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Let’s be honest: people don’t really need to sit across a desk from each other anymore to make great work. With more than 4.7 million people in the U.S. working remotely at least half the time, online collaboration is becoming the norm. But by how much? By 2025, 32.6 million Americans will be working remotely.
As we move further into the remote work renaissance, harnessing the power of online collaboration tools will be critical. With them, you can achieve faster project timelines, fewer bottlenecks, and much easier workflows.
In this blog, we’re going to compare and contrast the 15 best online collaboration tools so you can choose the one that’ll make your online team more efficient.
Punchlist is one of the best online collaboration tools, making it easy for the people reviewing your work (internally or externally) to leave feedback so you can make revisions and get projects across the finish line faster.
With Punchlist, there’s no download needed. All you have to do is send one link to the people reviewing your work and they can leave feedback—without any disruption to their workflow.
In short, Punchlist is the easiest way for people reviewing your work to leave actionable feedback and the simplest way for you to make revisions to your work quickly.
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Click here to start a 30-day free trial with Punchlist on any plan.
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Punchlist is ideal for anyone who works in an agency, architectural designers and builders, enterprises, and professionals in the education space who need one platform to collect, review, and manage project feedback.
New feature: Video feedback
With Punchlist’s new video feedback tool, you can now upload video files and leave feedback within the platform!
This tool is perfect for social media managers, content creators, project managers, video editors, and more. Feedback shows up on the exact frame and in the exact spot where you placed your pin, so whoever is making revisions knows precisely when, where, and what to change.
Plus, you can also upload screen recordings to show bugs, mistakes, and inconsistencies from your POV. Perfect for developers and QA teams!
Sign up for a 30-day free trial on The Startup, Small Business, Bigger Business, or Enterprise plan to try out Punchlist’s video feedback feature for yourself!
Google Docs is a cloud-based document creation and editing software that allows users to write, edit, and collaborate on documents simultaneously. It is part of Google Workspace, which includes tools like Sheets and Slides.
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Google Docs is very well-suited for businesses that need reliable, accessible, and easy-to-use tools for document collaboration.
New feature: Documents tab
Google Docs’ new Documents Tab feature makes it easier for collaborators to organize and navigate longer documents. You can create tabs within a document to structure information into focused sections and add additional subtabs within each main tab. Learn more about the new Google Docs Documents Tab feature here.
Dropbox Paper is a cloud-based word processor (much like Google Docs) that allows teams to create, manage, and share content instantaneously. It is integrated with Dropbox so you can manage documents alongside stored files. It can also be used as a task-management tool.
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Dropbox Paper could be good for teams that need a flexible and straightforward tool for real-time collaboration. If you’re already using Dropbox for file storage, it can help you manage project tasks and timelines too.
FigJam is an online whiteboard tool designed by Figma. It helps with brainstorming, ideation, and visual collaboration. It allows users to sketch out their ideas, which makes it helpful for diagramming, mood boards, design sprints, team meetings, etc.
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If your team is already using Figma and you want to supplement your experience with an easy-to-use tool that can help with collaborative tasks, FigJam might be your jam.
New feature: Pages
Pages in FigJam allow users to organize and streamline their work by creating separate spaces within a single project. With pages, you can divide activities for different working groups, keep distinct work streams apart, and manage recurring meetings in FigJam without overloading any single board. You can also use divider pages or emojis to label each page’s purpose or status, making navigation easier and keeping projects structured and efficient.
Miro is an online collaboration tool that helps with mapping out workflows, brainstorming, and project planning. In Miro’s own words, it supports distributed teams by offering a rich visual interface where users can dream, design, and build projects together.
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If you need a visual collaboration tool with a lot of features for project management, software development, and creative brainstorming, Miro might be for you.
New Feature: Docs
Miro has introduced a new feature called Docs which allows users to create and manage text documents directly within the Miro workspace. The biggest advantage? Taking brainstorming on the canvas to drafting structured documents without leaving the platform.
Plus, the feature is powered by AI, so you can quickly generate summaries, briefs, research highlights, or meeting notes in professional text documents with just a few clicks.
Zoom is a widely used video and web conferencing platform for online meetings, file sharing, webinars, and group messaging.
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Zoom is ideal for businesses that need reliable and versatile video conferencing. It's great for organizations that conduct regular webinars or large meetings.
New feature: Zoom Docs
Zoom Docs is a tool integrated into Zoom Workplace that allows users to turn meeting content into documents, wikis, projects, and more without leaving the Zoom platform. Built with AI Companion at its core, Zoom Docs assists in composing content, generating summaries, and translating documents into multiple languages.
Webex by Cisco is an online collaboration tool that facilitates virtual meetings and events. It supports anything from daily meetings to large-scale events
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Like Zoom, Webex is a great tool for any business that needs internal and external video conferencing. It’s most beneficial for calls with a large number of participants, such as educational sessions, large meetings, and corporate webinars.
