The Best Productivity Apps for 2024: How to Choose & Use Them

The Best Productivity Apps for 2024: How to Choose & Use Them




Productivity is a buzzword that everyone wants to achieve, but not everyone knows how. With so many distractions, interruptions, and tasks competing for our attention, it can be hard to stay focused and get things done. That’s why we need productivity apps – tools that can help us work smarter, faster, and more efficiently.

But what are the best productivity apps for 2024? There are hundreds of options available, each claiming to be the ultimate solution for your productivity needs. How do you choose the right one for you? How do you know which app will make a difference in your work and life?

To help you answer these questions, we have compiled a list of the best productivity apps for 2024, based on the following criteria:

  • They are easy to use and intuitive
  • They have a clear and specific purpose
  • They offer a unique or innovative feature
  • They are compatible with multiple devices and platforms
  • They have positive reviews and ratings from users and experts

We have also categorized them into different types of productivity apps, such as:

  • To-do list apps
  • Calendar apps
  • AI scheduling assistants
  • Note-taking apps
  • Focus apps
  • Habit tracker apps
  • Read-it-later apps
  • Screen recording apps
  • Password manager apps

Here are the best productivity apps for 2024, according to each category.

To-do list apps

To-do list apps are essential for managing your tasks and projects. They help you organize your work, prioritize your goals, and track your progress. Here are some of the best to-do list apps for 2024:

App Description Price
Todoist Todoist is a powerful and versatile to-do list app that balances simplicity and functionality. You can create and group tasks by projects, labels, filters, and due dates. You can also share and assign tasks with others, sync your data across devices, and integrate with other apps and services. Free for basic features; $5/month or $35.99/year for premium features
Hive Hive is an all-in-one productivity app that combines project management, collaboration, and communication. You can view your projects in multiple ways, such as Gantt chart, Kanban board, calendar, and more. You can also chat with your team, share files, and automate workflows. Free for individuals and teams of 2; $12/month per user for paid features
TickTick TickTick is a simple and elegant to-do list app that helps you stay organized and on top of your tasks. You can create and edit tasks, set reminders, and add notes. You can also sync your data with other devices, and access various views, such as list, calendar, and timeline. Free for basic features; $2.99/month or $27.99/year for premium features
Things 3 Things 3 is a beautiful and intuitive to-do list app that helps you manage your tasks and projects. You can create and organize tasks, add tags, and set deadlines. You can also use the Today and Upcoming views to see what’s on your agenda, and the Anytime and Someday views to plan your future. $9.99 for iOS; $19.99 for iPadOS; and $49.99 for macOS

Calendar apps

Calendar apps are useful for scheduling your appointments, meetings, and events. They help you plan your time, avoid conflicts, and stay on track. Here are some of the best calendar apps for 2024:

App Description Price
Google Calendar Google Calendar is a popular and reliable calendar app that integrates seamlessly with other Google services, such as Gmail, Google Meet, and Google Workspace. You can create and edit events, invite guests, set reminders, and view multiple calendars in one place. You can also sync your data with other calendar services, such as Outlook, iCloud, and Exchange. Free with a Google account; $6/user/month for Business Starter plan for Google Workspace
Reclaim.ai Reclaim.ai is an AI-powered scheduling assistant that helps you optimize your calendar and reclaim your time. You can sync your personal and work calendars, block time for your priorities, and automate your availability. You can also schedule meetings with smart suggestions, reschedule events with one click, and get insights into how you spend your time. Free for individuals; $10/user/month for Team plan
Fantastical Fantastical is a feature-rich and user-friendly calendar app that lets you manage your events and tasks in one place. You can use natural language to create and edit events, add attachments and notes, and invite attendees. You can also use the calendar sets, widgets, and mini windows to customize your view and integrate with other apps and services. Free for basic features; $4.99/month or $39.99/year for premium features
Calendly Calendly is a simple and smart scheduling app that helps you book meetings without the back-and-forth emails. You can set your availability preferences, share your link, and let others pick a time that works for them. You can also sync your calendars, send reminders, and integrate with other apps and services. Free for basic features; $8/month or $96/year for premium features

AI scheduling assistants

AI scheduling assistants help automate the process of scheduling meetings and appointments. They help you save time, reduce errors, and improve communication. Here are some of the best AI scheduling assistants for 2024:

