You’ve probably tried some employee productivity software, but none fits right. They’re either too basic or complex or lack the key features you need for success.
I understand.
And you can’t just close your eyes, pick one, and hope for the best.
That would be disastrous.
So, having used them, here’s my take on the top seven employee productivity software. And by the end of this guide, you’ll know which one suits your needs.
| Talk Magnet equips your team to get more work done from anywhere through fast and easy communication on one app. Schedule a demo. |
What are the key factors to consider when choosing the best employee productivity software?
It’s not just about the latest one in the market. The right employee productivity software should be able to handle the following:
- Task management. Assign, track, and prioritise tasks with ease. So everyone knows what to do without micromanagement.
- Goal setting and progress tracking. Align teams by setting clear, measurable goals and tracking progress. Because when goals are visible, it’s easier to stay on course.
- Collaboration capabilities. Look for features like file sharing, team messaging, and project chat rooms (video, audio, groups, and 1:1 chats). So everyone is on the same page.
- Reporting and analytics. With data on project timelines, employee performance, and productivity patterns. A powerful employee productivity analysis software will give you valuable insights for future decisions.
- Integrations with other tools. The employee productivity tracking software should sync with existing tools—whether it’s your CRM, calendar, or email.
- User-friendly interface. No one has time to learn a complex system. A clean, intuitive interface gets your team up and running faster.
- Remote work support. With remote work here to stay, tools that support location flexibility and remote access keep teams productive no matter where they are.
Discover the best tools to manage a remote team.
These are factors to consider in any employee productivity software you want to onboard for your team.
So, in answer to the question, “How do I monitor employee productivity and which app/software is the best?”
I tested and used 7 employee productivity software.
Let’s review each software and how they stack up against one another.
Which is the best employee productivity software in 2025?
From one to ten, top to bottom.
- Basecamp
- Trello
- Asana
- Monday.com
- ClickUp
- Notion
- Wrike
Before we talk about each employee productivity software, let me tell you about Talk Magnet, the lightest, simplest, but very powerful team communication software. Talk Magnet equips you and your team with ‘just’ the features you need to communicate with your remote or hybrid team.
No B.S. or feature blotting. Learn more about Talk Magnet on our product page. You can also book a demo to see how it works live.
The trick is to combine Talk Magnet with one of the employee productivity tools we discuss in this guide.
Now, let’s talk about each employee productivity app.
Check out the best internal communication tools for your business.
1. Basecamp — for project management
I can say a lot about Basecamp because our team at Telebu has been using it since 2022. It has its pros and cons. But we’re still using it for good reasons. We combine Basecamp with Talk Magnet for team communication.
Basecamp is an employee productivity software for organising and managing tasks and projects.
With Basecamp, you get to-do lists, message boards, a group chat, and file storage.
But here’s the thing—Basecamp isn’t for everyone.
If your employees need productivity software with lots of integrations or advanced options, Basecamp might feel limited.
Let’s talk about its features.
Top features of Basecamp
Basecamp has the following features:
- To-do lists for tasks and projects
- Message boards for group discussions
- Group chat for quick questions and updates
- Scheduling for project milestones
- File and document storage in one easy-to-find place
- Daily check-ins to keep everyone in sync
- Automatic check-ins to simplify team updates.
Pros and cons of Basecamp
Here are the positives and drawbacks of Basecamp:
| Pros | Cons |
| All-in-one tool for easy project management | Few integrations with other tools |
| User-friendly and easy to get started | Limited features for complex projects |
| Ideal for small teams needing simplicity | Not great for large projects with many steps |
| Flat monthly cost with no hidden fees | Limited customisation for power users |
| No per-user fees in the paid plan | Very basic design for some users |
| Quick file storage that’s easy to access | No time tracking built-in for tasks |
Just an aside, Basecamp doesn’t have a native Kaban view. But you can activate card tables to create your task in a set of Kaban columns and cards.
