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Increasing productivity is no longer solely the concern of the business person who has targets to meet. Keeping track of tasks, organizing projects, and adding structure into your daily routine can help us all become more productive. Whether you're looking to focus on your studying, prioritize household chores, or see that complex project to completion, there is an app to help you!
We chose Evernote by Evernote Corporation as our favorite productivity app. It has a wide variety of features and can be used for various aspects of your life. We've also put together a top 10 list for you to consider and created a handy buying guide to help you make your choice!
mybest US' editing team consists of experienced members who have backgrounds in writing, editing, translation, and more. We are dedicated to researching what makes a product or service the best to users in the US in order to create top-quality articles. From skincare, to kitchen appliances, and to DIY supplies, our mission is to find the best ones for you.
Table of Contents
Before choosing a productivity app to download, there are a few points you should take into consideration. To help you with this, we've put together this handy buying guide!
Productivity is a broad term that means different things to different people and this is reflected in the variety of apps that fall under the productivity umbrella. Before looking at any productivity apps, you should look at your own workload and see what areas you need to focus on.
Try to assess what is stopping you from being as productive as you can be. Are you disorganized? Choose an app where you can enter the information you need and organize it later. Do you forget to complete tasks or complete them late? Then look for apps that create to-do lists. Are you easily distracted? Try an app that blocks distractions.
Different apps focus on different areas, and what’s useful for organization might not be useful for keeping you focused and on task. Once you’ve identified what area or areas you need help with, it will narrow down your options.
You may be able to find a single app that covers all of your productivity needs, or you may need several. If you do need more than one, try not to choose apps that cover similar ground, as this will just confuse matters. Inputting the same information into separate apps will only decrease your productivity, not increase it!
Project manager apps can help you break down a project into smaller components. You can track progress on individual tasks and see what needs to be done. You can usually assign tasks to other people, as well as share documents and progress with them.
Social media managers allow you to keep on top of any social media accounts that either you or your business have. You can schedule posts in advance, analyze their engagement and reach, and manage several platforms and accounts all from one handy app.
To-do list apps can be complicated enough for any major business, or simple enough for any individual to use at home. You simply make a list of what needs to be done and mark when it has been done. You can add deadlines, images, or text if you wish, or leave it as a simple list.
Group communication apps can help organize a team’s productivity by keeping you in contact with each other throughout the working day. As well as sending messages, these allow you to share documents, images, and links and can be invaluable if the team is spread across different locations.
Focus apps aim to remove distractions in order to raise your productivity. They can block nominated apps (or all apps!) so that you won’t spend your time on social media when you should be working. They’re a simple but effective way to stay on track.
Productivity apps are supposed to streamline your workload and make you more productive by making things simpler. If you have to constantly shut down your project management app so that you can access a file somewhere else, this isn’t productive.
It would be far more productive to be able to access the file from within the project management app itself.
Before choosing a productivity app, look at the existing software that you use and think about what software needs to directly interact with the app.
Most productivity apps will be able to integrate with common software such as Microsoft Office, Google Drive, or popular social media sites, but if you use something more specialized, you may want to consider how it will interact with the apps.
Some productivity apps allow you to create macros that will complete tasks when certain conditions are met. If you’re looking to take advantage of these, then it’s essential that your other software can be integrated.
Many productivity apps require a subscription to make full use of their features. However, with so many apps on the market, it’s best to try them before you buy. Thankfully, most of these apps offer a free trial so you can try out the app before committing.
Make sure you get the most out of your free trial! Check that the app has the features you need and an interface you can understand and easily use. Is the layout too cluttered and difficult to use? Does it have a lot of features you’re never going to make use of? Shop around before you commit to ensure you have the best app for you.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Evernote Evernote | A Multi-Purpose and Flexible Organizer | ||
2 | Doist Todoist | Flexible Task Management With Wide Integration | ||
3 | Seekrtech Forest | Keep Focused While Growing Trees | ||
4 | Slack Technologies Slack | A Communications Tool for Business of All Sizes | ||
5 | Trello Trello | Organize and Divide Your Tasks | ||
6 | TimeTree TimeTree | Coordinate Your Calendar With Family and Friends | ||
7 | Buffer Buffer | Time-Saving Social Media Managing App | ||
8 | Asana Asana | Simple Interface but Multiple Functions | ||
9 | monday.com monday.com | Integrates With Other Programs and is Easy to Use | ||
10 | Shiny Frog Bear | Simple and Clean Notes App for iOS |
Evernote is an all-purpose organizer that you can use for notes, tasks, and lists. It can also be used as a journal or to bookmark articles to read later. You can scan or add media in multiple formats and share specific notes with colleagues and friends.
The free version of the app has a limited number of functions. Additional features are available in subscription plans, with one being focused specifically on features for business.
