A business without a CRM will instantly find itself at a disadvantage. It is extremely tough to manage all of your customers while keeping track of everything else without any dedicated system. The great news is there’s a wide variety of CRM software available, and a lot of it is free. Among other things, this software allows you to take all of your data across multiple platforms and departments and store it in one convenient place. I’ve put together a list of the best free CRM software tools to help you decide which is right for your business. The Top 8 Best Free CRM Software Tools:
Now you know the list of free CRMs I’ll be reviewing, let’s dive into each of them. #1 – SuiteCRM — The Best Free Open-Source CRM Software
One of the best things about SuiteCRM is that it’s both free and open-source CRM software. By open-source, I mean the software itself can be customized almost any way you want. It also means it’s available to the public to enhance it collaboratively. SuiteCRM is an excellent choice for businesses with a particular need to modify the software to their liking. ![]() For example, let’s say you’re a business that needs the functionality of collecting multiple leads from numerous sources and then converting them into customers. Not a problem. SuiteCRM’s open-source and flexible nature allows you to tailor its modules to your bespoke goals. Even better, there’s a wide variety of free add-ons that can be downloaded and added to the software to help you further achieve specific goals. Other features include the following:
The pure SuiteCRM is free to use and doesn’t expire, so there won’t be many extra costs from that point. You’ll be able to self-host the CRM, too, if you desire. However, it’s worth noting that customer support is only available through the forum for all but the highest package. The other versions of SuiteCRM, which are hosted, and can be scaled to your business, are not free to use indefinitely—be aware that very few hosted CRMs are—but they do come with a 30-day trial, giving you more than enough time to decide. #2 – HubSpot — The Best Free CRM for Massive Contact Lists
HubSpot is a great choice when it comes to the number of contacts it offers. You’re looking at 1,000,000 contacts with no time limit or expiration date—no matter the size of your team. There’s no doubt such a vast number of contacts would be more suitable for larger businesses in general, but it’s also a useful feature to have as you grow your business. You won’t have to worry about maxing your contact list out any time soon. ![]() The CRM software’s contact records allow you to view everything about a contact, too. From your history of emails to the calls, meetings, and deals you’ve made. Additional options include the ability to create forms and popups where you can start to acquire data about a contact, and there’s even a live chatbot to gather information and schedule meetings for your business. In other words, HubSpot is aware of just how vital customer data is and keeps it all in a readily accessible place. Other features of the CRM include:
I’ve said the HubSpot CRM is free to use, and that’s true, but there are extra features available for those that want more. For instance, higher pricing tiers allow for automation, traffic analytics, user roles, and Salesforce integration, to name a few. It’s a good idea to get familiar with the CRM first before deciding which of these enhanced features you need. #3 – Flowlu — The Best Free CRM Software for Financial Management
Flowlu shines on the financial side of things, making it a top choice for businesses that produce many invoices and need to keep up to date with transactions. If that’s you, then you might just have found the right software. The creators consider it to be “business management software” first and foremost. There’s a deep focus on quotes, payments, and other financial priorities. ![]() If you’re selling to a customer, for example, then you can create a custom invoice, choose your preferred payment method, and when you’ve been paid, the status of the invoice will update automatically. What’s more, an automatic email can be sent out to the customer thanking them, and the entire transaction is then logged in the invoice record. Handy indeed. Flowlu also includes the following valuable features:
Flowlu is free CRM software, but it’s worth mentioning that quite a few features are locked out if you remain on the initial plan. If you’re a business that needs multiple accounts for a large team, keep in mind that the free plan only offers two places and no user access control. There are five overall tiers to the pricing, with the Enterprise plan offering everything along with a custom domain and two-factor authentication for extra security. #4 – Freshworks — The Best Free CRM for Tech Support
How important is tech support for your business? If the answer is very important, then Freshworks is an excellent choice. Freshworks’ free CRM software comes with phone and email support five days a week, 24 hours a day. ![]() The highly-rated customer support makes this software ideal for smaller businesses, especially when ongoing help and care are crucial to long-term success. With that said, any business that puts customer support as a top priority on their list should consider the software. Some of the other highlights of the Freshworks CRM include the following:
Individual add-ons can improve the CRM software further, but these can quickly become costly, which seems somewhat at odds with the rest of what Freshworks offers. Still, I’m nitpicking here, and you shouldn’t let that stop you from checking the software out. The best part is the startup plan that offers top-notch support is free forever, making it a generous proposal. Pricing for other plans starts at $29 per month per user. The free trial of the more advanced tiers includes everything, too, and gives you 21 days to see whether the software is worth buying. The top tier of the pricing even features a dedicated account manager that can personally resolve issues and relay information to other specialists. Either way, whatever choice you make, Freshworks is unlikely to let your team down. #5 – Insightly — The Best Free CRM Software for Project Management
Managing projects, large and small, is at the core of any business. You’ll need a robust system to be able to handle day-to-day operations. Insightly is my top pick for free CRM software that can manage multiple projects of all sizes. Each project and sale are presented in an easy-to-use pipeline that you can customize to fit your business. What’s more, recurring projects can be automated to keep things running smoothly while saving you time. ![]() It’s worth mentioning that the free version of Insightly is aimed at a two-person team, but higher pricing tiers can provide you with more users. It’s a good starting point to see what the software can do, but it wouldn’t be suitable for larger teams. Perhaps the most significant thing is that Insightly is just so simple to use for everything from building email campaigns to using pre-built templates for other crucial projects. Visually speaking, you can also expect a clean, clear, and highly functional CRM that gets the job done without the fuss. Project management proficiency aside for one second, Insightly also provides the following features:
A useful Gmail add-on also allows you to view email opens, create leads, and projects. The three tiers available for Insightly are Plus, Professional, and Enterprise. Plus starts at $29 per user per month and is billed annually. Professional and Enterprise are $49 and $99 per user per month, respectively. #6 – Streak — The Best Free CRM Software for Gmail
I mentioned that Insightly had a Gmail add-on to help you manage projects from your inbox, but Streak takes that concept to the next level. Simply put, this free CRM software allows you to control your entire business through Gmail. There’s no additional app or platform to log in and manage—it literally lives inside your inbox. ![]() The immediate advantage of this is that you can use a familiar and most likely already frequently used email platform for so much more. For example, Streak allows you to create pre-made pipelines for your business projects, sales, and lead lists, all within the email interface. Even more impressively, contact details from your emails can seamlessly be pulled into Streak, including company information. This process auto-populates, too, giving you more information to work with in less time. Keep in mind that Streak’s free plan is for two users only. While you can certainly do everything you could possibly need with that in the right situation, larger teams will miss out unless you upgrade to the paid-for plans. Other features of Streak include:
There are four pricing plans for Streak overall, including the free plan. Solo starts at $15 per user per month, Pro is $49, and Enterprise is $129, each with increasingly more features. #7 – Bitrix24 — The Best Free CRM For Your First Year In Business
While other CRMs on this list offer a free trial of their software, some even indefinitely, they are typically held back by limited features or a smaller number of users. That’s where Bitrix24 comes in, and really, the strongest point about this CRM software is that the starting free plan provides businesses with enough to really get going. For some small companies, it may even be all they need. ![]() Bitrix24 provides a cloud-based CRM for up to 12 users, 5 GB of online storage, and most of the significant features of the other plans just scaled down a bit. In other words, for the cost of $0, you’re getting an awful lot. It also allows you to try the software out, almost in its entirety, before deciding to opt for a more premium plan. It’s a good deal, and I’m impressed. Other features of Bitrix24 include:
Of course, just because the free starting plan is generous doesn’t mean that Bitrix24 is necessarily the best free CRM for your business. For example, I think the customization features of Bitrix24 aren’t the strongest, and the UI can be confusing to navigate. But for just getting your business off the ground, it’s a very solid choice. #8 – Really Simple Systems — The Best Free CRM for Sales Forecasting
Sales forecasting is a vital part of any business, allowing you to see your available budget and what a given strategy or route will potentially return to you. It also helps mitigate risk, keeping your business healthy in the long term. As the name suggests, Really Simple Systems makes sales forecasting as simple as it needs to be. This free CRM software provides you with a weighted and unweighted revenue forecast for all of your projects. ![]() Effectively, the weighted figure gives your business a clear understanding and probability of closing a deal. The fields in which this data is located can be auto-populated, too, saving essential time for other areas and giving you more data to work with overall. Accuracy is key to sales forecasting, and the more data you have, the more accurate you’ll be. Other features I like in the Really Simple Systems free CRM are:
The free plan of Really Simple Systems isn’t free forever, and after the trial expires, you’ll need to upgrade to one of their other plans. It’s also worth mentioning that the free plan lacks quite a few features of the other more premium plans, including email integration, user profiles, and design templates. The Starter package is $14 per user per month, the Professional is $30, and the Enterprise plan is $46 per user per month. The document storage on the free tier is only 100 MB, which can be easily used—if that’s important for your business, another CRM plan might be better. How to Find The Best Free CRM Software For YouYou’re interested in a free CRM, but you’re not sure which? Fret not. Here, I’ll explain the CRM categories and then go into the specific factors to consider in your search. The first thing to think about is the kind of CRM you want for your business. There are three main types of CRM software to consider:
The difference between these types of CRMs is the areas they focus on overall. For example, an operational CRM system focuses on capturing leads and streamlines and automates the process. It would be suitable—although not exclusively—for small businesses that prefer automation and those which run a linear sales process. HubSpot is an example of an operational CRM. An analytical CRM is all about the data, as you might assume from the name. So, here we’re talking about customer data and the insights you can get from it. Information from multiple channels will be structured and available for a team to use—for example, they might use the data which details customer preferences to improve customer relationships. Freshworks CRM delivers robust analytics through custom reports and a win-loss analysis. The last type is the collaborative CRM. This is CRM software that looks at all of the interactions a business has with its customers. The central aim is to share customer information between departments to bolster the overall customer service and eliminate problems. This would be suitable for businesses with many different departments and those happy to share the data around in a considerable manner. Bitrix24 is an example of a good collaborative CRM. In addition to the above three types of CRMs, these are the other key factors you need to think about when deciding on the right free CRM software for you: Self-Hosted vs. HostedA CRM system can be self-hosted or hosted. What that essentially means is the difference between sorting out the server and security for yourself or letting someone else take care of it. For example, most of the free CRMs on this list can take care of the hosting for you, and it’s included in almost all of the free and paid plans. SuiteCRM is an example of software that can be self-hosted or hosted through the cloud. There are advantages and disadvantages of self-hosting vs. hosting a CRM. In a nutshell, self-hosting gives you more control and is generally cheaper, but you will have to potentially manage and fix any problems that occur, such as a cybersecurity attack. Hosted CRMs are generally more expensive and give you less control—in theory—but you have access to top customer service teams and better infrastructure. It’s the peace of mind knowing that any problems will be fixed by a team of experts that make this a popular choice, certainly for larger businesses. Number of UsersThe number of users that free CRM software allows varies greatly. As you might expect, most of the free CRMs on this list limit the number of users on the free plan but significantly increase it on the paid plans. My advice is to think carefully about the number of users your business needs. For instance, does your business consist of a large team? Or maybe it’s a two-person effort? Bitrix24 is generous and offers 12 users on their free plan, while conversely, Insightly is aimed at two people on their initial offering. The last thing you want is a team member locked out of the software. However, a two-person setup might be all you need. Customer SupportThe level of total customer support you’ll receive when using a free CRM isn’t consistent across the board. For example, Freshworks provides customer support five days a week on their free plan, while Flowlu and Streak’s offering is more basic. It comes down to what your company needs right now. Is it crucial that you receive as good customer support as possible at this stage in your business? Or would you rather test the waters with a free CRM and then upgrade later for better support? Think about what you need in your situation. Type of Free PlanThe type of free plan on offer with CRM software fits into one of two main scenarios: the software is free forever but is probably limited in some ways. Or, there’s a free trial available for the software with most of the key features available, but once it expires, you will have to upgrade to a paid plan. For instance, on our list, we can see that SuiteCRM is free forever but limited in some features, but if you’re happy with what that offers, you need not pay anymore. Others, such as Really Simple Systems, have free trials, and once they expire, you will need to move onto a paid plan to continue to access it. The critical question is: what’s best for you and your business right now? SummaryThere isn’t any free CRM software on this list I would recommend entirely over the others because it really does depend on your business context. The one thing I can say for sure is that every single one of them has plenty to offer. If you’re looking for customer service as a top priority, go for Freshworks, but if financial management is more the thing you need, Flowlu is a good bet. For a great free starting plan, Bitrix24 has you covered. Maybe managing everything from Gmail is important. If so, I say go for Streak. Or perhaps powerful sales forecasting is what you’re after instead? In that case, Really Simple Systems is a strong choice. Need CRM software that can manage countless contacts? HubSpot offers 1,000,000. For everything project management, you should turn to Insightly, and SuiteCRM is an open-source delight. Use this guide carefully, and you’ll be up and running with free CRM software before you know it. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-free-crm-software/
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While most applicant tracking software options require paid plans, SmartStart is free to use when you have up to 10 active job listings at a time. This free software is a game-changer for smaller businesses, businesses looking to scale back their budgets, nonprofits, and more. And while SmartStart may be free, it still offers plenty of helpful features that can save time and make the hiring process easier and more effective. Whether you’re looking to attract better quality candidates or want to improve the communication and collaboration within your HR department, this software can help. SmartStart isn’t ideal for large businesses with high-volume hiring needs, but it’s an efficient and affordable option for many smaller businesses that are hiring more slowly. SmartStart Pros and ConsPros
Cons
Compare The Best Applicant Tracking Providers
We reviewed dozens of applicant tracking providers and narrowed them down to the best options.
