The Top iPhone Business Apps

When it comes to business users, there’s an Apple iPhone app for just about everything, including many great free apps. There are actually thousands of the things, so it’s no easy task picking the best. However, some clear favourites have emerged from our own research and survey of our Twitter followers.

Of course these apps are nothing if you lack to business skills to use them effectively! If you need Business Skills Training, Leadership and Management Training or Project Management Training, check out our many courses including PRINCE2 Practitioner training courses and Time Management training.

Tricky as it may be, we’ve had a go at picking the ten best iPhone apps for professionals. Best of all, some of them are free! There are so many that we’ve broken our list down into “best iPhone apps for project managers”, “best iPhone apps for networking” etc. Whether you fancy an app to find a restaurant, write a blog, work out a font or change a PowerPoint slide there’s an app for all! Read on for our best iPhone app lists…

Image: Self Portrait by  Heather Buckley (Director of Silicon Beach Training)

Best iPhone apps for Business: Our Top 5 apps for Data Storage and File Management

Clip Files by juan23for

1. Evernote (Free)

Evernote is  a very handy application that allows you to store data – whether that’s text, web pages, audio or images – and sync it with your computer. There’re versions for PC, Mac, web and the iPhone. This is really handy as you can record or save data on the move, for example a recording from the iPhone’s built-in Recorder app, and have it saved to your Evernote account – backing it up and making it accessible anywhere. You can even take a photo of text and have Evernote search it!

2. Documents to Go (£5.99)

Documents to Go is perfect if you need a replacement for the iPhone’s own limited document management. It is really hand if you have a presentation or report to finish when you’re on the way to a meeting. The app is designed so that any edits won’t interfere with formatting and the best feature is that you can easily sync it with your computer via wireless. The other popular alternative is Quickoffice Mobile Suite (£5.99), which provides a comprehensive suite for all Microsoft Office editing features and can connect wirelessly to your computer too. Database Viewer Plus Lite is free and allows limitted editing of Microsoft Access and Excel spreadsheets, making it a good option if the others are a bit pricey.

3. Print n Share (£3.99)

Once you’ve prepared your document, this great app lets you print directly from your iPhone, whether that’s email, web pages or photos. You can set it up on your office computer and send your printing remotely, so it’s ready for you when you arrive at the office! It allows you to use your iPhone as a drive so you can easily move files onto it and it even allows emailing from within the app.

4. Box.Net (Free)

Create a Box.Net account and this web-based service allows you to upload and save files from your computer to it. The iPhone app then connects to your account, allowing you to view various files such as pdfs, spreadsheets and images. The best feature enables you to share documents with others and collaborate on this single file. Additional storage is available at a cost, with 1 GB free.

5. mbPointer (£1.79)

This tool is incredibly nifty, allowing you to sync your iPhone up with Microsoft Powerpoint and use it as a remote control for your presentations. In addition, you can also use your iPhone as a touch pad for your computer – all done via Wi-Fi once you install the app.

* HBR Today (£1.79)

Content from Harvard’s Business Review, added due to several recommendations. Also see freebie HBR Tips, for quick daily management tips and ideas.

*Scan2PDF (£3.99)

This great app came recommended from our Twitter friend @HeatherAlex; it allows you to photograph documents using your iPhone and then converts them into PDFs, working like a scanner – wow!

Best iPhone apps for Business: Our Top 5 apps for Project Management

If you want even more apps see this list of 21 iPhone apps for Project Management by Heather Buckley.

Office: the new account manager by wili_hybrid

1. Insight (£5.99)

Insight (formerly Encamp) brings Basecamp to the iPhone, with access to all the key elements such as projects, to-do lists and messages. The interface is clear and easy to use and you can even view files attached to your project such as PDFs and Office documents. The only minor downer is the lack of storage, so you need to connect by Internet to access your Basecamp account data. A popular alternative is Things (£5.99) which focuses on To-Do lists and is really efficient and simple if you want to manage multiple lists.

2. ClockIn (£1.79 in sale)

Another simple and effective tool, ClockIn allows you to allocate and monitor time you spend on different projects for multiple clients. You can easily send the information via email, which is formatted in either HTML or CSV (for easy transfer to spreadsheets).

3. Cisco WebEx Meeting Center (Free)

Perfect for those who want to stay in touch whilst on the go, this app allows web-based meeting on the iPhone. The great thing is that it’s free and allows document sharing and meeting organisation. The downer is that it has limited functionality away from the US at them moment – but this is worked on by developers so should be solved soon.

