What are the Best Productivity Apps for Windows?
Marko Jovanovic Feb 10th, 2022
Do you feel like you're wasting time using outdated apps and programs? There are tons of free and paid productivity apps available on the market designed to help you streamline your workflow and save much-needed time.

Top Productivity Apps for Windows

The productivity apps featured on our list are engineered to make any task more manageable, regardless of whether you're a graphic designer, a content writer, or a software engineer. To make the most of your working hours, consider upgrading your set of programs with some of these tools.

If you wish to communicate faster with collaborators or organize the perfect visual layout of your tools, you should check out our list of the best productivity apps.

Easily upload files via web apps, track tasks assigned to your team members, track progress, manage projects, and streamline your project management and budgeting plans efficiently and reliably. These are the top productivity tools for Windows, so let's start with the best one.

ClipClip, the No. 1 Productivity Tool

As the best clipboard management program for Windows, ClipClip manages your clipboard and amplifies the versatility of copy & paste functions. It's packed with tons of unique features and was designed to save hours of your time each day.

Its Drag & Drop design flattens its learning curve, making it accessible to people without any technical knowledge. You can find any of your snippets in the convenient Clipboard History tab or access any clip through the Quick Paste tab.

Online collaboration was made easy with ClipClip, as it allows you to upload your clips to Cloud; share them with your team members, colleagues, or collaborators seamlessly with a click of a button.

In recent months, the trend of offshore staff augmentation became more popular; ClipClip's ability to translate text-based clips with a click means that diverse teams can communicate more fluently and quickly.

Screen capture paired with the ability to take GIF and video recordings make ClipClip perfectly suited for videography professionals, illustrators, and animation artists. Moreover, you can perform various actions and operations on your clips, such as replacing or capitalizing text, adjusting the hue or brightness of images, or sending snippets to email.

ClipClip also features an integrated notepad editor that can be used to perform basic text and image-based editorial operations.

As an all-in-one program, ClipClip presents you with all the tools you need to make your workflow smoother. As one of the most competent feature-packed programs available on the current market, ClipClip is the ultimate productivity tool for Windows.

Highlight features:

  • Search history
  • Paste menu
  • Drag & Drop design
  • Customizable hotkeys
  • Synchronization with Cloud Drive
  • Screen capture tool
  • A variety of operations can be executed on text and image clips
  • An integrated notepad editor

Get ClipClip

Todoist

Todoist is a remarkably convenient task management tool and project organizer for to-do lists. Whether you want to organize personal tasks or set up tasks for your team, you'll be able to do so within seconds with Todoist's help. This to-do list app will save days of working on a weekly basis and automate repetitive tasks so that you can focus on the bigger picture.

The Quick Add feature allows you to insert and manage tasks to the selected panel quickly. You can set a marker, an alarm, comments, or pin any quick tasks. Furthermore, you can set recurring reminders for various team member tasks, promoting and reinforcing healthy work habits.

All tasks can be further customized by giving them a priority level. You can use the flag icon to set each task's priority level, assigning symbols of different colors for easier differentiation.

Another essential feature of Todoist is the Favorites tab. You can permanently save key labels, filters, and projects with this feature and tweak or remove them at will.

Assigning tasks and delegating workload to colleagues is simple with Todoist. Simply choose the person who will pick up where you left off in the 'Responsible' tab. Organizing personal to-do list is a breeze, as you can combine all of the features mentioned above and utilize them both professionally and casually.

It's easily one of the most versatile advanced to-do apps on the market, and it's available in free and paid pricing packages.

The free version of Todoist is available for starters that want to get familiar with its features and tools. While using the free plan, up to five people can be assigned per project, and you can have up to five active projects. The limit for file uploads is 5 MB, while you'll have access to three filters and a simplified History tab that tracks activities within the span of a week.

There are two premium versions, including Pro for power users and Business accounts for teams. Any premium version offers drastically superior features, as well as exclusive tools and functions that the starter kit doesn't have.

Highlighted features:

  • Create tasks and delegate them in seconds
  • Add quick-tasks
  • Assign tasks to collaborators via the Responsible tab
  • Create project budgeting plans seamlessly
  • Optimized for team collaboration through personalized notifications
  • Set priority levels of each task
  • Seamlessly create to-do lists

Get Todoist

Google Docs

You can sync Google Docs with all your devices with a single click, including mobile apps. Using this software from multiple devices is not only easy but also encouraged, as your settings and files will remain intact between logins.

Using Gdocs will boost your productivity, regardless of whether you're a content writer, editor, transcriber, or translator. It's one of the most straightforward free apps available for Windows that can be used without any setup.

Should you want to, you can utilize its myriad of fonts, styles, and preference-based options to customize your Gdocs experience. Its learning curve is remarkably shallow, and it will keep rewarding you with additional benefits as you begin to learn more about its functions and productivity features. The free version is available for mobile apps, with project management capabilities for multiple team members.