See Top PicksHow SmartStart Compares to Top Applicant Tracking Software ToolsSince SmartStart is free to use yet still offers comprehensive functionality and time-saving features, it’s a top option when compared to other applicant tracking software options. Almost any other applicant tracking program requires a paid subscription, even on a monthly basis, giving SmartStart a distinct advantage that appeals to smaller businesses and those with tight budgets. BambooHR is another excellent choice, thanks to its HR collaboration tools and easy job posting process. Jazz HR is also highly customizable and includes the ability to send offers and e-sign documents, compliance and reporting features, and interview and assessment options for an all-in-one solution. SmartStart Hiring Volume and FrequencyWith SmartStart, you can post up to 10 jobs at a time. When compared to other applicant tracking software options, this hiring volume is very small, but it’s also key to what makes SmartStart unique. As long as you stay within this job posting volume, SmartStart is free to use. The 10-job limit means that SmartStart isn’t the right solution for every business, and it won’t support the hiring needs of larger businesses and corporations. For these businesses, upgrading to SmartRecruiter is a better option and will let you post more than 10 jobs simultaneously. If a business experiences a high-volume hiring period, upgrading to SmartRecruiter can give it that needed capacity. ![]() For businesses with lower-volume hiring needs, the 10-job limit should be just fine, especially if those businesses manage their job posts well. A business that moves through the applicant screening, interview, and hiring process promptly can then delete their job posts and free up that space for future posts. SmartStart is also ideal for businesses or departments that are looking to reduce their recruiting spend or their overall budgets. Making adjustments to work within that 10-job limit could be well-justified by the money that a business would save in working with SmartStart. SmartStart Software TypeSmartStart is designed for teams and for collaboration. Features like interview scorecards and an easy-to-use platform mean your hiring team can communicate and collaborate easily. The system keeps all of your candidate information in one place for easier management. ![]() SmartStart also offers a Hiring App, so your team can stay connected and keep moving forward in the hiring process no matter where your team members happen to be. SmartStart Human Resources FeaturesWhen it comes to human resources features, SmartStart falls somewhat short, but it’s also important to remember this software is for applicant tracking and isn’t intended to be a comprehensive HR platform. SmartStart does offer some tools like scheduling management and transparent applicant progress tracking. Its employee referral portal and an application screening form can help to speed up the screening and interview process, reducing the burden on your HR team. As far as the actual hiring and employee onboarding process goes, SmartStart doesn’t offer tools to help with those stages. If you want software that doubles as applicant tracking and overall HR software, a program like Bamboo HR would be a better choice. SmartStart BudgetIf you’re working on a tight budget or just looking for ways to save money, SmartStart is a wise choice. SmartStart is free to use, as long as you have 10 or fewer simultaneous job postings. With other software ranging from $30 to multiple hundreds of dollars per month, SmartStart is an appealing software choice, particularly for businesses operating on a budget. There is no need to worry about contracts and commitments, so it’s easy to try the software out to see if it’s the right fit for your business. Because SmartStart is free, it’s an ideal choice for many businesses and situations. Smaller businesses, or those working on a budget, will appreciate the obligation-free, no-cost option. It’s also ideal for startups or for businesses that are going through temporary hiring phases and don’t want to commit to the financial requirements of a long-term paid software solution. SmartStart is an appealing choice for non-profits, too, as well as for businesses that are growing and that are facing significant expansion expenses. SmartStart’s Free Recruiting SoftwareSmartStart offers a recruiting and applicant tracking solution that’s not only comprehensive, but that’s also free to use. Providing the functionality and time-saving perks that you’ll see in many other software platforms, SmartStart wins out against all competitors when it comes to affordability. With SmartStart, you can post up to 10 jobs at any time while using the software for free. This capacity is more than enough for most smaller and medium-sized businesses, as long as they aren’t doing an active hiring push. Once you’ve filled a job and closed the listing, you can post another one, so by carefully managing your job postings, you can save significant money over a paid subscription service. (If your business ever does need to post more than 10 jobs at a time, you can pay to upgrade to SmartRecruit, a robust paid service offered by the same company as SmartStart. We’ll talk more about SmartRecruit later in this post.) While SmartStart may be free to use, it’s far from a bare-bones program with limited features. Its functionality addresses everything from the drafting of your job posts to the actual moment of hiring new employees. SmartStart lets you create job descriptions and post them on any website, distribute them to aggregators, and automatically post them to Facebook. You can also create a branded website, sharing videos and testimonials to highlight the advantages of a career with your business. Other perks like one-click apply can help to encourage more applicants and better-qualified candidates. SmartStart also addresses the candidate experience. Not only does this software help to increase the reach of your job postings by allowing you to post on many platforms, but it also helps you to make a professional first impression on candidates, which may motivate them to accept job offers. With this software, candidates receive automated updates, so they have information on their application progress and the overall hiring process. This alone can set your business apart from other businesses, which might confirm an application receipt but then never again follow up with applicants. A personalized auto-reply feature also helps with follow-up emails and inquiries, and you can set that auto-reply to include pertinent information to help applicants feel heard. Once applications start to come in, SmartStart makes the review and tracking process easy and organized. Scheduling management tools and personalized auto-reply features make it easy to schedule interviews. Customizable interview scorecards and candidate-sharing features allow for easier and more effective interviews. Other unique features like an employee referral portal and a database designed for candidate management help to take the stress out of the hiring process. ![]() This software is also designed to facilitate communication while saving your HR department time. The centralized email gateway lets you keep candidate emails in one location, keeping you organized and making it easy to retrieve information. Transparent progress tracking ensures that your entire HR team is updated on all progress, allowing your team to work together. The fact that all of your team members can easily stay updated has important benefits when team members are out of the office for vacations, time off, or emergencies. With all of the information in one centralized location, any team member can step in to schedule an interview, move a candidate forward in the hiring process, or answer candidate questions that might come in. SmartStart also offers comprehensive support resources. In-product guides and the Help Center offer detailed support on common topics, including posting jobs on career sites and posting and managing jobs. SmartStart also offers email support. While the lack of phone support can mean it takes longer to get answers and help, the availability of support is a benefit, especially given that the software is completely free to use. ![]() Applicant tracking software is only helpful if it’s functional and secure, and SmartStart excels in those criteria, too. The platform is both flexible and secure, thanks to state-of-the-art hosting and security to protect your data. SmartStart also complies with data privacy regulations, offering you peace of mind. With SmartStart, you’ll enjoy a fully mobile-optimized experience and detailed analytics. This cloud-based platform is designed for security and reliable performance, ensuring you’ll be able to access your data wherever and whenever you want. SmartRecruitSmartStart is the free version of SmartRecruiters. While SmartStart is ideal for businesses hiring 10 or fewer roles at a time, businesses with greater hiring volumes will be best served by SmartRecruiters’ paid options, especially the SmarRecruit core plan. The SmartRecruit core product offers the same functionality that you’ll get from SmartStart, but with some vital enhancements. This applicant tracking system works to help you attract, select, and hire new staff. It’s enhanced with sourcing analytics and reporting dashboards to help you better find those ideal applicants. It’s also pre-integrated with more than 350 recruitment solutions and connects with more than 200 job boards, ideal for any business looking to source candidates globally. SmartRecruit also boasts a 99.99% uptime for impressive reliability. It can be configured for multiple brands and hiring procedures, making it an ideal choice for large businesses and corporations that may consist of many brands, departments, or individual hiring entities. While SmartRecruit offers the additional reach and functionality needed for high-volume hiring, you can further enhance it by choosing from a variety of add-ons, including:
These add-ons let you tailor the software’s performance to your needs. For example, adding on SmartDistribute gives you the ability to view all details from your job post on up to 1,000 boards in a single view. With SmartMessage, you can text your candidates and keep those messages centralized in a single inbox, perfect for teams where multiple people are involved in the hiring process. Offering these add-ons is a benefit that can help to keep costs down. While SmartRecruit pricing isn’t advertised, choosing just a few essential add-ons lets you get the specific performance that you need without having to pay for a larger package of features that you won’t use.
Compare The Best Applicant Tracking Providers
We reviewed dozens of applicant tracking providers and narrowed them down to the best options.
See Top PicksSmartStart isn’t the right choice for everyone, especially for businesses with high-volume hiring needs. However, it’s a highly affordable option for businesses that need to have 10 or fewer active job postings at a time. This software not only simplifies the process of tracking applicants, but also helps to bring in more, better-quality applicants and to increase the reach of your job ads. Other benefits like the ability to create your own career website page and one-click applications can help to connect you with the candidates you really need. This software offers plenty of functionality, and even though it’s a free option, it’s highly effective and helpful for HR teams. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/smartstart-review/ Buying or selling a business is a big deal. With potentially millions of dollars at stake, you can’t afford to take any shortcuts. The best business brokers assist with fair business valuations, negotiations, confidentiality, and guarantee that all regulations are followed during the sale. Whether you’re an existing business owner looking to sell or a savvy entrepreneur looking to buy, business brokers ensure that you have the best possible experience during the transaction. The Top 7 Best Business Brokers
After extensive research, we’ve narrowed down the best seven business brokers on the market today. The in-depth reviews below will help you find the best business broker for your unique situation. #1 – Woodbridge International — Best For Creating High Demand and Multiple Bids
Woodbridge International has been a leading firm in the mergers and acquisitions space since 1993. They have 19 global offices throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, India, Japan, Germany, Hong Kong, South Africa, and more. This broker is made for people that want to sell their business for the highest possible value. ![]() Woodbridge International accomplishes this with a unique auction that establishes a closing date from the beginning. The way the auction gets run is designed to attract multiple buyers and create a bidding war for your business. The entire process includes an underwriting period and a bid acceptance period as well. So not only can you sell your business for a high price, but you can close the deal quickly too. Woodbridge International helps you create a powerful marketing video that highlights your company to prospective buyers in the auction. They also have a proprietary network of 6,600+ private equity groups and 410,000+ strategic companies. This allows them to easily identify the greatest number of possible buyers for your company. If your company generates anywhere from $5 million to $200+ million in annual revenue, Woodbridge International can help you sell it for a high value. #2 – Peterson Acquisitions — Best For Fast Business Valuations
One of the hardest parts of selling a business is determining the value of your company. Underestimating and overestimating your company can equally lead to poor results during the selling process. Peterson Acquisitions simplifies things with its one-click business valuation form. ![]() Just head to the website and answer a handful of questions about your business, including:
It only takes a few minutes to fill out the form. Peterson Acquisitions will get back to you within 24 hours with a fair and accurate valuation. The firm boasts a 90% success rate, compared to the national average falling somewhere in the 11% to 25% range. This high success all starts with a fair valuation. If you spend some time on the Peterson Acquisitions website, you’ll see that they help businesses of all shapes and sizes across every possible industry. Here are a few recent sales to showcase the firm’s versatility:
Head to Peterson Acquisitions now to get an accurate valuation for your business in 24 hours. #3 – Synergy Business Brokers — Best For Buying Industry-Specific Companies
Lots of business brokers are geared towards sellers. But Synergy Business Brokers puts equal emphasis on brokerage services for buyers. While the company brokers business sales throughout the US, the majority of the deals come from businesses in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South, and Midwest. ![]() As a prospective buyer, Synergy Business Brokers has everything you need to help narrow down your search. The website has a smart filter that allows you to search for businesses based on asking price, revenue, and net cash flow. You can search businesses for sale by industry as well, including:
Narrow the search even more by inputting specific keywords or searching businesses for sale by location. Once you find a business that fits your search criteria and piques your interest, Synergy Business Brokers provides you with a complete overview of the company. You’ll learn more about the company’s history, operations, employees, customers, and the reason why it’s listed for sale. Details of the business even include lease options, monthly rent, office or warehouse square footage, and much more. Synergy Business Brokers provides additional resources, help articles, and other tools to help buyers succeed with the search and purchase of another business. #4 – Digital Exits — Best For Buying and Selling Online Businesses
Founded in 2013, Digital Exits is a bit newer compared to some of the other business brokers on our list. But this brokerage is specifically designed for people interested in buying or selling an online business. ![]() The firm boasts an impressive 94% closing rate. In the past twelve months, they’ve sold over $35 million in online businesses with an average deal price of $3.1 million. I like Digital Exits because they go above and beyond brokering the deal. Once you come to them with an interest in selling your online business, they do everything in their power to ensure you get maximum value. They prepare a marketing plan, executive summary for buyers, manage the deal flow, and line up multiple qualified buyers. The brokerage has a relationship with exclusive and private buyers with $668.27 million in cash ready for business acquisitions. Just fill out a quick form online to get a valuation for your website and online business. For those of you who are interested in buying an internet-based business, you can browse for listings on Digital Exits as well. You can even register for updates to get notified via email whenever a new business gets listed through this platform. #5 – Transworld Business Advisors — Best For Buying a Franchise