4. FileMagnet (£2.99)

If you’d prefer to be independent from Internet storage then FileMagnet is the choice for you, allowing simple wireless transfer from your computer. Try something like Documents To Go if you need to edit files too. But this tool is great if you want to just store and view files, being cheaper and particularly smooth to use.

5. SimpleMind Xpress (Free)

This is the free version of SimpleMind’s brainstorming app and allows you to drag and arrange ideas, including between multiple maps.

* iStudy PMP Exam (Free)

Okay okay, this makes it over 5 apps. But we just discovered this and had to add it! It’s a free study app for those preparing to take their Project Management Professional exam and also useful for anyone studying PRINCE2 and Project Management – excellent!

* iPocket Coach (£0.59)

This app makes suggestions for what a manager could say in eight different tricky situations e.g. firing someone. See this iPocket Coach review for more. We’re intrigued to know more about this one – has anyone tried it? It came highly recommended by a project manager friend.

Best iPhone apps for Business: Our Top 5 apps for Website Developers

Bookabooka by wstryder

1. Analytics Pro (£3.99)

Analytics Pro is well worth coughing up for if you want to easily access and view your Google Analytics stats when on the go. There are many apps that perform this function, but Analytics Pro is our favourite for its easy interface and clear presentation.

2. FTP On The Go (£3.99)

This is simple to use, allowing you to browse your servers and edit files on your FTP server. You can do all this through the app, the only big disadvantage is that you cannot upload files from your iPhone.

3. CSS Cheat Sheet (£0.59)

This app is pretty nifty for the odd memory blank or for CSS beginners. The best thing about CSS Cheat Sheet is that it works offline too, whether you need a quick reference or more detailed information.Check out similar versions for PHP, HTML and Javascript too.

4. Web Tools ($1.99)

For some reason only the US price was available for this app, although it offers the same functionality overseas. It’s quite nifty for checking that your servers are accessible and repsonding, and a good complement to Analytics Pro. It is useful for SEOs who wish to keep their eyes on detailed ping, domain search and whois data.

5. Source Viewer (£0.59)

This useful app allows you to view the HTML, CSS or Javascript source code of any website – just like you can normally on your computer.

* iSSH (£4.99)

We should also mention this app suggested by our LinkedIn contact and invaluable for systems administrators and developers. There’s a good iSSH review here.

Best iPhone apps for Business: Our Top 5 apps for Designers

Color Your Life by Capture Queen

1. WhatTheFont (Free)

This tool is great, allowing you to discover the font in a photo or graphic when browsing the web. You can even take a clear photograph from you iPhone and identify the font in a poster or whatnot!

2. Palettes (Free)

Yet another nifty app, Palettes allows you to create and save colour palettes, either from colour models or by grabbing from a photo of website. Colour palettes can also be exported to or imported from programs like Photoshop.

3. PhotoCalc (£1.79)

PhotoCalc provides handy tools for beginner and advanced photographers, with features such as exposure reciprocation, depth of field, and flash exposure calculation. This app may not be worth the money if you’re a pro-photographer, but for the learner it is invaluable. On the topic of photographs we should also mention the easy to use free Photobucket app, which can provide designers with a usefeul source of back up images.

4. ZeptoPad (£11.99)

Although the priciest app on our list so far, ZeptoPad is a must for the serious web designer. The vector based drawing software allows you to draw with your fingers and P2P access allows easy sharing of your creations. The downer to this is that it’s very fiddly to use before you spend some time familiarising yourself with it; if you’re looking to create simple mindmaps then try SimpleMind Xpress instead.

5. Dexigner (Free)

The Dexigner application delivers the latest design news, events, exhibitions, conferences, and design competitions. It is easy to use and a good way to convince yourself you’re being productive when on a long train journey!

Best iPhone apps for Business: Our Top 5 apps for Networking and Social Media

1. LinkedIn (Free)

Although with some features limited, LinkedIn is a great network to have access to on the go, allowing you to check people out in interviews or meetings for example. It also rids the need for exchanging business cards – you can just connect with someone at the moment you meet them!

2. Facebook (Free)

This is easy to use and you’d be crazy to miss it out of your app collection if you’re a serious Social Media user!

3. TweetDeck (Free)

TweetDeck is the preferred Twitter tool for many and its efficiency is transferred to this iPhone app. To find out more about TweetDeck’s great features read our TweetDeck v HootSuite comparison. Tweetie 2 (£1.79) is another popular choice and is favoured for its swish interface although it lacks TweetDeck’s columns – for more information read this Tweetie 2 review.

