What are internal communication tools?
Internal communication tools are software platforms designed to facilitate effective communication and collaboration between employees within an organization.
These tools streamline team interactions, enabling real-time messaging, file sharing, and project management. Team collaboration is crucial for teamwork and internal communication tools prove to be much more effective than usual email correspondence.
These platforms not only reduce misunderstandings but also foster a culture of transparency and engagement within teams.
From instant messaging apps to comprehensive project management software, these tools are essential for modern workplaces looking to enhance internal communication and drive successful outcomes.
In this article, we will discuss some of the top-rated internal communication tools that aim to improve collaboration skills and meet your team’s needs.
Chanty
Chanty is an internal communication tool that boosts collaboration and productivity. This collaboration tool offers unlimited messaging history even in the free plan. Users can communicate via public and private channels, make audio and video calls, share files, create and manage internal tasks and monitor activity.
Chanty integrates seamlessly with a range of additional Apps such as Zapier, Giphy, Google Drive, OneDrive and more.
With Chanty you can:
- Share and edit code with other team members without leaving the App
- Connect with, and notify team members through @mentions
- Import and Export data from other tools
- Enjoy a comprehensive mobile experience that doesn’t diminish functionality
- Stay on track with deadlines, team communications and updates
Using Teambook, users can organize all of their tasks, maintain a clear record for communication and shared content.
Chanty can be adapted to suit any team that requires clean and efficient communication. Use it to manage your multi-tasking efforts and employee project coordinators, monitor project processes and minimize distractions.
Plans are affordable and range from Free (up to 5 users) to $3 per month paid annually.
ProofHub
ProofHub is an all-in-one project management software that works great for internal communication. It simplifies the way teams plan their projects, collaborate, communicate, keep files and schedules organized, and deliver projects on time.
Robust team collaboration features like in-built chat aids in quick communication, while a dedicated space for real-time discussions and a proofing tool to help you share, review and proof files makes collaborating with your team members easy as pie.
It also offers a flexible approach to task management with its option to switch between to-do lists and Kanban boards. ProofHub’s Gantt charts bring in more transparency by helping you figure out task dependencies and stay on top of your schedule.
ProofHub’s top internal team communication and collaboration features are:
- In-built chat app to bring all your team communications together at a centralized platform
- Real-time discussions to brainstorm ideas with your team members
- Custom roles to better define tasks and preserve process transparency
- Simple to-do lists, agile workflows, and kanban boards for flexible task management
- Gantt chart for effective task planning with drag-and-drop functionality
- Online proofing tool to streamline review and approval process
- Easy file sharing and management
- Custom reports for better progress overview and resource management
- Automatic timer and timesheets to keep track of your team’s time and productivity
- Integrations with third-party apps like Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, OneDrive, iCal, and Google Calendar
The factor that helps ProofHub stand out from the crowd is its flat price policy. It does not charge you differently for every new user. You just have to pay a fixed price and work with as many people as you want.
ProofHub has two pricing plans. The first plan is called the ‘Essential’ plan which is priced at $45 per month (billed annually) where teams can work up to 40 projects with 15GB storage and unlimited users. The second plan is called the ‘Ultimate Control’ plan priced at $89 per month (billed annually) where the team can work on unlimited projects, users with 100 GB of storage space along with all the core features of ProofHub.
Slack
Slack allows various teams within your organization to have their own chat channel and can create opportunities for various levels of collaboration.
It integrates with other tools your team uses such as Google Calendar, email solutions, and 1000+ other apps.
It brings all your conversations, files, announcements, and updates together under one hub.
Slack ensures your entire team can see all your organizational tools in one place.
Assignments and projects are performed in public channels that can be organized by project, team, or any desired metric.
Some of the many time-saving and organizational benefits include:
- Send private messages
- Add and share documents, images, PDFs, and other files right in the channel
- Pin critical files to make them more visible
- Star any channel to add it as a favorite to highlight it as important
- Helps users keep track of everything
- Keep conversations organized
- Integrates with other work tools such as Qwilr event templates, Trello, and Google Drive
- Find a new app or a service you already use in the app database
- Search for anything that has been posted in messages or channels
Slack is free for small teams. However, free plans only have access to messages of the recent 90 days.
For larger organizations and premium features, you can upgrade to one of the pro plans. Slack offers three pricing plans. The Pro plan costs $7.25 per user per month (billed annually) and includes advanced features like group calls and app integrations. The Business+ plan is priced at $12.50 per user per month (billed annually), offering enhanced security and support. The Enterprise Grid plan requires custom pricing for larger organizations, delivering tailored solutions and advanced security features.
Teamweek
Teamweek is an easy-to-use visual planning tool. Its intuitive interface makes planning tasks and projects simpler.
Help teams and clients get more done by:
- Using checklists to boost productivity
- Keeping everyone on the same page with instant updates
- Collaborating and planning in real-time
- Breaking tasks down into steps and checking them off when complete
- Updating timelines with one click
- Sharing timelines and project roadmaps with clients
- Importing tasks from anywhere using Mozilla and Chrome extensions
- Using the mobile app to get a daily overview of every team member’s workload
Useful for any type of project, TeamWeek Event Management Software is specifically designed for event management.
Be more efficient, improve workflows, and keep everyone on the same page.
Teamweek is free for small teams up to five people. There are also several tiered pro plans with premium features for larger organizations. The cheapest is the Capacity plan at $5 per user per month for availability overview and task estimates; the Starter plan at $8 per user per month, adding recurring tasks and project timelines; and the Premium plan at $13.5 per user per month, including guest users and priority support.