Transworld Business Advisors is one of the most reputable business brokers on the market. They’ve sold 10,000+ businesses over the past 40+ years. The firm has more than 600+ qualified brokers working from 250+ offices located throughout the globe. What really makes Transworld Business Advisors stand out compared to other business brokers is its franchise services. ![]() The idea of buying a franchise is an appealing investment for many entrepreneurs. If you find yourself in this position but don’t know where to start your search, Transworld Business Advisors is perfect for your situation. They represent roughly 200 franchise opportunities across different industries and investment levels. To get started, they offer a free franchise consultation. During this process, they get to learn a bit more about you, your business background, hobbies, interests, and more. Using that background information, you’ll be presented with potential franchise opportunities that fit your criteria. Transworld Business Advisors does more than just broker the deal. They also offer continued consulting and due diligence. You’ll even have the opportunity to speak with the franchisors directly and ask them more questions about the business. #6 – Sunbelt Business Brokers — Best For Selling Companies With Low Annual Revenue
Founded back in 1978, Sunbelt Business Brokers claims to have sold more businesses than anyone else in the world. They have solutions for buyers, sellers and work with companies across a wide range of industries. What makes Sunbelt Business Brokers unique compared to alternatives on the market is their willingness to work with businesses of all sizes. ![]() Lots of brokers won’t work with companies unless the business does $1 million or $5 million, at minimum, in annual revenue. But Sunbelt will broker your deal as long as the business generates annual revenue of $50,000. This is an appealing option for smaller businesses and startups that want to exit early without having to put in more years until reaching a seven-figure revenue stream. Compared to other business brokers, Sunbelt probably has the most extensive list of industry expertise that we’ve seen. They facilitate business transitions in industries like:
The list goes on and on. Sunbelt Business Brokers doesn’t just help small businesses either. They work with companies generating an annual revenue of $50+ million as well. So whether you’re small or large, Sunbelt will help get your business sold. #7 – Calhoun Companies — Best Business Broker For Commercial Real Estate
Calhoun Companies is a pioneer in the business brokerage world. Founded in 1908, this firm has over 100 years of experience selling businesses. Even with such a long history, the brokerage is relatively small. They only have 23 brokers on staff, and they close an average of 63 deals per year. So you know that you’ll be getting lots of attention from your broker throughout the process. ![]() In addition to traditional business brokerage services for buying and selling a business, Calhoun Companies stands out from the crowd with its experience in the commercial real estate space. They provide an extensive range of services for buying, selling, and leasing commercial real estate through a vast professional network. Calhoun Companies helps sell retail space, commercial offices, and industrial properties. Sales prices on the commercial real estate transactions brokered by Calhoun Companies fall in the $1 million to $50+ million range. Best of all, Calhoun Companies has zero upfront seller fees. So you can contact them today to get started without worrying about dipping into your wallet. How to Find the Best Business Brokers For YouBusiness brokers assist in the purchase and sale of businesses. They typically work on commission, and lots of the firms you’ll find on the market will offer similar services. With that said, there are certain factors that should be taken into consideration as you’re comparing brokers side by side. This ensures that you’re working with a broker that can accommodate your specific needs. Annual RevenueIf you’re selling a business, your company’s annual revenue will be one of the first questions on any valuation form. Some brokers impose minimum annual revenue streams for sellers. On the higher end, these can start around $1 million, $5 million, or even $10 million. So you’ll need to make sure your revenue qualifies for certain brokers to consider the deal. There are some business brokers out there that are willing to work with smaller companies generating less annual revenue. The lowest we’ve seen starts at $50,000 per year. You might have fewer options if your revenue is in this range, but the options still exist. Buying vs. SellingBoth buyers and sellers go through business brokers to facilitate big transactions. However, some brokerages tend to favor one group over another. It should be fairly obvious when you land on a brokerage website to figure out if they’re trying to appeal more towards buyers or sellers. As a seller, you want to look for services that will help you get competing bids and maximize the sale value. Buyers should look for brokers with lots of businesses for sale at a fair price, with tools for narrowing the search. You can find some brokerage services with an even split between buyers and sellers, but most of them will lean one way over the other. Industry ExpertiseLook for a business broker that has experience selling companies in your industry. They’ll have existing relationships with buyers and private equity groups that want to invest in specific spaces. If you can’t find some success stories and recent sales of businesses in your niche from a broker, then you should probably keep shopping around. Examples of industries with specific needs include technology, online businesses, commercial real estate, restaurants, franchises, manufacturing, and more. SummaryWhether you’re looking to retire or start your next venture, moving forward all starts with finding the right business broker. Woodbridge International is an excellent option for sellers that want bids from multiple buyers to drive up the sales price. If you want a fast valuation of your business, you can get one from Peterson Acquisitions in less than 24 hours. Check out Synergy Business Brokers if you’re interested in buying a business or look into Transworld Business Advisors if you want to buy a franchise. For buying and selling online businesses, Digital Exits is our top recommendation. Sunbelt Business Brokers helps sell businesses generating a low annual revenue, starting at $50,000 per year. Use Calhoun Companies for commercial real estate transactions. Regardless of your needs, you can find the best business broker using the recommendations and methodology listed in this guide. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-business-brokers/ Want to jump straight to the answer? The best email hosting provider for most SMBs is DreamHost. When running a small or medium-sized business, having a branded email address is a big help. Customers are sure to take the SMB more seriously with a branded email using the SMB’s domain name versus a generic Gmail account. Email hosting providers give SMBs the ability to receive multiple high-end email features with strong security options too. With so many email hosting providers available, we’ve put together a list of the seven best options, depending on the needs of the SMB. The Top 7 Best Email Hosting Providers
#1 – DreamHost — Best All-Around Email Hosting Provider
We like DreamHost as the best all-around email hosting provider because of its ease of use and versatility. It delivers everything the SMB could need in an email host for a low price. This is a fast and inexpensive option for obtaining a professional email address, especially for a small organization. DreamHost delivers stronger security features than expected, especially considering the low price it offers. It carries a highly effective defense against spam, viruses, malware, and phishing attacks. ![]() Users receive a strong mobile app with DreamHost, simplifying the process of working away from the office. All messages sync automatically between the web browser version and the mobile version. DreamHost unfortunately does not offer customer support by phone. It does have live chat and email support, though. When your organization needs more than email hosting services, DreamHost also has services like website creation and hosting, domain name acquisition, WordPress hosting, and many others. The basic email plans start at $1.67 per month per mailbox. #2 – Hostinger — Best Budget-Friendly Provider
Hostinger has one of the least expensive email hosting options anywhere, as its Business tier starts at $0.99 per month per mailbox. It has plenty of strong features for that price, including support for multiple devices, 10 GB of storage, and 50 email aliases per account. Even the more expensive Enterprise tier is extremely affordable at $2.49 per month per mailbox. It offers 30 GB of email storage per account. Both tiers have a browser version, as well as apps that will work with either iOS or Android devices. ![]() The Hostinger email hosting service runs on Titan client software, which includes apps for managing contacts and a calendar. For those SMBs that need to migrate email information from another client into Hostinger, this is an easy process. Should an SMB need more than email hosting, Hostinger has website hosting and WordPress hosting too. In fact, the most basic website hosting tier in Hostinger will include an email address based on the SMB’s domain, which can save money. Hostinger offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. #3 – Intermedia — Best for Email Security
The Intermedia Hosted Exchange Email service is a great choice for those needing high-end features in a provider. It’s built over the top of the Microsoft Exchange business email service. Security is a key component of Intermedia. Some of the benefits found with this service include:
For those working in a highly regulated environment, high-security email is a necessity. Intermedia can provide this service for its customers. End users can access their email messages through a web browser or through an app on mobile devices. As end users make changes on one device, the changes will sync to all devices simultaneously. ![]() Those using Intermedia will have unlimited email storage, ensuring end users and SMBs never have to worry about how they use the email client. With an Intermedia account, end users will have access to calendar and contact management software. It’s easy to integrate the calendar with the email client to organize a meeting, for example. It is a bit more expensive than some other email hosting solutions on our list, as it starts at $7.49 per month per mailbox. However, it has quite a few more features than some of the lower-priced models too. For example, customers have the option of around-the-clock telephone support here, which is not a common option. #4 – Scala Hosting — Best for Significant Storage
Scala Hosting has a wide range of different price points and features available that allow SMBs to create the perfect email hosting service for their needs. For organizations that need large amounts of storage paired with the email client, Scala Hosting delivers. Its Medium tier offers 150 GB of storage, while the Corporate tier allows the end user to select any amount of storage. ![]() Organizations can select among four different tiers, ranging from 10 email boxes per account to an unlimited number of email boxes, which are available in the Corporate tier. The majority of users will select the Corporate tier, which includes significant protection against spam. It also includes a free domain name. End users will receive their own dedicated email server with Scala Hosting in this tier, creating a higher level of security for the business’ emails. The Corporate tier starts at $9.95 per month. SMBs will pay quite a bit more, however, unless they’re willing to commit to a three-year contract. Scala Hosting does allow SMBs to adjust their account settings each month, ensuring they only pay for the services they’re actually using. #5 – Google Workspace — Best for Google-Centric Users
With a Google Workspace account, businesses gain email hosting services, along with all of the other Google services they’re already using. For those SMBs that rely on Google apps regularly, adding email hosting through Workspace makes a lot of sense. Through Workspace email hosting, organizations are able to gain a customized and secure business email address that runs in the Gmail client. However, the business email address includes the business’ domain name, rather than using gmail.com as the domain. Unlike with a personal Gmail account, customers using the Workspace hosted email service do not see ads within the Gmail client. ![]() It offers advanced security controls that protect the data the business is sending and receiving. Workspace also protects against spam messages and phishing attacks in Gmail. Google claims that it can stop at least 99.9% of these issues. Teams using Workspace to host their business Gmail account can activate two-factor authentication, providing an extra layer of security. Workspace offers business email hosting in all of its pricing tiers. The Business Starter tier starts at $6 per user per month, and it has 30 GB of cloud storage available per user. End users will need to share this storage amount across all of the Google Workspace apps they’re using. #6 – Microsoft 365 Business Standard — Best for Microsoft-Centric Users
Those who rely on Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Outlook, and other Microsoft apps will have good luck with this Microsoft email hosting service for business. With the subscription to this Business Standard tier, users will gain access to the hosted email solution, along with all of the Office productivity tools. Subscribers will receive email hosting with custom email addresses based on the SMB’s domain name. In the Business Standard tier, users will have up to 50 GB of email storage per account, as well as 1 TB of cloud storage on Microsoft OneDrive. Each license includes support for multiple devices, including smartphones and tablets. Team members can make use of the Outlook email client with Business Standard. ![]() For especially busy organizations, this Microsoft email provider attempts to sort messages based on importance. It uses an algorithm that can help with limiting the sheer volume of messages the user must look at every day. Users will play a starting price of $12.50 per month per user for everything in the Business Standard tier. A 30-day free trial period is available. #7 – Amazon WorkMail — Best for AWS-Centric Users
For an SMB that is making use of AWS (Amazon Web Services), adding the Amazon WorkMail email hosting service is a natural progression. WorkMail integrates closely with other AWS services that the business may already be using, making it highly efficient. With WorkMail, organizations can count on the security of their email messages and data. It encrypts all data at rest and in transit. It provides protection against malware, viruses, and spam. The service works well on mobile devices, as well as through a web browser. ![]() Businesses that have an extremely busy email environment with dozens of employees likely can successfully make use of WorkMail. It does require some knowledge and experience with AWS to achieve the best results. Small businesses that only need a few email addresses may find WorkMail (and AWS) require too much work to set up and use for their needs. WorkMail starts at a price of $4 per month per user. Each email box receives 50 GB of data storage, which is impressive. A 30-day free trial period is available. How to Find the Best Email Hosting Providers for YouHere are some of the criteria we used to determine the providers included in our list. Focusing on these areas can help small or medium-sized businesses find just the right hosting provider for their needs. MobilityEmployees who work away from the office may frequently track their email messages on a smartphone. Any email hosting provider should have a strong app that simplifies accessing messages on a small smartphone screen. Although mobile users could access their email through a web browser on a smartphone, this doesn’t always yield the best results. Some email clients running through a browser on a smartphone are tough to read or navigate. For the best results, look for an email hosting provider that offers an app. The majority of providers that create apps will have both iOS and Android versions available. SecurityFor SMBs that frequently send sensitive files over email, the security features a provider offers are important to consider. Some of the security options that the best email hosting providers will have include:
Pay attention to the security features the provider offers, as well as to any guarantees it provides regarding security. Understand that many data breaches and security issues occur because of errors on the part of end users in the SMB. However, when the email hosting provider has a strong set of security features available, this can reduce the severity of potential end user errors. PrivacyThe majority of the best email providers will have clear policies in place regarding how they will handle the SMB’s data. Most of them will include a policy that states the provider will not sell the organization’s usage data statistics to third parties. However, some providers do monitor and track the way the SMB uses its email. This could lead to targeted advertising and marketing. These are issues the business may not want to have to deal with regularly. It’s far better to stick with an email hosting provider that guarantees the privacy of client business data. SupportThe majority of email hosting services are extremely easy to set up and use. This is important for an SMB that needs to be sending and receiving emails as quickly as possible. However, for those times where the business needs customer support, email hosting providers offer a wide range of options. Most providers will offer around-the-clock support through live chat or email. Depending on the service tier an SMB is using, it’s possible to have phone support available too. Along these same lines, email hosting providers need to offer nearly perfect uptime to their clients. No business wants to discover its employees cannot send and receive emails, even for a few minutes during the business day, because of a failure on the provider’s end. The majority of providers will guarantee at least 99.9% uptime. StorageSome SMBs need to have cloud storage space available that’s tied to the email software. End users can take advantage of storage that comes with the email account to archive messages, for example. An average user will need 1 GB or 2 GB of data storage space with the email provider. Those who are heavy email users and who archive huge numbers of messages may need 10 GB or more to do the job. SummaryWe chose DreamHost as our favorite email hosting provider. It will deliver a nice set of features for a variety of SMBs. However, we recognize DreamHost won’t be perfect for every organization. For those who need some specific features, we have several other recommendations. Those who need extra security can count on Intermedia. Scala Hosting provides huge amounts of storage for the busiest environments, while Hostinger is better for small organizations on a budget. And of course, for those businesses that rely on Microsoft, Google, or AWS for their other services, each of those companies has a great email hosting service. We may loathe seeing several dozen new emails on Monday morning, but we all know the importance of email to any business. The email hosting providers on our list will make it easier to manage daily email needs and to do so securely. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-email-hosting-providers/ With remote work becoming the new normal, companies across all industries are expanding their workforces to global markets. The ease of digital communication allows organizations to work with employees and contractors in different countries, often for inexpensive labor. But not every payroll solution supports cross-border payments. Companies with employees in different countries also need to understand payroll compliance and tax laws in multiple jurisdictions. The best international payroll services make it easy for any business to pay employees regardless of their location while remaining compliant. The Top 6 Best International Payroll Services
After extensive research, we’ve narrowed down the top six international payroll providers on the market. The in-depth reviews below will help you find the best international payroll service for your specific business. #1 – Papaya Global — Best Global HR Solution With Built-In Payroll
Papaya Global is an all-in-one solution for international hiring, onboarding, and cross-border payroll. This award-winning payroll provider is trusted by global brands like Microsoft, Toyota, Johnson & Johnson, Intel, Wix, and more. The fully integrated HRIS platform has everything you need to manage your global workforce. ![]() Papaya Global doubles as an Employer of Record (EOR). This means you can hire employees internationally without establishing a local entity and still remain compliant. The platform makes it easy for you to streamline the hiring process and standardize international onboarding procedures. Papaya Global even has the tools you need for employee relocation, work permits, residence permits, and other immigration solutions. In addition to international payroll, Papaya Global supports HR and benefits administration in 140+ countries as well. The payroll solution ensures that employees will be paid in their local currencies and receive pay stubs in native languages. Papaya Global takes the stress out of cross-border payments with automation, built-in compliance, and payroll reports from a single source of truth. Payroll plans start as low as $20 per employee per month, and contractor payments start at $25 per pay cycle. To get the most out of Papaya Global, I recommend the payroll intelligence suite, starting at $250 with an annual billing cycle. Your plan is backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee. #2 – ADP Global Payroll — Best For International Payroll Compliance
As previously mentioned, maintaining compliance with international employees must be a top priority for all businesses. ADP is one of the most trusted names in the payroll industry. They’ve been an innovation leader in this category for 70+ years. So it should come as no surprise to see that ADP Global Payroll lives up to the standards for maintaining compliance. ![]() Every global payroll solution comes with built-in compliance expertise. The team at ADP understands all of the government regulations and local laws that must be followed when you’re hiring and paying employees in different countries. These compliance experts are available in 140+ countries across the globe. You’ll also benefit from built-in security provisions and data privacy for your payroll system. There are actually two different ADP Global Payroll solutions to consider—ADP Celegro and ADP GlobalView Payroll. ADP Celergo is built for companies with employees in at least three countries, with up to 1,000 employees per country. ADP GlobalView Payroll is designed for multinational businesses in up to 42 countries. You need to have at least 1,000 employees in a single country to be eligible for ADP GlobalView Payroll. Request a demo and free quote to learn more. #3 – Immedis — Best For Streamlining Administrative Payroll Tasks
Immedis is a technology-forward cloud-based payroll system. It supports complete payroll cycles for international pay runs in 150+ countries with real-time analytics and advanced reporting tools. Global brands like Uber, Wayfair, McAfee, Adobe, and Twilio all rely on Immedis for international payroll processing. ![]() Compared to other international payroll services, Immedis really stands out with its robust technology. The platform lets you automate payroll inputs and other processes to reduce the administrative labor required to run payroll. The software also comes with an employee self-service portal so each employee can enter and access their own data from anywhere. Your staff can access old pay stubs or update bank details without needing to contact your payroll department. If you run into any problems or need some help, Immedis offers 24/7 payroll support and fast ticket response. So you can rest easy knowing they have your back if trouble arises. Request a free demo to get started. #4 – Globalization Partners — Best For Businesses Expanding to New Countries
Globalization Partners is a bit unique compared to some of the other solutions on our list. That’s because this service goes above and beyond basic international payroll. It’s designed for companies that want to expand to new countries without creating a subsidiary or local office. You can use Globalization Partners to expand your business to a new country with just a few simple clicks online. ![]() Globalization Partners offers exceptional Employer of Record (EOR) services in addition to international payroll. It’s a low-risk way to expand since they handle all of the responsibility. Here’s how it works. All you need to do is find the employees you want to hire internationally, and their team takes care of the rest. Globalization Partners manages the onboarding process to ensure compliance. They also handle payroll and benefits administration in 187 countries. This includes tax filings and other country-specific laws. Adding bonuses, commissions, and other payroll exceptions is a breeze. Their reputation speaks for itself. Globalization Partners boasts a 97% customer satisfaction rating and 99% payroll accuracy score. Request a free proposal online to get started with Globalization Partners. #5 – Payoneer — Best For Paying International Contractors
Payoneer is not a full-service payroll provider. With that said, it’s still an excellent and reliable solution for businesses that need to issue payments to international workers. It’s perfect for sending payments to contractors, suppliers, freelancers, and remote employees overseas. ![]() Use Payoneer to issue contractor payments via bank transfer, ACH debit, or even credit card. This gives you lots of flexibility in terms of how you pay your contractors. The platform supports one-off payments, recurring payments, and monthly salaries. So whether you’re working with contractors on a per-project basis or for ongoing work, Payoneer has you covered. For those of you working with multiple contractors or freelancers, Payoneer even supports batch payments. So you can issue payments to all of your contractors at the same time, making it easy for you to scale without adding extra administrative work on the back end. Payoneer supports international payments in 200+ different countries, which is the largest number we’ve seen when researching global payroll solutions. The service is available for businesses registered in the US, Canada, Switzerland, India, Chile, Brazil, Israel, Peru, Turkey, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Columbia, and the Russian Federation. It’s free to sign up, and fees are only assessed when payments are sent. Depending on the recipient, your business might not pay any fees to use Payoneer. #6 – Rippling — Best For Fast International Payroll Runs
Rippling is branded as an “employee management platform” as it supports payroll, HR, benefits, onboarding, and more. If you’re looking for the easiest way to run international payroll, Rippling is second to none. In fact, Rippling’s platform lets you run international payroll in just 90 seconds. ![]() Rippling’s pay runs are so quick because you never need to manually enter data or make calculations on your own. The platform syncs all of your HR data with the payroll system, so all of this gets handled automatically. It’s just a matter of setting your pay periods, reviewing the payroll, and approving it. The platform comes with built-in compliance tools, automatic tax filings, time tracking, reporting tools, and so much more. Rippling’s only major drawback is its scalability. It’s designed for businesses with up to 1,000 employees. So if your company currently has more people on the payroll or you’re planning to grow beyond the 1,000 employee mark, Rippling probably won’t work for you. Plans start at just $8 per user per month. Contact Rippling for a free custom quote to learn more about the company’s international payroll services. How to Find the Best International Payroll Service For YouAll international payroll services have one thing in common—they allow you to pay employees in multiple countries. So you’ll see lots of common features from one service provider to another. With that said, there are some key factors that you should take into your final decision as you’re shopping around and comparing services. This will help you distinguish which international payroll services support the needs specific to your company. HR ToolsBeyond payroll, some of the top options in this category provide an all-in-one solution for workforce management. This includes tools for international hiring, onboarding, benefits administration, time-off tracking, and more. Most businesses use some type of HR software to manage their international teams. So it’s just a matter of deciding whether you want a separate solution for HR or if you want a fully integrated solution with your payroll provider. Going with an all-in-one solution for HR and payroll definitely has its fair share of benefits. For starters, it limits the amount of software you and your staff need to use for everyday tasks. But these solutions also tend to simplify payroll in the sense that all of the data exists in one place. So you won’t have to worry about imports, exports, and integrations between different systems. These solutions typically offer more accurate payroll runs as well since all of the employee data is coming from the same source. Employees vs. ContractorsThere are several differences that you need to consider when you’re paying an employee compared to a contractor. Some international payroll services support both employee and contractor payments, while others are better for one or the other. Make sure the platform you’re evaluating can handle payments for the type of workers you need to pay. To remain compliant in some countries, you need to set up a local presence to legally pay employees. This requirement typically isn’t necessary if you’re paying contract workers. Tax forms, filing status, and other variables need to be taken into consideration here as well. Employer of Record (EOR) ServicesThis piggybacks off of our last point about the requirements needed to pay employees in certain countries. An employer of record is a company that’s legally responsible for payroll, employment taxes, insurance, visa applications, immigration forms, and more. So if you want to hire employees in certain regions without actually setting up a local presence there, you need to go with an international payroll service that offers EOR services. In this case, the service provider will handle everything for you. They’ll become legally responsible for maintaining the payroll services and everything else required for you to remain compliant. This route is much more cost-effective and offers less risk than starting a new entity or subsidiary in every country where you hire a new employee. Not every international payroll provider offers this type of service. So you can quickly eliminate certain providers if an EOR is something you need. SummaryPayroll is a significant responsibility for employers. For those of you with employees in different countries, finding the right international payroll service for your business is an important decision. Use the top recommendations and methodology described in this guide to narrow down your options. Papaya Global is ideal for organizations that want an all-in-one solution for HR and international payroll. ADP Global is our top recommendation for international payroll compliance. For payroll automation and reducing the administrative burden, check out Immedis. Globalization Partners works well for companies that want to expand to new countries without setting up a local office. For one-off and recurring payments to contractors and freelancers, try Payoneer. If your business has less than 1,000 employees and you want a simple way to manage international payroll, Rippling should be at the top of your list. Regardless of your needs, this guide has something for everyone. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-international-payroll-services/ Want to jump straight to the answer? The best phone service for most small businesses is definitely Nextiva, Ooma, or RingCentral. The right business phone services can get a small business toll-free numbers, easy call routing, and unlimited SMS for a low monthly rate. Most companies opt for a VoIP phone system, which stands for voice over internet protocol. With these, you make calls over the internet instead of a landline. VoIP is easier to set up, easier to manage, and much cheaper than traditional phones. You don’t have to worry about securing calls or maintaining any expensive equipment on site. Keep reading for in-depth reviews of the top eight business phone services that small businesses can start using today. The Best Business Phone Service Providers for 2021I’ve included some really affordable options in my top picks. You can find cheaper phone systems out there, but I would be cautious of going with a provider who’s not well known. My recommendations include only trusted providers with secure technology. Each one works best for particular kinds of companies:
Below, you’ll find reviews to help you compare the pricing, plans, and features of each one. Following the reviews is a short guide that explains my recommendations and lays out the important considerations of choosing a phone service for your business. #1 – Nextiva – The Best for Out-of-the-Office Organizations
Nextiva is an industry leader in the business phone service space—and for great reason. They offer reliable phone systems at a great price. This phone service’s features, tools, and hardware include:
