In late 2023 and early 2024, Capterra appeared on Startup Magazine’s Cereal Entrepreneur podcast. During these appearances, we looked at the best-rated software options across a number of different categories. Discover all our selections here. 

Capterra UK software charts selections

During our appearances on the Cereal Entrepreneur podcast, we reviewed six categories of essential business software and highlighted a total of 25 of the best-rated options available to UK users. From these selections, we produced six detailed lists and a series of software chart videos to assist businesses in selecting the right tools for their operations.  

In this article, we’ve recapped these areas of focus. Read on to learn more about the categories, view the videos, and find the corresponding links to the lists of the highest-ranked software providers to discover the options in detail.

Help desk software

Help desk software is a vital tool for customer and client service operations. It gives companies the tools they need to manage back-and-forth communication with their audience and to efficiently handle interactions, enquiries and requests. 

When choosing a help desk solution it is important to consider the cross-channel support the business will need. It is also vital to ensure the system provides the right level of security for any contact data collected from customers. Lastly, when choosing a help desk system it is important to assess the level of onboarding and ongoing support needed from the provider to get things up and running as effectively as possible.  

The core functions of help desk software are:

  • Knowledge base management - processes that assist users with creating, storing, and sharing data, support articles and other information in a centralised database.
  • Ticket management - tools that can help companies track interactions and automate customer issue resolution tasks.

Here you can find the five best help desk software tools in the UK:

Overview of the five top help desk options in the UK on Capterra

Discover the full software list

Employee scheduling software

Employee scheduling software is designed to assist companies in the process of allocating working hours to employees and managing staff schedules. This provides films with real-time information on the availability of employees within the business and helps managers assign tasks to staff members with the most appropriate skill sets.

When choosing an employee scheduling solution it is advisable to consider options that are tailored for a particular industry. For example, in the case of a hospitality business such as a bar or restaurant, it can help to select an option that can allocate shift work better, as well as allocate times for breaks and ensure rotas are properly covered if a staff member takes holiday time or is off sick.   

The core functions of employee scheduling software are:

  • Employee database - systems that assist with the electronic storage of staff contact and job status data.
  • Employee scheduling - tools that assign working shifts to staff members.
  • Online time clock - processes to track and log the amount of time each employee works.
  • Leave tracking - features that allow employees to request time off and for companies to track and manage these requests and holiday time allocated to staff members.

Here you can find the five best employee scheduling software tools in the UK:

Five of the best employee scheduling tools for UK SMEs

Discover the full software list

Contract management software

Written agreements and contracts are a vital part of a business’s operations. Contract management software gives firms the ability to create and manage these important documents. A software solution with contract management functionality assists by reminding managers of upcoming renewals and organising the communications and process around their renegotiation.   

To choose the most effective contract management software option it can help to consider a range of factors. For example, user interfaces that simplify the contract creation, organisation and management process. Additionally, it is important to think about how effectively prospective options can fit into existing workflows within the company for smoother implementation.

The core functions of contract management software are:

  • Contract drafting - systems that help users create, edit, and adjust contracts and other written agreements. 
  • Document management - a centralised location that can be accessed by staff members where users can upload, store, and share documents. 

Here you can find the five best contract management software tools in the UK:

Five highly ranked choices of contract management software for Capterra users

Discover the full software list

Learning management system (LMS) software

Learning management systems (LMS) offer platforms which educators and trainers can use to deliver courses and learning content to students. These tools allow companies offering education and training services to provide courses digitally, allowing students to study in their own time where they choose. LMSs can also prove practical for businesses looking to offer skills and professional development courses to staff.

When selecting an LMS provider factors such as accessibility, ease-of-use, customisation, communication and feedback provisions should be taken into account before making a choice. In many cases it is sensible to assess whether the system provides access to existing course material or, if not, offers the tools necessary to create bespoke courses from scratch.   

The core functions of LMS tools are:

  • Course management - tools that let users create, organise and assign learning courses to students.
  • Course tracking - processes allowing course leaders to track the progress and course material completion of students. 

Here you can find the five best learning management system tools in the UK:

Five top choices for learning management software

Discover the full software list

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) software

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) provide recruiters with tools to filter and track potential candidates applying for open positions. They assist in the hiring process by assessing incoming applications, matching the skills and experience detailed on a candidate’s CV and accepting or rejecting them based on the hiring criteria. Additionally, ATS tools provide database functions to track and manage prospective candidates throughout the hiring process.

When picking an ATS option there are a few elements that should be taken into account to make the best choice. First of all, it is best to consider how a system will integrate with processes and tools already used for HR and recruitment. Another serious concern is how these tools support compliance with employment law and industry standards, which can be especially crucial in industries where certified skills are required.

The core functions of ATS tools are:

  • Candidate profiles - features for recording candidate data.
  • Candidate tracking - tools that allow users to track interactions with candidates and add notes and feedback.
  • Job posting - systems that let employers post, track, and manage open job position postings across multiple channels such as job boards. 

Here you can find the five best ATS tools in the UK:

Five of the best-rated applicant tracking systems on Capterra

Discover the full software list

CRM software

Customer relationship management (CRM) software offers essential tools to sales and marketing-focused professionals. It assists in the process of supporting customer interactions and nurturing the relationships between the business and its clients. This is achieved with the help of functions such as contact management, analytics and tracking, and communication channel control.

When planning the implementation of a CRM solution it can help to choose from options taking stock of some important factors. For instance, it is important to consider how a CRM tool will fit into your business’s current operations. If you’re just starting out and expect to grow it can help to select an option with features that can scale up with the business. On the other hand, for more established companies with bigger client bases, it is better to consider options that allow larger teams to manage more complex tasks. 

The core functions of CRM software are:

  • Contact management - processes for storing and locating contact information of customers and leads.
  • Interaction tracking - giving users the tools to add notes and track the history of interactions with contacts and document conversations.
  • Lead management - tools that let users track information about contacts and leads and track them during the sales process.

Here you can find the five best CRM tools in the UK:

The five best rated CRM tools on Capterra

Discover the full software list

Want to know more? Check out our catalogue of help desk software to discover more products.


Methodology

The data for Capterra’s software charts was collected between September and October 2023. To be included on our list all tools had to comply with the following minimum criteria: 

  • The tools met Capterra’s definition of the respective software category.
  • They included the software category’s core functionalities.
  • They had at least 20 reviews on Capterra in the preceding two years before the time of data collection.
  • They had a rating of at least 4.3 out of 5 on Capterra.