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The most productive apps are the ones that help you get unstuck. They tackle tasks that are frequent enough that you waste time worrying about them but either don’t happen often enough or are simple enough that you haven’t invested much in a dedicated system. Searching for a document, remembering what to buy at the store, organizing your receipts, managing passwords, and finding time for an appointment are all tasks that a well-chosen app can streamline.
An app that gets you out of a tight spot a handful of times per week is more valuable than an intimidating productivity suite that you barely use. The important thing is to invest in tools that solve problems you already have rather than force you to adopt an entirely new system.
For American English speakers, here are ten apps that I use frequently and recommend for their ability to save time at work and home. Many have a free tier, but you may need to pay for advanced features.
Google Keep: Stop Spending Time Searching for Things
Notes are one of those things that seem simple but waste huge amounts of time. You need to remember a shopping list, address, reminder, or idea, but there’s no good central place to write it down. Notes get scattered across texts, emails, and screenshots.
Google Keep allows you to store running lists and reminders in one place while also letting you organize related notes into topics with labels, colors, and other tags. Notes saved in Google Keep sync across your devices, so you can write something down on your phone and find it easily on your laptop.
You can save time with the app if you find yourself searching for notes or trying to remember small bits of information. The most useful way to use Google Keep is to save running lists of things you need to do or think about. If you have a to-do list, a grocery list, and a bucket list, keep them all in one easily searchable place.
Where it saves time: Searching for things you wrote down earlier.
Best for: Someone who wants a simple, lightweight note-taking app.
How much does it cost? Many core features are free.
Todoist: Stop Keeping Track of Things You Forget
Having a brain is great, but it doesn’t come with a built-in reminder system. Forgetting small things, such as remembering to call someone or pay a bill, can waste time and create unnecessary stress. At the same time, it’s impossible to make a to-do list for everything.
Todoist is a task manager that lets you organize your responsibilities into lists. You can sort tasks by projects, set reminders, and save recurring tasks so that you don’t have to think about them repeatedly. You can also create tasks for specific responsibilities, such as paying bills or finishing a presentation.
Remembering to do things isn’t the main point. What matters is that you don’t waste time managing a complicated task-tracking system. If you regularly forget certain small things, set up reminders in Todoist for them. Managing a project in Todoist can be useful, but it shouldn’t become more complicated than the work itself.
Where it saves time: Avoiding the effort of remembering tasks and tracking down forgotten responsibilities.
Best for: Freelancers, professionals, students, and anyone with multiple responsibilities.
How much does it cost? A free version is available; paid plans include additional tasks and features.
Google Calendar: Stop Wasting Time on Scheduling Conflicts
If you have overlapping meetings, appointments, or personal responsibilities, it can be difficult to keep track of where you’re supposed to be and when. Google Calendar lets you organize your time by setting up events and reminders.
You can create separate calendars for work, home, or other responsibilities. You can also share calendars so that other people can see when you’re busy or available, making it easier to schedule around your commitments without repeatedly asking about your availability.
Scheduling blocks of time is more efficient than trying to keep everything in your head. You can reserve time to work on a presentation, finish a report, or handle personal errands. It’s also useful to leave extra time for tasks that require preparation or travel. Scheduling time when you’re unavailable can help prevent others from booking meetings during important work periods.
Where it saves time: Avoiding scheduling conflicts and unnecessary conversations about availability.
Best for: Busy professionals, families, remote workers, and anyone with lots of meetings.
How much does it cost? Free with a Google account.
Bitwarden: Stop Spending Time Managing Passwords
Passwords are one of those annoying things that consume time without you realizing it. You have to remember them, write them down, or reset them when you forget them.
Bitwarden is a password manager that stores passwords in an encrypted vault. Instead of remembering every password, you can use one master password to access your saved credentials. The app can generate unique passwords and help fill in login information when you visit websites or use supported apps.
