The Best Business Management Software of 2021
Every business needs business management software—no matter the industry, no matter the size. What do manufacturers, property managers, and field service technicians have in common? They share the similar challenges of staying organized, efficient, and profitable. The right business management software will allow you to accomplish these goals while adapting to the intricacies of your business.
Business management software unequivocally helps businesses achieve more—95% of adopters say that their business processes are improved. At the end of the day, the right process management software will make your business more productive and profitable.
When it comes to finding the best business management software, here are some features that you should look for:
Accounting and financial reporting
Centralized document management
Client and contractor management
Customer and vendor management portals
Mobile device compatibility
CRM and sales
Project and task management
Applicant tracking system
Inventory management
Custom productivity reporting
Intra-company communication
Knowledgeable, in-house customer support
With so many software solutions out there, it can be tough to know exactly what you need. But don’t worry, there’s good news—finding an all-in-one business management solution has never been easier.
We know that finding a trusted business intelligence software is a long and tedious process. We’re here to help. Our software experts have compiled a comprehensive breakdown of the top 20 business management softwares on the market in 2021.
*Note: Our ERP software reviews are for informational purposes only. We encourage you to perform research and demo systems to achieve the most comprehensive comparison.
1. Striven
Striven is an all-in-one software solution that combines accounting, CRM, project management, HR, operations, and more into one, easy to use interface. Striven is a diversely capable software solution that supports both front and back-office personnel. Striven’s extremely customizable software suits a variety of industries such as professional services, manufacturing, construction, and real estate.
Highlights:
Full-stack, scalable, customizable business management suite
Natively integrated complete system
Detailed financial and productivity reports generated in seconds
Communication portals for customers, vendors, and subcontractors
Project, task, and time management w/ interactive calendars
Full CRM dashboard
Applicant tracking system
Inventory management
Customizable dashboards for each employee
Employee biographies and a company newsfeed for remote culture building
What Sets It Apart: Striven’s expert team of business analysts personally see to your success. From training and onboarding, technical support, and business-specific customizations, the Striven support staff is available 24/7. On top of that, Striven’s automation capabilities allow you to work more efficiently.
Pricing: Free trial and custom demo, packages begin at $35/user.
More info: Striven Wins 3 Best Of 2021 Awards
2. Monday.com
Monday.com is a project management tool used by creative teams that allows you and your employees to customize workflows tailored to individual preferences.
Highlights:
Colorful and well-designed interface
Tracks success of marketing campaigns
Integrates with 40+ external apps
What Sets It Apart: Monday.com will allow you to import data from your Google Calendar and Excel spreadsheets.
Pricing: 14 day trial offered. Prices vary depending on features chosen.
3. Odoo
Odoo’s suite of integrated apps focus on delivering CRM and ERP functionalities that allow businesses of any industry to handle various front and back office processes.
Highlights:
POS transactions
Track employee timesheets
Custom invoice development
What Sets It Apart: For those that are extremely tech-savvy and want to do their own modifications, the entirety of Odoo’s suite is run with an open-source model.
Pricing: Plans vary by industry.
4. ProofHub
ProofHub is a collaborative interface where teams can work on projects and that has “every manager’s superpowers in one tool.”
Highlights:
Kanban boards empower teams to self-manage
Upload and comment on documents internally
Chat functionality
What Sets It Apart: ProofHub allows for easy prioritization of tasks and team workflow in an easy-to-use interface.
Pricing: Plans start at $49/month.
5. Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is an ERP that focuses on ensuring timely and accurate delivery of all of the projects and tasks your business needs to manage by means of seamless communication.
Highlights:
Socially-focused interface for collaboration
Some packages include a basic website builder
Calculates ROI automatically
What Sets It Apart: Bitrix24’s customizable design allows for users to brand the system to their liking.
Pricing: Free for barebones package, otherwise starts at 2 employees for $19/month.
6. Infinity
Infinity is a project management tool that allows you to collaborate, assign tasks, and share documents in one, easy to use interface.
Highlights:
6 different ways to view complete workflows
20 custom attributes to add to your items
Includes “share board” and “activity log” with editable permissions
What Sets It Apart: Infinity easily integrates with Zapier, Clockify, and allows you to easily import (and export) CSV files into a readable and editable format.
Pricing: One-time payment model: 3 users for $99, 5 for $149, 10 for $249, etc.
7. Asana
Asana is a teamwork focused platform that focuses on collaboration, removing busywork, and facilitating the flow of information.
Highlights:
Automated user access management
Integrates with most other business software tools
Agile and scrum process support
What Sets It Apart: You are able to check in on the workload of your employees and the status of what they’re working on.
Pricing: Varies by plan and feature selection.
8. StudioCloud
StudioCloud is a small business-focused software solution that allows users to manage clients easily while also having the ability to create and send custom invoices.
