Collaboration Tools

TrustRadius Top Rated for 2023

Top Rated Products

(1-5 of 17)

1
Bloomfire

Bloomfire provides knowledge engagement, aiming to deliver an experience that connects teams and individuals with the information they need to excel at their jobs. Their cloud-based knowledge engagement platform aims to give people one centralized, searchable place to engage with…

2
Quickbase

Quickbase helps users tackle any project, no matter how complex. Quickbase helps customers see, connect and control complex projects. Whether it’s raising a skyscraper or coordinating vaccine rollouts, the no-code software platform allows business users to custom fit solutions to…

3
Miro

Miro provides a visual workspace for innovation that enables distributed teams of any size to dream, design, and build the future together. Today, Miro counts more than 60 million users in 200,000 organizations who use Miro to improve product development collaboration, to speed up…

4
Slack

Slack is a group messaging or team collaboration app that aims to simplify communication for businesses. Features include open discussions, private groups, and direct messaging, as well as deep contextual search and message archiving, and file sharing. Slack integrates with a number…

5
Mattermost

Mattermost from the company of the same name in Palo Alto is a messaging, collaboration and communication platform providing high security and compliance for the businesses that need it.

All Products

(151-175 of 921)

151
Freedcamp

The vendor states Freedcamp helps tens of thousands of teams around the world manage their work. Their free plan contains tasks(in list and kanban view), milestones, discussions, calendar, time-tracking and password management. On their premium plans, they also offer Gantt charts,…

153
Tandem

Tandem is a virtual office software solution from the company of the same name in San Francisco, designed to enable users to re-discover the flow of working together in‑person, as well as see, talk to, and collaborate with their teams in one click.

Explore recently added products

154
Deltek ConceptShare

Deltek ConceptShare (acquired in 2018) focuses exclusively on the review and approval process for creative teams in large companies. The vendor says that by integrating online proofing with workflow automation, ConceptShare helps shorten the review cycle so that users need fewer…

155
GoProof

GoProof brings all creative media collaboration into one central place so you don't have to use a ton of different systems and workflows just to get approval, with collaboration tools for document and video creative work, all managed in what is offered by the vendor as a user-friendly…

156
Vuforia Chalk

Scale problem-solving guidance, support and expertise to factory operations & service teams with augmented reality. Vuforia Chalk is a collaboration and communication tool for the organization’s experts to provide real-time assistance to technicians facing complex or unfamiliar…

157
Fugu

Fugu is an all-purpose team chat software that enables employees to communicate and collaborate from a single platform. Users can share ideas, discuss projects, and manage attendance with Fugu. The product easily integrates with the third party tools for effective management, and…

158
KROCK

KROCK is designed to help users manage creative projects effectively and painlessly. Krock offers tools for creative teams to manageme the review and approval process:build project pipelinesassigns teammates for different tasks within different projectscreate storyboardsshare different…

159
Deltek Collaboration

Deltek Collaboration is designed to enable users to collaborate more effectively with internal and external team members through easy document sharing, instant feedback and automatic notifications. This is so users spend less time sorting through an onslaught of emails and unorganized…

160
Celtx

Celtx is an all-in-one, real-time system for collaborating on the writing and planning of films, videos, games, and VR productions from the Canadian company of the same name. Higher pricing tiers and the Celtx Pro plan include project management features such as budgeting, resource…

161
Output Time

Output Time is a collaboration tool that bundles Project management, Time tracking, Invoicing, Team Collaboration and Expenses Management etc. It is available as Online and Self-Hosted Project Management versions.

162
SocialPort

SocialPort is a social communication management system that allows organizations share content on social platforms, enabling them to grow relationships and exhibit thought leadership in their industry. rFactr also provides social content training that prepares each individual in…

163
PeopleOne

PeopleOne is a digital workspace software solution that aims to boost employee productivity. As a mobile centric intranet solution for O365 users, it integrates all an employee's digital tools into a single place. With it, the vendor says teams are empowered to do their best work…

164
Speakap

Speakap is the award-winning secure and private platform enabling organizations of all sizes to engage with their non-desk and customer-facing employees, improving customer experience and business value. Sharing campaigns, best practices and results across locations, our clients…

165
GroupTweet (discontinued)

GroupTweet allowed contributors to Tweet from a single Twitter account without the need to share the organization's Twitter password. Authorized contributors can tweet directly from their own personal Twitter accounts (if desired) using any Twitter app each prefers. The tool is now…

166
Lua

Lua is a mobile-first enterprise communication solution. It powers messaging that is built for business: instant, secure, and keeps everyone accountable. Some key features include: Real-time Secure Messaging, Two-touch Conference Calling, and an Analytics Dashboard.

