The Best Remote Work Software in 2026
We researched remote work software from official websites—pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation—and ranked products by the category’s core job, value for money and verified features. Use this guide to compare collaboration, communication and coordination capabilities for distributed teams choosing remote work software.
Our top picks
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Top ranked
Microsoft Teams#1 of 279.4/10A broad collaboration hub for organizations already invested in Microsoft 365.
Free plan
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Runner-up
Google Workspace#2 of 279.3/10A broad email, document, calendar, messaging, and meeting suite for distributed teams.
14-day trial
-
Top-ranked free plan
Slack#3 of 279.2/10A channel-based work hub with searchable conversations, huddles, workflows, and app integrations.
Free plan
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 27 tools, best first
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Best forLarge organizations needing a complete collaboration hub
A broad collaboration hub for organizations already invested in Microsoft 365.
9.4/10★★★★★Try Microsoft Teams -
Best forTeams wanting an integrated productivity suite
A broad email, document, calendar, messaging, and meeting suite for distributed teams.
9.3/10★★★★★Try Google Workspace -
Best forOrganizations centered on team messaging and integrations
A channel-based work hub with searchable conversations, huddles, workflows, and app integrations.
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Slack -
Best forDistributed teams centered on video meetings
A video-first suite that brings meetings, chat, documents and whiteboards together.
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Zoom -
Best forBudget-conscious teams wanting email and collaboration
Broad email and collaboration coverage at a low annual per-user price.
Free plan · 15-day trial Our Zoho Workplace verdict → Visit Zoho WorkplaceFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #5 · $59/mo →9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Zoho Workplace -
Best forGlobal teams wanting an all-in-one multilingual workspace
A broad collaboration suite for teams that want communication and office tools together.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Lark -
Best forTeams needing open-source, self-hosted collaboration
A broad collaboration suite for teams that want cloud or self-hosted deployment.
- Integrated task management
- Virtual whiteboard
- Team chat
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Nextcloud -
Best forProject-focused teams needing structured remote work
A project workspace that brings tasks, messaging, calendars, files, and check-ins together.
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Basecamp -
Best forOrganizations prioritizing reliable meetings and messaging
Webex brings meetings, messaging and calling together, with a free plan and larger paid meeting limits.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Webex -
Best forBusinesses combining communications and collaboration
A broad communications suite for teams that want calling, messaging and meetings together.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit RingCentral -
Best forCompanies needing integrated phone and meeting systems
Integrated calling, meetings, messaging, and contact-center tools with sales-led pricing.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit GoTo Connect -
Best forSales teams coordinating work around CRM
A CRM-centered workspace that combines sales pipelines, automation and team collaboration.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Bitrix24 -
Best forTeams wanting project management with communication
Redbooth pairs project views and task tracking with team conversations and video meetings.
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Redbooth -
Best forMid-market firms building an employee intranet
A communications-focused intranet with directory, knowledge tools and enterprise integrations.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit MangoApps -
Best forOrganizations needing an open-source employee platform
An open-source employee hub combining intranet publishing, collaboration and workplace search.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit eXo Platform -
Best forTeams focused on collaborative document work
A document-focused office suite for teams that need collaborative editing across platforms.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit ONLYOFFICE -
Best forTeams wanting an immersive virtual office
Gather pairs a virtual office with proximity conversations, chat and scheduled meetings.
- Virtual whiteboard
- Team chat
- Video meetings
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Gather -
Best forDistributed teams preferring spatial virtual offices
Spatial virtual offices combine video, chat and collaboration tools for distributed teams.
- Virtual whiteboard
- Team chat
- Video meetings
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Kumospace -
Best forSmall teams combining tasks, chat and meetings
A broad team workspace with a free plan, but few listed native integrations.
- Integrated task management
- Team chat
- Video meetings
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Edworking -
Best forTeams seeking customizable 2D virtual workspaces
Customizable 2D spaces with proximity chat, meeting rooms, integrations, and self-hosting.
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit WorkAdventure -
Best forSmall groups wanting simple chat plus tasks
Ryver combines structured team conversations, tasks, file sharing, and calls.
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit Ryver -
Best forSmall teams coordinating work with clients and guests
Rock brings project chat and task work together, with paid automation and time tracking.
- Integrated task management
- Team chat
- Video meetings
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit Rock -
Best forOrganizers of interactive virtual experiences
A virtual event platform for organizers who need spatial networking, stages, and breakout rooms.
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit SpatialChat -
Best forOrganizations needing employee directories and HR workflows
A directory-led HR workspace, rather than a general-purpose remote collaboration suite.
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forTeams wanting a virtual office with meeting integrations
A room-based virtual office that connects presence, chat, meetings, and screen sharing.
- Team chat
- Video meetings
- Guest collaboration
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Sococo -
Best forTechnical teams wanting a lightweight self-hosted office
A lightweight virtual office for presence and spontaneous 1:1 conversations, not group video.
- Guest collaboration
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Hiroba -
Best forTeams exploring a minimal virtual office concept
A shared virtual office for remote team communication, with a focused feature set.
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit VoicePing
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft Teams | Yes | 9.4 | |
| 2 | Google Workspace | No | $7/user/mo | 9.3 |
| 3 | Slack | Yes | $7.25/user/mo | 9.2 |
| 4 | Zoom Workplace | Yes | 9.1 | |
| 5 | Zoho Workplace | Yes | $3/user/mo | 9.0 |
| 6 | Lark | Yes | 8.9 | |
| 7 | Nextcloud Hub | Yes | 8.8 | |
| 8 | Basecamp | Yes | $25/mo | 8.7 |
| 9 | Webex App | Yes | 8.6 | |
| 10 | RingCentral RingEX | No | $19.99/user/mo | 8.5 |
| 11 | GoTo Connect | No | 8.4 | |
| 12 | Bitrix24 CRM | Yes | $49/mo | 8.3 |
| 13 | Redbooth | Yes | $9/user/mo | 8.2 |
| 14 | MangoApps | No | $9/user/mo | 8.1 |
| 15 | eXo Platform | No | 8.0 | |
| 16 | ONLYOFFICE Docs | Yes | $1,500/yr | 7.9 |
| 17 | Gather | No | $12/user/mo | 7.8 |
| 18 | Kumospace | Yes | $16/user/mo | 7.7 |
| 19 | Edworking | Yes | $41/mo | 7.6 |
| 20 | WorkAdventure | Yes | €8/user/mo | 7.5 |
| 21 | Ryver | Yes | 7.4 | |
| 22 | Rock | Yes | $74.92/mo | 7.3 |
| 23 | SpatialChat | Yes | $2,800/yr | 7.2 |
| 24 | Business in a Box | Yes | $199/user/yr | 7.1 |
| 25 | Sococo | No | 7.0 | |
| 26 | Hiroba | Yes | $2/seat/mo | 6.9 |
| 27 | VoicePing Virtual Office | 6.8 |
Head-to-head All 11 comparisons →
- Microsoft Teams vs Google Workspace
- Microsoft Teams vs Zoho Workplace
- Microsoft Teams vs Nextcloud Hub
- Google Workspace vs Zoom Workplace
- Slack vs Zoho Workplace
- Slack vs Nextcloud Hub
- Zoom Workplace vs Zoho Workplace
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How we rank remote work software
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update