Find a comprehensive comparison list of the best business apps in 2024 to manage your business. Everything you need from project and inventory management to HR.
🔑 Key Highlights
Small business apps are more than just tools; they're the catalysts that propel an enterprise to new heights.
Versatile applications help enhance efficiency, streamline collaboration, and more.
When choosing between apps with similar functions, go for the one that addresses multiple challenges, leading to significant improvement in operations.
In this digital age, businesses that leverage cutting-edge applications and technologies enhance their operational efficiency and rise to the top. That's why we carefully curated this compilation of top apps for business owners and professionals looking for solutions to various business needs across domains such as organisational management, financial tracking, customer engagement and more.
Check out these 21 small business management apps, presented in categories, to help you discover innovative solutions that can revolutionise how you organise, operate, and propel your business towards success.
Best Scheduling Apps for Small Business Owners
One notable advantage of scheduling apps is their ability to mitigate the impact of external meeting demands on business owners. By allowing individuals to set their availability times, these apps empower prospects, clients, and teams to schedule meetings in alignment with the entrepreneur's predefined availability.
The applications also help eliminate scheduling conflicts and overlapping appointments by centralising availability information and automating the scheduling process.
✅ Insight
Some key features to look out for in a scheduling application include -
Ease of use: Opt for an intuitive and straightforward application for your clients, prospects, and team members to schedule time with you.
Calendar Integrations: Your scheduling app should easily integrate into your calendar application and let you view your appointments on both platforms.
Notifications: Choose an app that sends you notifications when someone books time with you. It should also have an optional feature for sending reminders to you and your guest days, hours, or minutes before the appointment.
Top scheduling applications for small business entrepreneurs in the UK include —
Calendly
Calendly is a scheduling automation platform designed to streamline the process of scheduling, preparing for, and following up on internal and external meetings. Users can create a personalised scheduling link and booking page according to their availability, which they then share with others, allowing them to book a meeting easily at a mutually convenient time.
It offers the flexibility of setting meeting rules, such as 15-minute or 30-minute increments, enabling participants to optimise their time efficiently during these interactions.
Pros
Simple and intuitive
Enhances the professional image of the user
Has an automatic time zone conversion that removes meeting time confusion for international teams
Cons
Limited branding options for scheduling pages
Platforms: iOS, Android, Chrome and Firefox extension
Pricing: Offers a free forever plan with the standard plan starting at $10 per monthly seat.
Appoint.ly is a scheduling application for individuals and businesses. Users create a calendar, set their availability and share with clients and coworkers for bookings. It seamlessly integrates with Google Calendar, Microsoft Office, or iCal and automatically syncs appointments while addressing time zone differences.
Pros
Free plan available
Simple, intuitive and functional interface
Minimises confusion due to timezone differences
Cons
No mobile app
Limited functionality compared to other tools
Platforms: Cloud-based
Pricing: Free basic plan with the pro version starting at $10 per seat per month
To meet the demands of a dynamic market, companies often rely on multiple teams overseen by either the founder or a designated manager responsible for setting timeframes and objectives. Project management applications are pivotal in facilitating adequate supervision from home, the office, or while on the move. These applications streamline workflows across teams and ensure meticulous attention to detail, mitigating challenges that impede project success.
Techopedia reports a remarkable 92% success rate in meeting project objectives for organisations consistently utilising project admin apps, highlighting the transformative impact of employing the right tools.
On the other hand, the State of Project Management Report 2021 highlights the most significant challenges in project and portfolio management: benefits management, resource management, and project prioritization.
✅ Insight
Effective project software must tackle the above-mentioned top 3 challenges at a minimum, incorporating key features such as:
Resource allocation — Project management tools assist in optimising resource utilisation by enabling managers to allocate resources, including team members, and time to priority projects.
Scheduling — Ensures adherence to project timelines and deadlines, monitors progress and allows for timely adjustments when necessary.
Reporting — For data-driven decision-making, the application should offer robust reporting capabilities to track and analyse project performance.
With the above in mind, let's dive into the top 2 project management applications for small enterprises in the UK.