So you have the flexibility to use phones or just download the app and use a headset from any device. All the security is handled by Nextiva, so people can work wherever they are without causing IT headaches for administrators. And while Nextiva’s physical hardware is great, where they really shine is in their tools to connect your office, no matter where your team is located. With the Nextiva App, you’ll be able to use the same phone numbers you use at your office desk from the comfort of your own home. You can even use the same extensions you’d use in the office. With the app, you’ll also be able to video conference and instant message your team members with just a few clicks. On top of that, Nextiva offers a great auto attendant tool that automatically greets your callers and directs them to where they need to go. Customers also get access to voicemail to email which streamlines your voicemail inbox. The auto attendant tool is helpful whether your business uses a physical office or if you’re distributed—allowing you to easily funnel your callers to the right people no matter where they are. You get to choose between three simple plans. The price depends on the number of users and the length of your contract. There are plans to accommodate businesses of all shapes and sizes, with options for businesses with 1-4 users, all the way up to 100+ users. ![]() Here are the starting rates for each plan, per user, for an annual contract:
These are the most affordable enterprise-level plans that I’ve seen so far. Some other highlights of Nextiva’s small business phone service include:
Some sought-after features are not included in the Basic plan. If you want to use the Nextiva app, get unlimited conference calls, pre-recorded greetings, and text messaging, you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro plan. Call recording, voice analytics, and voicemail to text delivery are only available on the Enterprise plan. Try Nextiva for free today. #2 – Ooma – Best Physical Phone System for Small Businesses
Ooma is an ideal solution for businesses that want to keep using hard phones. Some offices want a phone at everyone’s desk. Large organizations need numbers tied to locations, not people. Hotels aren’t going to offer guests headsets and a tablet. The reason I like Ooma so much is that it’s a true plug-and-play system. It’s easy to set up, very straight-forward to customize to your workplace, and it’s going to tie into your existing technology without much of an issue. Once you install an Ooma base station, you’ll be able to hook up any old phones and fax machines with adapters. New businesses might be swayed by their lucrative pricing. Just pay a flat rate of $19.95 per month per user. No contracts and you can cancel at any time. The catch? The monthly rates don’t include hardware costs. ![]() But by purchasing your hardware with a relatively low one-time fee, you’ll end up saving the money in the long run as opposed to renting it each month. Ooma does have a mobile app, which allows you and your staff to make calls on the go from your smartphones. So you could opt to go mobile-only and skip the hardware costs. But I don’t recommend this. There are better options out there if you’re looking for a business VoIP phone service without any hardware. So stick with Ooma if you want straightforward rates for your office phone. For those of you with a growing team, Ooma can scale with you. It’s easy to add on users, devices, and manage everything on your own. Your plan will come with unlimited calling, a toll-free number, low international rates, and a virtual receptionist. Ooma also has exceptional customer support if you have any trouble setting up the hardware or managing your service. Learn more at Ooma. #3 – RingCentral – The Best for Businesses that Love to Text
RingCentral is one of the most popular VoIP solutions in the industry. That’s because they offer an all-in-one phone service solution at a competitive price. While their plans are great for your typical VoIP phone service and video conferencing needs, they also offer unlimited business SMS and MMS across all of their plans. That’s an amazing deal if your team regularly relies upon text messaging for your day-to-day business. For example, this is great if you want to send automated text messages alerts to your team members frequently. RingCentral stands out because they offer specifically designed plans for small businesses. It’s reliable, secure, easy to use, and delivers high-quality voice for crystal clear calls. RingCentral is also affordable. You can save over 30% if you sign up and prepay with an annual plan as opposed to a month-to-month contract. ![]() Here’s a quick overview of the plans and pricing: Essentials
Standard
Premium
Ultimate
For most, I recommend the Standard plan. It offers plenty of great features and all the essentials a business might need. You can also customize your plan to pay extra for things like additional toll-free numbers, vanity numbers, international numbers, and international toll-free calling. As mentioned before, all of the plans come with basic features like unlimited business SMS and MMS, along with mobile apps for iOS and Android, HD voice, team collaboration, call log reports, and 24/7 customer support. The plan you choose will largely depend on how many toll-free minutes you plan to use as well as the number of users you’re going to onboard. Try Ringcentral today. #4 – Grasshopper – Best Phone Service for Solopreneurs
Grasshopper offers a full-service virtual phone system targeted to smaller operations like freelancers, startups, and small businesses They make it easy for you to find toll free numbers, vanity numbers, 800 numbers, local numbers, and more. This simple solution is a great way to add professionalism to your business. The Solo plan is the best option for an entrepreneur who has a small side business. It includes one phone number and three extensions, along with the features that come with all their plans like business texting, call forwarding, VoIP and WiFi calling, virtual fax, voicemail, custom greetings, and more. That should be more than enough for the burgeoning entrepreneur. You’ll want to upgrade to the Partner plan if you have a small group of up to three employees working for you. For anything more than that, you’ll need the Small Business plan to accommodate your needs. ![]() All Grasshopper plans come standard with the following features:
One big benefit: No restrictions from call limits. They also offer 24/7 live support. Grasshopper also gives you the option to integrate your business interactions into one inbox that’s easy to manage. You can access your emails, texts, business calls, and contacts in one place. #5 – Phone.com – Smallest Price Tag for Smaller Operations
Phone.com offers some of the most straightforward and simple VoIP business phone plans that you’ll find. They’re also incredibly affordable, with some of the lowest priced plans for small businesses out there. You can sign up and get started in minutes. Building and managing your entire business phone system from the intuitive dashboard is easy for anyone, regardless of their technical skill level. Phone.com has more than 50 features that come standard, including:
You’ll also benefit from E911 dialing, which is not offered by all VoIP providers. Premium features like call recording, video conferencing, and CRM integration cost extra. ![]() Another feature you can add is caller analytics. This helps you get a deep dive into the metrics of your call such as call durations over time, busiest hours, and your top performers. You can also see a handy breakdown of your incoming and outgoing calls by extension numbers. That’s great for the data-driven companies out there. Plus it’s great to integrate into your sales funnels and marketing strategy. Phone.com is HIPAA and HITECH compliant, which means it’s safe to use if your company is in the medical field. They do all of this with an incredibly low price tag. In fact, it’s the lowest one on this list starting at $10.39 per user per month. With that you get 300 pooled minutes, 1000 pooled texts, and video conferencing for up to 10 people. That’s why we recommend it to small businesses where budgets are tight—but you still want a solid phone service to get you through your work day. So if your calls are relatively short and infrequent, you can definitely save some money with one of these budget plans. Get started at Phone.com #6 – Vonage – Best for Businesses that Need It All
Vonage offers a wide-array of solutions and features that’s great for organizations that need…well, a bit of everything! That includes their unified communications service which allows you to talk through voice, SMS, team messaging, fax, paperless fax, social—you name it. It’s great for office settings but also gives you more flexibility for conferencing. That’s why I highly recommend Vonage if your business needs a lot more than one or two communication channels and tools. ![]() They offer three different plans, with rates based on the number of lines you need. Here’s a brief overview of the plans and costs: Mobile
Premium
Advanced
If you want CRM integrations, you’ll need to sign up for the Premium or Advanced plan. The Advanced plan also comes with on-demand call recording, group calls, and virtual voicemail. Learn more at Vonage. #7 – GoToConnect – Best for Helping Your Customers
>> Compare Quotes GoToConnect is an all-inclusive business phone service. They offer tools you usually pay extra for in other business phone services come with their plans at no extra cost. GoToConnect also strives to make enterprise-level communication available for small businesses. Their system is very easy to use, no matter how large or small your team is. With them, you’ll get basic features like:
And that’s just the basic features. ![]() Where they really shine though is their Support Center tool. It allows you to easily connect with customers to help answer their questions and walk them through technical issues with ease. As such it’s perfect for IT or SaaS organizations that have agents who need to easily talk to clients, view their information on a single intuitive dashboard, and see real-time analytics. GoToConnect phones are extremely easy to set up. All you need to do is plug them in and you’ll be ready to make calls in minutes. Compare Quotes#8 – 1-VoIP – Best If You Need Phones—But Don’t Use Them Often
>> Compare Quotes 1-VoIP is a VoIP phone service that offers a solid solution for small to large businesses. They offer a great metered pricing structure. That means you only pay for the time that you do use the phone. In this case, you’ll be charged just $0.02 per minute. ![]() Unlike other providers on the market, 1-VoIP doesn’t cut out basic features if you sign up for the metered plan. You’ll still have all of the features that come with the other plans, including:
Altogether, there are 40+ features that come standard. This is a perfect solution for businesses that know they need a phone plan, but don’t necessarily anticipate the same call volume as, say, a telemarketing service or IT support organization. If you’re only using up to 200 minutes per month, the metered plan will be your best bet. Otherwise, they have package plans starting at $19.97 and $29.97 per month per extension. Compare QuotesHow to Find the Best Business Phone Services For YouCompare Quotes From The Best Business Phone Services Get matched up with a business phone service that fits your specific needs. You’ve read our reviews of the top business phone services. Now it’s time to actually choose a plan for your organization. We identified the essential qualities we looked for in each of the options above. We benchmarked each of the business phone services against our methodology to narrow down the very best ones. Now, you can use the same criteria to find the best business phone service for your own business. Remote AccessIf there’s one thing that organizations across all industries have learned from the pandemic, it’s that remote work is here to stay. That’s why we honed in on each of these business phone services’ remote features when reviewing the options. Specifically, do they offer for remote access? Remote access allows your employees to leverage their office lines whether or not they’re actually in the office. This allows users to make and receive calls from their desk phones, access recordings, and retrieve voice mail messages. That way, they don’t have to worry about getting a new phone number or using personal devices. Services such as Nextiva facilitate this through handy mobile and desktop apps. Using the app, you’ll be able to take business-related calls on your smartphone. RingCentral also offers a standout app that enables remote access and work. It includes excellent integrations with tools such as Office 365 and Google Workspace, so you don’t have to keep switching between windows constantly. As you do your own research, take a look at what remote options are available with the business phone service you’re interested in. Is it enough for your business’s needs? Will it be grow with your business? These are important points to consider. Audio and Video Connection QualitySince the point of having a business phone service is effective communication, we also placed a high value on the services with the best connection quality. We reviewed each phone service for HD video quality, instances and frequency of dropped calls, and connection issues. Both the audio and video quality needed to be top notch in order to be recommended on our list. Some services have a greater emphasis on video calls than audio (and vice versa). For example, RingCentral offers Glip, a video conferencing service that uses carrier-grade infrastructure to facilitate high-quality video calls for up to 100 people. Whereas a service like Phone.com is more focused on—you guessed it—phone calls. The calls you can make with their service are pristine, though, with clear connections and high-quality audio. A service like Vonage gives you the best of both worlds with phone call service and video conferencing solutions. Its interface is a lot like Zoom’s—that is to say, highly intuitive and straightforward. You can easily share meeting links for people to join as well as dial in numbers for those who prefer to use their phones. SMS and MMS MessagingTexting is a great way to keep in touch with coworkers, employees, and clients. It’s also a great way to send messages and share photos or videos quickly. That’s why it’s crucial to find a business phone service that lets you leverage this channel easily and often. We took a close look at what each business phone service offered (or didn’t offer) for:
Some of the business phone services we reviewed offer plans with unlimited SMS and MMS messaging each month as part of their UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) offerings. This refers to a combination of different communication services businesses rely on such as phone, fax, video conferencing, instant messaging, SMS, and MMS. For example, RingCentral offers unlimited SMS and MMS as part of their service. If sending text messages is important to you, I highly recommend going with them. A few services—like Phone.com—only offer SMS messaging, which can also be fine if your business doesn’t rely on it as much. Responsive Customer SupportFor many businesses, if the phones go down, so do your profits. You need a support team who will immediately spring into action to help. So we took an in-depth look at the responsiveness and helpfulness of the customer support of the options on this list. We also checked reviews specific to customer support for each one to see what real clients’ experiences were. You should also take a look at how often their support is available. If you’re a distributed company with employees all over the world, you’ll want to find a service like Grasshopper and RingCentral that offers 24/7 live support for all of their plans. Vonage also has a very noteworthy support team who are responsive to any issues you might have. Along with the ability to contact them via an online contact form and a 1-800 number, Vonage has a comprehensive tutorial compendium called the VBC Training Center. It houses any tutorials and quick start guides you need for learning how to use their service. And if you’re migrating from one service to another, you’ll want to make sure your new service has a team that will help you each step of the way. For example, Vonage’s customer support team will help you with everything from number transfers to using new equipment. GoToMeeting offers a knowledge base for you to search for the answers you need quickly and easily. If you can’t find the answer, you can turn to their community of users or call for live support. Conversely, Ooma only has live caller support, which may result in longer wait times to get the help you need. Summary: The Best Business Phone Services for Every SituationI made sure that this guide included something for everyone. No matter how big your team is or how small your budget is, you can definitely find a reliable phone service for your small business. Phone service needs can vary wildly from one organization to another. Let’s recap what each of these eight products is best at:
