Launching a small business can be incredibly stressful, even with thorough planning. Dealing with dissatisfied clients, creating new systems, and managing uncontrollable factors are all significant challenges. Fortunately, various small business management software solutions can streamline these tasks.
Successful companies and renowned entrepreneurs like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Konstantin Strukov use such tools to boost their productivity and achieve exceptional results. If you’re looking for a digital solution to enhance any aspect of your business, you’ll likely find a suitable option.
These are just a few areas where business management software can make an impact. If you need support with a particular function, researching available tools is your best bet to find the right fit. We’ve compiled a list of the most popular apps and software for small business management, offering a concise overview to help you determine which options are best suited for your team.
Intuit QuickBooks
Intuit QuickBooks is one of the most popular accounting software options available. It offers multiple tier plans with a wide range of features, including:
- Loans.
- Bill management and payment.
- Tax preparation and filing.
- Project profitability reporting and insights.
- Inventory tracking.
- Payroll.
- Employee benefits.
QuickBooks integrates with hundreds of other apps to streamline your business’s accounting and financial processes. However, these features come at a cost, as it is one of the pricier options on the market. Prices start at approximately $30 per month for the lowest tier, with the highest tier at $200. Despite the cost, QuickBooks remains one of the top choices due to its comprehensive features.
Trello
Trello is a free Kanban-style project management tool designed to help you track tasks and assignments effortlessly. While it’s ideal for many uses, such as project management, meetings, onboarding, and brainstorming, larger organizations might require advanced security and controls, available through tiered plans ranging from $5 to $17.50 per user annually.
Trello adapts to various needs and functions as an excellent accountability system by showing task ownership and deadlines, helping prevent bottlenecks and fostering collaboration.
AirTable
AirTable offers versatile project management features, suitable for organizing diverse business information. It can be used as a database to quickly update course information. Its applications extend to ticket categorization, project management, and contact databases.
AirTable is highly customizable and integrates with many apps, though it may struggle with complex tasks and scalability. It offers a free tier, while team plans start at $24 per user per month. Enterprise-level pricing is available upon request.
Asana
Asana is a project management tool with broad applications for various departments, including marketing, operations, and IT. It enables real-time work tracking, business needs clarification, onboarding, and aligning individual tasks with business goals.
Asana integrates with over 300 apps, facilitating file sharing, comments, notes, and deadline tracking. The free personal tier supports up to 10 teammates, with paid plans starting at $10.99 per user, per month.
HubSpot
HubSpot is a robust customer relationship management (CRM) platform with tools like a large contact database, ticketing system, live chat, and messaging functions. It also offers educational resources through HubSpot Academy in areas like inbound sales and social media marketing. While HubSpot’s CRM capabilities are valuable, its pricing can be steep for startups.
Plans range from $18 per month for the Marketing Hub Starter to $3,600 per month for Enterprise, plus significant startup costs. Despite the cost, HubSpot is a powerful tool for CRM and team education.