50 Must-Have Small Business iPhone and iPad Apps

Editor’s Note:Last year one of our most popular articles of the year was written by Shara Karasic, who pointed out 10 small-business apps for the iPhone.  The response was so enthusiastic, that we invited Shara back for an even bigger and better roundup of apps for entrepreneurs and small-business execs this year.  And who better than Shara to contribute this article— she lives, breathes, sleeps and eats apps in her role with Appolicious, a community review site for mobile apps.  Here in 2011 we are delighted to bring you Shara’s much bigger list of iPhone and iPad apps, organized by type of activity.

Since I listed10 great small business apps in 2010, the use of iPhones and iPads for SMB’s has exploded in areas from business travel to communication to productivity. The office has become truly mobile. Here are must-have apps for those running and operating businesses in 2011:

1.Travel for BusinessLike a True Road Warrior

Prepare for your trip and navigate like a true road warrior using your iPhone!Kayak PROlets you find a flight or a hotel;TripIt– Travel Organizerkeeps your travel itinerary always handy in your pocket,;FlightTrack Pro– Live Flight Status Trackergives you real-time flight updates and helps you find alternate flights (and works seamlessly with TripIt);GateGuruwill guide you to the nearest ATM, post office, or luggage store in the airport. Once you arrive,Taxi!makes it easy to find a cab 24/7 anywhere in the U.S. Don’t forget yourKindleapp so you can read on the plane or in the taxi.

2.Business Communications that Join Virtual Teams

Make free phone calls withViber,Truphone, orSkype, which has entered 2011 with the ability to make video calls over both Wi-Fi and 3G. Stay connected to your team withFree Conference Call, which lets you hold conferences and even offers free recording. Or tryCallvine, with one-click group calls, orCalliflower, which displays a dashboard of conference participants. Send group text messages for free withBeluga. Join online meetings via your iPhone withCisco WebEx Meeting Center. If you have an iPad, you can attend online meetings withWebEx for iPadorGoToMeeting.

3.Payment ProcessingWherever Your Customers Are

Whether you are selling at a swap meet, garage sale, or art gallery, accept credit card payments right from your iPhone withSquareor Intuit GoPayment Credit Card Terminal.

4.ExpensesTracked on the Go

Scan your receipts on the go to make generating expense reports a snap withShoeboxed Receipt Tracker and Receipt Reader.  Or useExpensify, which imports your credit card’s purchase history and automatically creates expense reports which it emails from your iPhone.

5.Business Networking for Super Connectors

Be prepared to work a room and cultivate new contacts. UseLinkedInto check out new connections, card reader appWorldCard Mobileto scan business cards andCardManagerto manage them. Or just useBumpto exchange contact info.Gistcreates rich business profiles of people you meet, andCalvetica Calendarlets you easily schedule events with them. Once you have new contacts in your iPhone, useDialveticato access them quickly.

6.Document Access& Management Across Platforms

View and edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint docs wherever you are withDocuments To Go– Office SuiteorQuickOffice Connect. Share files across computers and mobile devices withDropbox. Access your desktop remotely withWyse PocketCloud Pro– RDP / VNC / View (Remote Desktop)orMocha VNC. Scan withGenius Scanand print documents from your iPhone or iPad withPrinterShare.

7.Business Presentationsthat Get Your Message Across

Roambi– Visualizerlets you  turn your numbers into beautiful charts and graphs and is compatible with Excel and Salesforce data. An iPad withKeynotewill have you presentation-ready at any meeting.

8. Invoicing& Time Tracking on the Go

MiniBooks for FreshBookslets you send invoices, time your work, and record payments on the go. Or track your time withiPunchclock.

9.Mobile CRMto Amp Your Sales Prospects

Salesforce Mobilegives you access to your Salesforce info from your iPhone.   Kinito Litelets you quickly access your SugarCRM records.

10.Business Productivity 24/7

Manage tasks withOmniFocus, dictate withDragon Dictation, and jot down or record notes on the fly withEvernote,

11.Manage Finances and Payroll Wherever You Are

Track and budget your money withMint.comandPageOnce Pro. Or useSurePayrollorRUN Powered by ADP Mobile Payrollto pay employees 24/7.

12.Customer Loyalty Programs to Increase Repeat Business

WithPlacePop, you can create virtual loyalty cards to reward your best customers, and withWeReward, customers can earn points when they check-in to your business.

13.Source B2B Products

HKTDC Mobilefrom the Hong Kong Trade Development Council provides mobile access to 120,000 suppliers around the world as well as a list of trade fairs.

Find more business apps at Appolicious using our newbusiness& finance app directory. Or browse user-submittedlists of the best business apps. Have another business app that you find invaluable? Add it in the comments, and make sure to let the Appolicious community know about it.

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