The best online collaboration apps change the way people work—and for the better. A collaboration app is any piece of software that helps people get work done together, regardless of whether they are a remote team or all in one physical location. Typically, the best collaboration software lets you know about team activity on work that pertains to you. Through the app, you have access to the information and assets you need, so you can pick up your part of the work at the right time without someone else having to notify you to do so.Collaboration software is a subcategory of productivity software, but it’s more tightly focused on enabling or facilitating teamwork, including remote collaboration. However, collaboration software isn’t a clear-cut category because it overlaps with several others, such as project management software, collaborative whiteboard apps, task-management apps, and others. Below are the top team collaboration software products based on our testing and analysis.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Todoist
Best for Shared Task Management
Why We Picked ItTodoist Premium has a low annual cost coupled with a superb range of features that help you stay productive while you’re using the app. The interface is stellar. Todoist also has apps for every major platform and an equally capable web app.Who It’s ForTodoist Premium is for individuals and small teams who need to manage work collaboratively, but who don’t need a robust project management app. Todoist is wonderful for writing down what needs to get done and assigning those tasks to the right people.
PROS
Cross-platform support with effortless, reliable syncing
Excellent features, such as natural language input and productivity reports
Efficient interface
Collaboration features
Works offline
CONS
A few important features not available to free users
Prices have increased sharply since 2021
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
From $4 per person
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
Learn More
Todoist Review
Asana
Best for Workflow Management
Why We Picked ItAsana is among the most customizable and yet useful work-management tools we’ve seen. You can use it to make lists, track simple tasks, as well as manage workflows, ideas, projects, and more. If you want to use it as a full-fledged project management app, you can, but Asana’s real strengths have to do with its flexibility and customization options.Who It’s ForAsana is for teams who need to collaborate together to manage work and workflows, and that may include some project-based work. Because Asana is highly customizable, it’s ideal for people who need a lot of flexibility in how their task-management app works. In other words, you will need to put some time into figuring out how your instance of Asana will look and what kind of work you will track using it.
PROS
Flexible, fast, and modern design
Capable free version
Lots of features
Timeline view makes it easier to manage dependencies
CONS
Not ideal for graphics-intensive work
Prices slightly higher than competitors
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
$15 per person
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
GanttPro
Best for Beginners to Project Management
Who It’s ForGanttPro is one of the best project management apps for beginners, and that makes it ideal for team collaboration when next to no one has had any prior experience with project management. That said, GanttPro does not have customizable reports and dashboards that larger teams may need.Why We Picked ItWith reasonable pricing, an interface that anyone can learn to use, and a good balance of features, GanttPro is one of the best project management tools. We also appreciate that it includes custom fields for tasks, a kanban board view, a critical path feature, and a save history that allows you to do multiple undos.
PROS
Competitively priced
Well designed and easy to learn to use
Includes custom fields for tasks, kanban board view, critical path feature
Saves history for undo
CONS
No customizable reporting tools or customizable dashboards
No billing or invoicing
Light on integrations
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
$9.99 per Person
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
Learn More
GanttPro Review
Miro
Best for Whiteboard Collaboration
Why We Picked ItMiro has the best range of features of any whiteboard app, and that includes tools for collaborating in real time and asynchronously. Subscriptions also sell for a fair price. In our testing, we loved that Miro is easy to use and offers wonderful templates that help you see all the different ways you might incorporate it into your work.Who It’s ForMiro is for teams who want the very best online collaborative whiteboard on the market; or it’s for teams who are looking for new ways to collaborate, brainstorm, and share ideas. This app can do wonders for remote teams who are working toward increasing team cohesion and working together more effectively.
PROS
Excellent collaboration and presentation tools
Lots of features
Strong support for integration with other apps and services
Easy to use
CONS
Little offline functionality
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
$10 per person
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
Microsoft 365
Best Full Business Office Suite
Why We Picked ItMicrosoft’s collaborative productivity apps are the best at what they do, bar none. For getting any kind of work done, they are top-notch. When it comes to collaboration, some users may find Google Workspace more familiar, but Microsoft is just as capable at real-time coauthoring. Microsoft’s suite is not merely worth the money, but an amazing bargain considering all you get.Who It’s ForHome users and very small businesses will find Microsoft 365 Personal an excellent deal. Larger organizations can get Microsoft 365 Business. When you account for not only the apps but also the storage space that comes included, a subscription is well worth the price.
