Top Software For Small Businesses in 2023: A Guide

Running a small business requires wearing many hats. From managing your employees, tracking time, handling payments, conducting email campaigns, collaborating with teams, managing documents, and handling human resources, to managing customer relationships, there’s a lot to cover. Thankfully, there are numerous software tools available that can streamline these tasks and boost your productivity. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the top software for small businesses in 2023 that are indispensable for the usage of all kinds.

Top Software For Small Businesses in 2023

Top PTO Tracking Software: Vacation Tracker

For small businesses, freelancers, and entrepreneurs who need a simple and effective solution for PTO tracking, Vacation Tracker stands out as an excellent choice. It offers a PTO tracking tool that integrates with any workplace platform such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Google Workspace. With a few clicks or commands, you can request, approve, and manage your time off. This top software for small businesses in 2023 makes managing leaves as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Some key features of Vacation Tracker include:

• Seamless PTO tracking across various platforms and devices.
• An easy-to-use interface that reduces administrative tasks for HR and employees.
• Invoicing and expense features available in paid tiers.
• One of the key benefits of using Vacation Tracker is its flexibility. It allows you to create custom leave types and policies that suit your organization’s needs and local laws. You can also manage multiple locations and departments with different settings and approvers.

Example use-case: A small web development agency can use Vacation Tracker to track the PTO of its remote employees across different time zones and countries. This data can then be used for payroll, accounting, and project planning.

Vacation Tracker offers a 7-day free trial for all features, and their tech support includes chat, email, and a free self-service help center on their website. Their pricing plans start from $1 per user per month with a $25 minimum for the Core plan, and $2 per user per month with a $50 minimum for the Complete plan.

Top Time Tracking Software: Clockify

Clockify is a free and unlimited time tracker and timesheet app that lets you track work hours across projects. It offers a versatile solution for time tracking that can be used by any type of business or team. With a few clicks or taps, you can start and stop the timer, enter time manually, or use a calendar view.

The key features of Clockify include:

• Seamless time tracking across various apps and devices.
• An easy-to-use interface that encourages employee usage.
• Invoicing and expense features available in paid tiers.
• One of the key benefits of using Clockify is its affordability. It offers a free plan for unlimited users and projects, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses that don’t want to pay per user or per project. This also makes it scalable for growing teams and businesses.

Example use-case: A small digital marketing agency can use Clockify to track the time spent by its employees on various client projects. This data can then be used for client billing, estimating project costs, and improving productivity.

Clockify offers a free plan for all features, and their tech support includes a free self-service help center on their website. Their pricing plans start from $9.99 per month for the Plus plan and go up to $29.99 per month for the Enterprise plan.

Top Online Payment Software: PayPal

When it comes to online payment solutions, PayPal is a global leader. It is a preferred top software for small businesses in 2023 for many small businesses and entrepreneurs due to its simplicity in setup and usage. PayPal enables millions of customers and merchants around the world to send and accept payments using bank accounts and credit cards.

The unique features of PayPal include:

• An easy setup process that doesn’t require technical expertise.
• Wide acceptance in the eCommerce industry.
• Ability to add the PayPal button to the payment page for quick checkouts.

One of the main advantages of PayPal is its user-friendly interface, which makes it easy for customers to complete purchases in just one or two clicks. From start to finish, PayPal provides one of the most straightforward payment services available, both for businesses and customers.

Example use-case: A small eCommerce store can use PayPal to accept payments from customers. By adding the PayPal button to their checkout page, they can provide a quick and secure payment process, enhancing the overall customer experience.

PayPal does not offer a free trial period, but merchants can choose between different plans and features with varying fees. It also offers multiple sources of customer support, including a community forum, a resolution center, and text and email support.

Top Collaboration Tools: Slack

If there’s one tool known as the top software for small businesses in 2023, it’s this one.

Slack is a versatile team collaboration tool that can be likened to a Swiss Army knife. It allows team members to communicate on any mobile or desktop device, making it particularly useful for smaller businesses that may not have a single office or whose employees work remotely.

The key features of Slack include:

• Cross-platform communication capabilities.
• Integration with other business tools such as MailChimp and Google Drive.
• Easy upload and sharing of files.

Slack offers a mix of features like audio and video calling and integrates seamlessly with other business tools, allowing information to be shared efficiently across platforms. It also enables easy upload and sharing of files of various formats, from Word docs and JPEGs to PDF files and files from Google Drive.

Example use-case: A small remote team can use Slack for internal communication, sharing files, and integrating with other tools like Google Drive and MailChimp for efficient information exchange.

Slack offers a free plan, and users can request a free trial of the platform’s paid Standard and Plus plans. Their tech support includes a help center that offers self-service resources and help request forms.