Fleep
Fleep is a service that brings together tasks, team messaging, and file sharing, all under one roof.
It allows teams to organize and collaborate on projects from concept to completion.
The heart of Fleep is its three-strand dashboard which includes tasks, a pinboard for messaging, and a file-sharing platform.
Through the tasks interface, users can create actionable tasks and assign them to team members. It’s quick and it’s searchable with a minimalist dashboard.
The Pinboard creates a home for all your messaging between team members. Things like meeting agendas, links to critical information, and contact details can be shared remotely so that all team members are on the same page and working synergistically.
The file drawer enables people to collaborate and share images, videos, documents, and other rich media and resides next to the conversation flow of any task or project.
if you are supervising teams, you will have access to additional tools that reveal user time on projects within Fleep, check who has read or acted on group messages, and more.
Fleep provides simple, internal process solutions to busy teams and is easy to use. It has an uncomplicated dashboard and intuitive workflows making it a good tool for those just beginning to use collaborative and internal communication tools with their digital workforce.
Fleep offers two pricing plans. The first plan is the Business plan, priced at €5 per user per month (billed annually). This plan includes unlimited conversations, 100GB of file-sharing space per user, and integrations with various tools. The second plan is the Enterprise plan, which features custom pricing and includes all Business plan functionalities, along with enhanced support and advanced management features tailored for larger organizations.
Flowdock
With Flowdock you can bring multiple conversations, tools, and work items together in one place. As a private and group chat platform, it improves communications by allowing for conversation threads and multiple flows.
Development groups and business teams collaborate via a variety of chatting features. Users get notifications on their desktop or mobile device.
Flowdock is unique in that it combines into a single package:
- A version control and monitoring system
- Project management
- Customer feedback
The advanced team inbox saves time and reduces delayed delivery and miscommunication.
Instead of using a multi-chat panel, real-time chat improves team communications with multiple flows and conversation threads.
Flowdock offers a free 30-day trial so you can get a good feel for the service before you make any commitment.
Jostle
Jostle is an employee intranet known as a People Engagement® platform was built to encourage and streamline team engagement. The goal is to provide a means for seamless communication when working with remote teams and encourage an emotionally and mentally healthy work environment.
It has a strong mobile app and a detailed dashboard that includes story sharing, surveys, collaboration, event planning and more.
Despite its comprehensive set of tools, Jostle is light and quick and an enjoyable alternative to clunky emails and resource-heavy applications.
Content can be shared within groups or individuals and bring specific teams together to work on projects in whole or in part.
Jostle provides:
- An intuitive intranet
- A Group Activity platform which delivers real-time communication
- Simplified event planning
- Management of your RSVP’s and calendars
- Collaborative workspaces
- Private chat services
- A searchable library for shared data and media
- High participation rates amongst freelancers or employees
As an internal integration tool, team managers and employees will find it is a great way to encourage participation in project goals and a way to motivate team members to be more productive.
In short, it’s a good way for remote teams to build relationships and group cohesion.
Jostle offers four pricing plans. The Free Plan provides basic internal communication tools. The Bronze Plan is priced at $4 per user per month (billed annually) and includes internal communications, mobile apps, full support, and unlimited storage. The Silver Plan costs $7 per user per month (billed annually) and adds information sharing, one add-on feature, SSO, and API access. The Gold Plan is $10 per user per month (billed annually) and includes three add-on features along with all Silver Plan functionalities. The Platinum Plan requires you to contact Jostle for pricing, which includes all features and options from the previous plans.
If you are hoping to find a tool that is easy to use and that brings team members closer together then Jostle is worth a look.
Basecamp
Organize everything in one place with Basecamp’s all-in-one communications and real-time collaboration platforms.
Improve communication, increase productivity, and be better organized by:
- Creating to-do lists
- Assigning tasks
- Adding notes
- Attaching files
- Embedding files or images into messages
- Displaying a schedule with due dates
- Sharing images, documents, and files
- Asking and answering questions in real-time group chat
- Forwarding emails and messages to clients privately
It offers a free 30-day trial with no credit card required for the paid version. While other platforms charge per user, Basecamp doesn’t.
Basecamp offers two pricing plans. The first plan is called the ‘Basecamp’ plan, which is priced at $15 per month per user (billed annually) and includes unlimited projects, 500GB of storage, and access to all core features. The second plan is called ‘Basecamp Pro Unlimited,’ priced at $299 per month (flat rate) for unlimited users, providing all the features of the standard plan along with advanced project management tools and unlimited storage.
Whichever communication and productivity tool you decide to use, make sure it offers the features and benefits you need.
Consider taking advantage of free trials so you can assess if a tool is a right fit for your organization or team.
Choosing the best internal communication tools
With the growth in SaaS and collaborative tools over the past few years, choosing the service that suits you may not be as simple as it once was.
When choosing internal communication tools, it’s crucial to define your team’s SMART goals.
- What foal do you want to achieve?
- How will you measure its success in your organization
- What are your budgetary constraints and
- What are the non-negotiables vs the luxuries when it comes to functionality
In a time-poor workplace, efficiency is everything. Some of these communication tools are designed to provide efficiency in one area while providing less efficiency in others. Ask yourself what processes do you want to speed up? Is it file sharing, reporting, team dialogue, or something else?
Some tools excel in communication and information transfer but are not as useful when it comes to collaboration. Take time to try those that look the most promising for your unique situation and be sure to speak directly to each tools support team to have your questions answered.
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