PROS
Generous cloud storage
Full suite of productivity tools with lots of add-ons
Desktop applications support Windows and macOS
Long list of administration and security services
CONS
Linux users are still second-class citizens
MacOS Outlook client still behind the Windows version
Some new features are web-only
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
$20 per Person (Business Premium)
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
Learn More
Microsoft 365 Review
Slack
Best for Features and Integrations
Why We Picked ItSlack is easily the most beloved team messaging app on the market, despite it costing more than others. People love its layout and the fact that each person can deeply personalize their settings—including options to make Slack look less busy and more focused. Who It’s ForSlack is for teams and organizations of any size who want the best tool for letting people talk in an online space. If your organization does not yet have a team messaging app and are still doing most of your digital communication via email, then we would highly encourage you to give Slack a try.
PROS
Rich set of tools and options
Highly customizable
Integrates with many other collaboration and office tools
CONS
Expensive
Audio and video call quality need improvements
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
$8.75
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
Teamwork
Best Project Management App for Client Work
Why We Picked ItAmong project management apps, Teamwork is one of the easiest to use while also including the right features, in this case, billing and invoicing tools for teams that work for clients.Who It’s ForTeamwork is for teams who need project management tools that support client work. In other words, it’s for groups who complete projects for clients rather than people who work on in-house projects, although the app can handle those, too. For client work, however, it’s the best project management app you’ll find.
PROS
Simple and intuitive design
Great customization options
Billing and invoicing included
Free account available
CONS
No PDF or image markup tools
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
$12.50 per person
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
Learn More
Teamwork Review
Zoho Projects
Best for Small Business Project Management
Why We Picked ItZoho Projects is a project management app that is simple to use, has tiers of service that fit practically any organization’s needs, and starts at a low cost.Who It’s ForZoho Projects is for any small or growing team that needs a reliable project management app. It’s especially well suited to small teams that are on a budget, but it also works for teams that are expecting to grow and may want to upgrade their tier of service to a pricier one that offers more features as expansion happens.
PROS
Excellent value
Generally easy to set up and navigate
Multiple ways to communicate in the app
Deep configuration options
Strong time-tracking tools
CONS
Does not include premade templates
Slightly unusual resource management view
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
From $3 per person
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
Learn More
Zoho Projects Review
Airtable
Best for Database-Driven Collaboration
Why We Picked ItAirtable lets you and your team collaborate and manage information about anything at all, from editorial calendars to inventories and collections. It can also be a collaborative work-management and workflow tool. We love that it’s easy to use, highly customizable, and downright versatile.Who It’s ForAirtable is a collaborative work-management tool that uses relational databases at its core. You don’t have to know anything about what a relational database is to use it, however. It’s for teams who need to manage work or ideas among a team of people, and who need a tool that they can customize to fit their needs.
PROS
Light and user-friendly interface
Highly customizable and versatile
Excellent collaboration support
Integrates with a long list of services
CONS
Some formatting limitations
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
$12 per person
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
Learn More
Airtable Review
Basecamp
Best for Balancing Work and Communication
Why We Picked ItBasecamp is very easy to use and delivers a lot of structure. Instead of leaving you to figure out what your workflows should be or how you might go about collaborating with your team, Basecamp gives you modules that guide you toward different types of collaboration efforts. For example, there are tools for tracking tasks, deadlines, files, discussions, and announcements that happen around work.Who It’s ForBasecamp is for teams who want to be able to customize their online collaboration space without feeling like they’re building it from scratch.
PROS
Easy to set up and use
Flat monthly price for unlimited users
Supports integration with a wide variety of apps and services
CONS
Communications can feel siloed
Limited reports
No free account
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
$15 per person
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
Learn More
Basecamp Review
Google Workspace
Best for Office Collaboration
Why We Picked ItGoogle Workspace, once known as G Suite, offers a powerful, elegant set of office and collaboration apps. It set the bar for online collaboration in terms of coauthoring files. Google’s Workspace office suite is nearly as powerful and flexible as Microsoft 365, despite only offering online apps. This browser-based approach means its apps are available for and work the same on any platform.Who It’s ForGoogle Workspace is not only suitable for, but also highly desirable to businesses, educational institutions, and other organizations. Why? Quite frankly because it’s familiar and people like it. And the paid version is priced competitively.
