The power of successful collaboration is no secret in the world of business. When minds come together, they quickly spark fresh project ideas and illuminate solutions to the trickiest challenges. So, when the entire team takes part in decision-making, it’s a recipe for guaranteed success. 👨🍳
Yet, achieving this level of alignment can often feel like a daunting task, as coordinating projects across multiple teams demands meticulous organization and planning. That’s where the assistance of top-notch small business collaboration tools comes into play.
We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 collaboration tools for small businesses designed to enhance team communication. You’ll gain insights into their pros, cons, user ratings, and pricing, empowering you to make the best choice for your team.
Empower Your Team in 2024: 10 Top-Rated Collaboration Tools for Small Businesses
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Are Collaboration Tools for Small Businesses?
Collaboration tools for small businesses are software platforms designed to facilitate cooperation, communication, and teamwork among partners, employees, and clients. These tools are essential for optimizing workflows and enhancing productivity within a small business environment. 💪
Although a collaboration tool for small and large businesses offers similar features, using collaboration software specifically designed for smaller organizations comes with a wide range of benefits, such as:
- Simplicity: These tools are often designed to be more straightforward, as they typically cater to smaller teams with fewer users
- Cost-effectiveness: Small businesses typically have tighter budgets and fewer IT resources, so these tools tend to be budget-friendly
- Ease of use: The collaboration software interface is more user-friendly since smaller teams have limited resources for extensive training
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Should You Look for in Collaboration Tools for Small Businesses?
When choosing collaboration tools for your small business, consider the following key factors:
- Collaboration and customization: Look for specific collaboration software features you need, which can be real-time messaging, video conferencing, document sharing, and task management, and see if you can tailor them to fit your workflows
- Scalability: Ensure the tool can grow with your business, allowing you to add or remove users and features as your needs change
- User support and training: Check if the software offers training resources and documentation to help your team learn fast and navigate the tool with ease
- Integration capabilities: Check if the collaboration tools integrate seamlessly with your existing software products, such as email, calendars, CRM systems, and project management tools
- Security features: Look for robust security features like data encryption, user authentication, and access controls to protect sensitive business information
Summarize this article for me please10 Best Collaboration Tools for Small Businesses to Use in 2024
While there are more collaboration tools out there than flavors in an ice cream shop, we’ve carefully scooped out our favorite solutions for small businesses. 🍦
Let’s see which unique features they have to offer!
1. ClickUp
ClickUp is hard proof that treasure can be found without digging too deep! This software is a true gem in the realm of collaboration tools for small businesses, bringing together team chats, instant communication, and interactive whiteboards, all within a single platform. 💎
Team collaboration is as easy as pie with the advanced collaboration detection feature, which keeps you notified when a team member views a task or adds a new comment. Receive instant, automatic feedback on status changes, new comments, and all task-related activities as they unfold.
Collaborate seamlessly in real-time within ClickUp Docs—while editing, tag team members in comments, assign action items, and transform the text into actionable tasks to stay organized and efficient.
Keep all your work easily accessible by connecting Docs and tasks. Incorporate Widgets to your Dashboards to facilitate workflow updates, project status changes, and task assignments. Create shareable links and effortlessly manage permissions, whether it’s for team, guest, or public access.
In the realm of visual collaboration, ClickUp Whiteboards take the spotlight, serving as your team’s creative playground. 🌟
This versatile tool offers unparalleled customization and flexibility, making it perfect for:
- Brainstorming, mind mapping, and project planning
- Sharing ideas with your team by embedding sticky notes, comments, documents, media files, and links
- Cooperating on creative problem-solving with charts, graphs, and color-coded shapes
Use the ClickUp Chat view to keep all communication within a unified workspace, eliminating the hassle of switching between project management dashboards and messaging platforms. Communicate in real time, celebrate individual contributions, and maintain task-specific discussions within a single thread.
