In 2020, starting a business is easier than ever before. Mobile technology is developing in leaps, and the market is growing more and more competitive day by day. As a result, dozens (if not hundreds) of handy apps appear in the market to help speed up and simplify business operations for many. What is more, many of them are available free of charge (at least some base versions), making the startup a hassle-free process.
How many apps does it take to operate a business? Not as many as you might think! Here we review the top 7 free mobile applications for businesses that may aid business beginners in 2020 – read on to see how you can get simple and free solutions to everyday business challenges.
CamScanner
With CamScanner, you can use your smartphone’s camera as a scanner – a fantastic option simplifying many business tasks and minimizing the set of hardware you need to start a business. Besides, it is free, which startupers on a budget love (a premium version is available for only $0.99). It allows scanning documents in an instant and saves them as PDFs to your device. Among the app’s minuses, one should keep in mind its ill fame (some users even equal it to malware) because of the security problem in one of its earlier versions. The app contains an advertising library with a malicious module, according to Kaspersky.
Package Tracker
Whether you are a merchant selling some goods or you are a business owner ordering some corporate supplies, you’ll always benefit from precise package tracking. With a free and handy Package Tracker, you can always track a package from any merchant, whether it is traveling across the country or from abroad using an online version or an app. The app enables international package tracking in the real-time mode, taking all the guesswork out of the delivery process. With this efficient global package tracking solution from Pkge.net, you’ll always be informed about the status and location of your parcel, getting all goods and supplies on time.
LinkedIn is a vital point of social contact for any professional in the huge world of global business. Unlike other social media, it is a genuinely professional social network allowing you to get in touch with people from your industry, establish valuable work contacts, and build teams. The only minus of LinkedIn is that it costs money to function there as a business, and establishing contacts with people you’re interested in is impossible only upon their confirmation. Otherwise, you have to buy a Premium plan starting from $29.99 per month for job seekers, going as high as $119.95 per month for recruiters.
Shopventory
Startups on a budget are often a one-person firm, so it’s always a challenge to keep all aspects of business operation under control. When you’re strategizing for business growth, the last thing you want to take care of is inventory. Shopventory is a free inventory tracker app that can take the trouble of inventory management out of your business processes. It easily integrates PayPal, Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce for your convenience and ease, also acting as a sales tracking app and allowing you to focus on the core issues instead. The free version is available for 30 days; after that, if you like the solution, it will cost you $49 per month.
Asana
Probably the best among small business management apps, Asana is a universal task and team manager, allowing great work organization. With its convenient task assignment, internal communication system, and a clear visual display of task completion statuses and timelines, you’ll always keep all business tasks under tight control. The board system allows focusing the staff on tasks that matter at present, giving you a transparent and streamlined workflow. The basic plan is free of charge forever, while its Premium versions start at $10.99 per month.
Google My Business
With Google My Business, you’ll connect with customers much easier. This app is ranked highly among small business apps making your business profile more visible, especially for the local clientele. You can promote your business super-effectively by uploading photos, allowing the publication of customer reviews, and sharing your business news. The app is totally free, allowing business owners to promote their brand without extra expenditures.
Slack
Slack is one of the best apps for business communication allowing consistent collaboration, task management, and consulting inside the team. You can set up channels for each separate project or task, enabling message and file sharing to keep all related staff in the loop. Its free version stores up to 10,000 messages, supports 10 app integrations, and allows video calls inside the team, while Standard and Premium versions will cost you €6.25 and €11.75 per month, respectively.
Now that you have a list of top apps for business owners, feel free to try each of them and choose the ones you need the most. You’ll quickly capture the benefits each of these applications offers for little to no money.