PROS
Elegant office tools
Works the same on any browser
Fine-tuned collaboration and revision-tracking features
Corporate-friendly user management
CONS
Online-only apps
Less powerful than comparable desktop apps
Offline editing requires Chrome and advance planning
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
$6 per person
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
Learn More
Google Workspace Review
Smartsheet
Best for Managing Project Work Using Automations
Why We Picked ItAutomations save tremendous time and effort for teams who embrace them. Smartsheet supports automations in spades. Though it’s not the simplest collaboration app to learn to use, it is worthwhile for any team that is currently managing a lot of rote work.Who It’s ForSmartsheet is for teams that need a project management app and want to use automations. Automations are “if this, then that” type commands; for example, “when X occurs, do Y.” So you can use Smartsheet to carry out a command like “when new information comes in through a client intake form, alert the team manager.”
PROS
Endlessly customizable and quite powerful
Supports automations, input from web forms, proofing and approvals
Robust resource management options for Business plan users
CONS
Lacks real-time time tracking and invoicing tools
Pages don’t update in real time or autosave as frequently as we’d like
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
$32 per person
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
Learn More
Smartsheet Review
Trello
Best Kanban-Style Collaboration Tool
Why We Picked ItTrello’s biggest selling point is truly in how simple it is to use. You can make it more complex by adding on more features, but at it’s core it’s a kanban board that virtually anyone can figure out how to use.Who It’s ForTrello is for teams who need to organize, manage, and track simple work and tasks. And it’s effective at organizing work among fairly large and distributed teams. Because it’s so easy for anyone to learn to use, it’s also good for teams who work with a lot of contractors, freelancers, and other staff who are not in-house.
PROS
Flexible and customizable kanban app
Suitable for teams of all sizes
Highly intuitive
Offers desktop apps and mobile apps
CONS
Many features require add-ons, including time tracking and billing
Not suitable for managing traditional projects
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
$12.50 per person
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
Microsoft Teams
Best for Team Chat in a Microsoft Environment
Why We Picked ItMicrosoft Teams is an internal messaging app with features galore, including tight connectivity with other Microsoft apps. As Microsoft rolls out Copilot, people who use Teams will be able to ask the AI tool to review the main points, action items, and decisions of a discussion without having to scroll through long threads.Who It’s ForTeams is a good messaging and video calling app if your organization runs on Microsoft. It has hiccups and may not be everyone’s favorite team messaging app, but in many organizations that rely heavily on Microsoft, it just makes sense to use it.
PROS
Highly customizable
Tightly integrated with other Microsoft Office apps
Plentiful integration options
Included with Microsoft 365 business accounts and Windows 11
CONS
Most effective in a Microsoft-centric environment
Compartmentalized design may inhibit open dialogue
Can be difficult to find the conversations you need
SPECS
Name
Value
Price Per Month
$6 per person
Free Account Offered
API Available for Customers
Guest Accounts
Time Tracking
Pre-Built Templates
Android App
iOS App
Learn More
Microsoft Teams Review
Buying Guide: The Best Online Collaboration Software for 2024
What Are the Best Project Management Apps for Collaboration?Of the overlapping categories mentioned at the top, project management software is the most competitive. PCMag has three Editors’ Choice winners for project management, all of which we also include on this list of the best collaboration apps:What Is the Best Visual Collaboration App?Visual collaboration apps are growing in popularity, and our two favorites are Editors’ Choice winner Miro and close runner-up Mural. Both take the form of a digital whiteboard or canvas that multiple people join simultaneously. They have tools for drawing, posting sticky notes with text, uploading files and images, embedding videos, and adding other kinds of content to the board. Miro offers video calling, so you can chat with colleagues while simultaneously brainstorming and working on visual projects. Mural purposely offers only audio calls. The idea is to keep the visual focus on the board.
