7 Best Remote Work Software Tools in 2023

The rise of remote work has led to an explosion of software tools and platforms designed to help teams collaborate, communicate, and stay productive from anywhere in the world. But with so many options available, it can be tough to know where to start.

In this blog, we’ll explore some of the best remote work software tools on the market today. From project management and team communication to video conferencing and file sharing, we’ll cover the must-have tools for any remote team looking to thrive.

Whether you’re a manager trying to keep your team on track or a remote worker looking to streamline your workflow, these remote work software tools can help you stay organized, focused, and connected, no matter where you’re working from. So let’s dive in and take a look at the best remote work software tools for your team.

Slack – The Communication Hub 

Slack is a cloud-based communication and collaboration platform that has become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly among remote teams. Its user-friendly interface, robust set of features, and wide range of app integrations have made it an essential tool for businesses looking to streamline communication and increase productivity.

Key Features of Slack

• Channels: Slack allows you to create channels for different projects, teams, or topics, making it easy to keep conversations organized and searchable.
• Direct Messaging: Slack’s direct messaging feature allows team members to communicate with each other one-on-one, even if they’re in different time zones.
• Video and Voice Calls: Slack’s built-in video and voice call feature allows remote teams to communicate face-to-face, no matter where they are in the world.
• File Sharing: Slack makes it easy to share files and collaborate on documents with team members, whether you’re working on a project or simply need to share a file for review.
• App Integrations: Slack has a wide range of app integrations, allowing teams to bring their favorite tools and apps directly into Slack, from project management and time tracking to team polls and surveys. 

• Customization: Slack allows teams to customize their workspace with different themes and emojis, making it feel more personalized and fun.
• Mobile App: Slack’s mobile app allows team members to stay connected on the go, making it easy to stay up-to-date and in touch with colleagues no matter where they are.

Slack Pricing Tiers 

Free

Slack’s free plan offers a range of basic features, including access to 10,000 searchable messages, one-to-one video calls, and 5 GB of file storage. It’s a good option for small teams or organizations just getting started with Slack.

Standard

Slack’s standard plan is designed for small to medium-sized businesses and offers more advanced features, including unlimited message archives, group video calls, and 10 GB of file storage per team member. The standard plan starts at $6.67 per user per month, billed annually.

Plus

Slack’s plus plan is geared towards larger organizations and includes additional features like SSO (Single Sign-On) integration, compliance exports, and 20 GB of file storage per team member. The plus plan starts at $12.50 per user per month, billed annually.

Enterprise Grid

Slack’s enterprise plan is designed for large organizations with complex needs, offering additional security and compliance features, dedicated customer support, and unlimited file storage. Pricing for the enterprise plan is customized based on the specific needs of each organization.

Slack’s pricing is flexible and affordable, with options to suit the needs of businesses of all sizes. Teams can start with the free plan and upgrade as their needs grow. Making it a great option for businesses looking to scale.

AttendanceBot – Time Tracking and Absence Management 

AttendanceBot is a comprehensive attendance management tool that is designed to help remote teams streamline their time tracking and attendance management processes.

Key Features of AttendanceBot for Remote Teams:

1. Easy time tracking: AttendanceBot allows remote employees to track their time easily by logging their working hours, breaks, and overtime hours. The tool also provides a real-time overview of team members’ availability and schedules.
2. Customizable work hours: AttendanceBot allows remote teams to set custom work hours and schedules, so team members can adjust their work hours based on their availability and preferences.
3. Automated attendance management: AttendanceBot automates attendance management by allowing team members to clock in and out using different channels such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Google Chat. The tool also automatically calculates overtime, time off, and vacation days.
4. Accurate time calculations: AttendanceBot automatically calculates team members’ working hours, overtime hours, and time off, ensuring accurate and error-free calculations.
5. PTO management: AttendanceBot allows remote teams to manage PTO (paid time off) requests, approvals, and balances. Team members can request time off through the tool, and managers can approve or reject requests in real-time.
6. Real-time reporting and analytics: AttendanceBot provides real-time reporting and analytics, enabling team leaders to track attendance, productivity, and other key metrics. The tool also generates detailed reports and insights that help managers make data-driven decisions.
7. Integration with other tools: AttendanceBot integrates with other popular tools such as Google Calendar, Office 365, and Zoom, allowing remote teams to manage their attendance and schedules seamlessly across different platforms.

Pricing

AttendanceBot offers a 14-day free trial for all plans, allowing users to test the tool before committing to a paid plan. It is free for teams with 5 users, and starts at $4/month/user.

