Are you expanding or just starting out a new business? Whether you are a team of 2 or under 30, navigating the right tools is crucial to staying organized and running efficiently. This guide highlights the essential software tools that can help small businesses streamline operations and boost productivity in 2025.
What Software Do Small Businesses Need?
Small businesses require a suite of software tools to cover and simplify functions for accounting, payroll, marketing, communication, and, most importantly, project management.
Don’t just buy the first recommended software you find online. Prioritize tools that fit your budget and are user-friendly. As your business grows, choose software that can scale with your goals.
So, what software is needed for small business success?
- For Accounting and Finance: You need a software tool to manage your income, tax, and expenses. Additionally, you want an app that can track and manage payments and invoicing, ensuring you are always on time with your purchases and payments.
- For Payroll & HR: Some accounting management apps have a payroll function but no HR tools. Implementing an HR software tool will help manage benefits, compliance, and other employee-related documents and files. You need a software tool that is not only user-friendly to your HR team but also to your employees.
- For Marketing and Customer Engagement: Keep your customers and clients informed about your latest products, services, and promotions with tools to help you generate engaging content. Ensure the software tool offers additional features that easily integrate with social networking platforms and calendars.
- For Project and Time Management: A software tool for project and time management will help you not only keep track and send outputs on time but also identify bottlenecks and fix them quickly.
- For Inventory and POS Systems: Besides the paper trail, you want to easily see your current items or stocks available in your inventory. This is perfect for retail and e-commerce stores that manage physical stock.
- For Team Communication and Collaboration: You can keep yourself in the loop of what’s happening in your business through communication apps capable of uploading files. Besides your company email, getting a team communication software tool helps avoid setting up meetings just for small updates and details.
10 Best Software Tools for Small Businesses in 2025
With many online recommendations written by software companies themselves, it’s easy to overlook some of the best tools. We’ve compiled this list to help you find the right solutions and stay focused on your core business, not just administrative tasks.
1. Best Accounting Software Tools for Small Businesses
QuickBooks Online remains the industry standard for small business accounting software. With numerous accolades and robust features, it is the benchmark to beat. Flexible plans start at 9USD per month, with options to add more tools as your budget allows.
If you work with outsource accountants, the cloud-based nature of QuickBooks makes it possible for you and your accounting team to access it and make fast and accurate bookkeeping updates anywhere in the world, and it automatically backs up.
It features real-time income and expense tracking, as well as an inventory management tool. The multiple payment options and compatible apps for integrations make your payments fast and easy. If you worry about missing deadlines or payments, these features provide extra security and peace of mind.
Other options:
Can’t afford QuickBooks? A free alternative to accounting software is Wave. In a free account, you have access to their basic invoicing and payroll features. So, if you’re just starting out as a small business with 1 or 5 employees, Wave can be a cost-saving option. It also offers additional features once you level up to their paid plans.
2. Best Invoice Software Tools for Small Businesses
Wave stands out as the best free tool for small business owners seeking to manage invoicing without incurring additional costs. Its automation features, recurring billing, and syncing with accounting software make it an easier solution for managing client payments effortlessly.
Other options:
- Zoho Invoice: If you already use Zoho’s CRM, using the Zoho Invoice feature makes it easy for integration. Additionally, the tool provides more customization options.
- Square Invoices: Perfect for retail businesses with integrated point-of-sale solutions.
3. Best Payment App for Small Business
Teamdeck offers resource scheduling and management, making it ideal for creative and tech startups. It simplifies employee scheduling, project workflow, and capacity planning.
Other options:
- Stripe: Although not all apps integrate with Stripe, it remains one of the top choices among developers. It also offers flexible payment processing.
- Helcim: Want a payment software tool that’s ready to handle high volumes? Helcim is already made for that. It is ideal for businesses that expect high-volume sellers and those that process payments.
4. Best Time Management Software Tools for Small Businesses
If your budget is tight for time tracking tools, Toggl Track is a favorite among freelancers and small business owners who work with remote teams. It works seamlessly across browsers and desktops, making it ideal for businesses operating in different locations or states.
You can track their progress and working hours, and inform them if they have been working excessive overtime, while allocating your budget to more important management software tools for small businesses.
Other options:
- Clockify: Another free time tracking tool, ideal for people working on multiple projects at a time. It is also known for its user friendliness.
- Harvest: If you’re looking for a combination of project management and invoicing tools, Harvest is the best option for you.
