Top Business Communication Tools for the Modern Business
What is a Business communication tool?
A business communication tool is one of the most important things in any modern company. There are so many reasons why this is the case. If we take a look at some of the key reasons why, one of the largest is so that companies with lots of moving pieces can collaborate together easily. On the flip side of things, any service based business that needs to regularly communicate with clients needs easy ways to do so.
Communication tools in 2025 now go so far beyond just talking or messaging. Sharing documents is a form of communication. Video conferencing is also another aspect. Then if we add signature requests, chat, and other things into the mix, we now get a more complicated definition of business communication tools. Essentially, everything you need to work with internal and external people at work, is a business communication tool.
Why online collaboration tools are critical to business success?
Since covid, we realised not everything has to be done in person. Nor even from the same building. Or even from the same country. With research showing that over 33% of workers are now working remotely , or have the capability to do so.
This means that being able to work together, without being together has become so critical in the modern business. Whether that be the replacing of in person meetings with clients, team meetings, task management, document sharing or any other standard task. We now need to be able to do this online.
Instant messaging tools for business have become a critical part of this. The idea of asynchronous communication, so being able to message back and forth when convenient. Not needing to both be present on a call has allowed teams to stay in touch no matter schedule or time zone.
Document sharing, signature and video conferencing tools have meant that there is no need for in person meet-ups. We really can do it all online. So now we have covered why these tools have become so important, let's take a look at the different types of business communication tools.
Types of Business Communication Tools
Internal communication tools
These types of internal communication tools are built for inter office chat/collaboration. So working together with people that are in your business. Some classic examples of this are Microsoft teams, Slack, and Google Chat.
Video conferencing tools
Video Conferencing was one of the biggest winners since the pandemic. Platforms like zoom, teams and more really thrived. They allow you to chat, learn, and meet digitally without any stress.
E-signature Tools
Signing documents used to be something that always had to be done in person. Since platforms like docusign, panda docs and others came about, this became something we could also do digitally. Making it even easier for remote working teams to collaborate. Also for external usage with clients.
Digital File Sharing tools
This is a slightly older piece of tech. Secure document sharing has recently however become even more important with the rise of phishing and email scams. Email has lost a lot of it's credibility in the last years. With the vast majority of financial cyber crime stemming from email, people are moving away from it. We prefer instant messaging anyway.
Now that we know some of the different types, lets save into the top 9 business communication tools in 2025.
Top 9 Business Communication Softwares in 2025
1. Qwil Messenger: All in One Business Communication Software
Qwil messenger is the all in one business communication platform. It is an instant messaging platform for businesses that does literally all of the above. You can securely chat with your clients as easily as sending WhatsApp messages. You can jump from chat directly into a video call, or schedule one for later. Then directly from chat again, share a signature request, book an appointment, or share secure document. While remaining in full compliance and security.
The best part of this is, it is actually built for client facing communication. So you can use it with clients/customers, as well as team members. So you no longer need your expensive subscriptions for Docusign, Zoom, Teams, Dropbox and Calendly. Qwil does it all in one convenient place.
Boost client engagement, team productivity and effectiveness. And save up to 70% on your software costs by dropping your tech stack for one tool that does it all. Try Qwil today to get your free trial.
Is Qwil Compliant for Regulated Industries?
Qwil is compliant with HIPAA , GDPR, FCA and many other regulated industries. Whether you are a lawyer, financial advisor, or medical practice, Qwil works for you. Alternatively, if you are in a less regulated industry, Qwil's advanced configuration means you can also make it easier, and lighter on the security front.
Benefits of Qwil
All in one communication: Reduce the amount of time wasted context switching. Studies show we switch between platforms up to 1200 times a day at work. the efficiency and time loss by doing this is off the charts. Not to mention the amount of time taken to learn each platform. With Qwil you can do it all in one place.
Data and Audit Trail: Qwil was built with security in mind. Nothing can be deleted, and nothing can be amended later. There is a constant audit trail and super users can be set to review all data. You remain the data owner, and automatically keep records of all business communication. When staff leave, the communications don't leave with them.
Software cost savings: Being able to do all these things in one place save you from having to pay for multiple tools. In 2025, the average software cost per employee can sit on average at over $2000. With Qwil you can cut the costs of individual platforms like docusign, zoom, calendly and more by up to 80%.
Regulation and Enterprise Messaging Solutions : Qwil also has enterprise packages which allow for multi tenant usage. If you are a partnership or a large enterprise with lots of departments, you can set up Qwil instances for all of them individually. Still collaborating across, just being able to segregate all client users and chat data.
2. Microsoft Teams:
Microsoft teams is a hugely popular platform for team collaboration. Instant message, video and easy integration with outlook and microsoft technologies. Teams also has some file sharing capability as well as artificial intelligence and other cool features. As far as communication apps go, this is one of the biggest.