Trello – Project Management 

Trello is a powerful project management tool that helps teams of all sizes organize and manage their work in a collaborative and visual way. It is a popular platform that uses boards, lists, and cards to help teams track progress, assign tasks, and communicate in real-time.

Trello allows teams to create custom workflows and processes that fit their unique needs. Whether they are managing software development, marketing campaigns, or personal projects. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, users can easily move cards from one list to another, assign due dates and labels, and add comments and attachments.

Key Features of Trello 

• Boards, lists, and cards: Trello’s core organizing system is based on boards, which represent projects or initiatives, and are comprised of lists and cards. Lists represent the stages of a project, while cards represent tasks or items within those stages. This structure makes it easy to visualize progress and track work.
• Customizable workflows: Trello allows teams to create their own custom workflows and processes, tailored to their specific needs. This means you can use Trello for anything from managing a software development project to planning a family vacation.
• Collaborative features: Trello is designed to facilitate collaboration and communication among team members. Users can assign tasks to team members, add comments and attachments to cards, and use @mentions to notify team members of updates or changes.
• Time management: Trello has several features that help teams manage their time more effectively, including due dates, checklists, and the ability to set reminders and alerts. This helps teams stay on track and meet deadlines.
• Integrations: Trello integrates with a wide range of other tools and services, including Slack, Google Drive, and Jira. This allows teams to easily connect Trello with their existing workflows and tools.

Trello Pricing Tiers

Free

Trello’s free plan offers basic features for individuals and small teams. This plan includes unlimited boards, cards, and lists, as well as basic integrations with other tools.

Business Class

Trello’s Business Class plan is designed for larger teams and organizations. It includes all the features of the free plan, plus advanced collaboration and administrative features such as team overviews, custom fields, and advanced checklists. The Business Class plan also includes priority support and advanced integrations.

Enterprise

Trello’s Enterprise plan is designed for large organizations with complex needs. It includes all the features of the Business Class plan, plus enterprise-level security, compliance, and administrative features such as SSO, domain verification, and enhanced permissions.

Google Drive – Cloud-Based Storage Solution

Google Drive is a cloud-based storage and collaboration platform offered by Google. It allows users to store and access files, documents, photos, and other digital content from anywhere. With Google Drive, users can easily create, share, and collaborate on files in real time.

Key Features of Google Drive

• Integration with other G-Suite software: Google Drive is seamlessly integrated with other Google tools such as Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, which allows users to easily create and collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in real time.
• Access control: Google Drive allows users to set access control permissions, so they can choose who has access to their files and what level of access they have (view, comment, or edit).
• Offline access: Google Drive allows users to access and edit their files even when they are not connected to the internet, which is useful for those who frequently travel or work in areas with poor internet connectivity.
• Version history: Google Drive automatically saves all versions of a document, so users can easily track changes and revert to previous versions if needed.
• Mobile app: Google Drive has a mobile app that allows users to access, edit, and share their files on-the-go, from any mobile device.

Google Drive Pricing Tiers

Basic

15 GB of free storage for individuals

Google One

Starting at $1.99/month for 100 GB of storage, with options for up to 30 TB of storage.

G Suite

Starting at $6/month per user. This includes Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, and other productivity apps. As well as increased storage capacity and advanced administrative controls for businesses.

If you need more storage, Google also offers a storage upgrade program to purchase extra storage on a monthly basis. Additionally, Google periodically offers promotions or discounts on its storage plans. So it’s worth checking their website or Google One app for any current deals.

Asana – Task Oriented Project Management 

Asana is a project management and collaboration tool that helps teams track and manage their work, stay organized, and communicate more efficiently. It allows users to create and assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress, all in one central location. Asana’s intuitive design and customizable features make it a popular tool for businesses and individual users.

Features of Asana

• Task management: Asana allows users to create tasks, assign them to team members, and set due dates. Users can also add details and comments to tasks, attach files, and organize tasks into projects.
• Project management: Asana offers a range of tools to help teams manage projects, including project timelines, calendar views, and task dependencies. Users can also set project goals and milestones to track progress.
• Collaboration: Asana enables real-time collaboration, allowing team members to communicate, share files, and comment on tasks and projects. Users can also set up team conversations and notifications to stay up-to-date on project progress.
• Customizable workflows: Asana’s flexible design allows teams to customize workflows to fit their specific needs. Users can create custom fields, templates, and automation rules to streamline their work processes.
• Integration with other tools: Asana integrates with a variety of other tools and platforms, such as Slack, Google Drive, and Trello, to streamline workflows and improve productivity.

