Running a small business can feel like a lot. You’re juggling sales, emails, customer service, and marketing all at once. It’s hard to stay on top of everything, especially when time and budget are tight.
Maybe you’ve tried doing it all on your own or switching between too many tools that don’t work well together. That’s where things start to slow down.
The good news? You don’t have to do it the hard way. The right business apps can save you time, help you stay organized, and make your work much smoother. From marketing tools to essential tools for daily accounting tasks, there are many apps made just for small business owners.
Some of the best free apps out there even offer seamless integration, so you don’t have to waste time moving between systems.
In this article, we’ll look at 18 of the best small business apps that can help you work smarter and get more done today.
18 Top Small Business Apps You Should Check Out in 2025
Here is a table showing all 18 apps in their respective categories:
| Category | Apps |
|---|---|
| Business Communication Apps |
|
| Accounting and Finance Apps |
|
| Productivity & Collaboration Apps |
|
| CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Apps |
|
| Marketing Apps |
|
| Payment Processing Apps |
|
Business Communication Apps
Business communication apps help your team stay connected and work better together. Whether you’re sending quick messages, jumping on a call, or handling client calls, these tools make communication simple and fast.
Some of the best business apps for communication come with advanced features like video meetings, call routing, robust reporting features, and voicemail-to-email. Others offer basic analytics to show how your team communicates and where things can improve.
If you want clear, easy, and organized communication, these apps are a must for any small business.
Here are our top picks for business communication apps in 2025:
1. Talkroute
Talkroute helps businesses of all sizes stay connected. You can call, text, and hold video meetings using easy-to-use apps on your computer or phone. Whether you’re working from home, at the office, or traveling, Talkroute keeps your business running smoothly.
There are no hidden fees, and you can access a free version of Talkroute for 7 days. Paid plans start at $19 per month with no per-user pricing. You can also add extra numbers for just $5 a month each. No contracts, just flexible, month-to-month billing.
Key Features
- Call forwarding and routing – Send calls to any phone or device so you never miss a customer, even on the go.
- Route calls to desktop users – Use the desktop app to ring specific users on their computers, wherever they are.
- Ring strategies – Set your phones and computers to ring in order or at the same time.
- Scheduled call routing – Choose when calls should ring your devices with easy scheduling tools.
- Business text messaging – Send and receive messages from your business numbers, including toll-free and local lines.
- Video meetings – Host meetings for up to 100 people with video, chat, screen sharing, and whiteboard features.
- Screen sharing – Show your screen to clients or coworkers during meetings.
- Whiteboard and file sharing – Share notes, draw on a whiteboard, and send files while you meet.
- Voicemail-to-email – Get voice messages sent to your inbox with an audio file and written transcript.
- Voicemail transcription – Read messages instead of listening to them.
- Automated messages – Share business hours or other info with a recorded message.
- Extensions – Create as many extensions as needed for your team or departments.
- Voicemail extensions – Route calls directly to a specific voicemail box.
- Call recording – Automatically record calls for training or legal backup.
- Unlimited recording storage – Save all recordings with no limit.
Get started with the business communication app built for flexibility. Try Talkroute now.
2. RingCentral
Source: ringcentral.com
RingCentral is a cloud-based communications platform used by businesses of all sizes. It offers tools for calling, messaging, and video meetings. The platform also includes AI features that help with customer support and team collaboration.
Companies in many industries use RingCentral to manage their phone systems and internal communication.
Key Features
- Unified communication tools – Combines voice, video, messaging, and fax into one platform for business communication.
- Video meetings – Supports online meetings with screen sharing, chat, and participant controls.
- Messaging – Allows team members to send messages, share files, and create group chats.
- AI-powered conversation tools – Includes features like call summaries and smart routing to improve support and team calls.
- Integrations – Connects with over 300 apps, including CRM tools, productivity software, and custom APIs.
Recommended reading:
RingCentral vs Grasshopper: Which One Is Good For You?
3. Dialpad
Source: dialpad.com
Dialpad is a communication platform that brings calling, messaging, meetings, and contact center tools together.
It includes built-in AI that helps with things like call summaries, customer support, and live coaching. Teams can use Dialpad across different devices to stay connected and manage customer interactions.
Key Features
- AI call summaries – Automatically creates written summaries and action points after meetings or calls.