Trello
Trello is a user-friendly project management software for organising projects into Kanban boards. At a glance, a manager can tell the main task, the individual handling it, and its status. With a generous free plan that accommodates up to 10 boards and unlimited users, it's a versatile tool accessible to all. Small teams, freelancers, and solo entrepreneurs use Trello for individual assignment planning or comprehensive project workflows.
Pros
Easy to manage tasks (to-do lists) with an intuitive drag-and-drop system;
Leaders can assign tasks with due dates and role-specific access privileges;
Users can share images and documents from other apps like Google Drive; and
It's super versatile, with multiple templates to get new users started.
Cons
The process of integrating with third-party plugins is clunky;
Some basic features are only available through power-ups; and
The free plan has limited features.
Platforms: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android
Pricing: Offers free plan with paid plan starting at $5 per user per month.
Freedcamp's free version is considered one of the best apps to help organise. It offers unlimited tasks, users, projects, and storage, an excellent choice for SMBs seeking efficient project management software. Their paid plans, including the business and enterprise packages, provide exceptional value compared to rival platforms. The well-crafted native desktop and mobile apps facilitate convenient project administration beyond web browsers and while on the go.
Pros
It is easy to use and has excellent support;
Supports French, German, Croatian, and Russian;
Has a time-tracking feature that’s connected to tasks;
Inexpensive with the free option including unlimited users, assignments, projects, and storage; and
Kanban view allows users to mark tasks as No Progress, In Progress, and Completed.
Cons
Few native integrations;
Dull and basic user interface; and
Complex integration with third-party applications like Outlook.
Platforms: Web, macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS
Pricing: Free pro package starts at $1.49 monthly per user.
Communication is essential for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs). However, most cost-effective project administration tools are intentionally designed without a built-in communication or team chat feature. Consequently, businesses find it necessary to explore standalone chat or messaging apps offering unlimited chat history, private and public channels, and video and voice calls. Among the popular choices for this purpose are
Slack
Slack has become a leading messaging app in business communication. Its intuitive and user-friendly interface sets it apart, providing teams with an efficient platform for streamlining communication. The distinctive feature of Slack lies in its channel organisation system, allowing teams to work with designated spaces for different topics, projects, or teams, fostering a more organised and focused communication environment within the application.
Pros
Has a fair, free plan;
User-friendly interface;
It's quick and easy to send messages to individuals or groups;
Customisation options for individual users; and
Advanced search functionality.
Cons
Relatively higher costs for the paid plans;
The free plan restricts the number of historical messages accessible, making it susceptible to losing crucial information easily.
The free plan limits the number of participants in a huddle to two, affecting team collaboration.
Platforms: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS
Pricing: Free plan with the pro plan starting at £5.75 per active user per month paid annually.
Flock is a messaging and collaboration tool that offers direct and channel messaging, video conferencing, screen and file sharing, and unlimited chat history. Users can create multiple teams and both public and private channels for communication. It is designed for businesses of all sizes and operates on a freemium pricing model, with additional features available in paid plans. The app is known for its fast and reliable communication, making it a popular choice for collaboration and coordination.
Pros
Ideal for instant messaging;
Free mobile app for on-the-go communication;
In-built to-do list feature for task assignment and progress monitoring; and
Users can send themselves messages for safekeeping or access from other devices.
Cons
Some users report poor audio and video quality; and
Users can delete unread messages without a trace.
Platforms: Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android phones.
Pricing: Freemium with the pro plan starting at $4.50 /user/month
Microsoft Teams is a unified communication and collaboration platform that seamlessly integrates workplace chat, video meetings, file storage, and application integration. Its user-friendly interface enables easy connections, communication, and collaboration, rendering it a favoured choice for businesses and organisations across different scales.
Pros
The centralised document storage and communication system helps boost productivity.
Easy collaboration with internal and external contacts
Enables access to previous meeting notes and recordings
Can hold meetings or webinars with up to 10,000 attendees
Has a robust free version for personal use.