Top Accounting Software: Quickbooks Online

Delivering a comprehensive cloud-based accounting solution, Quickbooks Online serves as an exceptional tool for effectively managing finances. This platform provides a robust suite of features, meticulously designed to cover all aspects of accounting including invoicing, expense tracking, inventory management, payroll, and tax obligations. With Quickbooks Online, complete visibility into every facet of your business operations is just a click or a tap away, conveniently from one central location.

A few key features of Quickbooks Online include:

• Seamless accounting across various apps and devices.
• An easy-to-use interface that simplifies bookkeeping and reporting.
• Invoicing and payment features that help you get paid faster.
• One of the key benefits of using Quickbooks Online is its integration. It connects with hundreds of third-party apps and services that you may already use, such as PayPal, Shopify, Square, and more. You can also give access to your bookkeeper or accountant to collaborate and share files.

Example use-case: A small online clothing store can use Quickbooks Online to track its sales, expenses, inventory, and taxes. They can also create and send professional invoices to their customers, accept online payments, and run detailed reports to see their profitability.

Quickbooks Online offers a 30-day free trial for all features, and their tech support includes a free self-service help center on their website. Their pricing plans start from $25 per month for the Simple Start plan and go up to $150 per month for the Advanced plan.

Top Document Management Software: Google Workspace

G-Suite, now known as Google Workspace, is Google’s comprehensive solution for cloud computing, collaboration, and productivity. It’s particularly suited for smaller businesses and freelancers as it provides a one-stop shop for all document management needs. Users can easily create, share, and collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, all within this single platform.

Some main highlights of Google Workspace include:

• A comprehensive suite of apps for various productivity needs.
• Cloud storage and sharing capabilities.
• Customizable email address for a professional appearance.

Google Workspace provides 15GB of free cloud storage space, so you can easily upload and share documents, including large files, with anyone inside or outside of your organization. Document owners can set the access level for each file and assign permissions that allow recipients to “view only”, “edit file”, or full access and edit.

Example use-case: A small business can utilize Google Workspace to create and share documents within the team, use the video meetings feature for remote discussions, and leverage the email feature for professional communication. Google Workspace offers a 24/7 support team that can be reached through phone calls, email, or chat. They offer multiple editions across Basic, Business, and Enterprise levels, and all can be accessed with a free 14-day trial.

Top HR/Payroll Software: Gusto

Gusto stands out as an ideal payroll solution for small businesses that employ both full-time and contract or seasonal employees. It effortlessly handles payroll processing and payroll tax responsibilities for all types of workers, proving invaluable as top software for small businesses in 2023.

Gusto’s notable features include:

• Comprehensive payroll solutions for both W-2 and 1099 workers.
• Easy onboarding of new employees.
• Additional HR services for companies needing extra support.

Gusto’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to add new employees and designate their employment type. Moreover, the cost of running payroll is the same for a full-time employee or a contractor, making it a cost-effective solution.

Here’s an example use-case: A small company employing both full-time and contract employees can leverage Gusto to simplify their payroll processing and tax responsibilities.

Gusto has three plans for payroll, benefits, and HR: Simple ($40 + $6 per person), Plus ($80 + $12 per person), and Premium (custom pricing). Gusto also offers a free trial and a subscription-free plan for contractors ($6 per contractor). 

Top CRM Software: Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a cloud-based CRM software that helps you organize your leads, track your activities, and close more deals. It offers a simple and effective solution for sales management that can be customized to fit your business needs. With a few clicks or taps, you can create and modify your sales pipelines and workflows. This makes it an ideal contender as a top software for small businesses in 2023.

Pipedrive’s notable features include:

• Seamless CRM across various apps and devices.
• An easy-to-use interface that simplifies sales processes and collaboration.
• Invoicing and payment features that help you get paid faster.
• One of the key benefits of using Pipedrive is its integration. It connects with hundreds of third-party apps and services that you may already use, such as Gmail, Outlook, Slack, Zapier, and more. You can also use Pipedrive’s built-in telephony feature to make and receive calls from your CRM.

Example use-case: A small photography studio can use Pipedrive to manage their leads, bookings, and payments. They can create different pipelines for different types of photography services, such as weddings, portraits, or events. They can also send invoices and accept online payments through Pipedrive.

Pipedrive offers a 14-day free trial for all features, and their tech support includes a free self-service help center on their website. Their pricing plans start from $14.90 per user per month for the Essential plan and go up to $99 per user per month for the Enterprise plan.

Wrapping It Up

For small businesses, the choice of software tools can significantly impact efficiency, productivity, and growth. The solutions mentioned above, from project management to CRM, provide robust, scalable options that meet the diverse needs of small businesses.

Investing in the right software tools will not only streamline your operations but also provide valuable insights to help you make informed business decisions. The key is to understand your unique needs and choose the solutions that best address them.

Remember, great software tools are an investment toward a more efficient, productive, and successful business. So go ahead, give these top software for small businesses in 2023 a try, and watch your business thrive!

Snigdha Gupta

An avid writer and aspiring marketer, Snigdha is a student at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business.