Teams need better-quality engagement, and the best internal communication apps offer a mix of chat, social feed, file management, and scheduling functionality in one platform.
Strong internal communications are an essential part of any business. For individuals, teams, and business units to collaborate, they need to be able to share information, files, tasks, objectives and more effectively and efficiently.
Conversely, poor internal communications cost businesses significant time and resources. Tasks are done more slowly and with poor quality, team members are less engaged, and mission-critical information can be missed or lost entirely.
Internal communications apps help ensure the best possible flow of information by providing a single, centralized platform where users can easily exchange messages, collaborate in real time via video and audio calls and securely share information and files. The best internal comms apps boast additional features that make collaborating even easier, like third-party integrations, workflow and task management, and even scheduling and time-clock features.
In this article, we look at the top 10 internal communications apps on the market today, including their main features and pricing plans, so you can find the best one to suit your business needs.
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
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Best all-in-one internal communication app
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Best for top-down informational campaigns
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Best for event staff management
Why trust us?
Our team of unbiased software reviewers follows strict editorial guidelines, and our methodology is clear and open to everyone.
See our complete methodology
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Tools considered
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Tools reviewed
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Best tools
chosen
What to Look For in a Internal Communication App
When scouting for internal communication platforms for your business, you should keep these factors in mind:
- Instant messaging: Connecting to team members via chat can help build relationships and solve day-to-day problems efficiently.
- Workflow management: Interacting with schedules and tasks in real time reduces uncertainty and helps teams increase productivity.
- Content sharing: Information such as training modules and company announcements should be easily editable and shareable in news feeds and email newsletters.
- Third-party integrations: Access to third-party functionality such as payroll or cloud storage increases convenience for teams using communication apps.
- A trial or free plan: Testing a communication app’s suitability and ease of use before buying is key, and some companies offer a demo instead of a trial or free plan.
The 10 Best Internal Communication Apps of 2024
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Connecteam — Best for: All-in-one internal communication
We aim to make Connecteam the best internal communication app out there—and we think we’ve nailed it. With a simple design and easy setup, the Connecteam app offers group chat, task and employee scheduling, and project management features all in one.
The app supports deskless industries, such as hospitality or logistics, by allowing employees and managers to organize their day-to-day tasks directly in the app. For instance, you can clock in and out with one click, add and track individual tasks, and select your availability for shifts, with your team notified in real time. A team directory, including coworkers’ names and contact details, helps save time and solve tasks collaboratively.
However, those with desk-based jobs can benefit from Connecteam in equal measure. Group and 1-to-1 chats can bring teams up to speed with project updates, ensuring work conversations stay separate from private messaging apps such as WhatsApp. Workforce opinion and sentiment gathering can be done with group surveys and polls, allowing management to make quicker decisions and at a lower cost than, say, hiring a research company.
Overall, the convenience of a communications app where you can also manage schedules and task details helps boost team productivity, which we feel makes Connecteam the best choice for all-in-one solution seekers.
Key Features
Team directory
In-app chat function
In-app surveys and polls
Shift management
Company updates
Pros
All-in-one employee management tool
Integrates with payroll software
Intuitive design
Communication analytics available
Cons
No in-app video calls
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Start your free trial -
Firstup — Best for: Top-down informational campaigns
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Firstup, previously two separate companies—SocialChorus and Dynamic Signal—allows companies to create, distribute, and track the effectiveness of digital content to help their employees feel more engaged and better prepared at work.
A key feature for Firstup is being able to edit and save content templates, which streamlines the development of company posts and articles. You can target content at specific employee groups, such as doctors, nurses, and admin staff in a hospital setting. The platform also has an orchestration and automation feature to plan and schedule content, which is particularly useful for informational campaigns during big company transitions, such as upcoming changes in regulation. This set of features is powerful, as workflow automation can save you time and money.
Besides top-down information publishing, Firstup offers collaboration tools for employees to connect to each other, including social networking posts that allow comments and reactions. While it can be integrated with chat platforms such as Slack and Microsoft Teams, Firstup itself doesn’t offer in-app chatting and calling features, which limits it to distributing targeted management announcements.
Key Features
- Multimedia content automation
- Saved content templates
- Employee social feed
- Engagement analytics
Pros
- Advanced content management tools
- Streamlined communications
Cons
- Few collaboration features for coworkers
- No chat function
Pricing
Contact company for quote Trial: No Free Plan: No
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Staffconnect — Best for: Event staff management
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Event staff is usually deskless workers that work a tight schedule and need bite-sized information to make many decisions every day. StaffConnect is built specifically for companies that manage events, and includes a talent database, shift management, chat features, and timesheet and invoicing functionality.