A password manager is useful for anyone who has more accounts than they can reasonably remember or manage. You can use Bitwarden for work accounts, social media, subscriptions, and other services. It can also securely store certain other sensitive information.
Set up two-factor authentication where available, keep your recovery information safe, and make sure you understand how to regain access to your vault if you lose access to your usual device.
Where it saves time: Avoiding repeated password entry and password-reset processes.
Best for: Anyone who manages multiple online accounts.
How much does it cost? A free version is available; paid plans include additional features.
Google Drive: Stop Losing Track of Your Files
It can be frustrating to keep track of files scattered across your computer, emails, and phone. Google Drive is a cloud storage service where you can upload, organize, access, and share files.
You can view compatible files directly in the app or use Google Workspace programs to edit them. You can also share files and folders with specific people and control their access. Organizing documents into clearly labeled folders makes it easier to find what you need later. Descriptive filenames also help you recognize documents at a glance.
Google Drive is useful if you need to share files online or access them from multiple devices. It can hold documents, photos, and other digital files without requiring you to email yourself attachments or repeatedly download the same documents.
Cloud storage does not replace a complete backup strategy, so keep separate backups of important files when necessary.
Where it saves time: Finding, storing, and sharing files without repeatedly downloading them.
Best for: Students, families, freelancers, and anyone who works with digital files.
How much does it cost? Free storage is available; additional storage can be purchased.
Calendly: Stop Spending Time Arguing Over Meetings
Arranging a meeting can become a drawn-out process when everyone has different schedules. You have to ask about availability, suggest times, and coordinate changes.
Calendly lets you share a booking link that displays the times you’re available. Instead of exchanging several messages, people can select a suitable appointment slot. You can set specific availability windows and connect supported calendar services to help prevent scheduling conflicts.
Calendly is most useful when you arrange meetings with clients, contractors, employees, or people in different time zones. It can reduce the back-and-forth involved in finding a mutually convenient time.
Before sharing a booking link, set your availability carefully. Leave room between meetings for preparation, travel, or other tasks, and limit available slots so people don’t book more time than you can reasonably offer.
If you only arrange occasional meetings with the same people, a shared calendar may be sufficient.
Where it saves time: Reducing the messages and coordination required to schedule meetings.
Best for: Consultants, freelancers, recruiters, salespeople, and professionals who regularly book appointments.
How much does it cost? A free version is available; advanced scheduling features may require a paid plan.
Zapier: Stop Copying Information Between Apps
Copying information between apps and websites can be frustrating, especially when the same task happens repeatedly. Zapier connects compatible apps so they can automatically exchange information or trigger actions.
It allows you to create automated workflows based on simple rules. For example, you might set up a workflow that saves email attachments to Google Drive or creates a task in Todoist when a particular email arrives, provided the required integrations and permissions are available.
The amount of time Zapier saves depends on how often you repeat a task and how much work the automation removes. Spending an hour automating something that happens once a year may not be worthwhile. Automating a task that takes a few minutes every day could make a noticeable difference over time.
Start with one repetitive task, build a simple workflow, and test it before relying on it for important work. Check that the automation handles errors and sensitive information appropriately.
Where it saves time: Automating repetitive tasks and information-sharing between compatible apps.
Best for: Small business owners, marketers, operations managers, and anyone who regularly moves information between programs.
How much does it cost? A free version is available; advanced automation features may require a paid plan.
Microsoft To Do: Keep Track of Things You Need to Do
Not everyone needs a complicated task management system. Microsoft To Do lets you create lists of things that need to be done, add due dates and reminders, and organize responsibilities into manageable groups.
It can be helpful for errands, household chores, work projects, shopping lists, and other everyday tasks. You can also create recurring tasks so that you don’t have to set the same reminders repeatedly.
Microsoft To Do can help you stop forgetting responsibilities, but it may not be necessary if you already use another task manager. It works best as a straightforward reminder system rather than a complex time-management tool.