Highlight features:

  • Tons of unique fonts and symbols
  • Fullscreen view allows a clear overview of the document
  • Table-of-contents tool promotes easier document organizing
  • Grammar checker addons, easy to use search function
  • Bookmarks allow seamless document navigation

Get Google Docs

Google Calendar

The industry-leading standard among calendar apps, Google's Calendar is the most intuitive project management tool in its class. Planning projects will become a breeze given that its user interface is pristinely easy on the eyes, while a daily and weekly overview of tasks and chores will keep you organized and up-to-date with deadlines and project goals.

You can easily set up your daily, weekly, and monthly goals within the Calendar. Users can also view pending tasks and deadlines with Schedule view; create or join meeting rooms; schedule appointments; set your online and offline hours ahead of time; find specific dates with Year View; and track time in real-life with World Clock.

The tool can be used on a mobile device as a time management app. It is bound to boost productivity and is widely available in any web app store.

Highlight features:

  • Schedule view provides a comprehensive overview of all tasks
  • Create and join meeting rooms; invite guests with a click
  • Organize appointments and set office/working hours
  • Year View allows you to jump to specific dates
  • Track time in the world with World Clock feature

Get Google Calendar

Forest

The Forest app will block distracting websites and allow you to focus on your own tasks. It's a true productivity app that was designed to boost your focus. This app enables its user to make use of free time more efficiently and productively.

You will plant tree seeds in the virtual Forest, and you'll get to observe the seedlings become tall healthy trees. However, shifting your focus toward anything else will kill your plants, which means that you will have to start from scratch.

You can specify the time you want to work on your focus and productivity, which will influence the rate at which your Forest will grow. It's a motivating app that will constantly encourage you with inspiring phrases, urging you to endure the remaining time and complete whichever task you have in front of your desk. Website and app blocking are bonuses that you can leverage to remain focused for increased periods.

Highlight features:

  • Minimal setup required
  • Inspiring phrases to motivate you
  • A gorgeously designed minigame of planting trees
  • Programmable timers
  • Clean interface

Get Forest

Clockify

Clockify is a premium time tracking tool and one of the finest time management apps for Windows. It's packed with a plethora of best-in-class features and utilities, but more importantly, it's effortless to use.

With Clockify, you can seamlessly track the progress of all your projects, set reminders, log weekly activities on your timesheet, engage tracking projects on the built-in calendar applications, and manage multiple projects on the dashboard.

In addition to time tracking functions, you can also preview reports, track time for groups of colleagues and collaborators, and utilize its planning tools to create the perfect schedule. It's a handy app engineered to both track and save your time. Its user interface is remarkably intuitive, and all of its features are straightforward and self-explanatory.

Several advanced features set Clockify apart from other time tracking apps, including tracking project-related expenses, invoices, and synchronizations with Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Windows, and mobile devices.

Additionally, you can integrate Clockify with various different apps, such as Quickbooks, Trello, Asana, Pumble Chat, or Basecamp. In terms of integrating apps and programs on this list, Clockify can be combined with Google's Calendar, Todoist, Google Docs, and Google 365 (Microsoft Teams) - highly useful for project management.

Highlighted features:

  • Simplified time tracking tools
  • Log weekly activities on your timesheet
  • Built-in calendar
  • Intuitive dashboard and UI
  • Project tracking capabilities
  • Track expenses and invoices
  • Integrations with dozens of popular programs and apps

Get Clockify

Teamwork

Teamwork is a premium task management app that offers superior flexibility in terms of features, learning curve, and pricing options. It's more advanced than Todoist and more suitable for application in enterprises.

Designed as a fully collaborative task optimization software, Teamwork offers an innovative task management solution, a plethora of team communication and collaboration-oriented tools, time-tracking functions, and feedback management utilities.

With Teamwork, you can set billing rates, add clients, edit the budget of any project, and track time for each session you (or your employees) engage in.

One of the main benefits of using Teamwork is that you will save precious time on setup-based tasks, such as onboarding clients or employees, creating drafts for managing projects, tasks, and more. Teamwork features a variety of pre-built templates and triggers, automating the user's workflow.

In terms of UI, you can choose between several Views, including Table View, Kanban Board, Task List, and Gantt Chart. Numerous selectable themes complement the unparalleled customizability of Teamwork's user interface.

Teamwork's main functions allow users to specify due dates and recurring tasks, attach files and milestones, set priorities, and assign project owners, leaders, and collaborators.

The "Free Forever" version is available for entrepreneurs and teams of up to five users, while three additional pricing options are available, including Deliver, Grow, and Scale. Each pricing package offers different feature improvements and upgrades.

