Top 10 employee apps: Finding the best employee app for communication
Discover a complete guide to the best employee communication apps for frontline and deskless workers.
Email and a static intranet can’t carry your communications anymore—not with a workforce expecting mobile access. With teams working across different locations and a sizable portion of the workforce not seated at a desk, it's time companies meet their people where they are.
This is where platforms like Staffbase place a strong emphasis on ensuring company news reaches employees in ways they can see, understand, and engage with. The question, then, is how do you determine the best employee app for your organization?
With so many employee communication tools on the market, it’s understandable that the decision may feel overwhelming. That’s why this guide breaks it all down for you. In this post, we’ll cover:
Why employee apps are critical to communication strategies in modern workplaces
What to look for in the best employee communication apps
A comparison of the top 10 employee apps on the market today
Spoiler: We’re pretty biased, but we think Staffbase comes in at #1 for a reason. Our solution uniquely unifies the best intranet software, mobile, and email in a single solution. But use this information to determine how each solution stacks up for you!
What is a modern employee communication app?
Modern employee communication apps serve as a single hub for company news, leadership updates, and collaboration. Organizations use them to close communication gaps, especially with deskless and frontline workers who often lack consistent access to corporate email. By simplifying access to critical information and encouraging feedback, these apps help strengthen culture, improve alignment, and keep teams connected no matter where they work.
The best employee app is a mobile-first platform built to connect your entire workforce—whether they’re in the office, on the shop floor, in the field, or serving customers at the frontline. This is where a Staffbase employee communication app can be particularly helpful. Unlike traditional intranets or email-only systems, these tools deliver instant, targeted updates directly to employees’ phones, making communication fast, accessible, and engaging for everyone, supporting a multi-channel comms approach.
Why employee communication apps are essential today
The modern employee experience is vastly different from what it used to be. With trends like remote work, hybrid teams, and global expansion taking hold, employees are no longer tied to their desks as keyboard-tapping drones staring at their screens from nine to five. In fact, studies estimate that the majority of the world’s workforce is deskless. From healthcare workers and retail associates to manufacturing crews and school teaching staff, many employees are on the move and neglected by old-school communication tools.
The limitations of traditional channels
In today’s digital workplace, relying solely on traditional channels like employee email or intranet posts is no longer enough. On their own, these tools often create communication gaps:
Email fatigue sets in when inboxes overflow, and important internal updates are buried beneath external noise.
Intranet accessibility issues make it challenging for frontline and deskless workers to stay connected since they may not have regular computer access.
One-way communication: Employees may feel voiceless and lack a simple way to engage with leadership or connect.
This is where solutions like Staffbase transform the way organizations use these channels. Instead of treating email and intranet as separate tools, Staffbase brings them together into a unified platform. With branded employee email integrated seamlessly alongside a modern intranet and mobile app, communicators can deliver news in the right format, on the right channel, and reach every employee—whether they’re at a desk, on the shop floor, or on the move.
These gaps can lead to low engagement, morale, and potentially increased turnover. The best employee apps will remedy these issues and connect even the most spread-out workforces.
The role of employee communication apps
An employee app puts communication directly into the hands of employees on the devices they use the most. With features like push notifications, offline access, and an intuitive interface, employee communication apps make sure critical information is received instantly and read in seconds. This is especially important for frontline employees who need to access crucial information in real-time to perform their jobs safely and efficiently.
In addition to sending one-way broadcasts, the best employee apps also facilitate two-way communication by allowing employees to like, comment on, and share content. Organizations can now foster a sense of connection and culture through their communication.
The advantages of employee communication apps
The best employee communication apps go beyond just making life easier for communication teams. Studies in the International Journal of Strategic Communication show that the use of these apps actually empowers the employee. They provide the following measurable business impact:
Reach every employee: Connect with all employees, regardless of their role, device, or location.
Increase engagement: Drive employee participation with interactive features and tools.
Enable crisis communication: Send urgent updates in real time between external and internal stakeholders.
Enhance culture: Foster a connected culture that unites leadership and employees.
Measure results: Track with built-in analytics to see what resonates with employees and adjust business strategy accordingly.
Real-world employee app use cases
For a moment, imagine a major airline with thousands of frontline crew. If the company relied only on email, many important updates would go unread by staff. However, with the help of an employee app, updates about flight changes, safety protocols, or breaking news can be instantly pushed to every crew member's phone. Or, picture a global retailer. Store associates can receive leadership communications, but can also give feedback and recognize wins at a local level.