Avoid creating too many lists and deadlines. The goal is to spend less time organizing tasks and more time completing them.
Where it saves time: Keeping everyday responsibilities visible and reducing forgotten tasks.
Best for: Microsoft 365 users and anyone who wants a simple task and reminder system.
How much does it cost? Available for free.
Adobe Scan: Make It Easier to Share Paperwork
Receipts, signed contracts, printed letters, and other documents can be inconvenient to scan, store, and share. Adobe Scan helps convert physical documents into digital scans using your phone’s camera. You can save and share the resulting files, and supported features can help recognize text within documents.
The app can be useful for digitizing receipts, saving important household paperwork, and sending documents without relying on a physical scanner.
Lighting matters when scanning documents. Use a well-lit area and a flat surface so the text remains readable. Review each scan before sharing it, especially when it contains small print, handwritten notes, account details, or other information that needs to be clear.
Consider privacy and security before uploading or sharing sensitive documents. Store scans securely and limit access to people who actually need them.
Where it saves time: Turning paper documents into digital files that are easier to store and share.
Best for: Students, freelancers, travelers, and anyone who regularly handles paperwork.
How much does it cost? Core scanning functionality is available for free; other services or features may require a subscription.
Apple Shortcuts: Make It Easier to Do Things on iPhone
If you use an iPhone, Apple Shortcuts can help streamline common tasks. The app lets you create shortcuts that perform one action or a series of actions, depending on the apps and functions available.
Shortcuts can help you open apps, organize information, set reminders, and perform repeated tasks with fewer steps. You can create a shortcut for a common routine or use supported automations to trigger actions under specific conditions.
The value of a shortcut depends on how often you use it. Spending an hour automating a task you perform once a year probably isn’t worthwhile. However, creating a shortcut for a complicated process you repeat every day can save time in the long run.
Start with something simple, such as combining a few routine actions into one shortcut. Make sure you understand what the shortcut does before allowing it to run automatically.
Where it saves time: Reducing the number of steps required to perform common actions on an iPhone.
Best for: iPhone users who want to streamline repeated tasks.
How much does it cost? Apple Shortcuts is included with supported Apple devices.
How to Choose the Right Apps Without Wasting Your Time
Installing ten new apps at once won’t necessarily make you more productive. Every app requires you to learn a new interface, configure notifications, and develop new habits. Focus on resolving the task that wastes the most time in your day.
| Your Biggest Frustration | App to Try First |
|---|---|
| Forgetting small tasks and information | Google Keep |
| Managing deadlines and responsibilities | Todoist |
| Scheduling appointments | Google Calendar |
| Remembering passwords | Bitwarden |
| Finding and sharing files | Google Drive |
| Organizing meetings | Calendly |
| Repeating the same digital workflow | Zapier |
| Maintaining simple daily lists | Microsoft To Do |
| Scanning paper documents | Adobe Scan |
| Repeating actions on an iPhone | Apple Shortcuts |
You don’t need both Todoist and Microsoft To Do if you only need one task management system. Google Keep and Google Drive serve different purposes, but you don’t need comprehensive systems for both. Test one app at a time to see which ones help you save time on tasks you used to worry about.
If you already use a note-taking app that works well, don’t feel you have to switch to Google Keep. The same principle applies to calendars, task managers, and file storage: choose tools that fit your existing routine rather than adding apps simply because they are available.
Final Thoughts
The most useful apps are the ones that help you get unstuck by making everyday tasks easier. A password manager can reduce the time you spend remembering or resetting passwords. A calendar can help you avoid scheduling conflicts. An automation app can eliminate repetitive copying and pasting between programs.
You don’t need to use all ten apps. Identify one task that wastes too much of your time, choose an app that helps you handle it faster, and build the habit before trying to optimize another task. The best productivity apps don’t demand much time to use, but they can help eliminate hassles that would otherwise consume hours.
Reduce overlap between productivity appsMake each app section easier to scan
