Starting a business is far from easy. You may have a big idea, but turning it into a functioning product or service that people want to use is different.

And when it comes to turning that big lightbulb moment into a fully-fledged firm, there are complex challenges around areas such as managing operations, taxation, and product development.

The fact is, if you’re new to the business world, this can all be daunting. But if you have access to a smartphone or tablet, then you don’t have too much to worry about. There’s a plethora of great apps out there that make running your small business easier.

TAXO’d (Android, iOS)

One of the most daunting tasks all businesses and sole traders have to do is filing a tax return. It’s a lengthy process, and you have to ensure all your expenses are recorded. Taxo’d is a lifesaver.

The mobile platform lets you record your income and expenses quickly and easily, and watch your tax bill calculate in real-time. You can even file your return straight from the app itself.

Trello (Android, iOS)

It’s easy to become frustrated and feel as though you have too much on your plate when you have loads of milestones and deadlines to meet.

Trello is an excellent app for managing tasks and projects, whether that be among individuals or teams. You can create boards for projects you’re working on, set checklists, collaborate on tasks with colleagues, comment on items, upload videos and images, and add files.

Slack (Android, iOS)

Effective communication is a must for good business. That can be anything from delegating tasks to employees, or asking for feedback. For this, it’s worth checking out Slack.

Not only is it a well-known business app in general, but it’s one of the best B2B instant messaging platforms.

The app lets you message individuals and groups in real-time, and find archived conversations easily thanks to a powerful search feature.

Slack will sync across all your devices – from computers to smartphones – and there are integrations with well-known services such as Asana, Google Drive and Dropbox.

Evernote (Android, iOS)

Evernote is another well-known business productivity app that has been around for a good few years.

The app lets you organise your personal and professional projects. Using it, you can write and collect your ideas and thoughts as text, sketches, photos, audio notes, video, PDFs and web clippings.

There’s also the ability to use your device’s camera to scan and digitise documents, business cards, drawing and handwritten notes.

Pocket (Android, iOS)

If you run your own business, then the chances are you’re extremely busy.

You probably come across a lot of interesting online resources that could help you and your business, such as articles and videos, although it could be that you don’t have the time to access them there and then.

Enter Pocket. This smart app gives you a way to save items to read and watch later on. It’s free, too.

Google Drive (Android, iOS)

There are loads of cloud and office tools out there to help you handle your workload, although they can be costly.

Google Drive is free and offers you a suite of handy productivity tools. Competing directly with Microsoft Office, you get applications for creating word documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

What’s great is that they sync across devices, so you always have access to your work documents.

Doodle (Android, iOS)

When you have your own company, it can be pretty hard to find time to organise meetings because you have so much on your plate. And when you do arrange something, it’s easy to experience a diary clash.

Well, Doodle can help.

The app gives you the ability to coordinate meeting dates with your employees. Instead of delegating dates, you can find a time that suits everyone.

You just sign up and suggest times. The app will then analyse this information and help you choose a good meeting slot.

1Password (Android, iOS)

Remembering passwords isn’t fun, especially when you have a ton of business accounts to look after. Most people normally go about this by writing them down on paper or in a Word document, but that’s not good for security.

1Password is the perfect solution. It’s an app where you can store usernames and passwords, credit card information, addresses and notes safely. The app is available across devices, so you can always access your sensitive information.

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