Gallery: 10 apps with in-app purchases that are actually worth it for small businesses

​DocuSign

It took a while for technology to catch up with the ESIGN act of 2000, but now that it has there's a whole bunch of apps available to make signing documents on mobile devices easier. DocuSign has long been a leader, and its mobile app might be a great fit if signing contracts is part of your daily life.

The average DocuSign user doesn't need to pay if they're just receiving documents. If you need to send them you can sign up for one of several packages available in the app. The cheapest is $14.99 a month (or $119.00 a year), which allows you to send up to 10 documents monthly.

Prices go up from the basic paid plan, but if you run a paperwork-heavy business it's a good investment.

DocuSign is available on iOS and Android.

Image: Docusign

​LinkedIn

Linkedin's mobile app is is pretty friendly to use, and its in-app purchases add even more value. You can sign up for a job seeker account ($29.99/month), business plus account ($59.99/month), sales navigator account ($79.99/month), or a recruiter account ($199.99/month).

All four levels include features tailored to different needs. The job seeker package, for example, will show you how you compare to other people in your field, giving you a leg up on finding that new job.

LinkedIn is available on iOS and Android.

Image: TechRepublic/Brandon Vigliarolo

​Quickbooks Online

Businesses of all sizes are familiar with Quickbooks. Quickbooks Online is the cloud-based version of the popular accounting software, and it describes itself as perfect for small businesses.

The iOS and Android versions of Quickbooks Online are designed to give you the same experience that you'd have on a desktop, which is great for business owners who are too busy to return to the office just to process paperwork.

Quickbooks Online is free to try for 30 days. After that you can choose one of several subscription plans, starting at $12.99 per month or $124.99 per year.

The app is available on both iOS and Android.

Image: Quick Books Online

​Adobe Acrobat

PDFs: love them or hate them they're a regular part of the professional world, especially in the half-digital/half-analog age. Old contracts are still being scanned in as PDFs, and new documents are OCRed, both of which mean reviews and edits by humans.

The standard Acrobat app will let you view and annotate PDFs, but that's it. If you want to be able to edit, create, or export PDFs on the go you'll need to purchase an additional subscription. The good news is that subscriptions are cross-device, so if you already signed up for those features on a desktop you can use them on the mobile app as well.

Acrobat Pro costs $24.99 a month, PDF Pack costs $9.99 a month, and if you simply want to be able to export PDFs you'll have to pay $23.99 yearly.

You can get Adobe Acrobat on iOS and Android.

Image: Adobe

​Microsoft Office apps

It wasn't too long ago that Microsoft Office 365 was a bundled app on both iOS and Android, but those days are gone. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote are all individual apps now. Sorry about your home screen space.

Without an Office 365 subscription you can't do much besides creating and editing locally stored documents--not the best idea if you plan on using Microsoft Office for a lot of editing outside of the office. There are a number of subscription tiers for Office 365, and purchasing it in one app will unlock premium features for all of them. Prices vary, and start at $6.99 per month for a personal license.

You can get Microsoft Office apps on Android and iOS using the links below.

• Word: iOS / Android
• Excel iOS / Android
• PowerPoint: iOS / Android

OneNote: iOS / Android

Image: Microsoft

​Citrix Convoi

There are a lot of apps out there that can set you up with a second phone number: Google Voice, Line2, Burner ... the list is huge. Those apps can be a bit messy and hard to use, and many of them require the constant purchase of credits to add a few minutes here and there--not very useful if you want a dedicated business line.

Citrix Convoi is free for the first seven days, and after that a $9.99 monthly subscription kicks in. It's not too expensive, and for small business owners it can be great for adding a work line without a bunch of additional fees. Calls, messages, and contacts are all bundled in a nice, easy-to-use interface. Don't give out your personal line for business when you don't have to.

You can get Citrix Convoi on iOS. It's currently in beta for Android.

Image: TechRepublic/Brandon Vigliarolo

​TinyFax

Some technologies only exist for the blink of an eye. Others, like faxing, never want to die. If you've ever been asked to fax a document to someone you know how much of a pain it is nowadays--ever had to make a run to the Fedex store and wait in line just to send a fax?

TinyFax can fix that problem by allowing you to send faxes right from your phone. It can pull files from cloud storage, email, and even photos: just snap a picture of a document and fax it off!

TinyFax is free to download, but sending faxes requires the use of credits you purchase in the app.

You can download TinyFax on iOS and Android.

Image: TechRepublic/Brandon Vigliarolo

​Thumbtack For Professionals

If your business offers a service--from roofing to computer repair to custom embroidery--you can use Thumbtack to get local exposure to potential clients. You sign up and input details about your business, and when someone uses the app to request a service you offer it sends you a notice.

You'll be able to review the client and their request before responding. Once you've talked the job over you can send a quote right through the app. You don't have to pay a dime until you send the quote, either.

Sending quotes is done with credits, which are purchased inside the app. Thumbtack seems like it could be a huge boon to small businesses looking to expand their reach, so don't be afraid to check it out--the app and signing up are both free. There's nothing to lose if people in your area aren't using it.

You can get Thumbtack For Professionals on iOS and Android.

Image: ThumbTack

​When I Work

Everyone who's worked (or managed) a shift-based job knows how difficult scheduling can be. Employees swap shifts without notifying anyone, schedules get confused, and the paperwork involved to set up a weekly schedule can take a whole afternoon of your valuable time.

When I Work is an app that centralizes scheduling, shift swapping, and all the communication a business owner needs with their employees. The app also allows for clocking in and out, instant manager approval of shift swaps, copying templates from week to week, and even payroll budgeting and forecasting.

There are some deep features to When I Work, so thankfully the first 30 days are free. Pricing varies based on the number of users your business will need and whether or not you want to include payroll in the app.

You can get When I Work on both iOS and Android.

Image: When I Work