5. Best Payroll Tools for Small Businesses
Ever heard of Gusto? It has been making waves among small businesses for its impressive and convenient payroll solutions. The automated tax filing feature will help you file your taxes on time! Plus, employee self-service portals help your team members access the transparency of their benefits and salary easily.
Other options:
- OnPay and Patriot Payroll: Do you just want the necessary features for payroll without the hefty subscription? These two payroll software tools are perfect for your small businesses.
6. Best Marketing Software Tools for Small Businesses
Mailchimp and HubSpot remain leading options for digital marketing. If you have a small marketing team and plan to scale, these tools are well suited for you. They offer easy-to-use email marketing automation and integrate with multiple online platforms. Their AI capabilities now enable faster content creation.
Additional tools:
- Canva: Besides its impressive templates and convenience, Canva has been continually upgrading its features for scheduling on social media platforms. Their AI tools have made it easier for designers and marketers to create content and perform basic image editing tasks, such as removing unnecessary backgrounds.
7. Best Scheduling Software Tools for Small Businesses
While we most use Google Calendar to set our meetings and interviews, Calendly offers an option to make scheduling easy. The platform is user-friendly and customer/applicant-friendly. Once you’ve chosen a schedule and software tools for your online meetings and consultations, they automatically integrate with the calendars of other members.
Alternatives:
- Deel: Supports scheduling and compliance for international teams.
- Acuity Scheduling: Offers customizable appointment booking features.
8. Best Inventory Management Software Tools for Small Businesses
Some small businesses specialize in digital products, while most focus on physical items. If you work with the latter, you need a setup that automatically updates your inventory for every purchase and restocking. Sortly provides barcode and QR code support, offering straightforward warehouse operations.
Other options:
- Odoo: Open-source inventory management with extensive integrations.
- The Plus Factor: Tailored for retail with inventory control features.
9. Best POS Software Tools for Small Businesses
Square POS is ideal for retail and food service establishments, offering a user-friendly interface and integrated e-commerce solutions.
Other options:
- Shopify POS: Best for online and brick-and-mortar retail synergy.
- Lightspeed POS: Advanced inventory and customer loyalty features.
10. Best Communication Software Tools for Small Businesses
Almost every company uses Slack these days, and there’s a good reason for that. The communication channels are easy to use. You can even customize reactions to make it fun or for a business brand. The third-party integrations also help members notify them about their salary, work progress, and more.
You can use Slack on a free version, but you will lose your conversation history over time. With the paid version, you can view your conversation history.
Alternatives:
- Microsoft Teams: Seamless for Microsoft 365 users and a replacement for Skype. It also features its own calendar, allowing you to easily schedule meetings without needing another app.
- Homebase: This tool combines scheduling, time tracking, and communication, perfect for small teams.
What Software Do Businesses Use the Most?
The most used software tools for small businesses in 2025 include:
- QuickBooks Online and Xero are favorites for financial management, thanks to their cloud-based platforms that support real-time tracking and seamless integrations.
- Wave and Square Invoices are popular for their ease of use and affordability for invoicing management.
- Gusto remains a top choice for automated payroll and HR management due to its features for tax filings and employee benefits management.
- Mailchimp and HubSpot are widely adopted for email marketing automation and CRM. But for designs, Canva is always a go-to.
- Calendly is popular for recruitment work, but it also helps streamline client meetings, team schedules,
- Sortly is favored for its simplicity and integration capabilities.
- Slack is still a favorite for its convenience and easy access on any device.
These tools are favored because they integrate well with other digital platforms trends, offering small businesses agility and efficiency in a competitive environment.
Why These Tools Matter
You don’t need every tool listed here, but implementing the right software can automate work processes and help your team adapt quickly to digital changes. The goal is to focus on growth and efficiency by choosing tools that propel your business forward.
Don’t miss out on your security as well. Safeguard your digital assets with Ransomware protection for businesses. When work elements are completed online and across multiple devices, protecting your data is as important as selecting the right software tools for your small business.
What Software Tools for Small Businesses Do You Need?
Consider starting with reliable free versions, then upgrade as needed to minimize disruption and maximize value. Invest in software tools that truly fit your business needs and objectives. The right choices will position your small business for a productive and successful year ahead.
AUTHOR BIO:
Abby Tan is a content writer with a knack for turning ideas into engaging, SEO-friendly stories. With years of experience in blogging and Pinterest strategy, she writes about travel, skincare, food, and the latest in tech with equal passion and creativity. Abby is currently part of the writing team at Softvire, a leading IT distributor, where she helps bring digital content to life.
