Most businesses often rely on technology to make their operations run easier. From tracking productivity to accessing the company’s shared files in different platforms or devices, apps are really necessary for companies, especially for startups. In this article we are going to bring you the best FREE apps for startups, best all round apps and best mobile apps.
Some renowned companies that we know today started as startups including Twitter, Groupon, Craigslist, Houzz, Instagram, WeWork, Twitch, and HubSpot, among others.
Though several startups have different financial states—some get more funding, while some get less—you still need access to useful apps that could get you to where they want to be.
One of the challenges of startups is having limited manpower. But with apps, you could easily integrate different materials from different platforms and multitask Several apps that are perfect for startups are already out there, some of them are free and are available in mobile devices.
If you are thinking of having a startup or already have a startup, here are some apps that could make you and your colleagues more productive.
Related: Virtual offices for startups
Free apps
These apps are ideal for startups with limited capital but still want to be as productive as other companies out there.
UberConference
This app could help you schedule virtual conferences with potential clients, customers or even with your colleagues as well. Apart from being similar to Skype, UberConference allows you to share your screen to the people within the call—imagine presenting in a meeting in a conference room, but this time, you can do it through the computer.
The app allows 10 people within a conference and up to 100 participants if you use their UberConference Business package.
Slack
Slack is like an actual workplace, but better. This app helps you increase your efficiency by connecting you to your colleagues, tools, and data that you need to finish whatever needs to be delivered. This app started as an internal tool of a company but turned into an app that could help other companies and startups.
Apart from allowing you to access different tools to help the work get done, Slack also allows a division of different channels so the progress can be managed or tracked by teams or projects.
Zapier
Zapier is a web-based application that allows you to consolidate other applications that you use for work. You can integrate the apps for your calendar, email, video call, project management, notes, files, time-tracking, spreadsheet, and many more. The app recently integrated with ZeroBounce, a provider of email validation service.
Though some of Zapier’s services require payment, it allows free use for individuals and professionals that could still be used by startups like you.
SurveyMonkey
This is a free online survey tool that allows you to survey customers. You don’t have to formulate your own template as SurveyMonkey already offers survey templates that have already been authorized by professionals—though they still allow you to customize your own survey with your logo and branding
This app is useful for startups like you because it will allow you to collect beneficial data from your customers and target market that would enable you to create a more strategic plan to achieve the goals of your company. The app also allows you to collect data from employees as well.
Hotjar
What is more important than understanding your customers or market? Hotjar can help you see how people interact with your website—especially if they were engaged. This does not only allow you to improve or change whatever it is that is wrong with your user experience design or content, but it can also help you identify your edge or the strengths of your website.
The app uses heatmaps and scroll maps as seen in the image above, and records real-time visitors to know which part of your website they are engaged in.
Eventbrite
This is a ticketing and event management website that allows you to search, create or promote events. For startups like you, this is the perfect app to search for events related to your industry.
Though the app is ideal for promoting, you might want to consider creating your network within the community of your industry first. By attending these events, you could also learn a thing or two from other companies or startups as well.
HelloSign
One of the challenges of having a startup is that you usually deal with clients (or even employees) from other parts of the world and it is sometimes difficult for you to deliver and retrieve signed contracts to make the deal official. But with HelloSign, you can easily manage your contracts—you can sign and sync contracts and deliver them immediately.
It is not just perfect for closing deals but also landing new hires.
Databox
Databox is a business analytics platform that could help you understand what’s happening with your business. The app could interpret all of your key performance indicators (KPIs) and provides different reporting templates that can be delivered to any device.
Best apps
Now that we’re done of some of the most useful free apps, we can now focus on the best apps for startups. Most of these apps focus on the manpower that a startup needs. Though startups now generate most employment opportunities globally, some still struggle when it comes to hiring or employing people with specific skill sets. Here are some apps that can help you overcome these challenges:
Upwork
Some startups cannot just immediately hire someone to do one specific job. This is why contracting some people for a specific project or deliverable is much more practical than hiring someone to fill a position that may not be relevant as your company goes along.
But the challenge is to find these professionals with specific skill sets easily—and this is where Upwork comes in. This app is a freelancing platform that allows both professionals and companies to find what they are looking for. It is easier because the freelancers already indicated their skills and you can just filter to find someone who could do the job.
You are also assured of the quality of the people you are working with because of the review, bidding and reference system within the platform.
GoodHire
A great startup needs to get with great people as well. One of the challenges of growing a startup is choosing the right people. GoodHire provides employment background check services for companies which are 100% FCRA-compliant. The checking covers different aspects from criminal records, credit checks, identity verification and many more.
GoCo
Hiring a whole human resources department may be a little bit too heavy for startups, but it is still an essential part of any company as it handles payroll and other benefits. GoCo is an online HR platform that could help you manage your company’s HR needs—not just payroll and benefits but also managing employee records, leaves, and other documents as well.