- Live coaching tools – Give contact center agents real-time tips and support while on calls.
- Voice and video calls – Offers internet-based calling and video meetings through desktop and mobile apps.
- Contact center tools – Includes call routing, support tickets, and agent performance tracking.
- App integrations – Works with popular tools like Salesforce, Google Workspace, Zendesk, and Microsoft Teams.
Recommended reading:
Ring Central vs Dialpad: Which Fits Your Needs Best?
Manage your business phone system from anywhere. See how Talkroute keeps your team moving.
Accounting and Finance Apps
Accounting and finance apps help small businesses keep track of money without the stress. These tools make it easy to send invoices, maximize efficiency on tracking payments, and handle expense tracking in one place.
Instead of using paper or messy spreadsheets, you can see where your money goes with just a few taps. They solve common problems like forgetting to bill a client, losing receipts, or not knowing how much you spent last month.
With everything in one app, it’s simple to stay organized, avoid mistakes, and understand your business finances better. These apps save time and help you make smarter money decisions.
Here are the most popular accounting and finance apps you can check out today!
1. QuickBooks
Source: quickbooks.intuit.com
QuickBooks is a business accounting platform used to manage money, track expenses, and handle tasks like invoicing, payroll, and tax preparation.
This business tool offers a comprehensive suite of tools that combines accounting tools with reporting, bill payments, and integrations to help businesses stay organized. QuickBooks is often used by small to mid-sized businesses.
Key Features
- Income and expense tracking – Lets you record, categorize, and monitor business earnings and spending in one place.
- Invoicing and payments – Helps you create and send invoices, accept payments, and track payment status.
- Cash flow tracking – Provides tools to project and monitor cash flow so you can plan for upcoming expenses.
- Receipt capture – Upload and organize receipts by taking photos or uploading images.
- Financial reporting – Generates reports like profit and loss, balance sheets, and expense summaries to review business performance.
2. Wave
Source: waveapps.com
Wave is a money management platform made for small business owners and freelancers. It includes tools for accounting, invoicing, payments, and payroll, even for free users to try.
The software is designed to be simple to use, with features that help you stay organized and keep track of your business finances.
Key Features
- Accounting tools – Track income, expenses, and view basic financial reports like profit and loss.
- Invoice creation – Allows you to make and send professional-looking invoices and estimates quickly.
- Online payments – Supports payments through credit card, bank transfer, and Apple Pay.
- Payroll management – Helps you pay employees and contractors and handle payroll-related tasks.
- Mobile access – Offers a mobile app so you can check your financial data and reports while on the go.
3. Zoho Books
Source: zoho.com
Zoho Books is a cloud-based accounting platform for small and growing businesses. It helps users manage finances, track expenses, send invoices, and handle inventory. The platform also connects with other Zoho tools and includes features for automation and team collaboration.
Key Features
- End-to-end accounting – Covers income, expenses, invoicing, payments, and tax reports in one system.
- Inventory tracking – Monitors stock levels, updates inventory in real time, and sets reorder points.
- Project billing – Tracks billable hours, partial payments, and project-related expenses.
- Workflow automation – Lets users set up automatic reminders, field updates, and recurring tasks.
- Multi-currency support – Handles global transactions with automatic or manual exchange rates.
Productivity and Collaboration Apps
Productivity and collaboration apps help small teams stay organized, boost productivity, and help teams and departments work together without confusion.
These tools are great for managing projects, sharing files, assigning tasks, and checking progress, all in one place.
Most of these tools let you set roles per user, so each team member gets the right level of access. Many of them also support unlimited users, so you can grow your team without worrying about extra costs.
With everything in one spot, your team can spend less time on back-and-forth messages and more time getting work done.
Let’s look at 3 of the best picks for productivity and collaboration apps for small businesses:
1. Trello
Source: trello.com
Trello is a task and project management tool that helps users organize their work using boards, lists, and cards.
This project management app is designed for individuals and teams who want a simple way to track tasks, set deadlines, create to-do lists, and stay on top of responsibilities. Trello works across devices and supports integrations with popular apps.
Key Features
- Boards and cards – Organize tasks by creating boards for projects and cards for individual to-dos.
- Inbox and planner – Capture tasks as they come to mind and schedule them directly into your calendar.
