22 Must-Have Team Collaboration Software for Remote Teams

Slack

Slack is one of those online team collaboration tools that makes working together a breeze. The software is a great solution for small businesses to large companies looking for team messaging solutions, as well as integrated project collaboration features. Slack is one of the most popular collaboration tools on our list.

Key features

• Channels: Organize team work by using channels. These provide you and your team a shared view of the work being done so teams can work in tandem and information is always visible.
• Slack Connect: Manage your external relationships more effectively by moving all conversations to the one place. Send messages and share files securely in real time. Work faster and better with outside organizations.
• Voice and video calls: Share your screen on Slack, easily hop on to video conferences without leaving your messaging interface, and stay tuned in always with the Slack app.

Trello

Trello is an online workflow-based collaboration software that helps you collaborate, manage projects, and be more productive. Create a Trello board, list, or card, and then customize it with more features as your team grows.

Key features

• Views: Once you create a board on Trello, you can use different views to suit your specific purpose, whether it’s a timeline view for project planning, calendar view for time management, or table views which can be seen across boards.
• Cards: Trello cards help you organize your tasks. Break down bigger card tasks into steps with file attachment previews, reminders, checklists, comments, and even emoji reactions. Also view cards by list and status at the board level.
• Integrate top work tools: Integrates with apps such as Confluence, Slack, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Evernote.

Basecamp

Basecamp helps you manage all your projects in one place and functions as the ideal all-in-one toolkit for remote teams. With this online collaboration software, work is broken up into separate projects with each project containing everything related to the work at hand – all the people involved, every discussion, document, file, tasks, critical dates, and so on. Basecamp is available on iOS, Mac, Android, OC, as well as through integrations.

Key features

• Message boards: Use message boards to keep entire conversations together on a single page, so you don’t have to go through multiple emails from multiple places.
• To-do lists: Create to-do lists for all the tasks that need to be done, assign to different individuals, and set due dates. The software will even track and follow up on overdue tasks for you.
• Group chat: A real-time group chat called Campfires enables you to ask quick questions and obtain answers just as quickly without having to reach out to another app.

Jira

Jira, an Atlassian product, is a project management tool perfect for teams that want flexibility and agility. You can automate any task or process on Jira with a few clicks by building automation rules from a wide library of templates. Jira automation works across the most popular productivity tools available today including Slack, Microsoft Teams, Bitbucket, GitHub, and more.

Key features

• Scrum boards: If scrum is the framework that guides your teams and their roles, events, artifacts, and rules, then the Jira scrum board is the visual display of its progress during the development cycle.
• Kanban boards: Flexible kanban boards give your team full visibility into what’s next so you can continuously deliver maximum output in minimal cycle time.
• Roadmaps: Sketch out the big picture, communicate plans with stakeholders, and ensure your roadmap connects to your team’s work – all in a few clicks in Jira Software Cloud.

OneDrive

OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud personal storage solution ideal for storage and sharing of files and photos. You can access, edit, and share your files from multiple devices, and there’s no danger of losing or misplacing them. You can also share your files and collaborate with friends in real-time using Microsoft’s Office apps.

Key features

• Easy sharing and collaboration: Easily share files, folders, and photos with friends and family by sending a link via email or text. There’s no need for large email attachments or USB drives.
• Document scanning: Use your mobile device to scan and store documents, receipts, business cards, notes, and more in OneDrive with the document scanning feature.
• Personal vault: Store important files and photos with an added layer of protection.

Asana

Another popular online collaboration software, Asana offers project management, process management, workflow management, integrations, and reporting. Asana pegs its software as the easiest way to manage team projects and tasks. The platform uses a unique Work Graph data model that gives teams everything they need to stay in sync, hit deadlines, and reach their goals.

