Did you know that only about 20% of new businesses survive past their first year after opening their doors?

It’s no wonder that new business owners want to do everything they can to make it past the first year, and not be part of the statistic above.

Technology is one of the primary drivers of company growth in today’s world.

Keep reading to learn about these 12 apps for small business to help you succeed.

Give Your Company a Tech Upgrade with These 12 Apps for Small Business

Having apps to help you stay on top of things will be crucial while you’re on the go. It’s great that apps are not for playing anymore, there are even apps available to make people feel happier at work. Entrepreneurs can also benefit, they can now have information at their fingertips while they’re running around building their business.

The reason you want to stay have the right apps and stay organized, is to help you be able to use your data. Successful companies keep track of their data to learn how to operate efficiently as a business. You can learn more here about tracking your data and learning how to make the best out of it.

Choosing the best apps for small business can be overwhelming because the options are endless. Downloading the right app will keep you organized, save you time, headaches, and money.

1. Rescue Time

This is a great app to hold you accountable and not waste hours on social media or browsing the web. It will break down where you spent your time and how much time you spent there. You’re also able to set productivity goals to hold yourself accountable.

There is a basic free version and a premium version available. The premium version will unlock certain features like blocking a certain site, setting notifications if you take too long on a certain site, or track offline activity.

2. Trello

This app will help you manage your content all in one place. You can create boards where you can add lists, move cards around, and attach files as needed.

You can also add team members and assign them the cards they’re in charge of. Trello also has the ability for team members to chat directly on each card.

3. Slack

This is a way to communicate with your team members. You’re able to create channels for any conversation theme making it easy to find and sort through. You also have the option of turning notifications on and off in case you don’t want to be disturbed at certain times.

4. Wally

This is a budgeting app that helps you keep track of expenses as other budgeting apps do. What makes Wally unique is that it gives you the ability to scan receipts and put them directly into your financial plan.

You don’t have to enter your expenses in or wait to sync with your bank statements at the end or beginning of the month. If you’re not a gifted accountant Wally will make your life easier. Wally is a free app as of right now and they plan on adding premium features in the future but they pride themselves in being a free app.

5. QuickBooks

This is a recognized name in the accounting industry. You can do almost everything related to finance with this app. Depending on your needs you can do payroll, manage inventory, check your profits, etc.

They have different prices available for every business size including brand new businesses starting out.

6. Square

This is the perfect app to accept money while you’re on the go. Nowadays fewer people carry cash with them, the majority of people only use their cards. 3 out of 10 people use zero cash in a week when making a purchase.

You don’t want to miss out on a sale while you’re out because someone doesn’t have the cash to pay you. The great thing about the square app is that it’s free to have, you only pay a minimal fee when you run a credit or debit card. You get paid fast and have one less thing to worry about.

7. Dropbox

This will help keep your business files organized, together, and safe. Dropbox also makes your files easy to share if you need to send something to a client or a team member, you can open the app, click what you want to share and send them the link.

This is like having a filing cabinet at your fingertips but less bulky and you can take it with you wherever you go. Dropbox offers 2GB for free and if you need more they offer different business plans where you also have the option to include team members to have access.

8. Homebase

This app lets you build an employee schedule in a matter of seconds. You can also manage your labor costs, and track how many hours your team is working. You have the ability to assign managers that can then message employees through the app if they need to contact them.

Your employees have the ability to also chat with each other giving them a virtual “coffee room”. Employees can trade shifts with each other, or request time off right through the app.

As an employer, you have the capability to track paid and unpaid breaks and edit employee shifts as needed for accurate reports. This can save your company money if you’re keeping track of your employee’s productivity.

There’s a free basic plan, an essentials plan, and a pro plan to choose from. Depending on your needs, location, and the size of your company you can make the decision of what’s best for you. They also give you the option to try them out for free for 2 weeks to see if they’re a good fit.

9. Inventory Tracker

If your business has inventory to log in and track this app is for you. Inventory tracker will save you a whole lot of time. You can review your current inventory, add new inventory all from your phone.

You can also create spreadsheets to export to your desktop or laptop if you need monthly reports for tax purposes or for your own tracking. To make tracking even easier you can scan barcodes for each item instead of typing them in.

You can do it all check your sales, expenses, and even returns.

10. Belly

Belly is a great app to help keep track of customer loyalty. You have the ability to keep track of customer analytics, email customers and create social media marketing from one place. you’re able to create a custom loyalty program revolved around what your customer loves.

If your customer loves a specific color or meal you can design their point system around what they prefer making them eager to collect points and redeem them for something they actually love.

11. Proven

If you find yourself disorganized when it comes to your hiring you will love Proven. It lets you post job listings to multiple job boards with one click. You’re able to sort through application responses in minutes and divide them into either a yes, no, or maybe group.

When you follow up with an applicant you can make a note of it. If your company has random hiring needs this will save you time and allow you to list last minute as needed and stay organized.

12. HelloSign

If your small business needs documents or contracts signed Hellosign will be your new best friend. You have the ability to upload PDF files and email them to clients to sign in minutes. Before you send the PDF you can review it and make any necessary edits.

The camera on your smartphone will also allow you to scan documents if you need to scan anything. They offer a free plan if you only need 3 documents or less signed per month and they have a pro and a business plan depending on your needs. They have something for everyone.

Rock out Your Small Business

There’s no reason to not make your work a little easier. We all know that starting a small business and being successful can be a stressful venture. Thanks to technology you can choose from plenty of apps for small business to save you time, money, and headaches.

It’s time to cut down on tedious, time-consuming tasks and choose the best apps to help you rock out your small business and make it grow. Are you looking for more business ideas? Check out our business section for all sorts of tips to help you grow and stay ahead of the competition.