Highlights:
Client management interface
Sends automated email reminders and notifications
Schedule events online
What Sets It Apart: StudioCloud is best utilized by smaller sized teams that need to put an emphasis on syncing data between all of a businesses devices and softwares.
Pricing: Free for 1 user, prices available upon request for 2+ users.
9. Microsoft Dynamics 365
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a customer-centric interface that handles various processes including CRM, customer data management, and customer service.
Highlights:
Allows for swift transition to the cloud
Offers self-service HR experiences
Friction-free digital selling interface
What Sets It Apart: They are backed by Microsoft’s global cloud network and support teams.
Pricing: Varies by plan, package, industry, and company size.
10. Zoho
Zoho’s integrated suite of apps provide businesses of various sizes the tools for collaboration and communication.
Highlights:
Financial information available at a glance
CRM dashboard
Document storage system
What Sets It Apart: Zoho’s suite of 37 separate applications allow your business to manage processes on a granular level.
Pricing: Starts at $30/month.
11. Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a business intelligence platform that unifies collaboration, workflows, and puts the emphasis on “making an impact.”
Highlights:
Strategic event management interface
Integrates with Salesforce to provide data collaboration
“Gain manager approval” functionality
What Sets It Apart: Smartsheet allows for team members in any role to easily collaborate and interact on their day-to-day workflow without sizable interruptions.
Pricing: Basic version begins at $14/user, advanced prices not listed on website
13. BambooHR
BambooHR is people-focused HR software that collects and organizes the information and data obtained throughout the employee life cycle to better improve HR processes.
Highlights:
Customizable applicant tracking system
Performance appraisal software
Employee satisfaction tracking
What Sets It Apart: BambooHR collects and displays your business’s “People Data” so that you can learn and improve upon your hiring/onboarding/offboarding processes.
Pricing: Available upon request on site.
14. Jira
Jira by Atlassian is a software development tool used by agile teams to track the status of support tickets, projects, and tasks.
Highlights:
Scrum boards, Kanban boards, and roadmaps
Connect support tickets directly to portions of code
Scalable as your business grows
What Sets It Apart: Jira allows you to turn individual process automation on and off depending on what your current needs and requirements are.
Pricing: Available upon request on site (changes per feature/industry/software.)
15. Wrike
Wrike is a digital marketing, creative collaboration, and business operations management software solution empowering teams of all sizes.
Highlights:
Digital marketing campaign tracking
Company-wide time management/efficiency tracker
Visual proofing system
What Sets It Apart: Bypass the slowness and inefficiency of email by having all of your pertinent information and documents on a customizable dashboard.
Pricing: Varies by industry and need.
16. QuickBooks
Quickbooks by Intuit is an accounting software package that tracks processes such as inventory, invoicing, automated billing, and contractor management.
Highlights:
Smart accounting dashboard
Automated payroll reports
Integrates with e-commerce platforms
What Sets It Apart: The ease of access and intuitive design allows for all types of small businesses to take advantage of its features.
Pricing: Starts at $20 for the most basic package.
17. Netsuite
Netsuite by Oracle is a unified business management suite that handles financial management, order management, supply chain management, and other business intelligence processes.
Highlights:
Procurement services
Intuitive budgeting and forecasting interface
Financial management dashboard powered by data
What Sets It Apart: Netsuite runs on and is backed by Oracle’s powerful cloud ERP systems.
Pricing: Available once a consultation is scheduled.
18. BQECore
From the makers of BillQuick and ArchiOffice, BQECore is an a la carte ERP choice that offers real time information displays for any aspect of your business.
Highlights:
Strategic event management interface
Integrates with Salesforce to provide data collaboration
“Gain manager approval” functionality
What Sets It Apart: BQECore offers a variety of features, some that you are required to purchase with any package but some that are customizable depending on your industry.
Pricing: Price range varies depending on features chosen.
19. SAP
SAP is a set of software solutions that handles processes such as data management, marketing, and asset management.
Highlights:
Uses machine learning to improve business processes
Tracks supply chains from beginning to end
Able to be used across any kind of business or industry
What Sets It Apart: Reports that are generated through its business intelligence platform are easy to read and accurate.
Pricing: Varies by plan, package, industry, and company size.
20. Scoro
Scoro is an easy-to-use collaborative platform that manages CRM, projects, and financial data. Scoro tracks and presents financial data in manageable reports from all of your clients, customers, and projects.
Highlights:
Real-time CRM dashboard
Financial and productivity reports
Project management interface
Shared calendar and meeting scheduling tool
What Sets It Apart: Scoro helps streamline the processes that exist within your business. With customizable CRM features, Scoro provides solutions across many different industries.
Pricing: Packages begin at $26/month.
Contact a Business Management Software Expert
Finding the best business management software for you can be a difficult process. With so many good options, the ideal solution will be one that is customizable, easy to use, and fit your budget. Our technology advisors are available to help you with your search process— reach out to us anytime.