You can easily operate and communicate with your team members and in terms of technical skills, you don't need any to work it. The reason why teams is always in the list with the best communication tools, is the monopoly microsoft has on businesses. Because you use so much microsoft, it is easy to add one more thing.
However the biggest issue with Microsoft teams, is the concept. It is for team communication only. If this is what you need, and your communication is only messaging and calling, teams might be the right choice for you. But if you also need another communication platform to then communicate with clients, maybe consider something with external and internal communication capability.
3. Slack
Slack is another one of the most commonly used communication platforms in businesses. When it comes to business communication they are definitely one of the first names you hear. File sharing, asynchronous communication, and integration with many other platforms. The idea behind slack was to replace emails in the workplace.
Instant messaging is always easier. That is why all business communication software has moved in that direction. So Slack allows you to replace your long email threads with easily organized channels. Split up by departments, topics and projects. It is really built to make collaboration easier.
So this sounds great, but Slack also suffers from the same modern communication software problem. Too many apps, all with single use. It is built for internal communication. Which means that you also still have a need for something client facing. Thus adding another platform, not removing.
It also can have security and compliance concerns. Regulated industries, no matter the size, will have to get on the enterprise grid plan. Also then going through additional set up steps to meet regulatory standards. This ends up very costly when you take into account your other communication tools on top of slack. At something around $30 a month just for internal chat, your bills are going to get pretty high.
4. Google Workspace
This one is a little bit of a cheat answer. Google workspace encompasses many different platforms. So Gmail, Google Meet, Google Chat etc. Again as with MS teams, the fact that your business may already be using google for their emails, will make it an easy thing to adopt. Being able to easily cross between each of your communication softwares with Google is nice.
If you are looking for a solution that still incorporates email to your business, it works great. You can video conference, share documents on Google Drive, as well as real time chat on G chat. Even co-editing documents on Google docs. There is still a lot of space in the business world for Google workspace. That is why so many still use it.
Downside of Google Workspace
There are some very important limitations when looking at Google workspace. These are really founded upon the fact Google still relies so heavily on email. Your emails, your email account and your Google account are all linked. If you are caught out by any kind of phishing and spam attack, this can infect all.
If you are only using it with people in your team, as an internal collaboration tool, then 90% of the time no problem. However as with most softwares issues arise when sharing private information with customers. While it is possible to do so, you are pretty much just relying on email again. If you operate in any kind of regulated industry, or share any kind of private information, this is going to be an issue.
That is why you can't use google in HIPAA compliance, or other regulated industries of the sort. So if you only need an internal tool, then Google probably does it better than any. But again it will just be one more section of your tech stack.
5. Pumble
Pumble is another team messaging app that comes in as the more budget friendly option for internal communication software. The simple interface makes it easy to communicate internally. They have public and private channels as well as file sharing and voice calling.
Small teams and start ups have historically been big fans of Pumble. It is a good starting point for many looking to save money and just getting going. Especially with the unlimited message history available on the free plan.
The platform is lightweight, intuitive, and easy to use. Which means that you can onboard quickly. It also works well across platforms with desktop app, mobile app and browser access. Making it a great choice for those who want to take their business communication software on the move.
The Downside of Pumble
However, while Pumble covers the basics well, it falls short in some areas. One of them being external communication and larger and regulated industries. Pumble does not have the infrastructure that a business communication software needs for sensitive communications. It does not offer support for HIPAA or GDPR compliance. So Healthcare, Legal and Financial sectors pretty much are ruled out.
Pumble is also strictly built for internal communication. This means that there are no features for secure or structured client messaging. It is purely for employee engagement. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing if that is what you need. If your budget is smaller and your goal is project management or internal task management. Maybe Pumble can work for you.
If you are looking for effective communication with clients and internal too, then maybe look somewhere else. It also would sit as another part of your tech stack. Alongside collaboration tools for video calling, and other tools.
6. Cisco Webex
The next tool we will look at is Webex by Cisco. It is a communication tool known for it's video conferencing capabilities. It also includes messaging and file sharing too. Positioning itself as one of the most useful internal communication tools, for large businesses. Employee engagement, project management and effective communication between staff are key positives of Webex.
Many large corporations, government agencies and enterprise businesses use Webex for their communication. The biggest strength being it's video calling capability. Things like background noise reduction, breakout rooms, live polling and transcription are top of the industry. Especially when it comes to video collaboration tools.
Webex also integrates with Office 365, and Google workspace for easy collaboration across platforms. As well as some hardware solutions to aid with remote working, like boards, and desk devices.
Drawbacks of Webex
There are some key downfalls of Webex when it comes to communication tools. It may be great as an internal communication platform, but that is all it is. Only for internal use. Meaning that as is a common theme here, you need more than one communication tool if you need to also chat with clients.
The chat functionality is also not so easy to navigate. Standard platforms like Qwil, MS Teams and Slack have nice user friendly interfaces. Webex is a little more clunky. Which defeats the point of using instant messaging for effective communication.