Integration with the Microsoft ecosystem
Comes with end-to-end security
Cons
Not built for phone use
Its online meeting experience isn’t as intuitive as with other apps
Platforms: Web, Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS,
Pricing: Business packages start at £3.30/user/month, paid annually
Recent research shows that over 80% of an employee's time is spent on low-value tasks. In response to this challenge, a reliable time-tracking application empowers employers to assess staff work habits and their respective contributions to organisational objectives.
With time-tracking tools, companies save time, maximise productivity, identify potential areas of improvement, and monitor performance remotely. For the employee, a time tracking app helps them make the most of their workday and manage distractions.
Some of the best small business apps for time tracking include -
Toggl Track
For the web app, toggl track facilitates accurate invoicing by enabling real-time or manual mode tracking of the amount of time spent on an activity, which can be connected to a specific client, project or task. It also has a calendar view that shows weekly time entries in a colour-coded grid format, with which everyone can see the project that dominates an employee's/freelancer's time.
Toggl has a free forever plan with limited features for up to 5 users and a premium plan for $18 for those who want additional features like fixed fee projects and integrations with third-party applications like Jira or Salesforce.
Pros
User-friendly and versatile;
Ideal for individuals, freelancers, and teams of any size;
Provides in-depth reports and productivity analytics;
Promotes employer and employee acceptance with its anti-surveillance feature; and
Effortlessly integrates with a variety of third-party project administration and collaboration tools.
Cons
Few native integrations;
Users find it difficult to fix time-tracking mistakes; and
The desktop application is cumbersome compared to the Chrome extension and mobile app.
Platforms: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Pricing: Free plan for up to 5 users, starter $ 9 per user per month and $18 for the premium package.
Hour Stack is a premium time management application suitable for individuals, starting at $12 per month and $ 15/member/month for large teams. It has over 15 native integrations, with an additional 1,500 through Zapier. The tool helps teams create projects, set budgets and timelines, schedule tasks, balance workloads across teams, track time, pull weekly and monthly reports and customise according to their unique workflow.
Pros
Intuitive interface;
Users can plan for an entire week, both tasks and meetings;
The reporting feature enables users to view time estimates vs actual time spent on a project; and
Easily integrates with third-party applications like Asana and Google Calendar.
Cons
Mobile device applications sometimes don’t work as expected; and
The integration with Asana can be unreliable.
Platform: Web
Pricing: No free trial, $12 per month for the personal and $15 for the team package
Best Payroll & Employee Management Apps for Small Business or Remote Teams
According to the UK Parliament post, fully remote or hybrid arrangements enhance employee wellbeing, but the impact on productivity is uncertain. Yet, business owners report that a remote workforce provides an opportunity to embrace a lean model and tap into a cost-effective offshore talent.
If you are leaning towards going remote or hybrid, here are some of the best HR apps for small ventures —
Deel
Deel is one of the preferred solutions for distributed workforce management applications with free and pay-as-you-go plans starting at $49 per active contract/month and a footprint in over 150 countries. With their employer-on-record product, Deel helps businesses undertake background checks, hire, offer employees localised benefits, and comply with complex local regulatory requirements.
Pros
Completely free for contractors and employees;
Intuitive and user-friendly interface for ease of use;
Streamlined payroll automation feature for efficient processing; and
The payment system provides clear tax and compliance requirements guidance, ensuring smooth financial operations.
Cons
Customer support may, at times, be unreliable; and
No mobile application.
Platform: Cloud-based
Pricing: Free for HR automation, $49 for contractors and $599 for Employer on Record (EOR)
Motivosity is a business software solution for those seeking to manage employee recognition, motivation and engagement designed to help companies build a positive workplace culture. Through the app, staff members get a sense of community and belonging. With the option to give regular coaching-oriented feedback, teammates feel they have a positive relationship with their boss and managers.
Its premium plans start at $2, allowing businesses to use it to motivate their workforce as among the strategies underscore success and get insights that help enhance productivity and retention.
Pros
Intuitive interface that works like a social media page; and
Makes it easy for co-workers to compliment and recognise each other efforts, building a positive company culture.
Cons
Limited native integration with third-party tools.
GoCo is a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) business application starting at $5/employee/month that handles onboarding, benefits, time tracking, payroll administration and compliance.