Key features

• Project management tools: Make use of list views, timelines, and boards to organize, manage, and streamline projects and tasks.
• Process management: Automate routine tasks using custom rules, make use of forms to submit work requests, choose from 50+ project templates, and expedite the approval process.
• Integrations: Over 100 integrations, including Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zapier, Canva, InVision, and Freshdesk.

GotoMeeting

GotoMeeting offers collaboration tools that are affordable, seamless, and secure, making it ideal for remote work. The software has some interesting USPs, including the ability to connect to a video meeting 65% faster than average times, and post-meeting productivity tools in the form of its Smart Meeting Assistant.

Key features

Powerful screen sharing technology: Share your desktop, smartphone, or tablet quickly and securely from any location.
Video conferencing: Make use of a stunning list of state-of-the-art features such as HD video quality, meeting recording and transcription, single tap meetings, integrated scheduling, HIPAA compliance support, and in-meeting drawing tools.
Post meeting productivity: A Smart Meeting Assistant deals with notes, action items, and highlights, helping you skip dealing with repetitive post-meeting tasks.

TeamViewer

TeamViewer is a remote access, remote control, and remote support solution that can be used on almost every desktop or mobile platform – Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. You can also connect to servers, commercial-grade machines, and IoT devices from anywhere using the platform’s secure global remote access network.

Key features

• Remote device control: Directly access a remote computer, smartphone, or tablet from your device to provide support. Take control as if you were the primary user on the device so that you can fix the issue seamlessly.
• Cross-platform access: The software supports cross-platform communication for a variety of device combinations as long as the individual devices support either Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome OS, iOS, or Android
• iOS screen sharing: When providing remote support, you can view the remote iOS device screen in real-time, allowing you to seamlessly integrate support for iOS devices into your existing processes.

Box

Box is a single, secure, easy-to-use platform built for the entire content lifecycle, from file creation and sharing, to co-editing, signature, classification, and retention. You can use Box for virtually every team in your business, including marketing, sales, finance, HR, engineering, and legal.

Key features

• End-to-end protection: Every file is encrypted using AES 256-bit encryption. Make use of protection controls ranging from granular permissions to strong user authentication. Box also helps you meet the most stringent regulatory and compliance regulations and avoid fines.
• Centralized collaboration: Box provides teams a user-friendly centralized workspace to edit, review, and share files, as well as assign tasks. The team collaboration tools include Box Notes, which is one place for everyone to share ideas. Multiple people can work at once and see everyone’s edits in real-time.
• Integration with over 1,500 apps: Including Adobe, Slack, Google Workspace, IBM, and Salesforce.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite offers a simple and convincing premise – create content and share it to multiple social media channels as a team, from one easy-to-use platform. Aside from content scheduling and sharing, you can also make use of social analytics, and view social conversations, comments, and brand mentions.

Key features

• Content creation and scheduling: Get a bird’s eye view of published and scheduled posts. Schedule posts in advance, even in bulk, and automatically set times to fill gaps in your social calendar.
• Plan upcoming campaigns: Map out campaigns and collaborate with team members to plan a content calendar.
• Create high-performing content: Create on-brand posts using Hootsuite’s Composer tool. Make use of asset libraries, image editing, and video publishing tools that auto-adjust the bitrate, height, and width to match each social platform.

Monday

Monday.com is a team collaboration software that relies on a strong visual interface to help you plan, organize, and track all of your team’s work in one place. Monday has an existing customer base of some very recognizable names, the likes of NBC, Hulu, L’Oreal, Uber, and Abbott.

Key features

• Kanban software and Gantt charts: Built-in Kanban software and Gantt charts help streamline your workflow effortlessly, and enhance team communication and team collaboration.
• Custom dashboards: Easily customize your dashboards and track progress, timelines, and budgets at a glance. You can also use the platform to run in-depth reports.
• Simple file sharing functions: Easily manage client and team permissions from a secure cloud storage. Centralized file storage offers powerful file search functions and file sharing to shorten approval cycles.

