The 39 Best Productivity Apps (by Category)
These are the apps we recommend for building a complete productivity stack – for iOS, Android, Mac & Windows
A few caveats on how we chose the apps we recommend
Time tracking apps
1. RescueTime – For automatic time tracking
2. Toggl Track – For manual time tracking, especially if you work with clients
Task management apps
3. Todoist – For keeping your tasks & projects organized
4. Taskade - For AI-powered workflows and automations
Scheduling apps
5. Calendly – For letting others schedule time with you or your team
6. Doodle – For finding a meeting time that works for everyone
7. World Clock Meeting Planner – For scheduling across time zones
Collaboration
8. Twist – For keeping your team in sync asynchronously
9. Zoom – For (close to) flawless video calls
10. Bubbles – For meeting transcriptions & action items
11. Zight – For communicating visually
12. Kommodo - For documenting workflows & sharing SOPs
App callout note: These are just 3 of the collaboration...
These are just five of the collaboration apps we rely on to stay connected and productive with about 100 employees across about 40 countries. For more, check out our complete remote team collaboration stack.
Note-taking apps
13. Notion – For creating your own personal wiki
14. Bear – A notes & writing app for Apple users
15. Google Keep – If you prefer the Google ecosystem
Automation apps
16. Zapier – For building your own custom workflows between apps
17. IFTTT – For automating simple tasks
18. Magical – For filling in forms, databases & messages automatically
AI-powered chatbot apps
19. Claude – For brainstorming & generating ideas
20. Perplexity – For researching & exploring topics
Focus apps
21. Simple Interval Timer – For working in timed sprints on iOS
22. Interval Timer – For working in timed sprints on Android
23. Freedom – For blocking distracting sites and apps on all your devices
24. Forest – For a gamified way to break your phone addiction
25. Spotify – For promoting focus through music
26. Brain.fm – For functional, distraction-free music
27. Noisli – If you prefer background noise over music
Lifestyle & habit tracking apps
28. Sleep Cycle – For an alarm clock that tracks & improves your sleep
29. Headspace – For starting a regular meditation practice
30. Streaks – For building strong habits on iOS
31. Loop – For building strong habits on Android
Reading & learning apps
32. Kindle – For reading books instead of browsing social media
33. Audible – For listening to books and podcasts
34. Libby – For reading & listening to library books (for free!)
35. Feedly – For curating your own newsfeed
Utility apps
36. Paste – For managing your clipboard
App callout: Windows 10 already comes with clipboard history ...
Windows 10 already comes with clipboard history built in. Here's how to enable clipboard history on your computer.
37. Grammarly – For spell check and AI-powered writing assistance
38. Bitwarden – For managing your passwords
39. Shift – For consolidating all your everyday web & desktop apps
Becky Kane
Becky writes, edits, and attempts to follow her own productivity advice from her home office in Minneapolis, USA. 🚲🛶☕️