Basecamp’s pricing
Here’s how it breaks down:
- Free plan (Basecamp Personal): It includes three projects, 20 users, and 1GB of storage. It’s good for freelancers or very small teams needing only the basics.
- Basecamp Business plan: $99/month for unlimited users and projects. You get all the features Basecamp offers, such as message boards, to-do lists, group chat, scheduling, and more. No price tiers or add-ons—it’s all included.
Who/what Basecamp is best for
Basecamp is made for small teams and groups of small agencies, freelancers, and small businesses.
It might not go deep enough if you need heavy-duty project tracking or complex workflows.
Let’s move on to the next software that tracks and monitors employee productivity on our list.
2. Trello — drag ‘n’ drop boards
Trello was one of the team productivity software we also tried at Telebu while trying to figure out the best software for our team.
Trello is simple, visual, and almost fun to use.
Drag-and-drop boards, colour-coded lists, and cards all make tasks feel like you’re moving puzzle pieces.
Do you like seeing your workflow at a glance? Trello’s boards make it easy.
However, Trello is good for smaller projects. For anything complex, you could bump into roadblocks.
Why? Because with more tasks, more details, and a bigger team, Trello can start feeling a bit too… basic. There’s only so much you can do with its cool “cards on a board” approach.
For personal to-dos or small teams? Yes, absolutely.
For larger teams managing multiple workflows? You’ll need power-ups and add-ons, and those come with extra costs.
What are the main features of Trello?
Trello comes with the following features:
- Boards for organising projects
- Lists for task categories
- Cards for individual tasks
- Drag-and-drop Interface
- Power-ups for integrations (Calendar, Slack, etc.)
- File attachments
- Comments and mentions
- Native Kaban view
- Labels and due dates
What are the pros and cons of Trello?
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to learn and use | Limited for large projects |
| Highly visual—great for visual learners | Basic without power-ups—needs add-ons for more functionality |
| Flexible for many use cases | Hard to scale as projects grow |
| Drag-and-drop simplicity | No native time tracking |
| The mobile app is intuitive and functional | Limited views—no timeline view on the free plan |
| Low-cost entry | Dependency on power-ups can add up in cost |
What is Trello’s pricing?
Trello offers several plans to fit different needs:
- Free plan: Includes unlimited cards, basic features, and up to 10 boards per workspace. Ideal for small projects and personal use.
- Standard plan: $5 per user/month. Adds unlimited boards, advanced checklists, and custom fields.
- Premium plan: $10 per user/month. Unlocks calendar view, dashboard, and more customisation.
- Enterprise plan: $17.50 per user/month, designed for large teams needing organisation-wide controls, unlimited workspaces, and advanced security.
It’s flexible, but you might feel the nudge toward premium plans if you want more control over your boards.
Who or what is Trello best suited?
From my observation and experience, Trello is perfect for small teams, freelancers, or anyone managing simple projects. But for big, complex workflows?
You’ll probably outgrow it fast.
3. Asana — tasks and subtasks
Asana is a sleek employee productivity software for teams who juggle many tasks.
But (and this is a big but), it’s not always as simple as it looks.
Sure, Asana has a ton of features. But for someone in need of simple employee productivity software, Asana can feel like too much.
You start with a simple project. Next thing you’re adding subtasks, dependencies, custom fields…et cetera.
And if your team isn’t tech-savvy? Expect a bit of a learning curve.
Asana is cool for organising complex workflows. But that complexity comes at a cost—literally and figuratively. You’ll have to pay for them. So, if you’re managing a smaller team or a straightforward project, Asana might be more than you need.
What are Asana’s main features?
Asana comes with features like the following:
- Tasks and subtasks
- Project timelines
- Calendar view
- Kanban boards
- Custom fields
- Automation
- Milestones
- Integrations (Google Drive, Slack, etc.)