Employee communication apps have proven to lower turnover rates and report fewer safety issues. Not to mention, there was higher productivity and profit. Both of these examples are drawn from everyday workplaces, which is why employee apps have shifted from "nice to have" to "must have" for organizations looking to connect employees, drive efficiency, and build a unified culture for today's workforce.
Must-have features of an employee communication app
There are numerous employee communication apps available, making it challenging to determine the best employee app for your organization. Every app claims to connect, engage, and reinforce your employees' culture. But they're not all created equal. Staffbase, for instance, utilizes AI to turbocharge content creation, campaign management, and data analysis. To find the best solution for your organization, it's essential to look at the features and capabilities that matter most for modern employee communication.
Here are the most important factors to consider:
1. Multichannel communication
The best employee communication apps don't just live on your phone. They offer multiple touchpoints, including intranet, desktop, mobile, and email, allowing communication teams to manage all channels from a single central platform. This prevents silo mentality and helps maintain consistent branding and messaging.
Also, remember that internal communications is the heartbeat of every organization. For example, if a message is published on the Staffbase intranet, it can also be sent as a push notification and/or emailed as a newsletter to reach everyone in the way that works best for them.
2. Mobile-first design for frontline and deskless workers
An employee app is not complete without a focus on frontline and deskless workers. This group often lacks a desk or regular access to corporate email, yet it is among the most critical to business success. Push notifications, offline access, and simplified authentication enable the quick and reliable reach of every worker. A mobile-first design is no longer just an option—it’s now essential.
3. Ease of implementation and usability
Let's face it, complex, IT-heavy rollouts often slow adoption and frustrate employees. We want a user-friendly communication platform. The best apps for employee communication are intuitive and straightforward, with clean navigation, fast installations, and little to no code.
With the addition of prebuilt templates, guided onboarding, and simple administration tools, communication teams can launch quickly and start proving impact without months of painful setup.
4. Governance and workflows
Communication becomes increasingly complex as organizations continue to grow. Editorial workflows, approval processes, content segmentation, and other key elements are crucial to ensure that communication is both consistent and compliant. The best employee apps, such as Staffbase, have built-in governance to mitigate risk while still empowering local teams to share relevant content and resources.
5. Analytics and measurement
It’s not enough to just publish content. With the right analytics, you can see what is working and what’s not when it comes to your business. With an employee app, you can determine which SMS messages are resonating with your team. Which channels are delivering the best engagement? Where are there communication gaps?
With real-time metrics, communicators can adjust their strategy as needed and use data to demonstrate their Return on Investment (ROI) to management. For instance, the Staffbase Analytics dashboard is divided into distinct categories, enabling you to delve deeper into metrics and engagement.
6. Integration with your existing tools
Rarely does an organization rely on just one platform. The ideal employee communication app should integrate with your existing tools. With an app like Staffbase, it helps reduce duplication and data silos, ensuring the employee app is a natural extension of your digital workplace.
7. Scalability and global readiness
For larger or rapidly expanding companies, scalability is a key factor. Your employee app should be ready to support multiple languages, time zones, and organizational structures. Ask yourself: Can the communication app adapt to new markets or business units? Will the platform be able to keep up with your company’s growth?
8. Employee engagement features
Communication is a two-way street. In addition to allowing your teams to publish and share, look for features that enable comments, likes, surveys, video calling, and recognition tools. These two-way participation features will help to create dialogue and build a stronger community throughout the organization.
The 10 best employee communication apps in 2025
The market for employee communication apps is expanding, and with so many options available, it can be difficult to determine which platform best fits your organization's needs. Below, we've broken down ten leading employee app solutions, highlighting their strengths and limitations.
1. Staffbase — The best all-in-one employee communication app
Staffbase is one of the most trusted employee communication platforms — and for good reason. It's a multichannel solution that brings together intranet analytics, email, and mobile communication in one place. That means you can reach every employee, whether they’re at a desk, on the factory floor, or out in the field supporting customers.
Staffbase in a nutshell:
Unified intranet, email, and mobile communication in one platform
Frontline-first designed AI capabilities including a conversational assistant that actively helps employees complete tasks.
Integrates with all common HRIS systems as well as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and more
Push notifications, offline access, and personalized content feeds
Built-in Smart Impact analytics to measure communication impact, not just clicks
Pros: Staffbase helps organizations reach every employee, including those in hard-to-reach frontline and deskless roles. It’s quicker to implement than traditional, IT-heavy intranet platforms and offers strong governance and analytics.
Cons: Administrative features are primarily available on desktop. The mobile app experience is designed for employees.
Best For: Mid-to-large enterprises that need a scalable, multichannel employee communication app that reduces IT dependence and delivers measurable impact.
