18 Digital Communication Tools Every Business Should Know

Each business has its rhythm. Every business or team is different and operates in its way, with its own culture and traditions. Therefore, it is no wonder that the ideal digital communication solution will be individualised for each person.

Certain groups are still old-fashioned and prefer to use email to avoid mess and organising things. Other businesses rely on stable voice solutions in order to remain in touch with clients and partners around the globe. Clarity and stability matter to them, whether landlines or VoIP services.

The majority of teams today are dispersed geographically, competing to discover a universal moment between daybreak and dusk to coordinate around key specifics. Project progress lags in chat chains that seem endless. There are numerous teams burned out from managing too many platforms — messaging tools, task managers, video conferencing software — just to be in sync.

That’s why we at Chanty handpicked an expert roster of digital communication tools. We organized them based on real business needs, so you can quickly discover what works for your team and how you work.

And if you’re looking for one platform that brings everything into one place, Chanty combines messaging, task management, voice, video and calls in a single, easy-to-use app. Try it for free and see how it fits your flow.

Best digital communication tools to match every business workflow

• Chanty:  An all-in-one team collaboration platform that offers messaging, voice and video calls, and task management in a clean, easy-to-use interface. Ideal for teams seeking a simple, unified workspace.
• Slack: A popular messaging app focused on real-time chat, channels, and third-party integrations. Known for boosting quick communication across teams, but can become noisy for complex projects.
• Microsoft Teams: A robust hub for team communication and collaboration, combining chat, video conferencing, and file sharing, tightly integrated with Microsoft 365 tools.
• Google Chat: A streamlined messaging tool for Google Workspace users, supporting direct messages, rooms, and file sharing within the Google ecosystem.
• Zoom: A video conferencing platform widely used for meetings, webinars, and virtual events. Valued for its reliability and ease of use in remote collaboration.
• Google Meet: Part of Google Workspace, it offers secure, browser-based video meetings with seamless integration with Google Calendar and Gmail.
• Webex: A professional-grade video conferencing tool with features for meetings, calling, and webinars, often favoured by enterprises and IT-heavy organizations.
• Outlook: More than just email, Outlook helps teams stay organized with built-in calendar, task, and contact management, fully integrated with Microsoft services.
• Gmail: Google’s widely used email platform with built-in smart features and integration with the full Google Workspace, suitable for both personal and business use.
• Zoho Mail: An ad-free email service built for professional use, with strong privacy features and collaboration tools inside the Zoho ecosystem.
• Asana: A work management tool designed to help teams track projects, assign tasks, and visualize progress through timelines and boards.
• Trello: A visually intuitive task and project management app using a Kanban-style board, ideal for organizing workflows and team tasks.
• ClickUp: A highly customizable platform that blends tasks, docs, chats, and goals into one workspace, aiming to replace several other tools at once.
• Notion: A flexible workspace that combines notes, wikis, databases, and collaboration — great for organizing knowledge and managing internal communication.
• Confluence: A powerful team wiki and knowledge base from Atlassian, built for structured documentation, collaboration, and internal alignment.
• WordPress (for intranet use): With the right setup, WordPress can serve as a flexible intranet hub or internal blog, supporting internal updates and knowledge sharing.
• Staffbase: An internal communication platform designed for connecting desk and frontline employees, offering mobile-first tools like news, chat, and surveys.
• Workvivo: A culture-driven communication platform that combines social networking, company news, and employee recognition to boost engagement and connection.

What are digital communication tools?

Digital communication refers to the sharing of information electronically. It replaces or complements traditional face-to-face communication with emails, messages, calls, and documents exchanged online, in real time or in asynchronous mode. For contemporary business, where workers are often remote or spread across multiple time zones, it is digital communication that holds all the constituents together and in gear.

Digital communication tools are the software and services that make this possible. They help teams exchange ideas, collaborate on tasks, fix things, and stay on the same page no matter where they are. These tools do more than send messages — they set the model for how work gets done today.

Businesses typically use a mix of different types of communication tools depending on what they need.