Asana is a robust project and task management platform that helps teams organize, track, and manage their work to meet deadlines and improve team communication.
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If you want a free project management solution for your team, Asana is a good start. It integrates with a bunch of third-party solutions and has the reporting you need to get started. If you need to move up to a paid plan though, there are probably cheaper alternatives out there.
New feature: Asana AI
Asana has a new tool called Asana AI that uses Smart Status, Smart Chat, and Smart Summaries to help users stay updated on project progress, receive AI-powered answers, and get concise summaries of tasks. Smart Fields and the Smart Rule Creator automate data entry and routine workflows, while Smart Goals and Smart Projects assist in setting effective objectives and creating structured projects.
monday.com is another project management tool, similar to Asana. It has a wide range of applications, from marketing and content creation to sales and CRM, making it an all-in-one platform businesses can use for almost anything.
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If you’re looking for an easy-to-use online collaboration tool that can help with a ton of projects, monday.com may be for you. It can be particularly useful for marketing, IT, and human resources teams.
New feature: WorkCanvas
monday.com WorkCanvas is an online digital whiteboard that is positioning monday.com as a competitor to Miro and FigJam. It enables users to design retrospectives, create flowcharts, build workshops, and more, all within a single platform. Users can create multiple canvases to design charts, build mind maps, or produce visuals for a task. Users can start with a blank canvas or use one of the many templates monday.com provides to get started.
Microsoft Teams is an online collaboration tool integrated with Microsoft 365, offering capabilities like chat, video conferencing, file sharing, and more.
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If your organization is already using Microsoft’s suite of features, Microsoft Teams is probably a solid choice. It's particularly effective for larger organizations or educational institutions.
Slack is an online collaboration tool designed to simplify business communication. It supports in-person and remote workers through chat, video calls, file sharing, and many other features.
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If your team likes flexible communication and tons of integrations, Slack is probably the way to go. Teams that like rapid, informal communication with customization options will prefer Slack.
New feature: Slack templates
Slack templates are a new feature in Slack consisting of pre-built bundles that combine canvases, lists, and workflows within a channel, designed to streamline common processes like project management and onboarding. By selecting a template, users can quickly set up a channel, meaning less time spent creating channel onboarding elements from scratch.
Dropbox is a cloud storage service that provides file sharing, storage, and collaboration solutions. Users can store files online and share them so they’re accessible from any device.
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For teams that want a smooth and fast file-sharing user experience, Dropbox is probably your best bet. It also comes with advanced sharing features and a boatload of third-party integrations to improve productivity.
New feature: Dash
Dropbox Dash is a new AI-powered universal search tool from Dropbox designed to connect tools, content, and apps into a single search bar. This feature helps users quickly locate files, emails, and documents across various platforms like Google Workspace, Microsoft Outlook, Salesforce, and more, all in one place.
For users, this feature enables less toggling between multiple applications, saving time and enhancing productivity. Dash also offers features like Stacks—smart collections for organizing and sharing links—and a Start Page that provides shortcuts to recent work and meetings, making it easier to navigate your day.
Zoho WorkDrive is a cloud-based file storage platform designed for teams of all sizes. It helps with managing and sharing files in a secure environment, enhancing team productivity and collaboration.
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Zoho WorkDrive is best suited for teams looking for an affordable and effective solution for team collaboration and file management. It is not as well suited for individuals, as Zoho WorkDrive doesn’t offer any individual paid plans, unlike Dropbox.
New feature: Built-in image editing
WorkDrive now offers a convenient built-in image editor tool that allows for instant editing within the Zoho WorkDrive platform. The tool isn’t the most comprehensive, but you can crop images, highlight or conceal content, and add text to finalize images quickly without moving back to your primary design tool.
Canva is a popular online design tool that lets users create visuals like social media posts, presentations, and marketing materials with a simple drag-and-drop interface. It’s beginner-friendly and comes with a large library of templates, images, and fonts, making it accessible for users without design experience. Canva is ideal for quick, professional-looking designs and is widely used for its straightforward approach to creating visually appealing content.
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If you need fast, template-based designs with minimal customization, Canva’s simplicity will probably work well for your team.
Adobe Express is a versatile design tool offering users an easy way to create standout content, including social media posts, ads, flyers, logos, and more. Designed for simplicity, Adobe Express combines Adobe’s advanced design resources—like Adobe Fonts and Adobe Stock—with a user-friendly interface, making it accessible to non-designers while providing some of Adobe’s iconic creative features. It’s a strong option for those wanting quality designs quickly, especially if they’re familiar with Adobe’s ecosystem.
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Adobe Express offers a bridge for users wanting Adobe’s resources in a more accessible format. Choose Adobe Express for more in-depth creative options with Adobe’s powerful design ecosystem.
Online collaboration tools are software solutions that enhance communication, cooperation, and productivity for team members who work together virtually. With online collaboration tools, you can share information, files, and resources in real time.
Here’s how online collaboration tools can lead to more productive teamwork:
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