Price: Available on request.
2. Simpplr — Best for lightweight intranet comms
Simpplr is a sleek, modern intranet vendor with a strong focus on desktop. The platform utilizes AI across various features to deliver personalized content to employees. Simpplr is primarily built for office-based environments, with limited support for deskless or on-the-go workers. It's a good choice for organizations that want a straightforward solution.
Simpplr in a nutshell:
Personalized content feeds for updates and news
Access to integrated workplace apps
Search across people, policies, and company content
Pros: Easy to roll out with powerful analytics.
Cons: Limited customization compared to platforms like Staffbase.
Best for: Mid-sized companies that need a simple intranet-style app.
Price: Available on request.
3. Firstup — Best for multichannel automation
Firstup is a workforce communication platform that uses AI to personalize and automate content delivery across channels. It excels at targeted messaging but lacks the flexibility and strategic communication tools that enterprises often require to connect with their entire workforce.
Firstup in a nutshell:
AI-powered, multi-channel content delivery
Two-way engagement features, such as commenting, liking, and sharing
Real-time engagement insights
Pros: Multi-channel delivery and data-driven insights.
Cons: Often used in conjunction with another intranet platform.
Best for: Organizations that prioritize real-time updates.
Price: Available on request.
4. Beekeeper — A strong option for frontline teams
Beekeeper is a mobile-first employee communication app specifically designed for frontline workers. It aims to be a one-stop shop. This app is a busy bee as it connects employees who often don’t have regular access to corporate intranets. While ideal for frontline teams, its impact is more limited for office-based or remote employees.
Beekeeper in a nutshell:
Shift scheduling and task management
Chatbot with a knowledge base
Analytics to track communication reach and engagement
Pros: Excellent at reaching non-desk workers.
Cons: Less suited for a desk-based office employee. The app has no time tracker. Creating a new workflow is difficult.
Best For: Organizations with a high proportion of frontline or deskless employees who need mobile-first communication and task coordination.
Pricing: Custom pricing; 14-day Premium trial.
5. Blink — Best for mobile-first employee updates
Blink is a mobile-first employee communications platform designed to give frontline and deskless employees easier access to company news, updates, and resources. Its mobile-first approach makes it simple to use, though its search and content management features may feel limited.
Blink in a nutshell:
Mobile-first design with social media–style feeds
Built-in chat for real-time team collaboration
Digital front door with secure single sign-on (SSO)
Pros: Strong mobile experience, especially for frontline and deskless workers. Social design encourages high engagement.
Cons: Less governance and editorial workflow sophistication compared to Staffbase.
Best for: Organizations that prioritize a mobile-first, social-style communication platform to engage frontline workers.
Price: Business: $4.50 per use/per month. Enterprise: Request pricing.
6. Workvivo — Best for workplace social engagement
Workvivo is an enterprise social network recently acquired by Zoom. The platform is great for culture and community engagement, but not for structured, top-down communications at scale.
Workvivo in a nutshell:
Social-style news feed with posts, comments, and likes
Employee recognition and shout-outs
Surveys and pulse checks
Pros: Strong focus on employee engagement and culture.
Cons: Chat function and advanced analytics must be purchased as add-ons, which can increase the pricing.
Best For: Organizations that want to strengthen culture and have more flexibility.
Pricing: Available on request.
7. Happeo — Best for Google-friendly collaboration
Happeo is an intranet platform designed to blend internal communication with collaboration. It integrates deeply with Google Workspace, making it a fit for organizations that rely on Google’s ecosystem. While it’s great for consuming content on mobile, two-way communication is limited.
Happeo in a nutshell:
Social intranet with channels and pages
Google Workspace integration
Document management
Pros: Excellent fit for companies standardized on Google Workspace.
Cons: Limited functionality outside the Google Workspace ecosystem.
Best For: Mid-sized companies that rely heavily on Google Workspace.
Pricing: Available on request.
8. Haiilo — Best for employee advocacy
Haiilo (formerly Smarp) is a social intranet and employee app designed to strengthen sharing, insights, and culture. The mobile app closely mirrors the browser experience, but the platform’s design primarily caters to desk-based employees.
Haiilo in a nutshell:
Social-style intranet with feeds and communities
Employee advocacy tools for external content sharing
Customizable branding and layouts
Pros: Strong focus on employee advocacy and engagement.
Cons: Adoption in compliance-heavy industries may be limited.
Best For: Companies that prioritize employee engagement and advocacy.
Pricing: Available on request.
