The 8 best productivity and collaboration tools

By Nathaniel Dalby on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

Giving your employees the tools they need to collaborate and keep track of their work is key to that success, whether you’re in an office or working remotely. 

But what tools should you choose? Since the 2020 pandemic changed the way we work, there are more options than ever. 

Here’s our list of the best productivity and collaboration software on the market right now. 

Productivity and collaboration is a broad term that can include many different types of software, from project management and whiteboard apps to cloud storage and word processing. 

This list features a mixture of these services; some you’ll be able to use in conjunction with each other, and with different levels of relevance depending on the type of business you run and how it’s structured. 

• Google Workspace
• Trello
• Monday.com
• Zoho
• Asana
• Microsoft 365
• Slack
• Todoist

Google Workspace 

Google Workspace is one of the most trusted workplace tools and offers a centralised platform for your team to work and collaborate in real time.  

Productivity tools like Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive have become household names and remain go-to options for businesses looking for a user-friendly and reliable solution. 

Gmail is the most widely used email service worldwide and offers custom addresses and domain names to personalise it for your business. 

Google Workspace is also affordable enough for any size business, making it a favourite for everyone from sole traders to growing businesses. 

At a glance 

• Includes Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Drive and more 

• Most used email service worldwide 

• Access your files from every device 

Pricing 

• Business Starter – £5 per user/month 

• Business Standard – £10 per user/month 

• Business Plus – £15 per user/month 

Trello

Trello is a whiteboard application that simplifies your team’s workflow with its easy-to-use design and functionality. Trello’s dynamic UI allows you to see where tasks and projects are at a glance, with ‘To do’, ‘Doing’ and ‘Done’ columns that you move tasks between (though this is customisable). 

If you’re looking for a basic app that can handle large and small project management that’s highly accessible, Trello has you covered. Plus, its free tier offers a good number of features, especially for small businesses with few employees. 

At a glance 

• Drag and drop functionality 

• Accessible for all employees and knowledge levels 

• See project progress on just one screen 

Pricing 

• Free 

• Standard – $5 per user/month 

• Premium – $10 per user/month 

• Enterprise – $17.50 per user/month 

Monday.com

Monday is Trello’s main competition and aims to offer the same type of easy-to-use project management in a more comprehensive package. With over 225,000 users (including BMW, Lionsgate and Mars Wrigley), Monday has, in recent years, established itself as the de-facto software of its type, and is an ideal partner to the Google or Microsoft suite. 

Using Monday, you’ll be able to plan, collaborate and manage projects, as well as check out analytical data related to them. HR teams can use it to manage employees, and with sales and CRM functionality also included, it’s a great all-round tool for businesses. 

At a glance 

• Plan and collaborate on projects 

• CRM and HR tools available 

• Can combine with Google Workplace 

Pricing 

• Free 

• Basic – £8 per user/month 

• Standard – £11 per user/month 

• Pro – £17 per user/month 

See also: Best UK business phone and broadband deals – how to choose

Zoho 

Zoho describes itself as “the operating system for business”, with a wide range of cloud-based apps under its banner. Used by companies such as Amazon, ITV Studios and Strike, Zoho’s ecosystem is relied upon by over 100 million users worldwide. 

From sales tools such as CRM platforms and live chat apps to marketing software that includes social media management and website builders, it’s difficult to find an element of business Zoho doesn’t serve. Its Workplace suite is a highlight, however, offering synced mail, calendar, drive, sheets and writing tools all on one screen. 

At a glance 

• Range of services including CRM, books and projects 

• Everything is cloud based for peace of mind 

• Includes custom pricing 

Pricing 

• Standard – £19 per organisation/month 

• Premium £45 per organisation/month 

• Custom (suited for enterprises) 

Asana

A workplace management platform that’s built for larger companies, Asana is a good option if you’re in the process of scaling up. With Asana, you can connect individual tasks to company-wide goals, with reporting tools allowing you to keep track of the various objectives your business might have. 

Security is a big part of Asana’s offering, so if you’re looking to scale up your business or already have a number of employees, this is certainly a good reason to check it out. While Asana might not seem worth it if you have a small team or if you’re a sole trader, it’s great for peace of mind at an enterprise level. 

At a glance 

• Great for scale-ups 

• Includes reporting tools 

• Strong levels of security 

Pricing 

• Personal – free 

• Starter – £9.49 per user/month 

• Advanced – £20.99 per user/month 

• Enterprise – custom pricing for larger businesses 

Microsoft 365

Everyone’s used Word at one point or another, but Microsoft 365 continues to be a good option for all-round enterprise software. With 365, you’ll get all the standard workplace collaboration apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and more. OneDrive is the cloud solution here, with the Business Basic tier offering 1TB of cloud storage for up to 300 employees. 

While Microsoft 365 is ubiquitous and works with just about everything, in terms of UI it can seem a bit outdated and complicated compared to Google’s offering, which is generally more user-friendly. 

At a glance 

• Ubiquitous and connects to everything 

• Store up to 1TB per user on OneDrive 

• Works with Microsoft Copilot  

Pricing 

• Business Basic – £4.90 per user/month 

• Business Standard – £10.30 per user/month 

• Business Premium – 18.90 per user/month 

Slack

Slack allows you to bring your team together in one of the best messaging apps available for businesses. Using specialised channels, you can organise your team into spaces that allow them to collaborate as well as chat to anyone in the organisation, across departments and even time zones. 

Whether you’re a small team or one that’s growing, Slack’s business tools are some of the most popular on the market, utilised by companies like Uber, Airbnb and even Nasa! Its Business + tier offers unlimited app integrations and has a competitive price plan. 

At a glance 

• Messaging app that works with other productivity software 

• Ideal for small and larger teams 

• Clean and simple UI 

Pricing 

• Free 

• Pro – £3.50 per user/month 

• Business + – £11.70 per user/month 

• Enterprise Grid – Custom 

Todoist

Todoist is an organisation and task management app that’s ideal for sole traders thanks to its smaller scale and simplicity. Unlike a lot of the apps mentioned above, Todoist isn’t specifically designed for online or desk work, as you can set up projects that set out your day no matter your business type. 

That doesn’t mean Todoist isn’t suitable for teams; it offers real-time sync across multiple platforms, and you’re able to organise your team’s work with shared calendars and project folders. Todoist is a good solution if you’re looking for a quick, cheap task management solution. 

At a glance 

• Great for personal use or sole traders 

• Shared calendars and folders 

• Affordable pricing 

Pricing 

• Beginner – Free 

• Pro – $5 per month 

• Business – $8 per user/month 

Next steps 

If you’re still looking for a productivity and collaboration solution, try Google Workspace free for 14 days and experience how the Google suite can transform your business. 

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