Pros
Automates all aspects of hiring - from sourcing to onboarding
Handles HR, including benefits and payroll management
Ideal for small enterprises and large enterprises with remote teams
Cons
Difficulty mastering advanced features
Available on the web with no mobile application on-the-go access
Best Credit Card, Inventory Management, POS System, & Payment Apps for E-commerce
E-commerce enterprises depend on efficient and secure payment solutions to ensure a seamless shopping experience, significantly contributing to customer satisfaction and trust. Top payment applications for e-commerce companies include —
PayPal Express Checkout
PayPal is one of the earliest and most popular online payment solutions. To access the service, you only need to sign up for the express checkout and add it to your website. You can add the checkout through a partner or build your custom integration for your website. Paypal charges 2.90% + £0.30 per transaction. See more details on the UK fees page.
Square is a free stock management and payment processing app for small enterprises. It enables small and medium-sized businesses to accept credit card payments using smartphones or tablets as point-of-sale system registers. It has the following features
Payment acceptance including -
Credit and debit cards
Apple Pay and Google Pay
Digital Gift Cards
Card on file for regular customers
Custom invoicing
Encrypted payments
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance
Checkout process customisation
Receipts
Automated discounts
Square analytics for advanced reporting and insights
Inventory management with low stock alerts
Besides the features, Square offers POS hardware, which includes the following —
Square register with fully integrated till system with point of sale software, payments, and a dedicated customer display.
Square stands for those using their iPad as a POS.
Square terminal, which connects wirelessly with your POS and accepts all kinds of payments and print receipts.
Square reader for contactless payments.
Pros
Clean and intuitive interface
Free basic plan with robust features
Wide range of hardware to choose from
Real-time sales tracking
Cons
Cluncky hardware design
Platforms: iOS and Android.
Pricing: Free for small businesses with the plus plan starting at £49 per month, per location
Best Small Business Apps for Accounting & Invoice Management
The best accounting software for small and medium businesses is affordable and easy to use, recognising that most small and medium business owners are not professional accountants. These tools enable companies to manage their finances and record expenses, profit, and losses. Some of the best tools include —-
Zoho
Unlike Freshbooks, Zoho is a free accounting invoicing software for small business owners, solopreneurs and freelancers.
Pros
Simple and intuitive; and
Multiple customisation options available.
Cons
Free version is limited to 1,000 invoices per year.
Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows
Pricing: Offers a free version with enterprise quotations available on request.
Xero is tailored for medium-sized businesses that need high-level accounting software for sending invoices, accepting payments, managing contracts, and more. Its pricing starts at £15 to £55 per month.
Pros
Cost-effective;
Unlimited users and plans;
Enables collaboration with accountants or business advisors;
Cloud-based and accessible anywhere with an internet connection;
Cons
Steep learning curve for new users;
It takes a long for customer service teams to respond to people;
QuickBooks is an online business accounting software specifically crafted to simplify cash flow management. It boasts robust features, including automated expense tracking, efficient invoice creation, integrated payroll services, and insightful financial reporting.
Pros
It's easy to use and learn;
Integrates well with third-party applications
It is cloud-based, enabling users to access real-time data anytime, anywhere;
Tools suitable for various business types, including accountants, sole traders and limited companies.
Cons
Lacks industry-specific features
Experiences regular system crashes
Limited to accounting-specific reporting
Platforms: Cloud-based, iOS, Android, iPad, Tablet, MacOS and Windows
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) refers to business development, systems or strategies to promote client acquisition and retention. A comprehensive solution gathers customer information from all the contact points with the business, such as the website, social media, phone line, email, and marketing content. It uses this data to equip the relevant staff with in-depth customer insights such as purchasing history, preferences and prospects' challenges.
✅ Insight
There are three types of CRM software — collaborative, analytical and operational. Analytical collects and assesses client information, which businesses harness for customer behaviour and tailored experiences.
Operational CRM streamlines core business processes, automating sales, marketing, and customer service functions to enhance efficiency and client satisfaction.
Lastly, a collaborative platform focuses on organisational communication and collaboration to provide a seamless customer experience.