App Description Price
x.ai x.ai is a powerful and intelligent AI scheduling assistant that helps you schedule meetings with ease. You can use natural language to tell x.ai your meeting preferences, and let it handle the rest. You can also use the dashboard, calendar, and email integrations to manage your meetings. Free for basic features; $8/month or $96/year for premium features
Clara Clara is a human-in-the-loop AI scheduling assistant that helps you schedule meetings with professionalism and efficiency. You can use email to tell Clara your meeting requirements, and let it coordinate with your guests. You can also use the dashboard, calendar, and email integrations to manage your meetings. $99/month or $1188/year for Starter plan
Julie Desk Julie Desk is a friendly and reliable AI scheduling assistant that helps you schedule meetings with convenience and flexibility. You can use email to tell Julie your meeting preferences, and let it negotiate with your guests. You can also use the dashboard, calendar, and email integrations to manage your meetings. $59.99/month or $719.88/year for Solo plan
Amy Amy is a smart and personalized AI scheduling assistant that helps you schedule meetings with accuracy and speed. You can use email to tell Amy your meeting details and let them find the best time and place for you and your guests. You can also use the dashboard, calendar, and email integrations to manage your meetings. Free for basic features; $19.99/month or $239.88/year for premium features

Note-taking apps

Note-taking apps are handy for capturing your ideas, notes, and information. They help you organize your thoughts, remember things, and collaborate with others. Here are some of the best note-taking apps for 2024:

App Description Price
Joplin Joplin is an open-source note-taking app that supports Markdown formatting, encryption, and synchronization. You can create and edit notes, attach files, and add tags. You can also sync your data with various cloud services, such as Dropbox, OneDrive, and Nextcloud. Free and available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS
Grammarly Grammarly is a writing assistant app that helps you write better and faster. You can use it to check and improve your spelling, grammar, punctuation, and tone. You can also use it to generate and refine your content, such as emails, essays, and social media posts. Free for basic features; $29.95/month or $139.95/year for premium features
Evernote Evernote is a popular and versatile note-taking app that lets you capture and organize your notes, images, audio, and web clips. You can also share and collaborate on your notes, sync your data across devices, and integrate with other apps and services. Free for basic features; $7.99/month or $69.99/year for premium features
Notion Notion is an all-in-one productivity app that lets you create and manage notes, documents, databases, wikis, and more. You can also collaborate and communicate with your team, sync your data across devices, and integrate with other apps and services. Free for personal use; $4/month or $48/year for personal pro plan

Focus apps

Focus apps help boost your concentration and productivity. They help you block distractions, manage your time, and stay motivated. Here are some of the best focus apps for 2024:

App Description Price
RescueTime RescueTime is a productivity-tracking app that helps you understand how you spend your time online. You can use it to monitor your activities, set goals, and get reports and insights. You can also use it to block distracting websites, set alerts, and track your offline time. Free for basic features; $12/month or $78/year for premium features
Caveday Caveday is a focus coaching app that helps you work smarter and faster. You can join live sessions with other people who are working on their projects, and get guidance and support from a trained facilitator. You can also access tools and resources to improve your focus, such as timers, playlists, and tips. $39/month or $399/year
Forest Forest is a gamified focus app that helps you stay away from your phone and focus on your work. You can plant a virtual tree and watch it grow as you work, and earn coins to unlock more trees and plant real trees with partner organizations. You can also track your progress, set goals, and join challenges with other users. Free for Android; $1.99 for iOS
Brain. FM Brain. FM is a music app that helps you enhance your focus, relaxation, and sleep. You can choose from various music genres and modes, and listen to scientifically engineered music that adapts to your brain and behavior. You can also set timers, track your sessions, and customize your preferences. Free for 5 sessions; $6.95/month or $49.99/year for unlimited access

Habit tracker apps

Habit tracker apps are beneficial for building and maintaining good habits. They help you set and track your goals, measure your progress, and celebrate your achievements. Here are some of the best habit tracker apps for 2024:

App Description Price
Habitica Habitica is a gamified habit tracker app that turns your life into a role-playing game. You can create and customize your avatar, and earn rewards, and level up by completing your tasks and habits. You can also join quests, challenges, and guilds with other players, and have fun while improving your life. Free and available for web, Android, and iOS
Streaks Streaks is a simple and elegant habit tracker app that helps you form good habits and break bad ones. You can choose up to 12 habits to track and customize them with icons, colors, and reminders. You can also sync your data with Apple Health, and view your statistics and streaks. $4.99 and available for iOS and Mac
HabitBull HabitBull is a powerful and flexible habit tracker app that helps you track any habit you want. You can create and edit habits, set reminders, and add notes. You can also view your progress, trends, and streaks, and join communities and forums with other users. Free for basic features; $4.99/month or $29.99/year for premium features
Done Done is a minimalist and colorful habit tracker app that helps you track your goals and habits. You can create and edit habits, set targets, and add notes. You can also view your progress, charts, and streaks, and sync your data with Apple Health and iCloud. Free for basic features; $4.99/month or $24.99/year for premium features