- App integrations – Connect tools like Slack, Google Drive, or Microsoft Teams to streamline workflows.
- Automation with Butler – Set up no-code rules to automate routine actions like task assignments and reminders.
- Card mirroring – View and manage the same task across multiple boards without duplication.
2. Asana
Source: asana.com
Asana is a work management platform that helps teams plan, organize, and track work in one place. It supports project tracking, goal setting, and workflow automation.
Asana is commonly used by businesses to coordinate tasks across departments and keep everyone aligned with company goals.
Key Features
- Project and task tracking – Create projects with detailed tasks, deadlines, and assignees to manage work from start to finish.
- Goals and reporting – Link team projects to company goals and view progress through real-time updates and reports.
- Workflow automation – Set up rules to automate repetitive steps, like assigning tasks or sending updates.
- Cross-team collaboration – Share projects across departments to align work and improve visibility.
- AI assistance – Use AI to summarize work, suggest actions, and highlight changes to help teams stay on track.
3. ClickUp
Source: clickup.com
ClickUp is a work management platform that brings tasks, documents, goals, and communication into one space.
ClickUp is made to support different work styles and project types. Teams can customize how they view and manage their work, making it useful for a wide range of industries and teams.
Key Features
- Multiple view options – Offers over 15 ways to view work, including list, board, Gantt chart, and calendar.
- Customizable workspace – Lets teams add custom fields, statuses, and workflows to match different types of projects.
- Built-in time tracking – Includes time tracking features for monitoring work hours and task duration.
- App integrations – Connects with popular tools like Slack, Google Drive, and Microsoft Teams to support existing workflows.
- Search across sources – Allows users to search tasks, files, and connected tools from a single search bar.
Professional calling tools at small business prices. Check out what Talkroute includes.
Customer Relationship Management Apps
Customer relationship management (CRM) apps help you keep track of leads, customers, and sales in one place.
These tools store contact info, track conversations, and show where each customer is in the sales process. Instead of using notes or spreadsheets, you can manage all your customer info with just a few clicks.
CRM apps help you stay organized, follow up on time, and offer more reliable customer support to your customers. With the right CRM, you can close more deals and keep your customers happy.
So, here are our top choices for the best CRM apps for small businesses:
1. Salesforce Sales Cloud
Source: salesforce.com
Salesforce Sales Cloud is a CRM platform designed to help sales teams manage leads, track opportunities, and close deals.
Salesforce combines sales automation, forecasting tools, and reporting features to support sales planning and team collaboration. Sales Cloud is built to scale with growing businesses and offers AI features to assist in decision-making.
Key Features
- Lead and opportunity management – Helps sales teams track leads, accounts, and sales opportunities from first contact to close.
- Forecasting tools – Offers real-time sales forecasts with customizable metrics to support planning and team accountability.
- Activity tracking – Automatically logs emails, meetings, and other interactions in one place for better visibility into the sales process.
- Workflow automation – Allows users to automate repetitive tasks and manage sales processes using drag-and-drop tools.
- Reporting and dashboards – Provides customizable reports and visual dashboards for performance management, pipeline progress, and team activity.
2. HubSpot CRM
Source: hubspot.com
HubSpot Smart CRM is a customer relationship management platform that helps businesses manage contacts, track communications, and support collaboration across teams. It brings sales, marketing, and service tools into one shared system.
HubSpot CRM also has AI-powered features and works with various third-party apps to help teams stay connected and organized.
Key Features
- Contact management – Stores customer details, tracks interactions, and supports filtering and tagging for easy access.
- Shared inbox – Allows teams to manage conversations together and respond to customer inquiries from a single view.
- Reporting dashboard – Offers customizable reports that show performance data across sales, marketing, and service.
- Data sync and app integrations – Connects with popular apps and keeps customer data updated across platforms.
- Mobile app access – Lets users manage contacts, scan business cards, and handle tasks from a smartphone or tablet.
3. Zoho CRM
Source: zoho.com
Zoho CRM is a customer relationship management platform designed to help businesses manage leads, automate sales tasks, and improve customer engagement.
This CRM tool includes tools for marketing, analytics, and collaboration, with AI features to assist users in daily workflows. Teams can use Zoho CRM to customize processes and coordinate across departments.