Gusto
Similar to GoCo, Gusto is a cloud-based HR platform that allows you to manage HR needs easily. The app could also handle your startup’s tax.
Trello
Trello is similar to Slack, but it is more of a list-making app that is ideal for startups. It helps you manage your team and track the progress of every assigned task. It could also assist you and your team in prioritizing tasks. Trello also integrates with several other applications that could make the multi-tasking a lot easier.
Freshbooks
Aside from HR needs, a startup also needs accounting tasks. And similarly to HR, hiring a whole accounting department may be difficult for startups. This is why Freshbooks is ideal for your company.
It is an accounting software package that allows you to manage and track invoices. It also allows you to create professional invoices for your operations. Freshbooks also covers expense tracking, time tracking, and estimations.
Intercom
Intercom is a customer messaging platform that allows your business to be more personal with your customers or clients. The app allows you to communicate with your clients and
customers within your own app, through social media, website or email.
Intercom’s services are mainly divided into three—acquiring customers, engaging customers and supporting customers. It also supports different types of companies—startups, small companies, and mid-sized/enterprise.
SalesLoft
Similar to Intercom, SalesLoft is a sales engagement solutions app. It offers communication tools to increase sales such as Sales Dialer & Inbox platform. Apart from sales technique and coaching, SalesLoft also provides data-backed insights that could help you improve your sales strategies.
RescueTime
RescueTime is a time management software that provides you an analysis on how you spend your time and help you became more productive. It helps you set out your goals for the day and even notify you if you are spending too much time on social media.
Pushover
This is an app that allows you to get real-time notifications for all of your devices. You do not just handle all your notifications at once, but you would not be able to miss a thing with this app.
Mobile apps
Companies should continue to evolve. And as technology continues to innovate, you should be able to keep up. Employees nowadays do not just use computers, they also use their mobile phones to work.
In order to keep up with this behavior, you should use mobile apps to maintain the productiveness within your company. Here are some mobile apps that are ideal for startups:
Buffer
Buffer is an app that allows you to manage different social networks. It allows users to schedule posts for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin and provides insights on how people engage with each post. This is perfect for startups as you are able to create copies for your social media ahead of time. You can strategically schedule them at times when most of your target market are active.
HackerNews
Being an entrepreneur in this era means you should be updated, especially when it comes to technology and business. HackerNews provides the latest news about computer science and entrepreneurship and by using its app, you can get ideas from the latest trends today and apply it to your strategies in reaching your goal as a startup.
Prismatic
Prismatic app curates social news and allows you to discover and share media. It uses algorithms and social network aggregation to filter contents that match the interests of its users. It is useful because you get the information you actually need and would interest you and spare you the hassle of getting irrelevant information.
Keynote
This is a presentation software application developed by Apple. As a startup, you may sometimes need to present proposals and data not just to your investors but also to potential clients. With Keynote, you can easily create great presentations that could catch the attention of the people you are presenting to.
Clicky
Clicky is a web analytics app that enables you to monitor and analyze the traffic in your website real-time. Just like Hotjar, this allows you to improve your user experience design depending on the traffic. You can also compare your stats with your competitors using Clicky—allowing you to strategize in improving your website.
TINYPulse
This is an employee engagement app that allows companies to understand their employees. This is a perfect app for startups because it allows you to figure out what can you do to help your employees have a more accommodating working environment. Almost every successful businessman always says that their success came from the hard work of the employees that are satisfied by their working environments. And as a startup like you, you may need to hear what makes an employee frustrated or happy in order to increase productivity in the workplace.
15Five
15Five is a performance management software that enables you to train your employees as you go along. Most enterprises usually do an annual performance review and that takes a lot of time. But with this app, you can easily determine the strengths and weaknesses of your employees and help them along the way—not wait for a whole business year to do so.
Pocket is an app that allows you to manage your reading list—mostly articles from the internet. It is available for different devices which means you can access your reading list whatever gadget you are using. There are tons of useful articles on the internet, but you also need to work. As soon as you find the perfect time to read these articles, you can just access your Pocket list.
Fantastical
This is a Mac calendar app that allows you to create and edit an event. It has a lot of features and allows you to create a schedule with your team depending on their availability. It has time zone support which allows you to collaborate or schedule with your team or clients from another side of the world without conflict. It is also integrated with other software such as Google, Office365, and iCloud, among others.
Conclusion
There may be plenty of apps for startups like yours, but make sure to choose the apps that can actually increase your productivity. These apps should make things a lot easier for you, so make sure to choose what apps suit you and your team.
If your a startup and are looking for office rental for as little as an hour in the Hallandale and Aventura area then feel free to contact 221 Building for more information on how their office space can be perfect for startups.