
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For designers, AdobeXD makes quite a bit of sense. The software allows for real-time collaboration between team members on design projects.
The solution has a creative cloud that allows others to edit and make any needed adjustments on design in real time. With this solution, teams can design and prototype websites, mobile apps and more in real time.
Pros
Replete with great native UI elements
Has a tutorial to help you get your way around
Very clean interface
Easy to fill the UI with content
Cons
Fairly hard to animate the UI
No CSS export
- Creatopy
Creatopy.com-App
Creatopy is the efficient and intuitive visual production platform delivering a well-crafted experience for communicators. The brand-new platform allows individuals and teams to easily create engaging advertising visuals for multi-channel creative mediums.
Featuring advanced automation capabilities, along with an ever-growing library of templates and visual elements, Creatopy gives communicators the needed tools to spark their creative journey and keep visual content organized and always on-brand.
Plus, with Creatopy, you get an online workspace in which you can create and store unlimited designs and animations. You can also share notes and projects, give feedback, and pass around links, not files.
Pros
Cloud-based collaboration for all stakeholders
Accessible, intuitive interface with a drag and drop editor
Design presets, templates, and original illustrations, available at no resale
No coding or design skills required
Designs can be exported as HTML5, GIF, AMP HTML files
Cons
Requires a stable internet connection
They don’t have a mobile app yet
Online Project Management Tools
- Toggl Plan
Toggl Online Collaboration
Toggl Plan makes it easy for managers, stakeholders, and team members collaboratively plan and deliver projects. It makes collaboration easy with color-coded visual overviews, making communication transparent, keeping all work related information in one place.
Managers can plan work based on team availability and workloads.
Team members get clear visual cues and notifications about what’s coming next. Plus, team members can work together on tasks. As well as, share ideas with task comments and file attachments.
Stakeholders can stay up-to-date without bothering about day-to-day activities with shared timelines.
Pros
Start with 14 days for free. Basic plan is always free
Improve work clarity with simple, intuitive, visual overviews
Plan work with high-level or detailed, color-coded project plan timelines
Set milestones and track work progress
Manage team availability and workloads with team timelines
Deliver agile projects iteratively with scrum and kanban boards
Work closely on tasks with other team members. Discuss ideas using comments and file attachments
Manage work better with Google Calendar, Github, Slack and Toggl Time Tracking integrations
Cons
The mobile app doesn’t have all the features from the web app. But new features are being added continuously
- ProofHub
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ProofHub is a remarkable project management and team collaboration software. It enables managers to work jointly with their team members to plan and deliver projects spotlessly. You can organize and assign tasks to the team members smartly. The in-built chat app helps you eliminate remote communication barriers.
ProofHub provides you an online workspace where you can organize files, share notes and monitor everyday progress. There’s an online proofing tool that helps you review and approve files. Comprehensive Gantt charts help you plan your project effortlessly by placing it into easy-to-understand visual timelines.
Pros
Free trial
Easy to set up and understand
Simple pricing with no per-user charges
Powerful collaboration features
Cons
Limited third-party integrations
- Trello
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Here’s one of the most famous project management tools out there. Trello is optimized for keeping tasks organized and lets users create boards or lists that can be assigned to and shared with others.
Trello is replete with deadline reminders and email notifications, plus; it can integrate with other tools including Evernote, Google Drive, GitHub, and Slack for a unified team experience.
Pros
It’s free
Quick real time updates
Simple and easy to add new member, create and assign tasks
Cons
Difficult to handle large projects
Not the best way to collaborate; You can choose tools such as Slack or Brief for your real-time communication
- Asana
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For project management, few other tools can beat Asana. The tool is designed to let teams organize, track, and manage their work. It is complete with video calls, project tracking, and handy integrations such as to-do lists, reminders and direct requests as its core features. By updating in real time, it helps project managers run a team of remote employees with ease.
Pros
Has a free plan
Has numerous integrations
Loaded with plugins to let you modify projects
Cons
Limits the assigning of project tasks to only one person
Projects can get complex with the many features
- HeyOrca
Finally, a collaborative social media management tool designed for agencies.
HeyOrca’s social media calendar allows you to effortlessly schedule and collaborate on social media posts, manage content approvals, and report on your results… all in one place.
It’s a visual platform built for social media managers that need to collaborate and communicate digitally on content – whether it’s with a client or internal team. Here’s how Alicia from Conversion Interactive Agency describes her experience:
I love that our content creation and client approvals all happen in one simple, easy-to-use platform. It really opened the door for more direct collaboration with our clients and empowered our team to build stronger relationships with them. HeyOrca’s support team is unmatched – any questions or suggestions are addressed lightning fast and they’re always friendly and great about following up.