Managers can save and automate communications to frontline staff, such as shift reminders and health and safety guidelines. There’s also an option to broadcast SMS messages for an extra fee. A detailed event calendar and talent directory that includes workers’ availability makes it easy for fast-paced event organizers to plan staffing in advance and request shifts. From the workers’ side, a live chat connects them to their event team, which is intuitively designed to resemble a WhatsApp conversation.
Conveniently, you don’t have to buy a separate payroll solution, as StaffConnect allows workers to check in and out, submit timesheets, and generate invoices. The solution can, however, integrate with Xero accounting software, and you can choose to pay employees via other methods as well.
Key Features
- Event calendar and shift assignment
- Chat function
- File sharing
- Timesheets and invoicing
Pros
- Comprehensive event staffing solution
- Payroll functionality
Cons
- Not applicable outside event industry
- No free plan
Pricing
Starts at $30/ month for 30 users + $1 per user Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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Slack — Best for: Small-to-medium remote teams
Slack is a popular internal communications app that helps businesses separate work and personal chats, which is one of the best ways to fix workplace communication problems. It’s straightforward to use, with chats segmented into 1-on-1s and channels. Channels are group chats that can be dedicated to particular projects or teams, helping workers stay focussed on information that’s relevant to them.
The audio and video call function can be used for in-app meetings with one or more coworkers, and individual user profiles let you know if the person is busy or available. You’re additionally able to drop files into channels and direct messages, not just from your local drive, but also from integrated cloud storage solutions such as Dropbox.
Slack allows users to customize their app experience, with examples including text formatting options in chats and advanced notification settings. Also, it supports automation using third-party integrations, which can increase team productivity. For example, you can integrate Slack with Trello to receive notifications when new tasks are assigned to team members. Slack, however, does not include task or schedule management features in-app.
Key Features
- Private and public chat channels
- Audio and video calls
- Workflow automation
- Integration tools
Pros
- Customizable app experience
- Task automation via integrations
Cons
- Group calls limited to 15 participants
- Message history saves up to 10,000 messages on free plan
Pricing
Starts at $8.25/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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Smarp — Best for: Employee advocacy
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
On Smarp, you can create and distribute content to your workforce in a targeted manner and track communication effectiveness with engagement analytics. Employees can receive instant notifications when a new company newsletter is out or a social-media-style post is added to the intranet.
A key differentiator for Smarp is the ability to send company communications directly to third-party programs, such as email clients, Microsoft Teams, and Slack. Furthermore, analytics can help you determine what information, tone of voice, and channels perform best with different employee groups.
The internal communication platform has a gamified interface, encouraging regular use by awarding points to team members when they create or interact with content. Additionally, employees can help increase brand awareness by sharing intranet content to third-party apps, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, at the click of a button.
Key Features
- Multimedia content sharing
- Personalized employee news feed
- External advocacy functions
- Company news
Pros
- Comprehensive content publishing
- Incentives for content engagement
Cons
- No chat function
- No free plan
Pricing
Contact company for quote Trial: No Free Plan: No
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Staffbase — Best for: Email communications
Staffbase can support both desk-based and deskless teams, with a set of communication tools including employee chat groups, a company news intranet, and an email newsletter creator.
Employee feedback can be captured through company-wide surveys, but that’s not the only way to leverage data about your team. For instance, when sending bulk email newsletters to your team, performance analytics can indicate what type of content is most useful to employees. Also, audience targeting tools help ensure that business comms stay relevant and don’t distract team members from their jobs.
Its highly customizable intranet is also a strong point. You can organize knowledge base articles, files, event information, and other business guidelines. Employees can also access recent management posts and surveys on the intranet.
If you’re already using another intranet solution, such as Microsoft Sharepoint or SAP, Staffbase can capture and display its data, including stored files. This reduces the silos in your organization and keeps all the information employees require under one internal communication platform.
Key Features
- Chat function
- Targeted email newsletters
- Customizable intranet
- Company updates
Pros
- Integrates with Sharepoint and SAP
- Content effectiveness insights
Cons
- Limited collaboration features
- No free plan
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
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Beekeeper — Best for: Frontline workers
Made with frontline teams in mind, particularly in manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and hospitality, Beekeeper enables companies to train and engage deskless workers, while providing communication channels for day-to-day decision-making.