Nimble
Nimble is primarily considered a collaborative CRM that integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace, Office 365, and multiple third-party applications.
It emphasises organisational communication and cooperation to improve customer interactions and relationships. Additional features include —
Marketing automation;
Lead and pipeline management;
Task management; and
Analytics and dashboards.
Pros
Neat, user-friendly interface;
Connect on the go with its mobile application;
Best CRM for Microsoft Office, including Microsoft 365 apps, Microsoft Teams and Outlook.
Zendesk is a cloud-based operational CRM that automates customer support ticket management, helping users track, prioritise, personalise and solve email support interactions. Its suite plans start from $49/per month for up to 5 agents.
Pros
Workflow automation;
Feature-rich interface; and
Multi-channel support (chat, email, social media) on a unified platform;
Integrates with multiple third-party solutions for comprehensive reporting and analytics.
Cons
It’s unintuitive and takes a long time to understand the platform;
One of the best CRM software for small businesses tailored for G Suite applications, Copper empowers sales teams by effectively managing their leads, contacts, and communication from a unified platform.
Pros
Cost effective
Simple and easy to use, since the interface is similar to most Google applications
Effortlessly extract leads from Gmail, enhancing contact and lead management.
Workflow automaton for repetitive tasks
track and log email chains, meetings, and files from Gmail using the Chrome extension.
Cons
May issue unnecessary notifications
Platform: Web, iOS and Android Apps
Pricing: The basic plan starts at $23 monthly per user, paid annually.
When selecting the best app for your business, choose one that will address the most significant bottleneck. For instance, if you are not making the most out of your existing customer database - you’ll need an analytical CRM to gather insights from client interactions with your business for targeted marketing campaigns and product recommendations.
Key features you should look out for in a business application should include —
Ease of use — The applications should be intuitive and easy to use. However, you may need software with elaborate features and functionalities. In such cases, consider if the software company offers product walkthroughs, onboarding sessions, and reviews comments from past clients on their customer support culture.
Integrations — You’ll find that many business processes are interdependent. For instance, an order management system may need to communicate with an accounting app. Your email marketing software may require integration with a lead generation tool. Therefore, consider how easily your app of choice connects to third-party applications.
Cost — Determine if the software is the most cost-effective for your business needs. In addition to the monthly charges and price per seat, consider if you’ll have to pay extra to integrate with a non-native application.
The UK's GDP is among the largest in the world and thus its economy thrives even in dire times.
The United Kingdom has a fiercely autonomous, advanced, and global trade economy that was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. The 1990s saw economic growth rates that were competitive with those of other major industrialized nations. After the United States, China, Japan, Germany, and India, the United Kingdom has the sixth-largest economy, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of $2.83 trillion in 2019 and a population of over 66 million. It is known for having a great overall quality of life and a somewhat diverse economy. The majority of the U.K.'s GDP is comprised of services, manufacturing, construction, and tourism; one of its unique regulations is the free asset ratio.
According to the U.K. Office for National Statistics (ONS), the services sector makes up the majority of the UK economy and contributes to more than three-quarters of GDP. United Kingdom's service includes a variety of sectors, such as finance and business services, as well as consumer-oriented sectors like retail, food and beverage, and entertainment. Agriculture contributes about 0.60% of the GDP, and manufacturing and production contribute less than 21 percent.
Table of Contents
• A Bulwark of European Economy
• Trading
• Tourism
• BREXIT
• Health & Medical Sources
• Conclusion
A Bulwark of European Economy
The United Kingdom, notably London, has long been a center for finance. The banking, insurance, London Stock Exchange, shipping, and commodity markets all underwent substantial changes as a result of the sector's extensive restructuring and deregulation in the 1980s and 1990s. Over time, certain clearly defined boundaries between financial institutions have blurred. Around the turn of the century, the financial services industry employed over a million people and accounted for around one-twelfth of the GDP. While the financial services industry has seen significant expansion in certain medium-sized cities, notably Leeds and Edinburgh, London has maintained its position as the industry leader and has grown in both size and effect as a hub for international financial operations.