In terms of security and compliance, Webex is not GDPR or HIPAA compliant out of the box. You will need to upgrade your package and licenses to gain the full security settings. Also it will take a substantial amount of IT resources to configure for external communication. Meaning despite it's reputation, it is not one of the best communication tools if you need to communicate with clients.
7. Zoom Team Chat
The 7th item on the list is Zoom & Team Chat. When it comes to the best communication tools, zoom is never too far away. As a communication software, nobody saw a rise from the pandemic like zoom did in 2020. From the screen sharing, to the education based focus, all universities, schools and remote workers were on zoom the entire pandemic.
Zoom team chat is their addition to the basic video conferencing and as a communication software it does a good job. It allows for messaging, real time collaboration, as well as file sharing and normal zoom function. So screen sharing, whiteboards, breakout rooms etc.
Those familiar with zoom will find the user friendly interface familiar. Especially from those lockdown training sessions. Whether your goal is project management, or employee engagement with team members, zoom is a great platform for team communication. There are even some task management features that are great for project collaboration.
Downside of Zoom Team Chat
However where the problems start is when you compare it to the other platforms in the industry. It again is generally built for internal communication. And even the functionality itself, if you look at the messaging of a Qwil, Slack or MS teams, it lacks key features.
Zoom was a powerful communication platform for video, but when it comes to the best communication platforms in general, it is not one of them. You may find use for it in internal comms, project management or just as a video conferencing platform.
Zoom also does not comply with HIPAA or GDPR for sharing secure information. This means that it can never be the right communication tool for medical practices, law firms or financial services. Unless it is a strictly internal communication platform for video.
But if you want something that does it all. That is, internal communication, external, team members and group chats, look somewhere else.
8. Rocket Chat
Number 8 on this list is rocket chat. It is an open source internal communication platform that has been around for along time. It is especially popular for tech-savvy organisations and government agencies. This is due to it's customization capability. It allows people to have full control over their internal communication data.
Rocket chat allows for direct messages, document sharing, video calls, and integration with various other tools. It also has strong usage of bots for workflow automation. That means as a collaboration platform, it works pretty well.
The biggest strength however is it's customizability. Seeing as Rocket.Chat is open source, companies can build nearly every part to their specific workflow automation, security needs, and branding. There is also federation, like Qwil, and has some crossover with Slack.
Rocket chat also allow you to host in the cloud, or host yourself. Meaning that if you are in a regulated industry, and have data hosting requirements, you can fit that in. So where do the problems come with Rocket chat?
Downside of Rocket Chat
Since it is so easily customized, Rocket chat is pretty difficult to set up. You require a substantial amount of technical ability to configure it properly to your needs. It is not a tool for the average business. You cannot just plug and play when it comes to rocket chat. The risk of doing so if you don't have that ability is your internal comms, and knowledge sharing may become even more complicated.
Rocket.Chat is also not built out the box for external chat. It is not fit as a communication software for compliant messaging to clients. Due to the configurability, you are not by default aligned with HIPAA or GDPR. You will have to make it so yourself. So again, healthcare, finance and legal are out.
Rocket Chat also does not offer the full communication capability that some of these other platforms do. So e-signature, appointments etc. If you do have the technical resources it can be a great tool. But most businesses don't.
9. MatterMost
Mattermost is another open source, self hosted messaging platform designed for internal communication. It offers a wide variety of features. Things like group chats, direct messaging and threaded conversations are prominent. Mattermost is directed more at developers. That is why they have so many integrations with GitLab, Jira and Jenkins.
DevOps teams love Mattermost and for good reason. It is essentially like RocketChat, but built for developers. You can customize, build and bend it to your needs. You can also deploy it on premise or in a private cloud, and you have full control over your infrastructure and data security.
It makes it attractive to companies in regulated industries that have the resources to configure it properly. So finance, government, defence etc. As a communication tool, it is great for internal communication, project management and knowledge sharing.
Downside of Mattermost
Quite similarly to RocketChat, it takes a lost of work. Having to configure Mattermost to your organizations needs is a job for an entire IT department. You need real technical expertise to set up, secure and maintain it.
Secondly, as with many, it is strictly an internal communication tool. So when you are looking to make it work for external communication, or customer relationship management, you end up having to build your own safeguards. As a communication software, it works great internally. But the amount of work needed to make it client safe, makes it unviable for anyone looking to implement it as their business communication software.
Choosing the right Business Communication Software
Choosing the right communication platform for your business depends completely on your needs. What services do you currently use, and what services do you need to replace. If you are looking for just team communication, and an internal communication platform, or if you also need to communicate with clients.
Consider your existing tools. Are you paying for Zoom, Docusign, Teams, Google Workspace and Calendly? You could cut your software costs by up to 80% with something like Qwil. Which works perfectly as an internal communication tool, and something to message clients too. Also with the E-sign, video, secure file sharing and other capabilities, it can be a real time saver. Meaning your team collaboration and efficiency can thrive.
Ready to try Qwil? Get your Qwil free trial here