What are the major pros and cons of Asana?
| Pros | Cons |
| User-friendly design | Overwhelming for simple projects |
| Multiple views—list, board, calendar, timeline | Learning curve for advanced features |
| Project tracking and goals | Limited customisation on the free plan |
| Task dependencies to prevent bottlenecks | Can get pricey as team size grows |
| Automation that save time on repetitive tasks | Feels overloaded with options |
| Mobile app for tracking on the go | No native time tracking |
How is Asana priced?
Asana offers a range of plans:
- Free plan: Includes basic tasks, projects, and limited views. Great for personal use or small teams managing simple projects.
- Premium plan: $10.99 per user/month. Adds timelines, advanced search, custom fields, and milestones.
- Business plan: $24.99 per user/month. Unlocks portfolios, goals, advanced integrations, and workload views.
- Enterprise plan: Custom pricing for large teams needing more controls, additional security, and support.
Who or what is Asana best suited?
Asana is suitable for complex workflows and larger teams.
4. Monday.com — color-coded
Monday.com is one of those employee productivity measurement software that grabs you right from the start.
The design is bright and inviting, which is a plus if you want something that makes tracking tasks feel less like work.
But here’s the thing: after a while, the shine wears off.
Yes, Monday.com has things you need in employee productivity management software. But sometimes, all those features start to feel like too much.
You think you’re just setting up a project, and suddenly, you’re buried in custom fields, automation, integrations, and lots of widgets.
If your team is small or your needs are simple, it might feel like you’re working for the employee productivity management software—not the other way around.
What are the main features of Monday.com?
Asana comes with these features:
- Colour-coded dashboards
- Task assignments
- Automation
- Timeline view
- Gantt charts
- File sharing
- Integrations (like Slack, Google Workspace)
- Time tracking
What are the pros and cons of Monday.com?
| Pros | Cons |
| Bright, visual interface | Can be overwhelming for simple projects |
| Customisable workflows | Pricey—especially for small teams |
| Automation capabilities | Learning curve for new users |
| Multiple views (list, calendar, Kanban, Gantt) | Overloaded with features |
| Easy team collaboration | Limited features on the basic plan |
| Powerful integrations | Add-ons cost extra |
What is Monday.com’s pricing?
Monday.com’s pricing structure is… complicated. It’s built for businesses of all sizes, but if you want the premium features, you’re going to pay for them.
- Free plan: Up to 2 users, limited features, basic board view.
- Basic plan: $8 per user/month. Adds unlimited boards and simple task tracking.
- Standard plan: $10 per user/month. Unlocks timeline, Gantt view, and basic automation.
- Pro plan: $16 per user/month. Adds time tracking, advanced automation, and integrations.
- Enterprise plan: Custom pricing for larger teams that need higher security and premium support.
Who or what is Monday.com best suited?
Monday.com works best for mid-sized to large teams handling lots of projects.
5. ClickUp — for task tracking
ClickUp is at number 8 on our featured list of employee productivity software.
It’s good for task management, time tracking, docs, and goals. And I’ll admit, it’s pretty impressive at first glance.
It’s customisable as if you were building your own project management system from scratch.
But with so many options, it’s easy to get lost in the setup. If only you can dig into the features and figure it all out.
What are ClickUp’s main features?
Here are ClickUp’s main features:
- Task management
- Docs and Wiki creation
- Time tracking
- Goal tracking
- Custom workflows
- Multiple views (list, board, Gantt, calendar)
- Integrations (Slack, Google Workspace, and more)
- Automation
What are the pros and cons of ClickUp?
| Pros | Cons |
| Highly customisable | Steep learning curve |
| Lots of views (List, Board, Gantt) | Overwhelming for basic users |
| Built-in Docs and Goals | Feature overload |
| Robust free plan | Can feel slow at times |
| Solid integrations | Mobile app is limited |
| Affordable paid plans | Complexity increases setup time |
What’s ClickUp’s pricing?
ClickUp offers the following pricing plans:
- Free plan: Great for individuals or small teams; includes some features with limited usage.
- Unlimited plan: $5 per user/month. Adds unlimited integrations, dashboards, and advanced reporting.
- Business plan: $12 per user/month. Unlocks custom exporting, more advanced automation, and better security.