Key Features
- Teamspaces – Lets different teams work in separate areas of the CRM with access only to the data they need.
- Sales automation – Supports automated workflows, lead routing, and follow-up reminders to streamline the sales process.
- AI assistance (Zia) – Offers features like email suggestions, data insights, and anomaly detection to support smarter work.
- 360° customer view – Brings together customer information, interactions, and deal history in one place.
- Reporting and analytics – Includes dashboards and performance tracking tools to help teams make data-driven decisions.
Explore a VoIP solution that’s flexible, professional, and easy to use. Schedule a demo today.
Marketing Apps
Marketing apps help small businesses promote their products and reach more people. These tools let you create email campaigns, design social media posts, schedule updates, and run ads without needing a full marketing team. They save time and help you stay consistent with your digital marketing efforts.
Many marketing apps also connect with other business software you already use, like your CRM or eCommerce platform.
This makes it easy to share data, track results, and adjust your strategy. With the right tools, marketing feels less stressful and more effective.
Now let’s look at the top graphic design and marketing apps available today:
1. Canva
Source: canva.com
Canva is a design platform that allows individuals and teams to create visual content such as social media posts, presentations, logos, and videos.
It offers a drag-and-drop interface and includes tools for printing, collaboration, and AI-powered design support. Canva is used for both personal and professional projects.
Key Features
- Design templates – Offers ready-made templates for presentations, social posts, resumes, websites, and more.
- AI design tools – Includes features like AI-generated content, smart templates, and design suggestions.
- Collaboration options – Allows users to comment, edit, and share designs in real time with team members or clients.
- Print services – Let users print their designs on items like business cards, shirts, and mugs with delivery options.
- Content library – Provides access to photos, fonts, videos, and graphics from Canva’s built-in media collections.
2. Mailchimp
Source: mailchimp.com
Mailchimp is an email marketing platform used by businesses to manage customer communication, create email campaigns, and analyze performance.
This marketing app supports personalized content, customer segmentation, and integrates with various e-commerce and marketing tools. Mailchimp also includes AI-driven features for content creation and campaign optimization.
Key Features
- Email automation – Sends targeted emails based on customer behavior, such as product views or past purchases.
- Generative AI tools – Help create email content and design using AI based on industry and campaign goals.
- Audience segmentation – Allows marketers to divide contacts by purchase history, engagement, and predicted behavior.
- Performance analytics – Offers custom reports and insights, including open and click rates, and visual funnels.
- App integrations – Connects with platforms like Shopify, Canva, Salesforce, and over 300 other apps to support workflows.
3. Buffer
Source: buffer.com
Buffer is a social media management tool that helps individuals and teams plan, publish, and analyze content across multiple platforms.
The platform supports popular networks like Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and more. Buffer includes tools for content creation, collaboration, audience engagement, and performance tracking.
Key Features
- Multi-platform scheduling – Allows users to create and schedule posts for multiple social media platforms from one place.
- Content creation tools – Support idea organization, post customization, and AI assistance for writing content.
- Team collaboration – Enables shared workspaces with user roles, saved drafts, and internal feedback options.
- Audience engagement dashboard – Lets users manage and reply to comments on Facebook and Instagram in a central inbox.
- Performance analytics – Provides insights on post performance, audience demographics, and top-performing content.
Forget juggling tools. Talkroute brings your communication into one place. Book a demo today.
Payment Processing Apps
Payment processing apps help small businesses get paid quickly and easily. These tools let you accept credit card payments, send invoices, and track transactions all in one place.
Many of these apps also support multiple payment methods, like debit cards, mobile wallets, and bank transfers.
This gives your customers more ways to pay, which can help you close more sales. With a good payment app, you spend less time chasing payments and more time growing your business.
These are our top choices for payment processing apps:
1. Stripe
Source: stripe.com
Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform that helps businesses manage payments, automate revenue operations, and embed financial services.
The platform supports online and in-person transactions, billing, fraud detection, and global commerce. Stripe is widely used across industries such as SaaS, eCommerce, marketplaces, and fintech.
Key Features
- Global payments – Accept payments in over 135 currencies and offer local payment methods to support international customers.
- Billing and invoicing – Manage recurring payments, automate invoicing, and support various pricing models, including usage-based billing.
- Connect and payouts – Handle multiparty payments for platforms and marketplaces, with tools for onboarding and compliance.