4. Shozu ($4.99)

We could not find a free version of this, or even one with a UK price. But it is worth a mention as it allows access to networks currently missed out by TweetDeck such as Flickr, Photobucket, Blogger and WordPress.

5. Skype (Free)

Skype is well-known as a slick and simple tool for messaging and calling. Although the Skype app can only be used wirelessly, it is invaluable when you want to make long distance phone calls without worrying about the cost.

Best iPhone apps for Business: Our Top 5 apps for Sales and Marketing

Market in Chennai, India by mckaysavage

1. eBay Mobile (Free)

This does what it says on the tin and is particularly useful if you’re a seller who wants to responds to buyers’ messages on the go. It is still being developed at the moment, so expect some key features such as creating an auction to be missing.

2. PayPal (Free)

This established and reliable tool is a must if you want to use your iPhone for payments or money transfers.

3. iSURVEY (Free)

A handy tool for creating surveys and conducting market research, with results provided in a CSV format.

4. Salesforce Mobile (Free)

You can log sales, access client data and keep track of leads all whilst on the go with this app for Salesforce subscribers. It is well presented and includes access to charts and graphs of your data.

5. Creative Whack Pack (£1.19)

Based on Roger van Oech’s popular Creative Whack Pack card sets and seminars, this app is perfect for those in sales or marketing; the lateral thinking required will give you a break, whilst keeping you buzzing and motivated throughout the day!

Best iPhone apps for Business: Our Top 5 apps for Finances and Accounting

Making Money by Photos8.com

1. iSwipe Global Credit Card Terminal (Free)

This popular app can be used in conjunction with PayPal,verifying credit card details as you enter them, giving immediate feedback on declined charges and supporting all major credit cards. Although the app is free to download, there’s a monthly charge for an account with the firm as well as individual transaction costs. On the plus, a business can use one account over multiple iPhones – all in all it’s a very useful feature for those dealing with finances on the move.

2. XE Currency (Free)

XE Currency allows you to convert over 180 currencies on the go and the app is actually even simpler to use than its website counterpart. If you need to keep an eye on exchange rates, the home screen displays all major currencies and can be refreshed every 60 seconds.

3. Rightmove (Free)

This app finds your GPS location and displays properties for sale or rent in your area of the UK. Consider using it in conjunction with UK-centered iHome which analyses loan, mortgage and property data to help you find the best deal.

4. iBank (£2.99)

This app is quite simple and works best for personal finances or for someone self-employed, rather than a business. It lets you track your daily spending and monitor you account balances with its easy interface – you can sync all this with the Mac software too. The only downer is the lack of integration with your actual banking and payment apps.

5. iReconcile (£1.79)

This is a much more powerful tool than iBank and suits those looking for an app to more realistically replace their business’s computer accounts manager. Features include multiple accounts, transfers, reports, memorized transactions, security, video tutorials and scheduling.

Best iPhone apps for Business: Our Top 5 apps for Commuting

London Tube by neiljs

1. iDialUDrive (£0.59)

This nifty tool allows you to create lists of important calls or sync them to your phone over the web via 3G or WiFi, then you can have your phone dial by itself when you’re driving to work in the morning!

2. London Tube Deluxe (£0.59)

Okay this is perhaps only a must-have app for Londoners, but still it’s so handy it’s worth mentioning! As well as viewing a Tube map, this app provides up-to-date information on how all the Tube line are running, with an option to receive notifications of any disruptions. It can also tell you where your nearest Tube station is on Google Maps and provide you with arrival times of the next Tube – what a bargain!

3. TomTom (£54.99)

Whoah – expensive! That aside, the popular TomTom iPhone app provides easy-to-use SatNav, with regular traffic updates and turn-by-turn navigation. If you don’t need in-car navigation then the free Google Maps app could be a better choice (see below). US users can also use excellent traffic and accident watch app INRIX TRAFFIC! (Free), which isn’t available in the UK yet.

4. G-Park (£0.59)

Tap “Park Me!” when you find a parking place and tap “Where Did I Park” to be directed to it street-by-street when you return.

5. Rocket Taxi (£1.19)

Another app making use of GPS and WiFI, Rocket Taxis will find taxi companies near you, with a just a tap to get them on the phone. You can also view star ratings, bookmark favourites, map your route and get fare estimates. The only downer is that it only really works for big city centres at the moment – but expect to see it improve with time.

* QuickVoice2Text Email (PRO Recorder) (£1.79)

Another recommendation that we just had to add; with this app you can send emails by talking to your phone and making limited physical contact. Also see Vlingo (Free) which allows you to search the web, auto-dial contacts, text and tweet whilst on the go – we haven’t tried this one out yet so let us know if you recommend it over QuickVoice2Text!