ClickUp

ClickUp is one of the collaboration tools on our list that works exceptionally well as a project management software. Some of the features available on this team collaboration platform include process management, task/work management, time tracking/time management, integrations, and complete customization. The company is also constantly working on adding new features to the list.

Key features

• Process management: Customize the status on individual projects, make use of checklists and status templates, an agile board view, scrum points, workload charts, milestones, and more.
• Task management: Just a few of the task management features available with this collaboration solution include a multitask toolbar, a task tray where you can minimize all your tasks, four different views, and “everything in between.”
• Integrations: ClickUp integrates with a list of the most popular productivity tools, including API, Slack, GitHub, Everhour, Toggl, Google Drive, Outlook, Embeds, Zapier, Zoom, and Discord

Confluence

Confluence is another one of Atlassian’s cloud-based online collaboration tools perfect for remote teams. It helps you create, organize, and discuss work with your team. With Confluence Cloud you can use spaces to organize your work, use content templates, upload and manage files, and export content into downloadable formats.

Key features

Intuitive structure: Organization in Confluence is via Pages and Spaces. Pages are documents where people create, edit, and discuss their work. Spaces are areas that contain the pages for individuals, teamwork, and strategic projects.
Create, collaborate, and comment on project plans: Make use of real-time editing, commenting, and notification collaboration tools.
Build a knowledge base: Create your own knowledge base for documentation and product requirements using advanced searches, best practice templates, and Jira integration.

ConnectWise Control

ConnectWise Control helps you proactively manage the risks associated with remote team working and a dispersed user base. It provides a behind-the-scenes help desk and secure remote user support to solve anything, anytime, from anywhere. This is one of the online collaboration tools on the list built for support teams.

Key features

• Control support: Instantly and securely connect to any managed endpoint to resolve issues so your clients can get back to work fast.
  Control access: Gain unattended access to a client’s desktop or device to perform quick, secure support without disrupting their work.
  Extra features: You can also conduct online meetings and webinars using its built-in VOIP and chat communication capabilities, as well as capture video, take screenshots, and make annotations.

Smartsheet

Smartsheet is less of a fixed workflow system. The software is pegged by its creators as a dynamic workspace that helps businesses move forward. Smartsheet comes in two solutions – one for teams and the other for enterprise. According to Smartsheet, their solutions are used by over 90% of Fortune 100 companies.

Key features

• Admin center: Easily view and interact with your admin tools in one centralized control console.
• Built-in automations: Automate repetitive processes by sending alerts, requesting approvals and updates, and locking rows based on sheet changes and preset times
• WorkApps: WorkApps is a no-code platform for building intuitive web and mobile collaboration apps that streamline your business and simplify the collaboration process.

Wrike

Wrike, now a part of Citrix, empowers your team with 360-degree visibility, true cross-departmental collaboration, and powerful automation features. Wrike is a highly versatile solution that you can customize extensively to suit the unique needs of your organization.

Key features

• Customize tools for any team: Wrike is designed to equip any team with the exact tools they need. Customize dashboards, workflows, request forms, and more.
• Enable better collaboration: Share files, tasks, and reports instantly. Shorten your feedback process with visual proofing and automated approval systems.
• Instant 360-degree visibility: Eliminate silos with unparalleled visibility across departments. Find information quickly and make decisions in real-time.

Airtable

Airtable’s capabilities are perfectly summarized by the product’s description on the company website: “The power of a database with the familiarity of a spreadsheet.” The solution is perfect for marketing, product, operations, HR, sales, and finance verticals. As an added plus, Airtable is free to use for teams of all sizes with paid plans providing additional features and support.

Key features

• Views: Keep processes, project dates, and stakeholders in the loop using multiple view options, such as Gantt View, Kanban View, and Calendar View. Collect, sort, and analyze data using Grid View and Form View.
• Automations: Make your workflows as simple or multi-sequential as you need them to be. Automate your techstack through integrations with G Suite, Slack, Facebook, and Twitter. Extend your automation functionalities with JavaScript.
• Sync across multiple platforms: Collaboration features include shared data table views, integrations with data from other platforms like SalesForce, Box, and others, and the ability to analyze data from several different sources all at the same time.