- Business Plus plan: $19 per user/month. Adds priority support and team sharing.
- Enterprise plan: Custom pricing for teams with top-tier security, white labelling, and advanced permissions.
Who or what is ClickUp best suited?
ClickUp is ideal for big teams and large businesses. However, for solo users or small teams with basic needs, it may be too much.
6. Notion — for notes
Notion combines notes, tasks, databases, calendars, and more all in one place. Sounds great, right?
From my experience with the tool, Notion is one of those employee productivity software that you’ll either love or hate.
It’s incredibly flexible. But with that flexibility comes a steep learning curve. At first glance, it might seem overwhelming.
There are so many options available. And creating a custom workflow is a bit tricky if you don’t have time to learn.
Once you get the hang of it, though, Notion can be good.
Need to track tasks? Build a table.
Want to store meeting notes? Create a note.
But if you’re not the type to customise from scratch, it might not feel as smooth as other tools that offer more pre-built templates.
What are the main features of Notion?
Notion has the following features:
- Notes and documents
- Databases and tables
- Task management
- Kanban boards
- Calendars
- Customisable templates
- Collaboration, and
- Integrations (Google Drive, Slack, etc.)
What are the pros and cons of Notion?
| Pros | Cons |
| Highly customisable | Steep learning curve |
| All-in-one tool | Can be overwhelming for beginners |
| Great for collaboration | Limited offline access |
| Flexible templates | Can slow down with large databases |
| Clean, minimalist design | No native time tracking |
| Task & project management in one | No built-in calendar syncing |
What’s Notion’s pricing?
Notion has a very generous free plan that gives you access to a lot of its core features. But for teams or advanced features, you’ll need to pay:
- Free: Unlimited pages and blocks for individual use. Some limitations on file uploads.
- Plus: $8 per user/month. Adds unlimited file uploads and more advanced collaboration features.
- Business: $15 per user/month. Includes advanced permissions, team analytics, and collaborative tools.
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for large organisations, including advanced admin features and security options.
Who or what is Notion best suited?
Notion is best for anyone who loves customisation and is looking for an all-in-one productivity tool.
7. Wrike
Wrike is a project productivity management software for employees. I’ve used it, and here’s what I think.
At first glance, Wrike has everything you need.
It offers task management, team collaboration, and project tracking all in one place. While using it, I noticed that it can be a bit overwhelming at times—especially for teams just starting out with project management tools.
The interface is clean but not the most intuitive.
There’s a lot of functionality, which can seem great for employee productivity software. But it also feels like you need to put in some time to really understand it.
If you’ve used simpler tools like Trello or Asana, Wrike might take a little more effort to adjust to.
One thing I liked about Wrike is its flexibility. It adapts to a variety of workflows. But sometimes, the complexity of its features can feel like an overkill. Especially for smaller teams.
What are the main features of Wrike?
Wrike features include:
- Task management
- Gantt charts
- Time tracking
- Custom workflows
- Collaborative workspaces
- File sharing
- Project reporting
- Third-party integrations
- Automated notifications
What are the pros and cons of Wrike?
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to create tasks and assign them | Initial setup can be complicated |
| Flexible enough for different workflows | Interface can be clunky and overwhelming |
| Lots of integrations with other tools | Limited customisation on the lower plans |
| Clear project timelines with Gantt charts | Expensive for smaller teams |
| Good reporting and analytics | Learning curve for advanced features |
| Supports team collaboration | Can be too feature-heavy for simple projects |
How’s Wrike priced?
Wrike offers several pricing options:
- Free: Includes basic task management and file sharing for up to 5 users.
- Professional: $9.80 per user/month. This includes more advanced features like Gantt charts, task dependencies, and integrations.
- Business: $24.80 per user/month. Adds time tracking, reporting, and custom workflows.
- Enterprise: Custom pricing. For large teams with more complex needs, including advanced security and custom integrations.
- Pinnacle: Custom pricing for ultimate flexibility and advanced tools for big organisations.
