These are reportedly the best tools for new businesses - how does your firm shape up?

adobe logo
(Image credit: r.classen / Shutterstock.com)

Adobe has complied a list of ten of the online collaboration tools that are best suited for new or growing businesses.

Recognizing the importance of digital workflows for modern firms, the business software giant has given its recommendations of what platforms you should be using to maximize productivity.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the list includes its own PDF editor, Adobe Acrobat - for which there is also a free web version - but also contains popular team messaging app Slack and cloud storage service Google Drive among others, covering every aspect of a firm's operation. 

Digitizing business

Adobe notes that online tools have continued to surge in uptake, with searches for “best online tools for new business” increased by 170% in February 2023 alone. For this reason, it wanted to make sure businesses chose the right ones out of the vast pool of options available.

Regarding Slack, Adobe commented that the service allows businesses to "bring the watercooler and conference room right to your computer." Other reasons for its inclusion include its instant messaging capability, ability to talk in groups or to individual coworkers, video calling and integration with other productivity tools. 

It also said that Google Drive is "hard to beat" in terms of collaborating on documents, letting you "share folders, documents, spreadsheets, and presentations with your entire team and collaborate in real time." It also praised its free availability to those with a Google account. Another popular storage service, Dropbox, also made the cut. 

Project management software Asana is also on the list, due to its ability to "keep your entire team on track. You can create tasks, assign them to co-workers (or yourself), leave comments, and set project statuses. It’s everything teams of any size need to manage projects on the go."

Rounding out the remaining entries are the free note-taking web app Notion, the spreadsheet-database hybrid service Airtable, CRM platform HubSpot, accounting software QuickBooks and Google Analytics for tracking your web traffic. 

"With the right tech stack, individuals and businesses can keep their documents organized and streamline their overall processes, reducing costs and saving time and energy, leading to improved efficiency and profitability," noted Lisa Croft, Director of Product Marketing at Adobe.

"Instead of spending time and resources on paper storage and filing, business owners can use online tools to store, manage, and access their documents quickly and easily." 

"These tools allow you to access and share critical documents quickly and easily, and they can also streamline the process of meeting, communicating, and collaborating with colleagues and clients. The benefits of using online tools to organize your business are numerous."

Lewis Maddison
Staff Writer

Lewis Maddison is a Staff Writer at TechRadar Pro. His area of expertise is online security and protection, which includes tools and software such as password managers. 


His coverage also focuses on the usage habits of technology in both personal and professional settings - particularly its relation to social and cultural issues - and revels in uncovering stories that might not otherwise see the light of day.


He has a BA in Philosophy from the University of London, with a year spent studying abroad in the sunny climes of Malta.