- Fraud protection (radar) – Uses AI to detect and prevent fraudulent transactions in real time.
- Developer tools and APIs – Offers a full suite of APIs and libraries for custom integrations, along with low- and no-code options.
2. PayPal
Source: paypal.com
PayPal is a digital payments platform that allows individuals and businesses to send, receive, and manage money online.
The app supports online shopping, peer-to-peer transfers, and business transactions. PayPal offers tools for both personal and commercial use, and is available through desktop and mobile apps.
Key Features
- Online checkout – Lets users pay at millions of online stores using stored payment details for faster checkout.
- Secure payment transfers – Allows sending money to individuals or businesses while keeping financial details private.
- PayPal.Me links – Offers personal payment links that make it easier to request and receive money.
- Data encryption and security – Protects sensitive information with built-in security and fraud prevention features.
- Mobile app access – Provides a way to manage transactions, send payments, and track activity from a smartphone.
3. Square Payments
Source: squareup.com
Square Payments is a payment processing solution that supports in-person, online, and remote transactions for businesses of all sizes. This platform offers tools for accepting payments, managing invoices, and accessing funds, with no contracts or hidden fees.
Square integrates with its own hardware, apps, and financial services, helping businesses manage payments and cash flow in one platform.
Key Features
- Multi-channel payment support – Accepts payments in person, online, by invoice, or over the phone using hardware or digital tools.
- Built-in security and compliance – Includes fraud prevention, dispute management, and PCI compliance for secure transactions.
- Instant or next-day transfers – Let’s businesses move funds to bank accounts either the next day for free or instantly for a fee.
- Offline payment mode – Allows sales to continue without internet access, storing transactions for up to 24 hours.
- Integrated reporting tools – Provide real-time sales insights and reports to help businesses track performance and plan ahead.
Recommended reading:
How to Get a Second Phone Line for Business in 3 Easy Steps
How Long Does it Take to Transfer My Number to a New Provider?
Stay Connected With a Smarter Phone System for Small Business
Talkroute helps you stay connected with your customers without being stuck at your desk or tied to old phone equipment. You can answer calls, send texts, check voicemails, and even host video meetings all from one simple app.
Whether you’re working from home, at the office, or on the go, Talkroute makes communication easy and professional.
With helpful features like auto attendants, custom voicemail greetings, call forwarding, and voicemail-to-email, Talkroute gives you the tools to manage your business calls your way. It’s affordable, easy to set up, and built to grow with your team.
If you’re looking for a dependable app made for small business needs, Talkroute is ready to help you stay organized and responsive.
FAQs About Small Business Apps
What is the best app to use for a small business?
The best app really depends on what your business needs. If you’re focused on phone communication, Talkroute is a great pick. It lets small business owners manage calls, texts, and voicemail on multiple devices with a clean, user-friendly interface.
If you want to manage employee benefits, Gusto is a good choice. Wave and QuickBooks are also popular tools if you need an app for expense tracking. For email marketing and time tracking, both Mailchimp and Clockify are good options.
Each of these apps for small businesses brings something different to the table, so it helps to start with what you need most.
Which app is mostly used for business?
Many business owners lean on project management apps like Trello and Asana for managing projects and task management.
These apps are popular because they offer collaboration tools, drag and drop interfaces, and are simple enough for any team member to use.
For communication, Talkroute stands out with its intuitive interface and ability to streamline business operations across mobile devices.
Which app is free for business?
Wave is one of the best free business apps for managing business finances and creating professional invoices. It includes a free basic version that covers accounting software, financial tracking, and even payment processing.
For business owners who want free tools to support communication, Talkroute also offers a free plan that helps with unlimited message history and customer relationships.
Which online platform is best for a small business?
For small business owners looking for an all-in-one solution, Talkroute is a top pick thanks to its easy-to-use interface and essential features like call forwarding, voicemail, and team messaging.
It’s especially helpful for businesses needing to enhance communication without dealing with complex systems.
Stephanie
Stephanie is the Marketing Director at Talkroute and has been featured in Forbes, Inc, and Entrepreneur as a leading authority on business and telecommunications.
Stephanie is also the chief editor and contributing author for the Talkroute blog helping more than 200k entrepreneurs to start, run, and grow their businesses.