Take, for instance, its communications suite. Chats can be 1-on-1 or group based, and company announcements are found in a personalized news feed, ensuring employees know important updates in advance. A one-click “message read” confirmation helps management track the reach of team-wide messaging.
A popular Beekeeper use case is streamlining employee onboarding and training, with modules, files, and quizzes used to digitize an otherwise expensive and lengthy process. Additionally, you can create surveys to understand what motivates employees and what they’ve learned on the job. This is key, as Gallup research shows that employees are 2.8 times more likely to be engaged when they discuss their successes and goals with their managers.
Beekeeper is likely to increase your team productivity if you leverage its extensive integrations marketplace, spanning from HR and payroll solutions to training and file management platforms. You could, for instance, integrate Beekeeper with a chatbot app that automates answers to common employee questions.
Key Features
- In-app chat with file sharing
- Onboarding and training modules
- Company announcements
- Integrations marketplace
Pros
- Strong productivity tools
- Numerous integrations
Cons
- No shift management
- No in-app calls
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes — No Data
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Microsoft Teams — Best for: Microsoft users
Microsoft Teams is ideal for large teams, particularly in desk-based businesses. With 1:1 and group chats, as well as audio and video calls of up to 300 people, Teams is suitable whether you require a real-time conversation or want to drop someone an update at the end of a working day. Chat groups can be set up on a project basis, helping to foster collaboration and keep team members accountable.
Advanced in-app video calling features include screen sharing, grouping people into breakout rooms for in-depth discussion, and recording and transcribing the meeting for future reference. Your Teams account can also be set up with your work phone number, which is particularly useful for remote workers receiving customer phone calls.
While it can be purchased standalone, Teams works best as part of a Microsoft Office suite. When integrated with Outlook, for example, Teams has access to your work calendar and scheduling functionality. Also, OneDrive and Sharepoint files can be seamlessly uploaded or linked to in Teams.
Key Features
- Chat function
- Video calls, including screen sharing
- In-app schedule
- File sharing
Pros
- Seamless integration with Microsoft products
- Comprehensive video calling features
Cons
- Interface not as intuitive as competitors’
- No in-app task management
Pricing
Starts at $4/user/month Trial: Yes — Up to 25 users Free Plan: No
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Poppulo — Best for: Teams looking to scale
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Poppulo’s strengths lie in content management and dissemination, aiming to provide only the most relevant company and team-level updates to your employees. You can design and automate highly customizable emails targeted at specific working groups, as well as improve your comms strategy based on engagement analytics.
In an interface resembling social media platforms, team members can select which company topics to follow and unfollow, such as Business Support and Customer Stories, while a few default ones, like Company News, are always on. Poppulo feeds also contain learning and training materials, role-specific articles and files, and ongoing employee surveys. Each feed is powered by AI technology and personalized based on the person’s job title, department, product line, and content they’ve opted in for.
The high level of personalization makes the tool suitable for crisis and change management, since leaders can tweak and target messages according to workers’ location, line of work, and other factors. On top of content uploaded to Poppulo, users can integrate with third-party solutions such as Sharepoint, thus gaining access to company content across different platforms.
Key Features
- Newsletter editing
- Personalized news feed
- Surveys and polls
- Engagement analytics
Pros
- Personalized communications
- Users control their feeds
Cons
- No in-app chat
- No team directory
Pricing
Contact company for quote Trial: No Free Plan: No
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Workvivo — Best for: Larger desk-based teams
Workvivo’s interface is similar to that of a social network, with personal feeds populated with what’s most relevant to the employee. The interface is easy to adapt to, lowering training costs and increasing user retention.
Its top features include multimedia posts—including live-streamed videos and podcasts—team surveys and polls, community groups, event information, and “shout-outs” that publicly recognize individuals’ achievements. Aiming to increase team collaboration and productivity through intelligently distributed content, Workvivo provides audience engagement analytics for posted content, helping leaders understand what best motivates their teams.
Team members can share knowledge on a granular level using the questions and comments functions, which is useful in fast-moving businesses like hospitality, where workers need quick, specific guidelines.
Workvivo allows many different integrations to enhance productivity, such as Slack for video calls and Salesforce for CRM data. Not only that, but the tool also has a straightforward interface for storing and organizing documents, based on team and project needs.