9. Connecteam — Best for frontline workforce management
Connecteam is a mobile-first employee app explicitly designed for frontline workers. It combines communication with workforce management tools, such as scheduling, time tracking, and task management.
Connecteam in a nutshell:
Private company-wide chats
Training and onboarding features
Automated group management
Pros: Strong capabilities to run team operations smoothly.
Cons: No offline mode. Critical mobile features fail without connectivity.
Best For: Companies with a predominantly frontline workforce that need communication and management in one mobile app.
Pricing: Free for up to 10 users; paid plans start at $29/month for the first 30 users.
10. Speakap — Best for ease of use
Speakap is an employee communication app designed for organizations with large, distributed teams — particularly in retail, hospitality, and logistics. It provides a social, mobile-first platform that connects headquarters with frontline employees.
Speakap in a nutshell:
Built-in chat for secure instant messaging
Document sharing and resource libraries
Integrations with HR and workforce management systems
Pros: Strong mobile-first design for distributed workforces.
Cons: Basic analytic tools that are not as advanced as Staffbase—limited surfacing and integration. The search functionality is inadequate, making it challenging to locate messages.
Best For: Large organizations that want to address diverse organizational needs.
Pricing: Available on request.
How to choose the right employee app for your organization
With so many employee communication platforms available, the challenge isn't finding options; it's understanding which one will truly work for your people, processes, and long-term strategy.
The right employee app for your company will depend on your company's size and composition, as well as the communications objectives you hope to achieve. Here is some practical advice to guide your choice:
1. Start with your workforce
For many organizations, the biggest challenge is engaging frontline and deskless employees who don't have regular computer access. If your workforce is heavily mobile, prioritize a mobile-first solution that delivers push notifications, offline access, and quick login.
Where Staffbase excels: Staffbase stands out for combining mobile-first communication with intranet and email. This tool ensures you can reach all teams from one platform.
2. Define your communication goals
Are you aiming to streamline top-down updates, encourage employee feedback, or unify multiple communication channels? Some apps focus on automation (like Firstup), while others emphasize collaboration or a social feed experience.
Where Staffbase excels: Staffbase is designed for multichannel employee communication. Companies can find messaging, crisis updates, employee feedback, and cultural engagement all in one place. This technique reduces the need for separate tools.
3. Consider governance and scalability
It's no secret that as organizations grow, communication becomes more complex. Without strong governance, content can become fragmented and inconsistent. Look for apps that balance centralized control with local flexibility while supporting multiple languages and regions.
Where Staffbase excels: Governance is one of Staffbase's strongest differentiators. Automated workflows, approval processes, and content targeting for easier control are combined with the ability for local teams to push content that is relevant for them. Some solutions offer one or the other, making Staffbase the more scalable solution for international companies.
4. Evaluate analytics and ROI
According to a CNBC article, communication only matters if it has a measurable effect and is driven by impact. Analytics should not only show who opened a message, but also how communication efforts impact engagement, alignment, and retention.
Where Staffbase excels: Staffbase's Smart Impact analytics go beyond vanity metrics (Goodbye, Narcissus). They help communicators understand what content drives action and how communication supports business outcomes. Staffbase has proven that data-driven insights can transform your employee engagement.
5. Look at integrations and the digital workplace fit
The best employee communication app should fit seamlessly into your existing ecosystem. Whether it's Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, HR systems, or scheduling tools, integration ensures employees don't have to jump between apps to find what they need.
Where Staffbase excels: Staffbase offers deep integrations with popular workplace platforms, making it a natural extension of the digital signage in the workplace. Staffbase's focus on enterprise environments gives it an edge in complex IT landscapes.
Why Staffbase is the best employee communications app
We’ve put each of these platforms through our paces, so how do they stack up against one another?
Simpplr shines as a lightweight intranet solution with a clean design, but it lacks the scalability and governance enterprises often need.
Firstup excels at automation and campaign delivery, though it often requires pairing with another intranet tool to provide a complete communication ecosystem.
Troop Messenger excels in audio messaging, but it lacks the capabilities of a full employee communication hub.
Blink delivers an engaging app for frontline worker experience that resonates, but it doesn’t offer the same level of governance, editorial controls, or enterprise scalability.
These platforms each have strengths, but when organizations are looking for a solution that reaches every employee, scales globally, integrates seamlessly, and delivers measurable impact, Staffbase consistently comes out on top.
Ready to connect every employee?
The workplace has changed, and so has the way employees expect to communicate. Staffbase’s employee communication tools are purpose-built to help organizations reach every employee, strengthen culture, and prove the impact of communication strategies—all from one platform.
Want to see how Staffbase can transform communication in your organization?