Big organizations with multiple offices need business phone services that step up to the challenge of enterprise-tier needs. Nextiva is the top choice for companies in this situation, and they’re one of the most trusted names in the category, to boot. Speaking of trusted names, Vonage is one of the pioneering companies in the VoIP space and has an array of packages and plans to fit wide-ranging or custom phone needs. Maybe Nextiva and Vonage just don’t quite fit with your forward-thinking business. If your organization wants to leverage text messaging for team communication and customer or client interactions, go with RingCentral. If you’re a small to midsize operation that leans hard on desk phones, Ooma gives you the best service plans and affordable access to the necessary equipment. If you still need the same hardware but may not rely on desk phones quite as much as those who could benefit from Ooma, 1-VoIP is your best choice for its flexible plans and selection of traditional phones. Call centers are the ones that have the most to gain (or lose) when choosing a business phone service provider. If that’s the situation you’re in, lock in on GoToConnect and reap the benefits of their offerings, packed with features to help you help your customers even better. Small businesses don’t want to pay a bunch for phone service, and they don’t have to. Phone.com leads the way in affordable yet effective phone solutions, while Grasshopper can’t be beat if you’re a solopreneur or independent operator. Compare Quotes From The Best Business Phone Services Get matched up with a business phone service that fits your specific needs. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-business-phone-service/ Businesses implement security measures for all kinds of things to protect their interests. When it comes to securing the business’ data, though, making use of the best data loss prevention software delivers the desired protection. Data loss prevention (DLP) tools and software may look the same at first glance. However, they achieve their goals in slightly different ways. Understanding these differences gives a business the best chance at zeroing in on the right software. The Top 6 Best Data Loss Prevention Software Tools
#1 – McAfee Total Protection – Best Overall DLP Software Tool
Businesses will appreciate the versatility they find with McAfee Total Protection. It works as a simple DLP package that requires little to no customization. But it has extensive customization features that provide an exact match for businesses that need them. One of its best features is its ability to use algorithms to determine which segments of the business’ data are the most important. It then gives that data the highest level of protection. General-use data receives less protection from Total Protection, conserving resources for sensitive data. ![]() It offers the basics for a small business. But it also has advanced options that ensure Total Protection will work for a wide range of customers. Its data monitoring system can point out weak spots in the network that security personnel can monitor as needed. With this DLP solution, businesses will receive protection of their data, no matter where it exists. McAfee Total Protection protects data in the cloud, on the network, and on endpoint devices. Total Protection is available as an annual subscription in a few different pricing tiers. Businesses will probably select the Ultimate tier, which includes protection for an unlimited number of devices. New customers will receive a significant discount during the first year. #2 – Check Point – Best for Setting Up Data Loss Protection Policies
When it comes to protecting a business against data losses, running the best DLP software is important. At the same time, though, establishing policies for how network members should use and protect data is equally important. Check Point is one of the best DLP software packages for helping network managers establish a workable strategy for data protection. It also has educational tools available that allow the network managers to give employees the information they need to use the data properly. The software carries the educational aspect of data loss protection a step further. When a user commits a minor violation of one of the DLP software’s policies, it will issue a warning to the user the first time it happens. Check Point believes this reduces the number of violations over time by giving users education about simple errors they can correct. ![]() When unusual data traffic enters the network from the Internet, Check Point automatically monitors it, alerting administrators if it detects further issues. Despite offering some advanced data protection features, Check Point is easier to use than some other DLP options. It gives you the ability to customize as many or as few of the software’s settings as you want. Check Point offers a free demonstration of the software, or you can contact the company for a pricing quote. For those businesses that need additional cybersecurity protection measures, Check Point has many more products available. #3 – Digital Guardian Endpoint – Best for Lots of Locations And Devices
Some business networks consist of a wide range of devices running many different operating systems. They may store data in multiple places, such as the cloud, onsite, and on portable devices. For data loss protection across a variety of locations and devices, the Digital Guardian Endpoint DLP software package is an excellent choice. It can monitor data stored on devices running Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and more. Endpoint protects both incoming and outgoing data, searching for oddities. Should it find unauthorized data actions, it can automatically block those actions while notifying network administrators. For businesses that are looking to protect highly sensitive data, such as medical records or intellectual property, Endpoint can apply advanced data loss prevention settings to these items for an extra layer of protection. ![]() If desired, Endpoint is able to use algorithms to determine which types of data the business is using that needs the most protection. This saves you time versus having to select this data manually. You can request a demonstration of the Digital Guardian Endpoint software, or contact the company for a price quote. #4 – Symantec From Broadcom – Best for Enterprise-Level Data Loss Protection
Larger businesses looking for maximum data loss protection will find a lot of the features they want in Symantec DLP software from Broadcom. This is a powerful DLP tool that provides high-end protection in a variety of areas for the business, including:
Symantec can track and protect data stored anywhere within the business’ network. These areas may include local computers, network servers, mobile devices, and cloud storage accounts. ![]() Whenever someone accesses sensitive data, Symantec tracks the movement of the data. Should one of the employees attempt to use the data in an unorthodox manner, Symantec can block the user’s access to such data. Symantec can block certain types of files and data from use as email attachments. The software also monitors the activity of any apps in use on the business’ network, ensuring those apps don’t access data and files they shouldn’t have. Through its encryption of sensitive data, the Symantec DLP adds a layer of protection for the data. Should a user manage to access some sensitive data he or she shouldn’t have, the encryption layer should prevent the user from being able to see or actually use it. If you’re interested in Symantec, you will need to contact the company to receive a pricing quote. #5 – SolarWinds – Easiest DLP Software to Use
For a business that just wants to install a data loss protection software package and let it run, SolarWinds offers this capability. The SolarWinds DLP solution focuses on managing the network’s access rights management. By monitoring exactly which users should have the right to perform certain actions involving the business’ data, SolarWinds can spot suspicious activity on the network before a breach occurs. Protecting the network’s data through access rights management in SolarWinds should be easy to put into practice. ![]() The SolarWinds access rights manager segment of the software gives you regular reports about the data permissions for employees. If you find that some of the permissions need tweaking, you can easily take care of that through the access rights manager interface. You can also have SolarWinds constantly monitor the network, creating alerts for things like unusual data transfers or copies. It also can monitor the usage of data across the network and cloud at the same time. Should one of your employees be using data in an unconventional way in more than one storage location, this could be a sign of a data breach or a violation of permissions. SolarWinds offers a 30-day free trial period. You can contact the company for a pricing quote. #6 – SecureTrust – Best for Risk-Specific DLP Management
Those businesses that want an easy setup process in their data loss protection software will appreciate SecureTrust. With SecureTrust, businesses that have basic needs for data protection will be able to operate the software with its preconfigured settings. They won’t need past experience with DLP software to deploy SecureTrust successfully. For those who want a bit of customization in the DLP software, SecureTrust does allow customers to adjust a large number of settings. However, even without taking this step, many customers can rely on the preconfigured settings and receive a high level of data protection. SecureTrust allows users to enter their desired levels of risk. The software then automatically adjusts its settings to accommodate for this risk level. Additionally, customers can use the dashboard to select the desired level of protection for sets of data stored in different locations. ![]() One of SecureTrust’s greatest strengths is its ability to monitor all interactions between the business’ network and the Internet. If the DLP software measures any oddities in these interactions, it can block access to the data. Potential customers will need to contact SecureTrust to determine their pricing options. How to Find the Best Data Loss Prevention Software for YouDLP software has a wide range of features available for potential customers. Matching those features to the needs of the business simply takes a bit of time. Here are some features to consider in data loss prevention software. Analyzing Data Network WeaknessesAlthough data loss prevention software can protect data in a variety of situations, it may not be perfect. A common weakness occurs when an employee chooses to circumvent the data protection protocols for the business, potentially causing data losses. For example, some companies don’t want employees to move data from the network through a USB port to a thumb drive. However, if employees are not following this policy, the use of USB ports represents a weakness in network security. The business could seek a DLP software package that blocks the use of USB ports for data transfers. Additionally, the DLP software should be able to keep track of any threats to the data. With a log of these threats, the network manager can determine areas of weakness in data protection and fix them. Data LocationsData loss prevention software should be able to protect the data the business uses, no matter where employees use it. As data moves from mobile devices to desktop computers to the company network to the cloud and back, the DLP software should protect it. As an added advantage for businesses, DLPs often will track the movement of data. If the business is struggling with data breaches or with lost files, the software’s tracking features can help managers find whether one employee’s actions are leading to the breaches. Full-Feature DLP ProductsSome businesses may only need minimal data loss prevention features, such as are available through email security. If so, these businesses may not need a well-rounded DLP software tool. They may be able to obtain the data protection features they need from antivirus or firewall software. Those who need a far greater level of data protection will want to select a DLP tool with wide-ranging features. A full-fledged DLP software tool will have quite a few features aimed at actively monitoring the system. Additionally, it will protect data stored in multiple locations, and it will monitor data movement. User Experience NeededSome DLP software packages require a lot of experience with this type of software to set it up properly. The business may need to hire a security expert who can customize the software to make it work properly. Some types of data loss protection software can require as long as several weeks to complete the installation and implementation. This level of complexity may be far more extensive than a particular business needs. For those who want to keep the installation as simple as possible, look for a package that requires very little time for setup. Understand that a simple package probably won’t provide the customization options that are available with more complex DLP software packages. But the upside is the business probably can rely on existing network security personnel to deploy it, rather than having to hire DLP experts. Comparison To Data Security SoftwareBusinesses looking to decide between installing DLP and data security software will receive extra benefits from DLP software. The primary difference between data security software and DLP software is in how they handle potential data breaches. Security software tends to be reactive to problems with the data. Data loss prevention software, meanwhile, tends to be proactive. It actively monitors the network and the system, seeking potential issues with the protection of the data. Many data loss prevention tools will use artificial intelligence to perform the necessary monitoring functions. It seeks out any odd situations in the network, looking for activities that are occurring outside of the normal, expected parameters. It then can react to these abnormalities and alert IT personnel about them. SummaryIt’s tough to overestimate the value of data to a modern business. Setting up a system that protects this data should be a priority for any network administrator and security team. The best data loss protection software can accomplish this goal. Through our testing and research, we like McAfee Total Protection as the best all-around DLP software tool. However, we acknowledge that it may not meet the needs of every business. Those with highly sensitive data may prefer to go with Symantec and its enterprise-level security measures. Check Point is a smart selection when the business needs to create data protection policies for employees at the same time it’s installing a DLP package. Digital Guardian works especially well for businesses that store and use data on a wide range of devices. SolarWinds and SecureTrust have features aimed at those who need a simple, plug-and-play DLP solution. DLP software tools are available in a wide range of features and options, meaning any size of business can find just the right package at just the right price. Think about the type of data the business uses and how it uses that data to figure out which DLP software is the ideal selection. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-data-loss-prevention-software/ Learning how to strategically manage human capital is a whole chapter worth studying closely, especially if you’re pivoting your career into HR or angling for a promotion in an HR department. Taking in-person seminars may be prohibitive, though–you may not have the time, the money, or the ability to travel, for instance. Thankfully, there are plenty of knowledge-rich online courses, some of which are even taught by prestigious universities, that you can take online for less money and at your own pace. Below, we review some of the best HR courses available to you according to your overall goals. The Top 5 Best Human Resources Courses
#1 – Administrative HR for Beginners, by Udemy – Best Course for Entry-Level HR Professionals
![]() Udemy’s Administrative Human Resources for Beginners course is a solid choice for entry-level HR professionals. So far, it’s been taken by over 10,000 students and has a 4.3-star rating. Not only is the course self-paced, but you also get a certificate of completion once you’ve successfully finished the course. One of the beauties of taking courses on Udemy is that you know exactly what you’re getting before making a purchase. There are plenty of student reviews you can read through to get a feel for the course, and you can also look through the outline of exactly what the course teaches. If you’re training a group of HR professionals, Udemy has Udemy for Business plans you can learn more about once you sign up for a demo here. Udemy’s Administrative Human Resources for Beginners course costs only $34.99. Ready to get started? Sign up for the HR course on Udemy here. #2 – HR Management: HR for People Managers Specialization – Best Self-Paced Course
![]() You might have already heard about Coursera as a robust course platform. Its Human Resource Management: HR for People Managers Specialization course boasts a 4.8-star rating and over 98,000 students. The course, offered by the University of Minnesota, walks you through understanding alternative approaches to HR management, avoiding crucial HR mistakes, and applying hiring and employee reward best practices. The course takes about six months to complete with a suggested pace of about four hours a week. The course also comes with a hands-on project as well as certification once you’ve successfully completed the course work. Keep in mind that the course is a part of a five-course specialization. Meaning once you complete it, you can go on to take the next related HR courses for a more well-rounded HR education. Coursera’s prices vary depending on whether you’re a college student or you’re an enterprise-level business looking to educate its fleet of professionals. If you’re a college student, Coursera allows you to enter your verified school email and sign up to have access to one free course per year. For teams and small businesses, Coursera offers a $399 per user per month plan. However, if you’re an enterprise looking to educate a large team, you’ll have to get in contact with Coursera’s team to get a free demo and learn more about a personalized plan. Coursera also offers a free 7-day plan, which lets you try one specialization for free before charging you anywhere from $39-$89 a month membership fee. Learn more about Coursera’s HR course here. #3 – HR Management and Analytics: Unlock the Value of Human Capital, by Wharton School of Business – Best For Elite-Level Prestige