167
HyperOffice Enterprise Collaboration Suite

HyperOffice delivers a collaboration software built around functionalities such as document and database management, a social network platform, and online collaborative calendars

168
Help Lightning

Help Lightning in Birmingham aims to reimagine how businesses, customers and employees are able to give and receive help using Virtual Expertise. The vendor states their merged reality adds missing visual cues, gestures, and non-verbal communication methods to any session. While…

169
Starmind

Starmind in Zurich offers their knowledge sharing platform, featuring augmented Intelligence allowing team members, or employees across departments and offices, to tap into the collective human intelligence in an organization, in real-time.

170
Bolste

Bolste™ is a complete business operating system, designed to simplify work-life and help businesses grow by streamlining communication and collaboration. The system brings together separate applications – email, chat, tasks, file-sharing, calendars, and more – into a single, simple…

171
Mailfence

Mailfence is a secure and private email collaboration suite that offers OpenPGP encryption. The solution includes a suite of features such as Mailfence Email, Documents, Calendar, and Contacts. Each feature has an integrated group functionality called Mailfence Groups that users…

172
ShareBase (discontinued)

ShareBase is a cloud-based, enterprise file sync and share solution from Hyland, that provides a simple experience to store, search for and share content securely. Going forward Hyland will no longer offer the product.

173
TIBCO Tibbr

Enterprise collaboration platform.

174
Lumen Unified Communications & Collaboration

Lumen Unified Communications and Collaboration (UC&C) (formerly CenturyLink) combine adaptive networking with a portfolio of technologies on a secure global network with end-to-end support. The UC&C portfolio includes cloud, hosted, and fully managed services built on best-…

175
OrbitNote

OrbitNote allows users to transform and interact with documents in a completely different way, with the goal of creating an accessible, dynamic and collaborative space that works for everyone.

Collaboration Tools TrustMap

TrustMaps are two-dimensional charts that compare products based on trScore and research frequency by prospective buyers. Products must have 10 or more ratings to appear on this TrustMap.

Learn More About Collaboration Tools

What are Collaboration Tools?

Online collaboration software makes working together on professional projects easier and faster. It reduces bottlenecks in feedback and approval processes and allows for real-time communication. The three core areas of functionality for collaboration tools are:

  • Communication
  • Project & task management
  • File sharing & management

Some products stress one feature set over another. These take a best-of-breed approach, and work well if they offer integrations. For example, Slack is an online team collaboration app focused on messaging and file sharing. It also includes audio and video conferencing capabilities. For everything else, it integrates with other software tools.

Because they each have slightly different specialties, many of the tools above are not perfectly comparable. Depending on your business needs, you may want to invest in a few different types of collaboration tools. For example, many teams use a messaging application like Slack for casual communication and also use web conferencing software to host online meetings.

Online collaboration tools are closely related to a number of other types of software, including:

All of these platforms include collaboration features, though most are limited to a specific channel or type of interaction.

Sometimes collaboration tools can replace these more traditional solutions, but it is more common to integrate collaboration tools with existing communication and workflow structure. Often collaboration tools bring interactions that would otherwise be handled by separate platforms into a convenient central location.

Collaboration Tools Features & Capabilities

Communication

Some collaboration tools have communication capabilities at their core. Examples of online communication tools that specialize in this are include:

Other collaboration features are available but may have a limited scope. Communication features across collaboration tools include:

  • Options for integrated messaging. Live chat, comments within a file and private/group messages are all common
  • Privacy and access settings
  • Conference calling
  • Video chats with screen sharing
  • Project-based conversations

Project & Task Management

Another class of online collaboration tools have underlying project and task management capabilities at their core. These tools may not be as advanced as traditional project management platforms. However, they can be incredibly useful for online team collaboration and communication.

Examples of collaboration tools noted for significant project & task management features include:

Some products walk the line of collaboration and project management. For example, Wrike has many robust project management features, but it’s designed like a social network to make engaging with team members easy.

