These days we all have a ton of apps on our tablets and smartphones, but when it comes to entrepreneur apps, which ones you download will depend on what type of business you’re running and how your work. Every app I’ve listed can be used to help you organize your thoughts and business ideas, take notes when conducting research, and offer productivity and scheduling tools.
Here are the best apps for creative entreprenuers.
Google Arts & Culture
The multifaceted Google Arts & Culture is one of the famous art applications available today. This app was developed in the year 2019 as a tool to connect art history with the present times. The ‘Art Selfie’ as it is called, uses AI along with facial-recognition software to match faces with art-historical doppelgangers. The app also allows creative entrepreneurs to witness art that they may not be able to see in person; they can browse museum collections and take virtual tours. In December 2019, Google added another feature ‘Pocket Gallery” which uses augmented reality feature to bring the art of great Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer to artists.
Procreate Pocket
This is a leading digital art application used by artists across the world. Introduced by Tasmania-based developers of Savage Interactive, this app with more than 135 preset brushes lets artists create masterpieces on their devices, be it on phone or iPad. Artists can use tools that mimic various materials or even use textures in their creations. One can also swap out art brushes easily, undo rogue marks, implement custom colour palettes or switch layers of canvas amid their work.
Are.na
This app was awarded the ‘General Excellence in Fast Company’s 2018 Innovation’ by Design Awards. Launched at the beginning of 2018, Are.na helps artists organize images, links, videos, and other media into organized collections called ‘channels’. They can also save channels within larger channels, set them as private or public and even share them on social media platforms. Are.na helps artists connect with peers while focusing on art ideas, collaboration, and creative thinking.
Just a Line
Imagine if an artist could create a giant doodle in the air with a finger and walk around to show it! The Just a Line app makes this happen, with augmented reality. It allows artists to make simple line forms on the phone that appear to hover in the real space in front of the eyes. One can also record and share a video of their creation process, or collaborate on drawings with friends.
Daisie
This app was created by Maisie Williams, who collaborated with film producer Dom Santry to launch a networking tool that would help aspiring artists to launch their careers. The app allows artists to create a profile and add projects to their timelines, also emphasizing on their connection with like-minded artists and future collaborators. One of the distinctive features of this app, called ‘QTs’, allows users to connect with industry leaders for insights and advice.
Looking for new ideas and inspiration? This is a fantastic tool for your stimulus queue. Toss interesting articles you spot throughout the workday and read them later during your down time.
This is the ultimate podcast listening app. This app allows you to put all your favorite podcasts in the same place so you can listen to them in one fell swoop or make a priority list. Open it up on your commute to work and get inspired with a mix of news and brilliant podcasts.
Drafts is better than a notepad and easier to navigate than a Google doc. If you need to write quickly before an idea slips your mind, fire up Drafts, type away, then send it to your favorite tool for storage or later editing.
Customize your news with this one-stop shop for reading and collecting the news you care about on any topic imaginable. When searching for an idea, spend a few minutes scrolling through Flipbook to search for potential inspiration.
Do work in short, focused bursts, then take structured breaks. It’s a great way to keep rhythm going throughout your day.
An App based around the famed website, Quora let’s you stay connected to your curiosity by browsing fascinating questions like “how does Apple, Inc. keep a secret?” and answers from the Quora community.
If you want to produce brilliant work, you need to sharpen your mind. Listen to audiobooks on the go, and fill your well during downtimes.
The ultimate journaling app for Mac/iPhone/iPad. Spend a few minutes each day recording and processing the events of your day so that you get better at focusing on the right things.
In order to be effective, you have to define what you will and won’t do. OmniFocus is a great tool for keeping tasks and projects in order so you can get messy in your creating.
Squarespace (Free)
Sarah Kim, founder and editor of By Way of Brooklyn, a magazine that highlights female entrepreneurs, says that website building platform Squarespace has had a huge impact on her business. In addition to helping her develop an online presence, the Squarespace app, released as part of the company’s 2014 redesign, enables Kim to easily upload up-to-the-minute content. “We’re always on the move, and when we can’t get back to a computer to update our site, we use the Squarespace app – we can blog and post on the spot,” she says.