• Video conferencing software enables groups to collaborate online, making it ideal for discussions, presentations, and web-based collaboration.
• Voice calls (VoIP) allow quick, secure voice communication from anywhere with an internet connection.
• Instant messaging allows quick, informal conversations and quick decision-making within teams.
• File-sharing software allows for the secure exchange of documents, pictures, or spreadsheets.
• Task and project management software allows work coordination, task delegation, and tracking progress in one place.
• Internal announcement systems ensure company-wide announcements are visible to all employees, such as frontline or deskless workers.
• Knowledge bases and shared documents keep key information in a structured and retrievable format across the organization.

Each of these systems solves a specific communications need, and several businesses utilize two or more of them, or look for one platform that combines them all.

The all-in-one digital communication tool: Chanty

If your team is tired of switching between different apps to chat, call, manage tasks, and find key information, Chanty is the smarter choice. Designed to streamline digital communication, Chanty brings together messaging, calling, and task management in one simple, intuitive platform.

At its core, Chanty offers unlimited team messaging—organized with public and private conversations, mentions, and threads to keep everything clean and searchable. Speaking of search, Chanty’s powerful built-in search helps you find messages, files, or links instantly — even across long chat histories. It’s fast, reliable, and built for clarity.

For meetings and check-ins, Chanty supports high-quality video and voice conferencing with screen sharing. Whether you’re connecting with remote teammates or leading a client presentation, you get a stable, clear call experience — no extra tool required. 

Chanty also supports VoIP and even landline calls, making it a solid replacement for legacy phone systems. Unlike platforms that hide calling costs behind tiers or regions, Chanty provides crystal-clear per-minute pricing for every country. You always know what to expect, which is especially helpful for businesses operating across borders or with remote teams around the world.

One of Chanty’s biggest strengths is its built-in task manager. You can turn any message into a task and organize work in a visual Kanban board — perfect for teams that want to track progress without switching to a separate project tool. Tasks can be assigned, prioritized, and updated within the same workspace where conversations happen.

Chanty’s Kanban board

Additional features like voice messages, company-wide announcements, polls, and smart notifications make it easy to engage your team and keep communication focused. With flexible permission settings, admins can control what content each member can access.

Chanty helps reduce tool fatigue by replacing multiple apps with one powerful, easy-to-use solution.

Perfect for: Remote teams, growing businesses, and leaders who value simplicity without sacrificing functionality.

 Try Chanty for free and see how it simplifies communication while keeping your team aligned and productive.

Instant messaging tools

Best for: fast internal updates, quick decision-making

Real-time messaging helps eliminate email overload and keeps team communication flowing.

Use case: Sales teams use instant messaging to get pricing approvals instantly, avoiding long email chains and missed opportunities.

Instant messaging tools: Feature comparison

Slack

Slack is known for its intuitive channel-based messaging system, allowing teams to organize conversations by topic, department, or project. Its deep integration ecosystem (2,000+ apps) lets users connect tools like Google Drive, Zoom, or Asana directly into the workflow. Features like message threads, file sharing, and searchable history make it a favourite for fast-moving teams. Slack supports both private and group messaging, as well as huddles (audio/video check-ins). Pricing starts at $7.25/month for the Pro plan.

Microsoft Teams

A go-to for companies using Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams combines instant messaging with file collaboration via SharePoint and OneDrive. Conversations can happen in channels or private chats, and messages support rich text, tagging, and threaded replies. Teams integrates tightly with Outlook, Word, Excel, and more, offering a seamless experience for enterprises already in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Google Chat

Google Chat is a lightweight messaging solution built into Gmail and Google Workspace. It’s ideal for teams that rely heavily on Google Docs, Sheets, and Calendar. Google Chat allows threaded conversations in spaces, direct messaging, and supports bots for automating tasks. It’s a streamlined option for quick collaboration inside the Google environment.

VoIP & Video Conferencing Tools

Best for: Meetings, remote check-ins, webinars
Clear voice and video communication is critical for remote work and client-facing teams.