Highlight features:

  • Advanced time tracking
  • Multiple themes available
  • Built-in calendar
  • Add milestones, tasks, subtasks, priorities, and more
  • Dozens of unique templates
  • A variety of collaboration-oriented functions

Get Teamwork

Discord

While other apps may be slightly more popular in the business world, Discord is the ultimate instant messaging tool suited for both non-commercial and professional use. Discord is a browser extension that can be downloaded as a desktop app. It's free and remarkably intuitive to use.

Discord's convenient search functions and instant messaging capabilities make it ideal for smart communication between teams, regardless of their size. Individual and group calls are available, as well as voice and video chat functions.

Furthermore, Discord can be used without any setup by 'guests' that need to access the chat momentarily via desktop or mobile apps. Guests can at any given time claim their accounts and personalize them.

With Discord, you can create and pin threads, organize or join hubs, securely share media with your colleagues and collaborators, start private or open channels, and more.

The pristinely clear quality of voice calls is one of the main reasons Discord is ideal for teams that don't want to waste hours on microphone setup. The bulk of parameters you'd otherwise need to tweak is automatically taken care of as soon as you log in. You can constantly adjust your preferences seamlessly.

Discord is completely free, but users that wish to experience its latest and most advanced features can upgrade to a Discord Nitro subscription. Improved profile personalization, server boosters, support for larger media files, and high-resolution video calls are some of the most prominent upgrades available to Nitro users.

Highlight features:

  • Create and pin threads and stories
  • Join or organize hubs
  • Start private or group channels and servers
  • Customize your experience with slash commands
  • Voice chats and video calls

Get Discord

Bear

Bear is a premium note-taking app that offers a myriad of advanced features. In a nutshell, it provides several export options, multiple themes, supports cross-note links, and a broad array of fully customizable keyboard shortcuts.

With Bear, you can encrypt your notes to safeguard sensitive information, export your notes in HTML, PDF, DOCX, MD, or JPG, format your work with a click of a button, add hashtags to instantly find your notes, organize them in secure compartments, and much more.

The SDR technology recognizes various elements, including emails, addresses, links, and colors, streamlining most information you need to input while using Bear. Furthermore, the smart marking tools allow you to locate any note regardless of its location quickly.

Advanced previews provided by the Bear app will save you time when creating long, complex notes. If you're trying to learn a new programming language or collaborating with an expert, the ability to preview what your notes will look like is invaluable. Bear's software ensures that you'll have a clear overview of all of your notes, in addition to providing you with the necessary utility to make quick edits and tweaks on the fly.

More to the point, Bear is an upper-tier markup editor, which supports more than a hundred different programming languages. Using it with other apps is a seamless experience, as you can safely sync your work and progress via Cloud storage.

Bear is a paid note-taking app that offers two pricing options. The symbolic monthly fee of $1.49 also pays for a single week of a free trial, while Bear's annual subscription costs $14.99 and comes with an entire month of a free trial.

Highlighted features:

  • Supports over a hundred different programming languages
  • Focus mode, which hides selected elements for a more precise overview
  • Multi-device sync-able
  • Customizable keyboard shortcuts
  • Hashtags for rapid note searching
  • Various exporting options, such as HTML, JPG, MD, PDF, and DOCX

Get Bear

Microsoft 365 Project Management

Microsoft 365 is the freshly upgraded package of Microsoft Office apps. The 365 Office suite comprises a variety of productivity tools, including Microsoft Teams, Briefing Email, Power Automate, Forms, Graph API, Lists, Planner, Power Apps, Stream, Sway, and more.

This comprehensive collection of apps in the Microsoft 365 Office Suite will save you substantial time on tasks such as writing emails, creating presentations, organizing tasks, uploading photos or videos, designing apps, and managing collaborations.

The all-encompassing versatility of Microsoft 365 is ideally suited for both beginner entrepreneurs and professional teams. The apps and tools contained in the suite work in synergy and are meant to be used together, streamlining your workflow and automating an enormous percentage of your daily tasks.

Microsoft 365 is a paid software suite that offers four pricing plans. The Microsoft 365 Business Basic as the entry-level option; Business Standard at an approachable monthly fee and improved tools and features; Business Premium as a slightly more expensive option that offers unparalleled cyber threat protection and improved access & data control. Microsoft 365 Apps for Business is a standalone package of desktop versions of Microsoft Office apps with premium features.

Highlighted features:

  • Briefing Email for quick and reliable online collaborations
  • Power automate offers seamless automation of relevant tasks
  • Forms for creating custom surveys, registrations, questionnaires, or quizzes
  • Graph API presents simple tools for creating presentations
  • Microsoft Lists as the most straightforward task organizing tool
  • Power apps let you develop and share your apps across various devices

Get Microsoft 365 Project Management

Final Thoughts on Windows Productivity Software

We dream of achieving a higher level of productivity. While at the same time reducing or optimizing our time. I stumbled on the perfect tool about a year ago while it was still in beta. Not only is ClipCip the best tool for power users, but I also consider it one of the best tools on the market for increasing productivity.