Asana Pricing Tiers 

Basic

Asana’s Basic plan is free for teams of up to 15 members. It includes basic task management features, project boards, and team conversations.

Premium

Asana’s Premium plan costs $10.99 per user per month when billed annually. It includes advanced features such as custom fields, task dependencies, and timeline views.

Business

Asana’s Business plan costs $24.99 per user per month when billed annually, or $30.49 per user per month when billed monthly. It includes additional features such as portfolio management, workload management, and custom rules.

Enterprise

Asana’s Enterprise plan is customizable and offers additional security and administrative features. Pricing is available upon request.

Asana also offers a free trial for its Premium and Business plans. Allowing users to try out the advanced features before committing to a paid plan. Additionally, Asana offers discounts for nonprofit organizations and educational institutions.

ExpenseTron- Robust Expense Management 

ExpenseTron is a powerful expense management tool designed to streamline the expense reporting process for remote teams.

Features of ExpenseTron

1. Automated expense tracking: ExpenseTron automates the expense tracking process by allowing remote team members to upload receipts. The tool can also automatically categorize expenses and calculate exchange rates.
2. Real-time expense reporting: ExpenseTron provides real-time expense reporting. Allowing remote team members to monitor their expenses and check their spending limits in real-time.
3. Approval workflows: ExpenseTron allows remote team members to submit expenses for approval to managers or accounting teams. The tool also provides customizable workflows that can be tailored to specific business needs.
4. Integration with other tools: ExpenseTron integrates with popular accounting and finance tools. Such as QuickBooks, Xero, and FreshBooks, allowing remote teams to manage their expenses seamlessly across different platforms.
5. Mobile app: ExpenseTron offers a mobile app for both Android and iOS. Enabling remote team members to upload receipts and manage their expenses on the go.
6. Multi-currency support: ExpenseTron supports multiple currencies. Making it easy for remote team members to track expenses in different currencies and convert them to their local currency.
7. Customizable expense policies: ExpenseTron allows remote teams to set customizable expense policies and rules. Ensuring compliance with company policies and regulations.

Salesforce – Comprehensive CRM 

Salesforce is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform that helps businesses manage customer interactions and streamline their sales, marketing, and customer service processes. It is one of the most popular and widely used CRM software on the market.

Features of Salesforce

• Sales automation: Salesforce offers tools for lead management, opportunity tracking, sales forecasting, and collaboration, helping sales teams streamline their processes and close deals faster.
• Marketing automation: Salesforce helps businesses manage their marketing campaigns across multiple channels, including email, social media, and digital advertising. The platform also includes tools for creating personalized marketing content, managing leads, and tracking campaign performance.
• Customer service: Salesforce offers tools for managing customer inquiries, complaints, and support cases, helping businesses provide better customer service and improve customer satisfaction.
• Analytics: Salesforce provides businesses with insights and analytics to help them make data-driven decisions, track performance, and identify opportunities for growth. The platform includes customizable dashboards, reports, and forecasting tools.
• Mobile app: Salesforce offers a mobile app that allows users to access their CRM data and manage their sales and customer service processes from anywhere.
• Customization: Salesforce is highly customizable and can be tailored to fit the specific needs of a business. Users can create custom fields, workflows, and reports, and integrate the platform with other third-party tools.
• Integration: Salesforce integrates with a variety of other business tools, such as email clients, marketing automation tools, and project management software, making it easy for businesses to manage all of their operations in one platform.

Salesforce Pricing Tiers

Essentials

The Essentials plan is the most basic and affordable plan, designed for small businesses with up to 10 users. It includes basic sales and customer service features. The price starts at $25 per user per month.

Professional

The Professional plan is designed for growing businesses with more advanced sales and customer service needs. It includes features such as forecasting, advanced reporting, and lead scoring, as well as integrations with other business tools. The price starts at $75 per user per month.

Enterprise

The Enterprise plan is designed for larger businesses with more complex sales and customer service needs. It includes features such as workflow automation, advanced analytics, and multi-currency support, as well as custom development and support. The price starts at $150 per user per month.

Unlimited

The Unlimited Plan includes all the features of the Enterprise plan, as well as unlimited custom objects, API calls, and storage. The price is custom and based on the specific needs of the business.

Conclusion

As more businesses shift towards remote work, it’s important to have the right tools and software to enable efficient collaboration. We’ve explored seven of the best remote work software tools available in 2023. 

Each of these tools offers unique features and benefits that can help teams work together effectively. By utilizing these tools, remote teams can stay connected, organized, and productive, no matter where they are located.