Read-it-later apps

Read-it-later apps are convenient for saving and reading articles, videos, and other content. They help you declutter your browser tabs, access your content offline, and enjoy a better reading experience. Here are some of the best read-it-later apps for 2024:

App Description Price
Pocket Pocket is a popular and user-friendly read-it-later app that lets you save and read content from any source, such as websites, apps, and email. You can also discover and recommend content from other users, and listen to your content with text-to-speech. Free for basic features; $4.99/month or $44.99/year for premium features
Instapaper Instapaper is a minimalist and elegant read-it-later app that lets you save and read content in a clean and distraction-free format. You can also highlight and annotate your content, and sync your data with other devices and services. Free for basic features; $2.99/month or $29.99/year for premium features
Feedly Feedly is a comprehensive and customizable read-it-later app that lets you save and read content from your favorite sources, such as blogs, news sites, podcasts, and YouTube channels. You can also organize your content by topics, tags, and boards, and share and collaborate with others. Free for basic features; $6/month or $72/year for premium features
Flipboard Flipboard is a beautiful and engaging read-it-later app that lets you save and read content from a variety of sources, such as magazines, newspapers, websites, and social media. You can also create and follow your magazines, and discover and follow topics and people that interest you. Free and available for web, Android, and iOS

Screen recording apps

Screen recording apps are useful for capturing and sharing your screen activity. They help you create and edit videos, tutorials, presentations, and more. Here are some of the best screen recording apps for 2024:

App Description Price
Loom Loom is a fast and easy screen recording app that lets you record your screen, camera, and microphone. You can also trim and edit your videos, add reactions and comments, and share your videos with a link. Free for basic features; $8/month or $96/year for premium features
Screencast-O-Matic Screencast-O-Matic is a versatile and affordable screen recording app that lets you record your screen, webcam, and audio. You can also add captions, annotations, transitions, and music to your videos, and upload them to various platforms, such as YouTube, Vimeo, and Google Drive. Free for basic features; $1.65/month or $19.80/year for premium features
Camtasia Camtasia is a professional and powerful screen recording app that lets you record and edit high-quality videos. You can also add effects, animations, transitions, and quizzes to your videos, and export them to various formats and platforms. $249.99 for a lifetime license
ScreenFlow ScreenFlow is a sleek and intuitive screen recording app that lets you record and edit stunning videos. You can also add titles, transitions, annotations, and callouts to your videos, and export them to various formats and platforms. $129 for a lifetime license

Password manager apps

Password manager apps are essential for securing and managing your passwords. They help you create and store strong and unique passwords, autofill your login details, and protect your online accounts. Here are some of the best password manager apps for 2024:

App Description Price
LastPass LastPass is a popular and reliable password manager app that lets you store and access your passwords across devices and browsers. You can also generate and change passwords, share passwords with others, and enable multi-factor authentication. Free for basic features; $3/month or $36/year for premium features
Dashlane Dashlane is a powerful and user-friendly password manager app that lets you store and access your passwords across devices and browsers. You can also generate and change passwords, share passwords with others, and enable multi-factor authentication. Free for basic features; $4.99/month or $59.88/year for premium features
1Password 1Password is a secure and elegant password manager app that lets you store and access your passwords across devices and browsers. You can also generate and change passwords, share passwords with others, and enable multi-factor authentication. $2.99/month or $35.88/year for a personal plan
Bitwarden Bitwarden is an open-source and affordable password manager app that lets you store and access your passwords across devices and browsers. You can also generate and change passwords, share passwords with others, and enable multi-factor authentication. Free for basic features; $10/year for premium features

Conclusion

These are some of the best productivity apps for 2024 that can help you work smarter, faster, and more efficiently. Whether you need to manage your tasks, schedule your time, take notes, focus, build habits, read content, record your screen, or secure your passwords, there is an app for that. Try them out and see which ones suit your needs and preferences.

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