HeyOrca enabled us to make the switch from spreadsheets — a clunky, outdated process, to a completely seamless workflow that enabled our team to work smarter and more efficiently.
Pros
Rated 4.8/5 stars on G2
Free 14-day trial
Very low learning curve
Unique pricing model – every calendar comes with unlimited users, social posts, media storage, support, and up to 10 connected social accounts
Calendar format allows you to easily manage scheduled posts & plan future content
Visual editor shows you exactly how posts will appear on social media while you create
Easily share scheduled posts with clients or managers for approval or feedback
Instantly pull social media reports & share them with clients or management
Cons
No optimal posting times (Coming soon)
No paid post promotions (Coming soon)
Online Data Visualization Tools
- MindMeister
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You want somewhere to brainstorm effectively? Jump aboard the MindMeister bandwagon and start doing just that. The tool lets you manage meetings, plan projects and sketch out business plans with your team.
It is the go-to platform for teams to be more innovative as it provides them with the required environment for brainstorming and planning. Users can share their mind maps directly with others in real time or make the mind maps public for everyone to see instead. The platform has numerous templates for organizing work that users can choose from.
Pros
Intuitive, easy-to-use interface
Unlimited possibilities for brainstorming
Multiple colors, themes, and styles for maps
Cloud hosted, no installations needed
Cons
Requires strong internet connectivity
Online Note Taking Apps
- Evernote
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Evernote is known as a note taking app. It syncs across all devices to make your notes available on the go, everywhere you go, and has additional features for organizing, archiving and listing tasks.
With Evernote, your team can easily capture ideas on research and interviews, draft blog posts and eBooks on the go as the ideas emerge, save articles to read later, annotate PDFs, record audio, and save texts, links, and images with ease.
Pros
Unlimited space for storage
Has a robust search engine
Cons
Paid version is pricey
It is prone to occasional bugs
- Google Keep
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Google also has a note taking tool – Google Keep – that rivals Evernote.
The tool allows you to quickly take and save notes, photos, voice memos, and checklists; and share them with the rest of your team. It seamlessly integrates into the mainstream Google, and lets users set reminders.
Pros
Has a beautiful colors that enhance the user interface
Simple and easy to use
Fast and responsive on both web and mobile
Cons
Limited way to organize notes
Has limited features, no bullet points or numbered lists
Online File Sharing Apps
- Dropbox
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Dropbox is one of the most popular file storage solutions with file syncing and sharing.
For many business owners, we work from our homes, the local cafe, in our cars between meeting. The difficulty with this business lifestyle is having access to everything you want on all of your devices. There are multiple ways to store and share files. One of those ways is by using Dropbox.
Pros
16GB Free storage
Easy to sync files across multiple platforms
You can use the file version history feature to recover and restore deleted and previous versions of files
Cons
Companies need to purchase employee licenses for Dropbox when using it as a business solution
It can sometimes be challenging to find folders or files
34) Hightail
This is a cloud service for sharing large files and obtaining feedback, over a secure channel. The tool allows for digital signing of files and synchronizing them.
It is loaded with creative collaborative features to make everything easy and seamless, eliminating the need to share files through emails which allow for miscommunications to occur.
Pros
Unlimited online file storage
Easily sends large files of up to 10gd in size
Great security features including identity verification
Cons
Less interactive support team
Files shared tend to expire quickly
Bonus: Google Drive
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If you have a Gmail account then you are definitely familiar with Google Drive, your online storage for saving all your files and sharing them safely with your team(s). Once you grant them access, your team can easily reach the files stored on your Google Drive directory and use them to complete various projects as needed.
You can invite them to view, edit or leave comments on files stored on the drive, including videos, photos, and documents.
Pros
Lets you choose the level of interactivity to assign a participant
UI is intuitive and easy to use
Accessible from both mobile and desktop devices
Cons
When using Google Drive, it is challenging to login from other work addresses.
Online CRM Tools
35) Salesmate
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We also found a tool for your sales reps . It’s called Salesmate, a sales CRM Software for small and medium-size businesses.
It has an intuitive and easy to use interface that allows sales reps to be more productive, increases their sales and allow them to engage deeply with customers.
The solution provides sales reps with the right insights, integrations and data to help them sell faster and deliver more personalized experiences to each customer.
Pros
Built-in text sender allows for quick sending of promotional messages
Integrated calling tool, connect with a single click
Has a great level of transparency
Cons
Requires a bit of learning to use properly
Conclusion
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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