Workfront

Adobe’s Workfront solution is specifically designed to connect, collaborate, and execute on complex workflows from anywhere. According to Adobe’s website, the solution has a customer base comprising more than 3,000 organizations and the world’s top ten brands.

Key features

• Project management: Quickly prioritize the right work with streamlined demand management, project templates, and automated assignments. Learn from visual reports and dashboards, identify bottlenecks, and manage against KPIs to accelerate project turnaround.
• Resource management: Visualize all teams and resources in a single place so you can quickly find and assign work to the right people who can get the job done.
• Strategic portfolio management: Centralize visibility and identify which projects to pursue, which to pause, and which are at risk so you can plan with precision and maximize results.

Workplace by Facebook

Workplace from Facebook pegs itself as a communication tool that facilitates collaboration with everyone in your company. You get the benefit of features that most companies are generally familiar with, such as groups, chat, room, and live video. Workplace currently has over seven million paying subscribers, including such stalwarts as Nestle, Estee Lauder, AstraZeneca, and Virgin Atlantic.

Key features

• Live video: Engage with anyone in your company one-on-one, or create high-quality live events directly from your computer, with features such as screen-sharing, Q&As, and live-stream metrics. Live video captions, caption translations, and caption editing are also included.
• Groups: Create inhouse or multi-company groups with partners and suppliers. You can assign tasks or confirm next steps, and share files from OneDrive, Sharepoint, Dropbox, or Google Drive.
• News feed: Share important announcements and give team members the ability to follow only the people and groups of interest to them.

Miro

Miro is an online whiteboard platform built for collaboration. The whiteboard platform facilitates ideation and brainstorming, research and design, and agile workflows among its many features. Miro reportedly has a client base of over 15 million.

Key features

• Online brainstorming: Capture physical boards in seconds with Stickies Capture and convert them to fully editable digital sticky notes.
• Over 120 pre-built templates: Easily make use of existing templates for kanban boards, user story maps, customer journey maps, mind maps, and so much more.
• Integration with 20+ tools: Includes Microsoft Teams, Evernote, Gmail, Google Drive, Jira Cards, Slack app, Asana Cards, and Zapier.

Sococo

Sococo is an online version of a team office. You can even choose your floor plans and office decor. At one glance using the Sococo map, see where all your teams are and where they’re grouping. The tool also lets you set up meetings spontaneously and seamlessly with voice, video, chat, and screenshare. Sococo works on both iOS and Android mobile apps.

Key features

• Sococo map: Recreate a physical map online where your team members work side-by-side in the office, overcoming physical barriers associated with remote work and WFH.
• Meeting rooms: Collaborate spontaneously by getting team members together and working in meeting rooms for the day or however long you need. You can even connect from Wi-fi on a plane.
• Voice, video, chat, and screenshare: Get more productive by being able to communicate with colleagues by voice, video, chat, and making use of screenshare.

Zoom

Zoom is a video conferencing team collaboration software that offers a plethora of solutions for the discerning user. Aside from HD audio and video meetings, Zoom offers marketplace integrations and bots, video webinars, chat, rooms and workspaces, as well as a developer platform. The solutions are ideal for education, finance, healthcare and government sectors.

Key features

• Simplified video conferencing and messaging: HD audio and video for up to 1,000 participants, built-in collaborations, recordings and transcripts, streamlined calendars, and team chat features.
• Video webinars: Host webinars that effortlessly showcase your presenters, make use of enhanced presentation features like virtual backgrounds and background noise suppression, and easily scale up to 50,000 people on live streams.
• Marketplace integrations: Integrate with a list of apps including Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, Zapier, Wix, Gmail, Spark, and more.