ClickUp best features
- Generous free plan
- Real-time communication and editing
- Easy visual collaboration with customizable Whiteboard templates
- Project management feature to track time and build workflows
- Supports asynchronous collaboration
- 15+ ClickUp views for easier cooperation
- Scalable for growing businesses
- Integrates with over 1,000+ platforms like Slack and Zoom
- User-friendly remote collaboration tools
- Great for cross-functional team collaboration
- Easily shareable ClickUp Forms for collaborating with clients
ClickUp limitations
- There may be a steep learning curve for beginners
- The mobile app has fewer features than the web app
ClickUp pricing
- Free Forever
- Unlimited: $7/month per user
- Business: $12/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
*All listed prices refer to the yearly billing model
ClickUp ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (8,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (3,000+ reviews)
2. Clarizen
Clarizen, also known as Planview Adaptive Work, is a collaborative work management software that unites cross-company project management, in-context collaboration, and workflow automation. 🔀
Although this tool is best suited for enterprises, small businesses can benefit from its intuitive user interface and social features.
The software excels in facilitating company-wide discussions and announcements. It transforms communication into structured workflows, significantly boosting team performance. Users can easily create Discussion Groups automatically linked through the Discussion feed. Internal users are added to the All Company Group.
The innovative social interface connects conversations to project elements, enabling real-time discussions that lead to actionable outcomes. Plus, you can conveniently tag and engage team members through mentions in the News Feed.
Clarizen best features
- Simplified in-context communication
- Tags and mentions to boost engagement
- Email notifications for members of Discussion Groups
- Pinning and highlighting messages
Clarizen limitations
- The software may require some effort to configure properly
- No desktop client
Clarizen pricing
- Available upon contact
Clarizen ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.1/5 (500+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.2/5 (170+ reviews)
3. Airtable
Airtable is an organization and collaboration tool that provides teams of all sizes with a centralized platform for efficiently managing projects, customers, and innovative ideas. 💡
Two types of collaborators play a role in promoting cooperation within Airtable:
- Base collaborators: Users authorized to collaborate within a specific base
- Workplace collaborators: Users with access to all workspace bases
Providing collaborators with access to Airtable bases allows multiple team members to work together on a shared database or project in an organized manner.
Administrators can grant team members permission for tasks like viewing, editing, adding, or deleting records. They can also allow collaborators to create or modify tables, views, and other base elements.
Airtable has desktop and mobile apps for iOS and Android, so you can access files from anywhere.
Airtable best features
- Shared bases for simple project management collaboration
- Customizable collaborator permissions
- Comments and notes for real-time discussions
- Notifications for updates and mentions
- Integrates with popular tools like Slack, Gmail, and Facebook
Airtable limitations
- There might be a steep learning curve at first
- The comments feature could be better organized
Airtable pricing
- Free
- Team: $20/month per user
- Business: $45/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
*All listed prices refer to the yearly billing model
Airtable ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (2,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (1,800+ reviews)
4. monday.com
A star among online collaboration tools, monday.com effortlessly juggles its roles as a communication app and a dedicated solution for project management teams. ⭐
Unlock the full potential of small business team collaboration with monday.com workdocs. You can co-edit in real time, share comments, and seamlessly drag and drop text without causing any disruptions to team workflows.
Map out processes and share ideas and images on a flexible work canvas that encourages creative team collaboration.
Stay well-informed about task progress and timelines with to-do lists and assignments. Organize workloads by creating a checklist of weekly tasks within a shared document, ensuring that your projects stay on track.
monday.com best features
- User-friendly interface
- Centralized dashboard for all communication and documentation
- Team member tagging option within discussions
- GitHub and GitLab integrations for software development plan collaboration
- Integrations with Zoom, Slack, Outlook, Gmail, etc.
monday.com limitations
- Main screen customization could use some improvement
- Reporting features could be better
monday.com pricing
- Free
- Basic $8/month per user
- Standard: $10/month per user
- Pro: $16/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
*All listed prices refer to the yearly billing model
monday.com ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (8,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (4,000+ reviews)
Read our full comparison on Airtable vs Monday.com
5. Podio
Podio is like an emergency toolkit for teammates as it aids with task management, automated workflows, social collaboration, calendar integration, chat functionality, and meeting scheduling. 🧰
Podio stands out with its Facebook-like notifications and user-friendly interface. The platform helps you organize and monitor communication easily as all conversations are neatly stored in a unified location, allowing users to effortlessly track and manage them. Plus, you can attach files, check task statuses, and add comments.