* National Rail Enquiries (£4.99)

Thanks to Twitter friend Mark aka @burning_ for this recommendation; it may be pricey but with a U.S-bias for many other travel apps it really cannot be beaten. The only downer is that alternative free apps used to be available but National Rail stopped making their data available – this may have been unpopular, but rail commuters will just have to bite their tongues for now as this app is invaluable.

Best iPhone apps for Business: Our Top 5 apps for Business Travel Overseas

1. iFlight (£0.59)

This one is a must for any regular business traveler. The main advantage to iFlight is that it isn’t limited to the US, turning your iPhone into a real-time departure board for nine major UK airports as well as allowing searching by flight number and destination.

3. TravelTracker Pro (£6.49)

This iPhone app manages all of your travel plans, allowing you to enter times and dates to the Calender, organise your packing lists, keep an eye on flight departure times and manage your expenses. There’s presently a slight US bias, but you can manually input British rail companies and stations that have yet to be added. Popular TripIt (Free) is a similar app with more basic functions, but a good choice if you want to try something free.

3. Urbanspoon (Free)

Again coverage for this is limited so don’t buy it if you don’t live in a big city! But that aside, Urbanspoon is a pretty snazzy tool: shake your iPhone, watch the dials spin like a slot machine and come up with a guide to a good nearby restaurant, then just shake it again if you want to find a different one. Also check out AroundMe (Free) for recommendations of anything from petrol stations to hotels nearby – typically, it’s limited for non U.S. users but worth a go as it’s free.

4. Google Maps + Compass (Free)

This app is fantastic offering all the standard features such as location finding, directions and traffic monitoring. Plus the GPS can give you turn-by-turn directions or even do something as simple – yet incredibly handy – as show you which way you are facing! If you need a voice to direct you when driving and extra alternative routes during traffic then TomTom could be a better choice.

5. fring (Free)

You can use the Fring iPhone app in conjunction with Skype to make cheap international calls and text messages when traveling. With country codes built in, you don’t even need to make sure you’ve unlocked your phone for overseas travel.

* AccuWeather.com (Free)

Thanks again to @burning_ for this recommendation, a free app with weather forecasts from around the world.

Best iPhone apps for Business: Our Top 10 apps for Stress Relief

By Dave-F

Okay maybe not exactly a business application, but what with carrying your business around in your pocket, you’re going to need some occasional relief!

1. Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat! ($0.99)

Rolling on from the piano playing cat YouTube hit, this one was a recommendation from our Facebook friend and does certainly provide amusement – even if it wears thin after not too long! Another cat / music themed app should be mentioned here - Simon’s Cat in ‘Purrfect Pitch’ (£1.19) – this one is too adorable to miss out – check out the Apple page for the cute cartoons.

2. Texas Hold’em ($4.99)

Suggested by a Systems Engineer contact on LinkedIn, this is an extremely popular app which allows you to play with up to 9 friends over Wi-Fi.

3. BUZZER! Music Quiz ($0.99)

A fun app which tests your music knowledge based on your itunes library.

4. Lightsaber Unleashed (Free)

Turn your phone into a lightsaber! Utterly pointless but totally worth it. For slightly more sophisticated inane entertainment, try Paper Toss (Free) – throw screwed up paper in the bin in a digital office experience with “real office sounds”, “varying wind speed” and “verbal abuse from angry co-workers”! The ads are a bit frustrating though.

5. TED (Free)

Another suggestion from a LinkedIn contact, this provides podcasts from the non-profit Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) conferences. Good for those who wish for some slightly more intellectually stimulating time out!

7. ASBOrometer (Free)

Thanks to our Twitter friend for this recommendation which is always good for five minutes of fun if you’re a business traveler and wish to compare the anti-social behaviour levels of different parts of the UK.

7., 8.,…. What do you use for stress relief? Let us know and we’ll include it here!

Similar resources you may like

1. Making the Most of Social Media Marketing – Links
2. Twitter Marketing: the best Twitter apps
3. How to Create a Facebook Fan Page for your Business
4. Business Case THEME
5. Networking

Tags

apple, application, applications, apps, Business Skills Resources, commuters, commuting, course, designers, developers, finances, gps, iphone, managers, marketing, networking, Product Status Account, professionals, Project management, project managers, real-time, remote, sales, social, Social Media, Training, travel, travelers, web, website, wifi, wireless

Share This Resource