Note that the paid plans get pricey as your team grows.
Who or what is Wrike best suited?
Wrike is good for big businesses that need more advanced task management, project tracking, and reporting tools.
But if you’re a small team or just need something simple, Wrike might feel like too much to handle.
Comparison of the best employee development software
| Tool | Real-time messaging | Voice & video calls | File sharing | Search function | Analytics | Secure hosting |
| Trello | ✅ Basic | ❌ None | ✅ Attachments | ✅ Limited | ❌ None | ✅ Secure |
| Asana | ✅ Task messaging | ❌ None | ✅ File links | ✅ Search tasks | ❌ None | ❌ Cloud-only |
| Monday.com | ✅ Good | ✅ Basic calls | ✅ Smooth sharing | ✅ Advanced | ✅ Limited | ❌ Cloud-only |
| ClickUp | ✅ Efficient | ✅ Calls | ✅ Easy sharing | ✅ Advanced | ✅ Limited | ❌ Cloud-only |
| Notion | ✅ Basic | ❌ None | ✅ Embedded files | ✅ Limited | ❌ None | ✅ Secure |
| Wrike | ✅ Project messaging | ✅ Calls available | ✅ Project files | ✅ Extensive | ✅ Strong | ❌ Cloud-only |
| Basecamp | ✅ Simple | ❌ None | ✅ Simple sharing | ✅ Limited | ❌ None | ✅ Secure |
After all is said and done, those are our featured employee productivity software. I hope I’ve been able to help you make a decision.
Surely, the best software + a more engaged team = increased employee productivity.
That’s where Talk Magnet comes in to equip your team with the lightest and simplest team communication software. Get a FREE demo ASAP to see how Talk Magnet can make life simpler and work better for your team.
But you may be wondering, even with powerful tools like the ones mentioned, how can I monitor my employee productivity?
Discover more online collobration software for your team.
Best way to track and improve your employee productivity
Here’s how to track employee productivity for large, mid and small businesses alike. In detail.
1. Set “focus time” for everyone
Constant notifications can kill productivity. And lengthy meetings, too.
Remember: it takes our brains about 23 minutes to fully refocus after a distraction.
So, create team-wide “focus hours” where everyone goes offline to work distraction-free. That 23-minute refocus time adds up.
2. Build a “shortcut library” inside the employee productivity software
Use the templates, checklists, or other ready-made processes right inside your software. No need to start from scratch every time—grab a shortcut and get going.
3. Collect team insights, not just numbers
Don’t rely only on task completion rates. Set up a space for employees to share what’s working and what’s slowing them down. Honest feedback = improved productivity.
4. Turn boring tasks into mini-competitions
Use “badges” or “mini-wins” for routine tasks. Like clearing your inbox or closing overdue tasks. A little friendly competition makes the day-to-day stuff more fun.
5. Link tasks to cut down the “what’s next?” chats
Set up task dependencies in the productivity software so every employee knows when it’s their turn. Avoid back-and-forths or “Is this ready?” pings.
6. Kick-off projects with a quick idea huddle
Start every big project with a fast brainstorming session on the software.
Your HR team should hire and onboard new employees via the productivity software. It helps them get used to the software and sets the plan from the get-go, keeping everyone on track.
7. Encourage self-tracking for personal productivity wins
Show your employees how to use the software to track their own productivity. They’ll spot their own bottlenecks and make improvements more proactively.
With these simple tweaks, your team can stay focused, reduce distractions, and make the software work for them.
Improve your employee productivity with Talk Magnet
Talk Magnet is the best communication and collaboration app. It’s more than just another employee productivity software.
You get to enjoy real-time 1:1 chats, easy file sharing, and audio and video calls that work perfectly for your teams. Plus, it’s easy for anyone to use, with no learning curve. All these ensure your team produces better results and boosts your revenue.
So, get a FREE trial and see for yourself. Or, if you want a deeper look, just talk to an expert—I promise you it’ll be worth it.