Key Features
- Multimedia news feed, including podcasts
- Individual and team goals
- Collaboration groups
- File sharing
Pros
- Intuitive social networking interface
- Gamified features
Cons
- No in-app calls
- Not suitable for small teams
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
Compare the Best Internal Communication Apps
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| Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
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Contact company for quote
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Starts at $30/ month for 30 users + $1 per user
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Starts at $8.25/user/month
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Contact company for quote
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Contact vendor for price
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Contact vendor for price
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Starts at $4/user/month
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Contact company for quote
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Contact vendor for price
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| Free Trial |
yes
14-day
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no
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yes
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yes
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no
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no
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yes
14-day
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yes
Up to 25 users
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no
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| Free Plan |
yes
Free Up to 10 users
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yes
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No Data
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no
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| Use cases |
Best for: All-in-one internal communication
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Best for: Top-down informational campaigns
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Best for: Event staff management
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Best for: Small-to-medium remote teams
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Best for: Employee advocacy
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Best for: Email communications
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Best for: Frontline workers
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Best for: Microsoft users
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Best for: Teams looking to scale
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Best for: Larger desk-based teams
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| Available on |
Web, iOS, Android
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Web, iOS, Android
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Web, iOS, Android
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Web, iOS, Android
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What are internal communication apps?
Internal communication mobile apps typically provide a combination of messaging, task management, scheduling, and company announcement features. Many apps also enable managers to broadcast targeted updates to employees and collect feedback via surveys and polls.
Some apps include instant messaging and audio and video calling features, offering desk-based and deskless workers a business communication channel separate from apps designated for personal use, such as WhatsApp. Products aimed at deskless workers may also include shift scheduling and timesheet functionality.
How does an internal communication app work?
Employees usually get individual user accounts that can be accessed from a mobile app or desktop browser. The best have intuitive interfaces, with users able to see an account summary on their dashboard, which may contain recent company announcements, unread messages, and upcoming tasks and meetings.
You can make real-time changes in the app, for example, updating schedules and tasks, as well as create sub-groups that keep information relevant to specific projects or teams. This can save a lot of time by reducing back-and-forth communication on topics such as shift times, task details, or company guidelines.
Benefits of internal communication apps
Firstly, internal communication apps allow workers to engage with management and with each other, using chat and video call features, as well as intranet posts and newsletter broadcasts. This ensures not only that important work-related updates reach the right people, but also that relationships are fostered, leading to a lower turnover rate.
Furthermore, these solutions often include productivity-enhancing features such as task tracking or notifications from integrated third-party apps. A well-rounded solution will also provide cost savings by integrating HR functionality such as invoicing and training modules in the same package.
How much does an internal communication app cost?
While prices vary across providers, many companies offer a subscription model that bills on a monthly or annual basis, according to the number of users. Plans get more expensive with more advanced features, such as higher storage capacity or unlimited third-party integrations.
Microsoft Teams, for example, starts at $4/user/month, while StaffConnect starts at $30/month for 30 users and charges $1 per additional user. However, Connecteam has one of the most competitive pricing plans on the market, starting at only $29/ month for 30 users.
Many internal communication providers develop a bespoke plan based on your specific business requirements. You will have to contact these companies for a quote.
Determine the expenses of using Connecteam’s internal communication solution for your team and employees
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FAQs
What is the best app for communication?
Although we’re biased, we think Connecteam is the best communication app out there for businesses. With affordable pricing plans and an easy-to-use interface, it’s an all-in-one hub for chatting, scheduling, tracking tasks, storing files, automating workflows, onboarding, and integrating with third-party internal communication mobile apps. We save you time and money by managing people and communications more effectively.
What apps help you communicate?
Apps like Connecteam offer intuitive workplace communication features, such as live 1-to1 or group messaging, employee survey tools, and team directories. Other apps, like Poppulo, feature personalized news feeds containing company updates and employee posts. Platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams offer advanced chats, and audio and video calling features.
What is internal communication with an example?
Internal communication is any piece of information disseminated between coworkers in a business. One example is scheduling and executing an online meeting within a team. The systems and processes through which new employees are onboarded, including the company handbook, and health and safety information, are also part of internal communication.
The Bottom Line On Internal Communication App
Digital workforces, whether remote or office-based, often struggle to get the right amount and quality of communication from their coworkers and leaders. This can lead to low engagement and higher turnover rates.
Our guide offers you a diverse range of choices, from apps focused on chats and news feeds, to those centering productivity and scheduling tools. Connecteam is the primary all-in-one communications app, enabling teams to message, manage events, send company updates, and manage shift schedules without ever leaving the app. With minimal training required and a user-friendly interface, Connecteam is available on a free-forever plan and offers premium plan trials.