Available for iPad, iPhone and Android
Product Hunt (Free)
With the ever expanding array of startups, apps and other tech tools available to businesses, it was only a matter of time before someone came up with a way to organize it all. Product Hunt, a Reddit-style website where users can submit and vote on the latest technology, fills the bill. A must-use resource for anyone looking to stay ahead of the tech game.
Available for iPad, iPhone, Android
VSCO Cam (Free)
When it comes to creating a professional public image, Kim recommends VSCO Cam, a photo-filtering app that works across multiple platforms. Many of her magazine’s photographers use it for filtering the photos that appear in the magazine, and the app enables her staff to quickly create Instagram and Twitter photos that match the look and design of the magazine.
Available for iPad, iPhone and Android
Periscope (Free)
Some of the most useful business apps were originally intended for other purposes. Periscope, for example, offers users the option to “explore the world through someone else’s eyes”. For business users, that world can include meetings being held halfway across the world. And, with the ability to transform a smartphone into a body cam, it’s easy to take part in an important conference, even when you’re in a different time zone.
Available for iPad, iPhone and Android
Sunrise Calendar (Free)
For scheduling, Carl Waldekranz, cofounder and CEO of Sweden-based online retail platform Tictail, uses Sunrise Calendar to keep his schedule straight. “I am able to look at my entire day in a super concise and organized way,” he says. “Not to mention the push notification alerts I receive to remind me when an appointment is close.” Its newly released keyboard feature allows users to quickly view their calendar to schedule appointments.
Available for iPad, iPhone and Android
Mint, Zoho (Free)
It goes without saying that tracking finances is vital for startups, particularly for owners who are funding their companies out of pocket. One of most popular is Mint, a free app that made its name with a personal finance platform that seamlessly integrates multiple accounts. For those willing to pay for something more explicitly business-oriented, Zoho offers time-tracking, invoicing and expense management options, all with an easy-to-use interface designed for ordinary (read: non-accounting professional) business owners.
Both Mint and Zoho are available for iPhone, iPad and Android.
Square Register (Free, $10 for the hardware)
An older app that’s come of age, the Square Register app makes iPad-processed credit card purchases almost seamless. Dennis Lee, cofounder of New York-based Astoria Coffee, relies on it to process transactions, but has also found that it gives him insight into his business. “It has a really useful backend feature that allows us to track sales and organize data,” he says.
Square also provides a suite of other business apps, from payment and payroll processing to, most recently, an appointment manager.
Available for iPad, iPhone, Android
When I Work Employee Scheduling (Free)
Scheduling can be an especially difficult part of running a small business, particularly as the number of remote employees increases. When I Work makes it possible to easily view a company’s schedule, the availability of each worker and the overall labor budget. When scheduling conflicts arise or a worker has to cancel at the last minute, it’s easy to quickly and seamlessly contact potential replacements.
Available for iPad, iPhone. Android
Asana (Free)
Jason Ballard, founder and CEO of sustainable home improvement retailer TreeHouse, finds that navigating between multiple work-related concerns can get confusing. “Rather than clogging my email inbox with messages about all the things I’m working on, we use Asana,”, he says. Asana is a project management tool. “It lets me manage my fundraising, store openings, hiring, my ‘product radar’, and all my other projects into easily-organized buckets.”
Available for iPad, iPhone, Android
Shoeboxed (Free)
One of the most important – and least discussed – aspects of small business ownership is paper management. Regardless of your business, chances are that you’re going to find yourself picking through piles of receipts and business cards, trying to remember the name of this supplier or figure out whether that meal was deductible. Shoeboxed makes it possible to digitize and store receipts and business cards in an easily searchable archive. As a bonus, the app also features a GPS-based mileage tracker, which can help simplify accounting and tax preparation.
Available for iPad, iPhone, Android
Conclusion
Productivity apps are on the top of every list of apps necessary for entrepreneurs. These apps will make you more productive, organized, and efficient on the go!