Use case: Managers hold weekly check-ins with remote staff via Zoom to maintain team connection and clarity, while using VoIP features to streamline external client calls.

VoIP & video conferencing tools: Feature comparison

Zoom

Zoom has become a leading choice for video conferencing thanks to its reliability, high-quality video, and ability to host large meetings and webinars. It supports HD video and audio, real-time screen sharing, breakout rooms, and whiteboarding tools. Zoom is particularly strong when it comes to webinar hosting and large-scale virtual events, supporting up to 1,000 video participants and 49 videos on screen in the highest plans.

In addition to its video features, Zoom offers VoIP calling through Zoom Phone, a cloud-based telephony system for placing and receiving business calls worldwide. With call routing, voicemail, and call recording features, it’s a scalable VoIP solution.

Zoom integrates with major productivity tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, and CRM systems like HubSpot and Salesforce.

Google Meet

Google Meet is a video conferencing solution deeply integrated with Google Workspace, making it ideal for teams already using Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive. Meetings can be launched directly from Google Calendar or Gmail with one click.

Google Meet supports real-time captions, screen sharing, noise cancellation, and up to 1,000 participants (on Enterprise plans). Video quality is strong, and the interface is clean and intuitive. While it doesn’t include full VoIP capabilities like Zoom or Webex, it does support dial-in numbers in many regions for audio-only participants.

Security is managed through Google’s infrastructure, with end-to-end encryption in transit and robust admin controls.

Webex

Webex by Cisco is a long-standing enterprise-grade video conferencing tool known for its security, flexibility, and advanced meeting features. It offers HD video meetings, breakout rooms, real-time translation, live polling, and webinar tools.

Where Webex stands out is in its VoIP features—it includes a robust calling system, Webex Calling, which provides cloud-based telephony with enterprise-grade reliability. It supports voicemail, intelligent call routing, hunt groups, and integration with desk phones.

Webex works well for large corporations needing detailed admin control, detailed analytics, and compliance-ready security. It’s also a solid choice for hybrid and global teams, with global data centres ensuring performance.

Email Services

Best for: Formal communication, external messages
While real-time tools are excellent for internal updates and quick decision-making, email still plays a foundational role in business communication. It’s ideal for formal exchanges, client correspondence, legal documentation, and long-form messaging. Secure, reliable, and traceable — email remains a cornerstone of professional communication.

Use case: HR teams use email to securely send offer letters, onboarding documents, and compliance policies that require a permanent record and attachment handling.

Email communication tools: Feature comparison

Outlook (Microsoft 365)

Outlook is a robust email client deeply embedded within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. It’s the go-to choice for many enterprises because of its seamless integration with tools like Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Excel. Outlook offers enterprise-grade email security, calendar coordination, and advanced rule-based inbox management.

It supports multiple mailboxes, shared calendars, and in-depth scheduling tools that are especially beneficial in large organizations. IT teams appreciate its admin controls, mobile device management (MDM), and encryption options.

For collaboration, Outlook enables shared folders, delegated access, and threaded conversations, making it more than just an email client — it’s part of a complete productivity suite. It’s available as a web app, desktop software, and mobile app.

Gmail (Google Workspace)

Gmail is one of the most widely used business email platforms globally, known for its speed, intuitive UI, and seamless integration with the Google Workspace ecosystem. It supports smart replies, priority inbox, and customizable labels, which help users manage large volumes of communication effectively.

Gmail comes with powerful search capabilities powered by Google’s own algorithms, making it incredibly easy to locate past conversations, attachments, and threads. Admins benefit from two-factor authentication (2FA), data loss prevention (DLP), and spam protection.

Its integration with Google Meet, Drive, and Calendar enables users to schedule meetings, share documents, and collaborate — all without leaving their inbox. For teams already using Google Workspace, Gmail ties everything together naturally.

Zoho Mail

Zoho Mail is a great fit for small to mid-sized businesses that want a clean, ad-free, and affordable email platform with strong privacy policies. It provides a familiar interface with features like threaded conversations, calendar, tasks, notes, and bookmarks — all within a single dashboard.

