As more and more businesses rely on the ability to quickly become mobile, apps that can replace a work computer in a hurry are a necessity. Thankfully, there is an abundance of them available for the device of your choosing.
Here, we breakdown some of the best apps for working remotely.
1. Hotspot Shield VPN for iPhone and iPad (Free to download)
If you need a secure connection while working remotely, you need a VPN. With Hotspot Shield, you can secure your wifi connection with HTTPS encryption, mask your IP address, switch country servers, unblock blocked websites, and give unrestricted access to mobile VOIP services and messaging apps such as Skype. Although free to try, it is a premium service with monthly and yearly subscription plans.
2. Cloud Print Plus for Android (Free)
An old one but good one, the Cloud Print Plus app allows you to print files from your phone to any printer, once you’ve configured the printer. With this app you can print sms messages, contacts, material from facebook, dropbox, google drive, etc., mail, webpages…the list goes on.
3. Locqus for Android (Free to download)
If you need the ability to manage a fleet or field service remotely, Locqus is your app. With Locqus you can set up billing and invoices, take payments, create and schedule jobs, complete payroll or use as a mobile time clock, notify customers of an ETA when en route, and best of all – they have toll free customer support available to assist you.
4. OfficeTime for iPhone and iPad (Free to download)
OfficeTime is a mobile time and expense tracker that will sync with Windows or Mac, making it even easier to track your billable hours while working remotely. You can track by project and category, run multiple timers, and work offline with the basic (read: free) version. With the premium version, you can export to Excel or Numbers, report by custom dates, and track unlimited projects and categories.
5. Polaris Office + PDF for Android (Free)
This app allows you to create, open, and edit documents on your Android phone or tablet, and since you can save the files directly onto your device (with a backup saved in the cloud), you can work on them offline. Compatible with Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Adobe PDF, and, as an added bonus, Google Chromecast – which allows you to cast the document from your device to your Chromecast connected display (such as a TV screen or desktop monitor).
6. FileThis for iPhone and iPad (Free to download)
FileThis is exactly what it sounds like – a filing app for your iPhone or iPad. You can connect accounts from companies like Amazon or AT&T, and have your statements delivered directly to the app, where you can then file them in “binders” you’ve created. Need to print an old invoice? No problem – you can search, view, print, and share your documents.
7. FreshBooks Cloud Accounting for iPhone and iPad (Free to download)
Advertised as Accounting for the non-Accountant, FreshBooks creates invoices with your logo, which you can then send via email, download as a PDF, or print. You can also accept payment via the app, change the currency for different countries, send clients late payment reminders, and see when your invoice is viewed. It is free to try, but subscriptions range from $19.99 to $39.99 a month.
*IOU Financial does not endorse or receive payment for these products.