Managing tasks in real time is a breeze as you assign them and discuss finer details through comments. This streamlined approach provides a clear overview of ongoing work, eliminating the need for constant status emails and preventing unnecessary slowdowns.
Users also benefit from features like customization options, personalized dashboards, access control, and CRM integration.
Podio best features
- A centralized hub for content, conversations, projects, and files
- Collaborative file editing
- Integrations with popular tools like ShareFile, Dropbox, and GoToMeeting
- iOS and Android apps
- Handy task management functions
Podio limitations
- Free version may be inadequate for organizational needs
- Some basic reporting tasks may not fully meet user requirements
Podio pricing
- Free
- Plus: $11.20/month
- Premium: $19.20/month
*All listed prices refer to the yearly billing model
Podio ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.2/5 (400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (300+ reviews)
6. Hive
Hive streamlines cloud collaborative project management, offering support to in-office, remote, or hybrid teams. It boasts features like task management, file sharing, and chat, designed to keep your team in the loop constantly.
Use Hive chat to connect with colleagues individually, in groups, or within project threads and signal your availability status to let your team know if you’re busy or away.
Video meetings are available within the platform, allowing you to join directly from chat, take notes, and assign follow-up actions in minutes. If text chat falls short, you can transition to a video chat or use shortcuts to launch Zoom and Google Meet. 🤝
Use Hive Notes for real time co-editing before, during, and after meetings. They seamlessly sync with your calendar, providing easy access to all meeting-related documents.
Additionally, simplify data intake by centralizing information using Hive Forms that seamlessly integrate into projects and tasks, making it simple to assign them to team members.
Hive best features
- Group chat feature
- Integrates with Zoom and Google Meet
- Notes with real-time editing capability
- Video chat within the platform
- In-chat file sharing
Hive limitations
- Desktop and mobile apps could use improvements
- Management of permissions and project hierarchy is clumsy
Hive pricing
- Solo: Free forever
- Teams: $12/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
*All listed prices refer to the yearly billing model
Hive ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (450+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (180+ reviews)
7. Workplace from Meta
Workplace from Meta is a private social network designed for individuals and businesses. It mirrors the Facebook format, offering features like creating personalized profiles and groups, organizing events, and sharing information. The platform stands out with its communication and messaging tools that streamline teamwork. 📨
Within Workplace, users can effortlessly send messages, record videos, and schedule events. The instant messaging functionality allows teams to connect in seconds, while group creation enables collaboration among colleagues from common departments.
Business communication is simplified through Workplace Groups that let you establish as many groups as needed, customize their names, select privacy settings, and invite the members you want.
Just like Facebook, Workplace allows you to comment within groups or post directly to your profile. Share photos, polls, and files to express your thoughts and ideas to your team.
Workplace from Meta best features
- Q&A posts allow users to upvote their favorite content
- Integrates with OneDrive, SharePoint, Dropbox, or Google Drive
- Video conferencing and chat feature for group meetings
- The ability to pin announcements to the top of the News Feed
- Polls and surveys to gather the team’s opinions
Workplace from Meta limitations
- A large number of groups can lead to a disorganized work environment
- Integration with other Facebook products is somewhat limited
Workplace from Meta pricing
- Core Plan: $4/month per user
- Enhanced Admin and Support Add-On: $2/month per user
- Enterprise Live Add-On: $2/month per user
*All listed prices refer to the yearly billing model
Workplace from Meta ratings and reviews
- G2: 4/5 (1,500+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (1,300+ reviews)
8. Samepage
Samepage is tailor-made for small businesses—it fosters collaboration through a suite of tools, including instant messaging, discussions, conversations, scheduling, file sharing, and task lists.