Miro is a collaborative whiteboard with video calling included. (Credit: Miro/PCMag)
Miro and Mural both include a healthy stock of templates. Mural’s library includes many templates used for team building and group icebreakers. They work almost like tabletop games. Miro offers more in the way of library objects and templates for making charts, diagrams, and other visual aids you can reuse in other business materials, such as presentations. If neither of those apps fits your needs, you might also consider Conceptboard or Lucidspark.What Is the Best Multipurpose Collaboration App? A few of the entries on this list don’t fit neatly into any one category. In a way, that’s what makes them special. They’re flexible, customizable, multipurpose tools. Asana is one. Asana started out as a task-management tool but has grown to tools for managing workflows, ideas, projects, and more. If you want to use it as a full-fledged project management app, you can, but Asana’s real strengths have to do with its flexibility and customization options.
Asana is among the best multipurpose collaboration tools because it’s highly customizable and flexible. (Credit: Asana)
Basecamp belongs among the best multipurpose collaboration apps, too. It is one of the stronger examples of an app that balances work management and communication. Plus, there’s a lot of flexibility in what you use Basecamp for. You can manage projects as well as non-project work. It’s a great place to have asynchronous discussions with in-house colleagues as well as partners on the outside, such as contractors and clients. It all depends on what you need the tool to do.What Is the Best Collaborative To-Do List App?Todoist is our Editors’ Choice winner for to-do list apps, but it’s also a highly valuable collaboration tool. If your team needs an inexpensive app that helps a group of people write down, prioritize, and manage everything they need to get done, it’s at the top of the list.
Todoist is our favorite collaborative to-do list because it effortlessly keeps teams in sync. (Credit: Doist)
What makes Todoist better than other collaborative to-do list apps? For starters, it has apps for every major platform that all work reliably and sync effortlessly. It also gives you a ton of tools for organizing tasks, such as priority ratings and labels, without creating a cluttered interface. That keeps the app easy to use and highly accessible to newcomers.What Are the Best Collaboration Apps for Working With Databases?Two apps on this list specialize in changing the way you manage and interact with relational databases. They are Airtable and Smartsheet.Before the word database makes you run away, know that Airtable is an approachable collaboration tool with a variety of uses. You can set it up to manage information, such as an editorial calendar, or any kind of collection, such as inventory. You can use it to track and monitor work as it goes through a workflow, moving for example from one person to another for edits or approvals. It’s surprisingly easy to use, highly customizable, and downright versatile.
Airtable takes a database-style approach to organizing collaborative work. (Credit: Airtable/PCMag)
Smartsheet is another app that lets you work with relational databases, though it’s a bit beefier than Airtable. At PCMag, we cross-list Smartsheet under project management software, because it can do that, too. What makes Smartsheet powerful is its support for automations, something like “when X occurs, do Y.” For example, “when new information comes in through a client intake form, alert the team manager and automatically assign one of the junior team members a task to follow up with the new client within three days.” Using this example, you can set up a rule in Smartsheet so that as soon as a client intake form arrives, the rest happens automatically. When you automate rote tasks, it saves the entire team time that they can spend on more important work.
Recommended by Our Editors
What Is the Best Collaboration App for Kanban?Kanban is a system for working that’s used in a variety of fields, though it’s especially popular among software developers and other kinds of technical workers. Simply put, here’s how kanban works: It uses cards on a board to represent tasks or ideas. The board contains columns, and each column is (usually) a stage or step in the work process. So you might have a board with the columns To Do, Doing, Done. You write down all the tasks that need to be done and put them into the To Do column. When you start a task (represented as a card containing the task name and other details about it), you move its card to the Doing column. When you finish, you put the card in the Done column.Trello is one of the friendliest kanban tools on the market. Anyone can sign up for an account and start using it quickly. It isn’t especially feature-rich out of the box, but with a paid account you can choose Power-Ups (that is, add-on features) to make it more powerful.
Trello is one of the easiest collaboration tools to use, making it a great choice for many teams. (Credit: Trello/PCMag)
Many collaboration apps have started adding kanban views, often called a board view, so you always have the option to work in that style if you want. Asana, Zoho Projects, Teamwork, and even Todoist all have a board view.Culture Is the Key to CollaborationOne important point about all tools for team collaboration and communication is that they must have a company culture behind them. Throwing a new tool at a bunch of people and telling them to use it instead of email doesn’t work. To start using a collaboration tool successfully, all the key players on the team need to buy into it. It has to become part of the culture.When you’re up and running with a collaboration app that fits your needs and everything starts clicking, you may be amazed at how much more productive and organized your team becomes.