![]() If you’re looking for a prestigious program, Wharton offers the HR Management and Analytics: Unlock the Value of Human Capital course. It’s online certificate program dives into strategic HR topics that include HR management as well as data analytics. Online other courses that are self-led and all you have to do is pay a fee to have access to the course material. Wharton’s online certification has scheduled application dates—you can’t necessarily take it at your own pace. It recommends that you dedicate four to six hours a week to it through its two-month duration. Wharton’s immersive HR course if ideally suited for mid to senior-level human resources professionals that are still learning and developing their skills. It’s also ideal for general managers, owners of SMBs, as well as consultants and business performance experts. The course comes with both live and recorded video lectures as well as individual assignments and feedback. And of course, once you’ve successfully completed the course you’ll receive a digital certificate of completion from The Wharton School. The price for Wharton’s HR Management and Analytics: Unlock the Value of Human Capital course is $2,800. But you have few payment options. First, you might be able to get $280 off the course price if you refer a colleague (who’ll also receive $280 off). If you’re planning on enrolling a team, you might be able to receive a bulk 20% discount. To learn more, you’ll have to contact Wharton’s admissions team here for more information. If the $2,800 fee is too hefty to pay it all upfront, Wharton allows you to pay it in either two or three installments. You can head here to learn more about signing up for Wharton’s HR course. #4 – Human Resource Management, by Harvard University – Best Academic Course
![]() If you’re looking for a top-notch course on HR then look no further than Harvard’s Human Resource Management course. However, do note that you’ll have to go through a rather rigorous admissions process to learn if you’re admitted the next time the online course is taught. The course is taught through a web conference format that’s recorded and available to watch on-demand later within 24 hours of the class being taught if you weren’t able to make it to the live lecture. If you want to learn exactly what you’ll learn throughout the course, the syllabus is publicly available for you to review. The course is an introductory course, so you don’t have to worry if you don’t have intermediate or advanced HR knowledge. Once you successfully complete the course, you’ll be able to get a degree credit. But the course isn’t just for people pursuing a degree. Harvard’s online courses are for anyone that wants to advance their career or even just want to take a course for fun and personal growth. The cost for the course is $2,840. Learn more about Harvard’s Human Resource Management course here. #5 – Strategic HR Management, by MIT – Best Free HR Course
![]() The prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers a ton of free courses through its free MIT OpenCourseWare page. Lucky for you, this includes their Strategic HR Management course. All you have to do is download the course materials to start learning the ins and outs of strategic HR management at your own pace. However, though it’s a free course, it doesn’t offer any certification upon completion. The MIT OpenCourseWare page is designed to give you access to thousands of courses that you might be interested in without having to pay steep tuition fees. The only catch is that learning the course material, going through the assignments, and any course readings is completely on you. Get MIT’s free Strategic HR Management course here. How to Find The Best Human Resources Courses For YouHow can you make sure you’re taking the course that will help you grow in the HR areas you’re looking to learn more about? Well, the very first step is vetting each course for quality, which we’ve pretty much done for you with this guide. But from there, you’ll want to look at a few more criteria, including how much you’re planning to spend on your course, how much time you have, and maybe even how rigorous the course is. Going forward, here are a few pointers to think through that we used to create our list of the best courses that can help make your final decision. Course ReviewsCourse platforms like Coursera and Udemy let you see how many students have taken the course, the star rating for each course, and you can even read reviews left by previous students. If you want to get a real feel for what taking the course is really like, you can easily look through the reviews on course platforms. For standalone courses or courses offered by traditional institutions, running a quick Google search for any reviews or course comparisons can be worth your time if you’re torn about which course to take. Also, consider reading through the course curriculum if it’s publicly available. That way you’ll have a better idea of how immersive or general the course is, the level of rigor to expect, and the time commitment you’ll need to be able to finish the course successfully. Course CertificationWhile some courses will offer shareable certificates as proof that you took and successfully completed the course, others might not. If you go the free course route, you might save money but they usually don’t hand out course completion certificates. Consider if you’ll need the certificate to specifically boost your resume or CV, If you need to take the course to prepare you for new job responsibilities as opposed to padding your resume to get a whole new job, not getting a course certificate might not be a deal-breaker for you. Self Paced vs. Directed LearningSometimes you’ll come across courses that are self-paced. Once you’re signed up and equipped with the corresponding course material, you’re off to the races at your own pace. However, there are certain courses that are planned around start and end dates and that are built on a directed learning framework with an instructor and maybe even virtual group discussions. It’s ultimately up to you to decide what type of course will work best for you according to your schedule, the time you want to dedicate to the course, and what your course goals are. Course Payment Options Some courses graciously offer payment options if they come with steep enrollment fees. This might be an option to consider if you’re looking to take a course in the four figures. However, personalized course payment options can also come in handy if you’re an HR manager looking to educate your team of professionals. Course platforms like Coursera, for example, offer different payment options for businesses that want to educate their teams at scale. If you’re an individual looking to take a course, it’s always a good idea to look for any free trials any course platform offers to get a feel for their course offerings. Sometimes, certain courses will lower your admission fee if you refer a colleague to the same course or it will allow you to pay for your course in installments. In short, depending on the course you want to take, you might not have to pay a steep price upfront if you aren’t able to. SummaryThere are HR courses for a wide range of needs and goals. If you’re looking for a top-tier HR course with the prestige to match its content, you’ll want to consider Wharton’s HR Management and Analytics: Unlock the Value of Human Capital course. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something more affordable yet still packed with plenty of course material and insight, consider MIT’s free Strategic HR Management course. Once you visit the page, you can download all the course material and assignments without having to pay a penny. Here’s a quick recap of each course I’ve reviewed in this guide:
If you still aren’t sure which one you’ll choose, you can always bookmark this guide to refer back to later. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-human-resource-courses/ An employee’s compensation package includes more than just the salary—it also includes other perks, like health insurance, paid time off, and retirement plans. As a business owner, you can profoundly shape your staff’s life by providing generous employee benefit plans. But before you do that, you have to take care of the hard bits, involving financial planning, choosing good benefits, and so on. Luckily, you can use intuitive benefits administration software that tailor-make excellent employee benefit plans to attract and retain top-level talent. Read on as we discuss the five best tools that make employee benefits planning effortless and easy. The Top 5 Best Employee Benefit Plans
Wondering which one would make the best fit for your employees? Read on as we discuss these software tools in more detail below. #1 — Gusto — Best for Companies With Limited Workforces
![]() If you’re looking for a one-stop solution to handle hiring and onboarding, time-tracking, payroll, and employee benefits for your small business, look no further than Gusto. This renowned payroll software solution also lets you build customized employee benefits plans for your staff that go beyond the basics. Choose from health and financial benefits like health insurance, HSAs and FSAs, reimbursement plan, vision, dental, 401(k), cash accounts and pay advances, or commuter benefits. What’s more, Gusto provides you with licensed advisors to help pick the perfect fit for your team, smoothening the process further. Although Gusto’s solutions support businesses of all sizes, we particularly recommend it for small businesses with a limited workforce. Its Concierge plan provides unrestricted access to HR professionals, meaning small entities can reduce or eliminate the need to hire in-house HR specialists. In turn, this helps them save some serious amounts of money. The fact the software is intuitive and easy to use makes your entrepreneurial life even easier. PricingGusto currently offers four plans:
#2 — Zenefits — The Best for On-the-Go Access
![]() Zenefits is a dedicated HRIS solution designed for SMBs and startups that offer a host of comprehensive HR solutions, ranging from benefits administration to performance management to document management. It’s optimized for providing a good user experience, giving you a detailed overview of all your employee data and records. Zenefits’ People Platform includes a robust offering that combines advisory services and integrated partner apps to simplify HR administration. You get access to an impressive set of functionalities, including intuitive administration features and flexible add-ons, complemented by access to actual human advisers. Other capabilities include business intelligence, hiring and onboarding, integrated payroll, taxation and filing, and compensation management. Zenefits also has a native mobile app that lets employees access benefits information from anywhere. That said, the app doesn’t support many admin tasks, which may be problematic for people who tend to travel a lot. It’s still highly responsive and stores employee data, helping you manage your workforce more efficiently. PricingZenefits offers three, highly-affordable pricing plans:
You’ll have to pay an extra $5 if you want to administer benefits using your own broker. A 14-day free trial is also available. #3 — GoCo — Best for Automatic Benefits Enrollment
![]() GoCo comes with an interactive and configurable dashboard that has all the bells and whistles one would typically expect in HR software. You get a complete HR suite, including real-time applicant tracking, onboarding, performance management, payroll, and benefits administration. Along with the usual features, you also get PTO management, time tracking, employee data management, employee lifestyle management, and access to several insurance brokers. GoCo lets you fully automate the benefits enrollment process—all you have to do is add the insurance carriers, health plans, and other benefit sources. Set up the usual benefits like health insurance and life insurance, and the system will automatically assign them to the right employees. You can manage all benefits—health plans, HSA, disability, FSA, 401(k), HRA, and commuter benefits—in a single spot. Employers can opt for self-service benefits enrollment that allows them to compare eligible plans and costs at a glance. Third-party integration with benefits providers (benefits syncing) or with the previous benefits administrators is another option. PricingGoCo’s plans start from $5 per employee per month, but they offer customized employee benefits plans built around your specific needs. You can also schedule a free demo with GoCo to test drive their software. #4 — ADP — Best for Companies With More Than 50 Employees
![]() ADP is a popular benefits system for companies with 50 or more employees, and not without reason. This software can handle practically every benefit your company could offer. From common benefits like health insurance and 401(k) to less prominent perks like pet insurance and built-in employee rewards programs, ADP does it all. Its user-friendly and interactive dashboard gives you at-a-glance access to all information, including your compliance status and eligibility requirements. As a result, you can develop benefits plans, manage your benefits budget, and compare benefit providers easily. And that’s just half of its capabilities. ADP is essentially an HR software application that also offers payroll, time and attendance tracking, and talent management in addition to employee benefits management. You can integrate it with renowned systems like QuickBooks, Xero, and Concur to further streamline your processes. Plus, it has 2,500+ experts to continually monitor changes in regulations and compliance practices to ensure all its clients remain compliant. There’s a dedicated mobile app with an employee self-service portal to allow employees to check their paychecks, W2s, time cards, benefits, and other data. Thanks to this feature, your staff can enroll for benefits themselves. PricingADP has customizable pricing that is provided upon request. You’ll have to contact the sales team through its website for more information. #5 — BambooHR — Best for Tracking Benefits
![]() BambooHR is another capable HR solution that focuses on broad-spectrum benefit administration. It’s targeted at small businesses that want all their processes centralized. You can use it to track, check, and manage historical information, including cost, enrolment, coverage, and past providers. Additionally, BambooHR has one of the best benefit tracking tools that enables you to track benefit plans across 12 different benefit types for different employee groups. This includes custom package differentiation, date scheduling for coverage changes, and healthcare package history records. The software hosts a PTO tracking program, along with payroll and time tracking software. There’s also a dedicated compliance tracker to keep you in the loop about different applicable regulations, such as ACA compliance. Overall, BambooHR’s varied functionality is a great option for those wanting to streamline their software systems, collect relevant administrative information under one umbrella, and track their employees’ benefits. PricingBambooHR has customizable pricing that is provided upon request. You’ll have to contact the sales team through its website for more information. How to Find the Best Employee Benefit Plans for YouDeveloping employee benefit plans is one of the more important tasks you do as a business owner. You must get this right if you want to attract and retain top-level talent. Below, I’ll show you how to select software that offers the right benefit plans for your staff. Offers Intuitive Self-Service Portal With Mobile AccessThe best employee benefits software has a self-service portal to help employees customize their own benefit plans, guiding them through the whole process. Considering many leading benefits administration software come with intuitive self-service portals, you won’t be strapped for options. Besides this, an intuitive user interface and setup process, as well as an intuitive admin dashboard, are equally important. Easy mobile access is another crucial aspect, so look for software that can help implement a mobile system that’s easy to use for both employees and administrators. Stable Connections With Insurance CarriersYour prospective benefit software should have stable connections with reputable insurance carriers. This is necessary to ensure your employees are fully covered in case of unfortunate circumstances. Benefits systems connect with insurance companies based on factors like your organization’s maturity, the technology you use, and your particular carries. They do this using either the form enrollment (virtual filing of PDF forms with your employees’ data), consensus enrollment (sending spreadsheets containing employee data to insurance carriers), or the EDI (electronic data interchange) connection with her. Talk to the prospective software’s customer support to understand how deep-rooted is the relationship between them and the insurance carriers. Consider the HR ExperienceConsidering your HR department will be interacting with the system much more frequently, you must prioritize your HR’s experience when choosing a benefits administrator. The idea is to have an optimized HR system that can leverage technology to handle time-consuming, manual, and data-intensive HR tasks. Therefore, an attractive interface isn’t enough. The system should also have excellent reporting, data management, and other HR functionalities to be truly useful to the HR department. Look for a software tool that can automate data entry, benefits administration, and reporting. Easy Integration With Existing SystemsIt’s nearly impossible to have a system that operates all your HR processes from a single benefit platform. It’s why you need a solution that can sync with numerous HR platforms and payroll providers seamlessly to ensure everything runs smoothly. Ask yourself the following questions to determine whether a prospective software would be a good fit for your organization:
Data SecurityWhen developing an employee benefit plan, you only have to enter tons of sensitive information, such as employee data, claims made, and health-related cost receipts. Naturally, you don’t want to compromise on the security of the data. Find out about the prospective system method of keeping employee data secure. Enquire about how data is stored and how it’s transmitted to insurance providers. Implementing a quality system will protect you from cyberattacks, so the security level is something you don’t want to compromise on—at all. Compliance AssuranceYou should be able to use the software to personalize the benefits plan without fearing falling out of compliance. Pick a benefits system that helps you comply with all relevant regulations, such as ACA, HIPAA, and COBRA. With automated compliance checks in place, you won’t have to worry about compliance errors when customizing plans to individual employees’ needs and preferences. You can have software to keep track of the number of hours your employees have worked, which, in turn, will help you categorize as a small business or as large business employees in regards to ACA reporting. SummaryAttracting and retaining top-level talent can become considerably easier—provided you offer the best employee benefit plans that can successfully keep your staff happy in the long run. Gusto and Zenefits give you access to the best employee benefits, thanks to their wide use-cases and well-rounded HR abilities. But even if you choose another software from my above list, you’re assured of effortless benefits administration, helping keep your staff and HR professionals happy. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-employee-benefit-plans/ If you deliver employee training without monitoring it, you can end up with employees who only know half of what you think they do–and cost your company twice as much time and money to retrain. The good news is that training software can help. Training software allows you to monitor your employees as they progress, assign learning content as desired, and upload custom courses–all of which help ensure your workers know exactly how to do their jobs before you turn them loose unsupervised. Below I’ve listed the best training software options available today. The Top 5 Best Training Software
Now you know my top picks, let’s get started. #1 – Litmos — The Best for Employee Accessibility
SAP Litmos is the best training software for employee accessibility. From motor dealers such as Arnold Clark to the leading dementia charity Alzheimer’s Society, SAP Litmos trains employees—of all skill levels—in customer-focused businesses day in, day out. ![]() Litmos is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) that lets you launch and track on-demand training sessions whenever you wish. What stands out is the accessibility on offer with easy and automated user onboarding, the support for over 35 languages, and its suitability for learners of all different abilities and roles. Its user-friendly nature backs this up, with a clear and simple visual design created for maximum use for as many different users as possible. When you need to train up employees, the Litmos platform allows you to fully automate specific course assignments and quizzes to make sure learners receive their training and retain it. You can even offer this training from another integrated environment like a CRM—a place they may well spend a great deal of time anyway. That’s without mentioning customizable UI branding and dashboards, the built-in content authoring for bespoke courses, and the analytics that allow you to view exactly how each employee is doing with their training. There’s a lot on offer here. Two key pricing packages are available for SAP Litmos: LMS Only and LMS + Courses. The first package includes the online course builder and content management system, including reporting and tracking, custom branding, and instructor-led training modules. The second package includes all of that plus access to more than 2500 courses, videos, supplemental learning materials like infographics, and new courses added every month. No prices are listed, and you’ll have to request a quote directly. A 14-day free trial helps to make up for this. #2 – iSpring Learn — The Best for Developing Courses
iSpring Learn is the best training software for developing courses. Specifically, it features a powerful course editor that allows you to create custom courses however you desire. While other training software tools do allow you to create bespoke courses, iSpring Learn goes much further with its dedicated iSpring Suite. ![]() iSpring Suite works within PowerPoint, and with it, you can quickly develop courses, quizzes, interactions, and even dialogue simulations for training. You can also add video narration to your courses and can shoot a screencast if required. You’ll be able to publish your training from PowerPoint to your portal in a single click. On top of that, iSpring Suite features 14 ready-to-go question templates, branching scenarios, feedback slides, and you can easily record video lectures and tutorials. If you need to edit videos, you can do so with a built-in video studio, enhancing videos with music, effects, and text. You don’t need additional software to use any of these features. The software enables a course developer with little to no experience to build high-end interactive eLearning, making it a great choice for all sorts of businesses. iSpring offers its course developer via two main plans: iSpring Suite and the upgraded iSpring Suite Max. iSpring Suite costs $770 per author per year and includes the whole eLearning authoring experience but with no additional extras. iSpring Suite Max costs $970 per author per year and includes the entire suite, along with 68,000 content templates, online space for teamwork, and 24/7 technical support. Volume pricing exists for multiple authors: ![]() If you need a custom number of authors, you can contact iSpring for a personalized quote. A 14-day free trial is also available. The top-notch iSpring Learn LMS itself includes at least one license for the iSpring Suite and prices itself based on an active-user pricing model: ![]() It costs $3.66 per active user per month for 100 users and costs $2.82 per user per month for 500 users. If you need more users, you can contact iSpring for a custom plan. #3 – TalentLMS — The Best for Gamified Learning
Gamification is a popular part of training software as it encourages users to progress with their learning in a fun, game-like environment. TalentLMS goes further than others in the market as it allows users to adjust and tweak the gamification settings directly. ![]() With the platform’s gamification engine, you can add gaming and other competition elements and configure them for specific scenarios. For example, you may want to create hidden bonus content that only learners who have reached a certain level can access. It’s about providing additional content and rewards for those that have worked hard during their training. You can take this further in the form of achievable points and badges to keep employees on track. Employees can view their achievements at any time to see how far they’ve progressed. There are even leaderboards to encourage some healthy and friendly competition among your trainees. Outside of the gamification features is an intuitive content-builder that allows you to create courses in a few clicks, a dedicated certification management tool to provide accreditation as part of online training, and you can automate tasks such as grading tests and assignments. TalentLMS gives you a choice when it comes to pricing. You’ll be able to choose between paying for the total number of registered users or active users per month instead. It costs $59 per month for 40 registered learners and goes up to $429 per month for 1000. If you want to pay by active users, 40 active users cost $129 a month, and a thousand active users come in at $479 per month. TalentLMS also offers a free plan for five registered users and 10 courses on the learning portal—a great way to try before you buy. #4 – Raptivity — The Best for Interactive Training
Raptivity is the best training software for interactive learning. It’s software designed for today’s learning preferences with visual interactions the core focus. While TalentLMS boasts great gamification features, Raptivity is far more about making exercises as responsive as possible. There’s a keen emphasis on visual flair. ![]() Microlearning experiences are the aim of the day that help train up employees in specific areas over short bursts. For instance, users will find themselves playing a game of darts while being asked questions on a particular topic. Alternatively, they may be climbing a mountain as they answer questions. Each correct answer allows them to progress further. Unlike TalentLMS, there’s far less focus on things like acquiring badges, achievements, and leaderboards—the core gamification experience. Ideally, then, this is software aimed at highly visual learners that enjoy minigame scenarios. The learning content itself is accessible on desktops, mobiles, and tablets—you won’t have to worry about making it compatible across devices. On top of that, Raptivity offers advanced online training, access to the Raptivity community, and premium phone and email support on the higher plans. In terms of prices, there are four main subscription plans. The first is the free plan available for 14 days with access to almost everything other than premium support, offline access, and advanced online training. After that, there are three plans based on subscription length: monthly, quarterly, and annual. Monthly costs $30 per month, quarterly costs $60 per quarter, and annual costs $149 per year. The critical difference between the plans is the amount of storage space you receive for interactions and media assets—it’s 2GB on the free plan, 10GB on the monthly plan, 50GB on the quarterly plan, and 200GB on the annual plan. Sign up for the free plan today. #5 – LearnUpon — The Best for Customer Support
LearnUpon is the best training software for customer support. While LearnUpon is a great LMS all around, it’s the customer service that shines the most. ![]() LearnUpon’s customer support is available on a global basis 24/7, no questions asked. The support consists of expert and friendly “Technical Support Reps” for various needs, from solving technical issues to knowledge-based requests. The “Customer Success” team is available to help with anything from implementation to enhancing training itself. Indeed, the customer support is so good the software has become known through it alone. It’s a recognized leader in the area, so if that’s a key consideration of yours, don’t hesitate. Moving away from customer support, this is an LMS that’s beautifully presented and easy to use. It’s a customer-focused piece of software from start to finish, with complete employee onboarding, leading sales training, and automated workflows. You’ll be able to build attractive courses without the need for technical expertise and can access reports to track employee training at each step. That’s without mentioning the excellent training videos and knowledge base to improve your training even further. The pricing is available through three plans which all start with a free trial. The basic plan costs $663 per month for up to 50 active users, and you can upgrade this to the second plan providing 250 active users and two learning portals for $1106 per month. The final plan offers 500 active users and three learning portals for $1873 per month. The Enterprise plan is also available if you need more active users, but you’ll need to request a quote. How To Find the Best Training Software for YouFinding the best training software options, known as learning management systems (LMS), can be challenging. Not only is there a wide range of software available, but each tends to offer something a little bit different from the rest. To understand the software as a whole, think of it as a group of similar services that ultimately specialize in different areas. For instance, my list features LMSs that are stronger in critical areas. When it comes to course creation, iSpring Learn provides a comprehensive suite. LearnUpon is an LMS that delivers top customer service, while Litmos is great for employee accessibility. These specialist areas are a good starting point. Think about what area you need an LMS to concentrate on and go from there. After you’ve thought about that, here are some other key criteria to consider: Learning Content CompatibilityEveryone learns differently and has particular preferences. The LMS you pick will provide learning materials and courses in a variety of different ways. Naturally, you need to think about which content will be a better fit for your employees. For instance, do you need to use PowerPoint presentations or PDFs for your learning materials? If so, does the LMS allow you to use these materials in the way you want? Maybe you’re a business that prefers using videos or webinars for staff training. In that case, focus on an LMS that can provide that. Content compatibility is an important area to think about because your training will be more successful overall. LMS Pricing StructureWhile price is a consideration for everything you buy, the pricing structure for each LMS can vary significantly and is, therefore, an important point of consideration. The main LMS pricing models are pay-per-learner, pay-per-active-user, pay-as-you-go, lifetime licensing, and annual or monthly subscription plans. Sometimes there’s a mix of models, which can get confusing and trip you up. It may be cheaper for a large business, for example, to opt for an annual subscription rather than choose an LMS with a per-learner pricing model. This scenario, of course, depends on the number of employees you need to train. You also need to identify the hidden costs and extra charges that LMSs come with, so take your time to research and try and go for a straightforward pricing model. Mobile-Friendly Learning ContentMobile usage is more popular than ever. You need to ensure your LMS offers mobile-friendly learning content consistently. Some LMSs will have a more substantial offering here than others, but it’s fair to say neglecting mobile learning formats isn’t an approach I’d recommend in this day and age. After all, your employees don’t just learn on desktops all the time. Nowadays, they’ll need to view the content out and about or when they don’t have access to a computer. Some even prefer learning away from the computer via mobile formats. Ideally, opt for an LMS with mobile-friendly content designs. Those in which the content is viewable across multiple devices. It’s a move that will pay off in the long run for both you and your employees. SummaryEmployee training software helps take your training to the next level with a host of great features. If you need software that’s great for employee accessibility, go for Litmos. iSpring Learn more than has you covered for bespoke courses, while TalentLMS is perfect for gamification options. If visual learning is more of a requirement, opt for Raptivity and its focus on interactivity. Or, if you want a first-rate LMS with leading customer support, LearnUpon won’t disappoint. Whatever you go for, be sure to think about the content compatibility and pricing model of each, as well as considering the need for mobile-friendly learning content. via Quick Sprout https://www.quicksprout.com/best-training-software/ |
Sean BrianWhile radishes deter certain insects naturally, they require similar growing conditions as carrots. Although the crops both have roots, radishes grow and germinate quicker, allowing carrots to continue growing in the soil space available when the radishes are harvested, Archives
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