The solution promotes collaboration by efficiently organizing and storing a wide range of files, such as videos, images, and maps, all on a single page. You can share the pages with any team member to ensure work synchronization and real-time updates.
Initiating video or audio calls with fellow organization members and guests is possible with just a few clicks. You can also share your screen using the desktop app to express your ideas more clearly.
For more private conversations, engage in one-on-one chats with a member or guest within your organization. To foster broader discussions, create group chats and bring everyone together for collaborative conversations. 🗣️
Samepage best features
- Integrates files stored on platforms like Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive
- Mobile app for easy access anywhere, anytime
- User-friendly search feature to find messages, events, tasks, or attachments
- Private or group instant messaging
- Video calls and screen sharing
Samepage limitations
- The video quality may not always be reliable
- Limited customization options for workspace folders
Samepage pricing
- Free
- Standard: $7.50/month per user
- Pro: $9/month per user
*All listed prices refer to the yearly billing model
Samepage ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.5/5 (200+ reviews)
- Crozdesk: 4.5/5 (200+ reviews)
9. Microsoft Loop
Microsoft Loop is your tool for asynchronous communication and seamless connectivity, no matter where you work. It comes equipped with a mobile app and a diverse range of components that streamline team collaboration, ensuring successful project execution. ✅
Unlock the potential of Loop with these key components:
- Co-authoring: Collaborate effortlessly with your team to refine content, whether it’s crafting a social media post or composing a client email
- Organized brainstorming: Use bulleted or numbered lists to brainstorm ideas with your team in an orderly and efficient manner
- Real-time collaboration: Tables and lists allow you to edit and view changes instantly within your chat. Create and share tables with clear columns and rows, specifying the data you need from your team
- Efficient task management: Assign work with due dates and notify team members using mentions. As tasks are completed, they can be marked as done, ensuring smooth progress monitoring
- Focused discussions: Enables you to concentrate on specific topics within the chat thread, which is especially beneficial for swift decision-making
Microsoft Loop best features
- Real-time communication and editing
- Comments, nudges, reactions, and emojis to express your thoughts
- Mobile app notifications feed tracks your tasks, mentions, and replies
- Integrates with Microsoft 365
- Easy page sharing
Microsoft Loop limitations
- No reviews available (since it’s a relatively newer release)
Microsoft Loop pricing
- Free
Microsoft Loop ratings and reviews
- No reviews available
10. Spike
Spike is an all-in-one solution for teams seeking seamless communication and efficient project calendar management within a single platform.
Collaborate easily in Docs using text, images, or videos. Attach files, add to-dos, and even set reminders for easy project management. When you edit, notes with notifications are automatically placed at the top of your unified feed, eliminating the necessity to inform others of the changes. 🔔
Spike’s Conversational Email feature lets you organize all your past and present communications under individual contacts, including emails, threads, files, social profiles, and attachments.
Foster teamwork through Spike Channels, spaces dedicated to project-related discussions. Use its team collaboration tools to share files, join team calls, and ensure everyone stays up-to-date.
Spike best features
- Shared calendar
- Integrates with cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox
- File management and search capabilities
- Video conferencing for meetings
- Collaborative Docs for real-time editing
Spike limitations
- Users can only forward individual emails and not entire email threads
- No option to tag team members within the notes
Spike pricing
- Free
- Team: $6/month per user
- Business+: $9/month per user
*All listed prices refer to the yearly billing model
Spike ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (200+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (40+ reviews)
Summarize this article for me pleaseUnlock the Power of Teamwork with Essential Small Business Collaboration Tools
Enhance your company’s potential by promoting teamwork, facilitating smooth collaboration, and ensuring streamlined project management. These 10 small business collaboration tools can serve as a unifying force throughout your journey to success. 🏆
For comprehensive project management and team collaboration software, sign up to ClickUp for free! The free version has handy features to help you communicate efficiently and understand the project progress between tasks more effectively than ever!
Questions? Comments? Visit our Help Center for support.