Access to advanced project management capabilities is usually more important for larger or interdepartmental teams. Collaboration features related to project & task management can include:

  • Workflow automation
  • Tracking location and changes to a file
  • Brainstorming tools/pinboards
  • Task lists and assignments. These are complete with due dates, sub-tasks and file attachment
  • Scheduling, calendar integration, reminders and alerts
  • Gantt charts

File Sharing & Management

Other online collaboration tools focus on document storage, sharing, and management. Examples of these products include:

They also offer significant opportunities for collaboration. Collaboration features central to file sharing include:

  • Security
  • Support for different file types
  • Comments and notes attached to files
  • Track changes and versioning
  • Editing permissions and access control
  • Shared folders

Online Collaboration Tools

Locally hosted collaboration solutions (like Redbooth Private Cloud) are less common than online SaaS collaboration tools. Online solutions are more abundant and often more convenient for end-users. They work particularly well for remote teams and employees who need to collaborate on common tasks.

They come in many forms, from mobile apps to browser extensions.

Some tools are industry and use case-specific. For example, Mural.ly and ConceptBoard are tools for graphic designers. On the other hand, Microsoft Yammer is more like a social network for corporate enterprises, regardless of department or industry. Other use cases for collaboration software include:

  • Creating an internal knowledge base for employees with a product like Confluence
  • Creating flow charts or mapping out ideas visually with a product like MindMeister
  • Creating group to-do lists with a product like Trello

Adoption

Adoption is key to success with collaboration software. It is only effective if everyone on the team is on board with the software.

It is important to choose a collaboration tool that is easy to use. The tool should also fit your team’s culture and goals. There are dozens of collaboration products on the market -- and it’s ever-growing!

To help you find a good fit, consider these questions:

  • What types of projects will you collaborate on?
  • What are the steps of a typical project?
  • How does your team handle communication and workflow?
  • Where do you store project files?
  • How many people will be collaborating? How many departments?
  • Will project managers or team members be collaborating? Both?
  • What other platforms and apps does your team use? How does the tool handle integration?
  • How formal or informal will collaboration be? Will all discussions be related to work on specific projects, or will some be social?
  • Will all conversations be archived?

Collaboration Tools Comparison

To help you more easily compare different types of collaboration tools, consider these 3 key factors:

  1. What’s the main purpose this tool will serve? For example, are you looking for an easy to use team instant messaging app? Or do you need a web conferencing tool that will be easy for employees and clients to use? Or maybe you’re looking for a new company intranet, or file and document sharing solution. Figuring out what business need(s) the tool will serve will help you identify which set of collaboration tools to evaluate.
  2. Ease of use, which helps determine how widely adopted the software will be, is highly important. If you invest in a collaboration tool that has a steep learning curve, it’s less likely to be adopted by the rest of your team. Look for tools that have high ‘usability’ ratings on the product scorecard tab on TrustRadius to help narrow down the list of products you’re considering.
  3. What does your budget for collaboration and communication software look like? This will likely depend on whether you are self-employed, a contract worker, an SMB, or an enterprise business. Many collaboration tools in this category have either free versions or free trials for your team to test out. However, if your business needs a very budget-friendly solution, look for tools that have a ‘forever free’ option.

Start a comparison between collaboration tools.

Pricing Information

Collaboration software is usually priced by user on a monthly subscription.

Most vendors offer a free tier for up to a certain number of users. The free tiers usually have a more limited set of features and capabilities. There are many basic free online collaboration options, including GoVisually, Trello, Podio and Google Drive for example.

For paid plans, pure collaboration tools focused on notes, tasks, and chat start around $8/mo. per user. For collaboration tools that include cloud storage, pricing starts at around $10/mo. per user, and goes up from there based on storage size.

Related Categories

Frequently Asked Questions

What are collaboration tools?

Collaboration tools help teams communicate, manage projects and tasks, and share and store files more efficiently. Not all online collaboration tools have the same set of capabilities, specific tools may specialize in one of the three areas above. Common use cases for collaboration software include:

  • Online meetings
  • Team messaging
  • Project & task management
  • File storage
  • Collaborative content creation

What are some examples of different types of collaboration tools?

Examples of collaboration tools that focus on enabling business communication include: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, Fuze, Lifesize Video Conferencing, and Skype. Collaboration Tools that emphasize project & task management include: Trello, Airtable, Asana, Basecamp, Wrike, and Monday. Products that offer file storage and management features include: Google Drive, Dropbox Business, MS SharePoint, and Confluence.

What are the best collaboration tools?

The Top Rated collaboration tools in 2019 include:


Learn more about these products and other online collaboration tools here.

What are some free online collaboration tools?

Many collaboration software products have a free version available, though typically with more limited space or functionality. Popular free tools for small teams or SMBs include:


How much does collaboration software cost?

Along with free versions of the software, many collaboration tools range from $5 - $40 per user per month. Enterprise tier plans may cost more, depending on how many user licenses your business needs. Collaboration tools that provide cloud storage space may also increase based on the amount of space required.