It integrates well with the larger Zoho suite (CRM, Projects, People), making it an excellent choice for teams already using other Zoho tools. Zoho Mail includes features such as custom domain emails, spam filtering, folder organization, and mobile apps.

Zoho also emphasizes security with end-to-end encryption, S/MIME support, and two-factor authentication. Admins can manage user access, set policies, and monitor activity with audit logs.

Collaboration & Project Management Tools

Best for: Tracking tasks, aligning teams on priorities
These tools streamline communication by tying messages to projects, deadlines, and responsibilities. They’re essential for coordinating efforts across departments, tracking progress, and ensuring accountability in remote or hybrid work environments.

Use case: Marketing teams use Trello to plan content campaigns, assign deadlines, and leave comments directly on cards for real-time collaboration.

Project management tools: Feature comparison

Asana

Asana is built to help mid-sized and large teams organize, assign, and track tasks across multiple projects. It offers several project views, including lists, timelines (Gantt-style), Kanban boards, and calendars. Teams can comment directly on tasks, attach files, and tag teammates to streamline communication without relying on email.

What makes Asana stand out is its ability to scale — projects can include hundreds of tasks and subtasks, each with due dates, dependencies, and custom fields. Its workload and reporting dashboards give managers insight into team capacity and progress.

Asana also integrates with Slack, Zoom, Gmail, and over 200 other tools to keep workflows centralized. It’s best suited for teams needing structure and visibility across complex initiatives.

Trello

Trello is ideal for smaller teams or simpler projects that benefit from a visual workflow. Its intuitive Kanban board interface allows users to create cards (tasks), move them between lists (stages), and add labels, checklists, attachments, and comments.

It’s perfect for agile teams, content planners, and marketing departments who want to keep track of progress at a glance. Trello’s Power-Ups (integrations) extend its functionality — allowing time tracking, calendar syncing, automation with Butler, and more.

The interface is easy to learn, making it ideal for teams transitioning from spreadsheets or email threads to structured collaboration. It doesn’t overwhelm users with features but still supports strong task tracking and communication.

ClickUp

ClickUp is a powerful all-in-one project management platform combining tasks, documents, chat, goals, dashboards, and more. It offers extreme customization — users can tailor task statuses, dashboards, views, and workflows to fit nearly any industry or team size.

It supports collaborative editing for docs (like Google Docs), task-based commenting, and built-in chat. You can view tasks in multiple formats—list, board, calendar, Gantt—and filter by assignee, status, or priority.

ClickUp’s standout feature is its ambition to replace multiple tools: docs replace Notion, tasks cover Asana and Trello, and built-in chat aims to reduce the need for external messengers. For teams that need all-in-one functionality without switching between platforms, it’s a compelling solution.

Knowledge Management & CMS

Best for: Sharing internal knowledge, processes, and updates
Effective digital communication relies not just on messages, but on accessible, well-structured knowledge. These tools help teams store policies, SOPs, updates, wikis, and project details in one searchable place — ensuring no information is lost or siloed.

Use case: Product teams use Confluence to document release notes and technical specs so everyone, from engineering to marketing, has easy access to the same information.

Knowledge Management & CMS Tools: Comparison table

Notion

Notion is a flexible workspace that blends documentation, note-taking, databases, and lightweight task management in one place. It’s ideal for startups and growing teams that want a single hub for shared knowledge, project tracking, and collaboration.

Notion’s biggest strength lies in its modular system. Users can create pages and subpages, wikis, or databases with custom views — like calendars, kanban boards, or tables. The drag-and-drop editor makes formatting and layout easy, and teams can collaborate in real time, comment on content, and assign action items.

Its ability to replace multiple tools (Google Docs, Trello, Evernote, even lightweight CRMs) makes it a powerful choice for centralizing internal knowledge. It’s also widely adopted for onboarding manuals, product roadmaps, and documentation for internal tools and workflows.

Confluence (by Atlassian)

Confluence is a mature and widely adopted knowledge management platform built for structured team documentation. It works best for larger organizations or product teams that require detailed internal wikis, release notes, and technical knowledge bases.

