These six premium productivity apps are actually worth their price

You can organize your day well without having to pay for productivity apps. But sometimes, the free version of your favorite tools can limit how much you get done. While not all productivity apps are worth paying for, some justify their price.

I've been using Google Workspace apps like Gmail and Google Drive for over six years at the time of writing. I think it's much easier to use than many Microsoft apps even without paying for a premium subscription, but still, I chose to purchase Google Workspace for several reasons.

One of the biggest reasons to upgrade your Google Workspace membership is that you get between 30GB and 5TB of storage space depending on your subscription. In comparison, the free version gives you 15 GB. Although you are good enough in many circumstances, you may need something more substantial if you have multiple projects or interests.

Since I'm a freelancer, I also like to have a custom email domain. Google Workspace allows me to do just that, and I get better security controls. Pricing is very reasonable, starting at $6 per user per month for Business Starter.

Although Gemini is not automatically included in the paid subscription, you can get the Gemini for Google Workspace subscription add-on. You can then use multiple Gemini extensions to increase your productivity in Google Workspace.

I've said before that Things 3 is the best digital to-do app I've ever used, and I stand by that statement wholeheartedly. The app lets you categorize your to-do list in an easy-to-digest format, which means you can keep track of work, studies, routine tasks, and more.

When using Things 3, you can also create different areas that allow you to keep track of long-term projects. For example, I created a section where I list the larger articles I need to write each month. You can do this on college and work deadlines as well.

What's also great about Things 3 is how easy it is to organize your entire week in advance. You can copy and paste tasks on different days under the Upcoming tab and then customize them accordingly. It's also easy to add subtasks within broader tasks.

Another useful feature of the Things 3 app is the history where you can see all completed tasks. You will find this feature useful if you are trying to deal with the stresses of daily life and better organize your day. Instead of showing overdue tasks, anything you haven't completed will automatically be moved to the next day.

download: Things 3 for MacOS | iOS/WatchOS | VisionOS (price varies)

As of November 2024, Things 3 is only available on Apple devices. I use it on my Mac, and if you can only pick one, I suggest you do the same. Here are the pricing details for each device (all are one-time purchases):

You can use many of Notion's features to keep your to-do list in check, and even with a free plan, it's one of the best productivity apps. However, a few users will benefit from subscribing to the paid version.

If you work with other people, Notion Plus is worth upgrading to. You can invite up to 100 guests and upload an unlimited number of files. Moreover, you can sync your databases with external applications.

Notion's paid plan also allows you to create custom websites, though I've tried that before and it wasn't my favorite feature. However, one feature worth using is the ability to create your own automations. Besides the unlimited templates, which you get in the free plan, you also get access to additional customization features.

If you need more features, you can upgrade to Business or Enterprise, but I don't think regular people will need either.

Notion's prices for its paid subscriptions are below; Note that Notion AI is available as an add-on for everyone ($10 per month, $96 per year).

Calendly is the best tool to help others book meetings with you, and its paid version offers unlimited event types. Furthermore, you can connect up to six calendars, allowing you to see a complete overview of your projects and booked calls. Comparatively, the free version only lets you connect to one.

If you offer some type of online service, Calendly's paid plan is also ideal for handling payments. You can integrate PayPal and Stripe. The premium version of Calendly also has automatic reminders and around-the-clock support.

Calendly Standard will be good enough for most people, but you may also want to consider upgrading to Teams or Enterprise if you need features like creating roundtable events.

Here's a summary of Calendly's pricing:

Organizer is another daily planning app that I'm a big fan of. It's very easy to use and beautifully designed, making it easy to keep track of my daily tasks. The free version lets you organize your tasks with minimal fuss, but the paid version has some great features that you might want to take advantage of.

After upgrading to Structured Pro, you can import tasks from your calendar app. Moreover, you can import from Apple Reminders app and set up recurring tasks. The latter is especially useful because sometimes it is cumbersome to fill out the same items manually every day or week.

You will also have access to structured artificial intelligence. This tool can summarize your tasks within a specific project area, and you can also upload images if you want to scan something in the app. Furthermore, you can ask the tool to create recurring tasks, as I did in the window below.

download: Organizer for MacOS | iOS | Android (Free in-app purchases available)

Structured Pro is available for weekly and monthly subscriptions, as well as lifetime purchase.

Cold Turkey is one of the best website blockers for removing distractions, and my absolute favorite desktop app of its kind. I started using it in 2020 and then deleted it because I thought it wasn't necessary. Let's just say that it's now an essential part of my productivity system and helps me focus like no other desktop app can.

When you upgrade to the paid version of Cold Turkey, you can set up scheduled blocks. This is a great tool if you have a consistent daily routine. For example, I have a bunch of websites that are useful outside of work hours (like Google Analytics) but can distract me when I'm trying to write.

Besides just blocking websites, the premium version of Cold Turkey can also block apps. It is also possible to take breaks from your blocks if necessary.

Cold Turkey Pro is available for a one-time price of $39. You can download the application from the Cold Turkey website and add extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari and many other browsers.

Knowing which productivity apps are worth paying for will make it easier to choose the right ones. From website blockers to to-do list apps, choosing some premium tools that meet your goals can help you dramatically increase your productivity.