Trading
Trading in foreign exchange and securities has increased along with capital movements. Engineering, food, drinks (including alcoholic beverages), and tobacco, chemicals, paper, printing, and publishing, metals and minerals, textiles, apparel, footwear, and leather, are the most significant industrial industries in terms of their proportionate contribution to the GDP. Chemicals and electrical engineering have seen the fastest growth. The chemical industry has seen the biggest increases in pharmaceuticals and specialty goods. Within the engineering industry, electronics products have seen the quickest growth, followed by electrical and instrument engineering, transport engineering, which includes motor vehicles, and aerospace products.
Tourism
Another significant source of revenue for the UK is tourism. According to the ONS, foreign nationals spent £28.4 billion, or $35.9 billion, on travel and tourism in the UK in 2019. In June 2019, which is the busiest month for travel, there were 9% more visitors than the previous year. According to Visit Britain, foreign tourists spent £2.34 billion, up 13% from the prior year.
BREXIT
Brexit, which stands for "British exit," the U.K.'s decision to leave the European Union (EU), became official on January 31, 2020. Since the vote, a wide range of governmental and nongovernmental organizations have predicted that the uncertainty surrounding the ongoing Brexit negotiations has had a negative impact on the U.K. economy. However, this could represent a better opportunity for the nation.
A 100-page report titled "The Benefits of Brexit" was released by the UK government to commemorate two years since the country's withdrawal from the EU. This lays out a range of benefits in many areas of spending, policy, and regulation in an enthusiastic, upbeat manner. A few days later, Jacob Rees-Mogg was named to the Cabinet as the Brexit Opportunities Minister to oversee this initiative.
Brexit has changed astonishingly little in many aspects of health and care, despite the fact that the UK's health industry has already felt the effects of trade and migration. This is because there isn't a clear, widely accepted strategy for life after the single market. The UK has stagnated in a number of areas as the EU advances.
Each of the health-related "benefits" can be broken down to reveal a recurring pattern. Many of these are either places where the UK has a real chance of doing something new and different or where the UK must make a crucial decision between going it alone and attempting to stay close to larger markets.
The document's first section emphasizes the UK's capacity to "manage its own money" and avoid making contributions to the EU. Following that is a bullet point that states that healthcare spending will increase by £57 billion in 2024–2025 compared to the year of the EU referendum.
The report avoids explicitly stating any sort of causal relationship. The Office for Budget Responsibility, which oversees public finances for the UK government, predicts that the net result of Brexit will be less rather than more money available due to a slowdown in economic growth.
Instead, the UK is funding the entire recovery effort through its own accounts. It is using this to invest in health in a way that is somewhat similar to what we see in the EU. The NHS is receiving additional funding to reduce waiting lists, and thanks to a spending review based on higher borrowing, its capital budget is expected to increase to its highest level in many years. This, however, has been packaged with a strong emphasis on new hospital building investment and meeting targets rather than investing in new care models or pandemic preparedness. In addition, rather than using the EU's seven-year timeframe, the UK has restricted its spending horizons to its typical spending review period. This doesn't seem to be a completely new direction at all.
Health & Medical Sources
Regarding medications, the new minister has said that "we can use our freedom to approve life-saving drugs faster and at better prices than ever before." The recent rapid approval of vaccines and new methods combining the approval of medicines with value-for-money checks have all been done in accordance with retained EU law, indicating a lack of concrete plans. According to reports, a strategy of general alignment and fast tracks for specific innovative projects has been proposed. The logic is sound, but the details will be challenging, just like with medical devices.
Despite the fact that many international processes are still in their very early stages, the document's sections on trade once again emphasize a high level of general ambition. There is a lot of discussion about diplomatic and trade promotion initiatives that are independent of Brexit.
Conclusion
The probability of the UK joining the Pacific Trade bloc CPTPP is a major topic of discussion. As we have noted, while this is advantageous for industries subject to tariffs, it is typically not the case for goods related to health. The agreement could reduce the UK's latitude in food and drink regulation and introduce Investor-State Dispute Settlement systems, which are sometimes linked to legal action against public health measures by large corporations.
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