Tightly integrated with Jira, Confluence lets software, IT, or cross-functional teams maintain up-to-date documentation alongside issue tracking and development planning. It supports templates, page versioning, collaborative editing, inline comments, and access control — making it ideal for regulated industries or teams needing consistent document history.

Its clean organization structure — spaces, pages, and hierarchy — makes browsing easy. You can embed Jira tickets, diagrams, charts, and media, and link related content for smooth navigation. Teams can also assign comments to users or tag colleagues in decision logs.

WordPress (Intranet Use)

While WordPress is typically known as a public website CMS, many companies use it internally to create customizable intranet portals, employee blogs, knowledge bases, and resource hubs. Its open-source nature and vast plugin ecosystem make it highly flexible.

Organizations can build custom pages for HR policies, IT resources, training materials, or internal news — all in a secure, password-protected environment. Popular plugins like BuddyPress or WP Knowledgebase help turn a standard WordPress site into a communication-rich intranet. Integrations with Slack, LDAP, SharePoint, and Google Workspace add even more capabilities.

Unlike SaaS platforms, WordPress intranets offer full control over design, hosting, and security. This makes it appealing for enterprises wanting branded internal portals or companies with unique technical requirements. However, it does require 

Intranet & Internal Communication Platforms

Best for: Company-wide announcements and updates
When messages need to reach everyone, from HQ to remote outposts, intranet platforms provide the structure, clarity, and reliability needed for internal communication at scale.

Comparison table: intranet & internal communication platforms

Staffbase

Staffbase is a robust internal communication solution designed to unify your workforce under a single, centralized hub. Its mobile-first design ensures that even deskless or remote employees remain informed and engaged. From leadership announcements to HR updates and emergency notifications, Staffbase allows you to deliver targeted messages and company-wide broadcasts through personalized employee news feeds, push notifications, and intranet pages. What sets Staffbase apart is its customization: businesses can create branded employee apps or desktop portals that reflect their identity and values. The platform also integrates with Microsoft 365, Slack, and other workplace tools, enabling seamless workflows and document access. Staffbase’s analytics dashboard helps communication teams measure message reach and engagement, ensuring communication isn’t just sent, but seen. Whether you’re managing change, onboarding new hires, or recognizing employee milestones, Staffbase helps organizations foster transparency, alignment, and community.

Workvivo

Workvivo blends traditional intranet functions with social-media-inspired engagement features. It was built on the principle that employee communication should feel human, not corporate. Along with news publishing, it offers live activity feeds, shout-outs, polls, podcasts, and recognition tools that encourage participation and celebrate culture. Employees can interact with posts through comments and likes, helping foster two-way communication. Workvivo supports multimedia content and integrates with major platforms like Zoom, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and more, turning your digital workspace into a living ecosystem. Leadership can broadcast town hall updates or policy changes, while employees stay connected through interest-based communities and channels. Its intuitive UX and strong mobile support make it an ideal choice for distributed and hybrid teams. Workvivo empowers organizations to reach, involve, and inspire their people in a more interactive way.

Final word

Every team and business has its own way of working, shaped by habits, preferences, and goals. That’s why digital communication tools are so varied — designed to meet different demands, whether it’s clear voice calls, quick messaging, organized project tracking, or seamless video meetings.

We’ve seen how some teams rely on stable voice connections to stay close to clients worldwide, while others juggle multiple apps, searching for balance amid the chaos of endless chats and scattered tasks. The right digital communication tools help cut through that noise. They bring clarity to complex workflows and create space for what matters: collaboration, focus, and shared understanding.

These tools are more than just apps. They are our everyday companions — quietly supporting each message sent, every decision made, and every deadline met. As businesses grow and change, digital communication tools will remain essential partners, evolving with us and making our work life better, easier, and more connected.

If you want to experience a solution that unites messaging, task management, voice, and video in one place, Chanty is designed to fit the flow of today’s teams. Try it for free and find the digital communication tool that moves with you.