A recent update to the Android version has been causing trouble for some loyal users. But reviewers like that they can assign different notebooks in the app for different purposes. They say it syncs well between devices and is easily backed up on cloud services. Reviewers praise the app for its variety of uses and the media it can hold.
With Todoist, you can quickly create to-do lists and share them with others. The app can also act as a habit and goal tracker and integrates with other tools such as Slack, Gmail, and Alexa. The free version has limited functionality. For extra features such as more people, tasks, and reminders, you will need to subscribe to Todoist Premium.
Reviewers like the flexibility of this app as it can be used in a casual manner, but will also fit alongside established methodologies such as the Getting Things Done (GTD) method. The ability to use it across platforms and integrate with Google Calendar is very popular with reviewers.
Forest is an app designed to keep you focused and free from distractions as you work. Trees grow as long as you work, but open a different app and the tree will die. You can unlock other trees within the app or even contribute towards planting trees in the real world!
This app is free on Google Play but costs $1.99 on iOS. There are also in-app purchases if you wish to unlock new trees more quickly.
Reviewers say Forest is very effective at keeping them focused while they work. Many reviewers comment that causing a tree to die makes them feel guilty! Reviewers also like the ability to grow different trees and to tag productivity sessions for different purposes.
Slack is a popular app for businesses as it allows colleagues to communicate and organize projects. Documents can be shared and edited within the app, and it integrates with programs such as Google Drive, Asana, and Twitter. The app has levels ranging from free to a more comprehensive service ideal for even the largest companies.
Some users have issues with notifications, and a recent update on Android seems to be causing problems for many users. However, reviewers commend Slack for the ability to set up multiple channels and only invite whoever is necessary to each channel. They like how easy it is to connect people, no matter how big or small the group is.
With Trello, you can easily organize your to-do lists by creating cards that can be ordered, updated, and completed as needed. You can collaborate with other people and choose how your plans are displayed.
The free version of the app has limited functionality but may be enough for individuals or small companies. To have access to unlimited boards and different views, you will need a subscription.
Some reviewers found that it took some time to fully understand how to use Trello and to get the most out of it. Reviewers like how easy it is to reorganize tasks and that syncing between devices is quick. This app is used by businesses, students, and families for organization.
If you're looking for an app that will allow you to coordinate schedules with others, this may be a good choice for you. You can add events and tasks and share them with specific groups of people. The app is completely free to download and use, but has in-app ads.
Reviewers like that there is the option of keeping different aspects of their life separate through different calendars. They say that being able to color code different people or types of tasks makes it easy to see their calendar at a glance.
With Buffer, you can easily organize all of your social media posts from one app. It links to several social media platforms and allows you to schedule posts. The app has many tools specifically for Instagram, including scheduled posting to Instagram Stories.
The free version of the app only permits two social media accounts to be linked. You can also only line up eight scheduled posts. For more, you will need a paid subscription.
Some reviewers had occasional issues with linking their Instagram accounts. Reviewers like the ability to schedule posts in advance and say that this feature is very reliable. They say that the app is easy to use and is a definitive time saver.
The Asana app coordinates with the web version so that you can keep track of your projects. You can connect with other members of your team to allocate and monitor progress, as well as easily share information. Although the app itself is free and has no in-app purchases, some functions on the desktop version require a subscription.
Reviewers like that this app has a simple interface but still packs in a lot of important features. They like that progress on tasks can easily be seen and the ability to automatically convert handwriting into text is also singled out for praise.
The focus of this app is the management of group projects. The layout makes it easy to see what tasks are due, who they're assigned to, and what the status is. It is designed for collaboration and has many templates you can use to quickly set up projects.
Monday.com is free to download and use for 14 days. To use it past this, you will need to purchase a subscription that is billed per person.
Reviewers like that the app version integrates alongside the web version easily. It can link to other programs, such as Slack, which is also highly praised. Reviewers say the app is easy to use and reliable and can be quickly set up and updated.
This app allows iOS users to create to-do lists and notes. They can be organized in several different ways, highlighted with images or drawings, and kept safe behind encryption. Notes can be shared between devices and exported in most popular file formats. Many features are available for free, but a subscription offers full functionality.
Reviewers say that the search feature is lacking, as although Bear is able to search for specific notes it can't search within them. But they praise how easily the app syncs between multiple platforms and like that the app is simpler and cleaner than many similar apps.
Smartphones can help you in every aspect of your life—it doesn't just have to be with your productivity! As so many of us are never out of arm's reach of our phone, why not make use of it in as many ways as possible? We've chosen some more of our favorite apps to make your life easier.
No. 1: Evernote|Evernote
No. 2: Doist|Todoist
No. 3: Seekrtech|Forest
No. 4: Slack Technologies|Slack
No. 5: Trello|Trello
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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