The tools below cover email updates, chat, client portals, file sharing, scheduling and project work. Friday is our product, and we've included it for weekly updates. The other entries describe official features, not claims that one product is better than another.
We checked the official sources on 7 October 2026. Prices can change. Paid prices below are standard starting rates, not temporary offers, and the billing terms are stated separately. USD means US dollars. A free plan is different from a trial, and an account price is different from a price for each user.
Friday for weekly email updates
Friday is for sending a short weekly account of the work. You write the update, and your client gets the text by email. Past updates stay on a private project page, where clients can read and reply without creating an account.
Choose Friday when you want to explain what finished, what comes next and what you need from the client. Keep the details of internal tasks in your own workspace, then write the client a summary they can act on.
Starting price is USD $49 per owner account per month, billed monthly, or USD $490 per account per year, billed annually. Both plans have a 30-day free trial. Friday has one owner per account and no team-member seats. See the official Friday pricing page.
Gmail through Google Workspace for business email
Gmail through Google Workspace is for business email with your own domain. Google's Starter plan includes custom business email, pooled storage and video meetings. Use it when you need a business inbox for correspondence with clients.
You can write a weekly update as an email and agree on a subject format with the client. Decide where you'll keep project records before you start, so you know where to look when you need an earlier decision.
The first paid Workspace plan, Starter, has a standard price of USD $7 per user per month with a one-year commitment, billed monthly. Google's page offers a trial, not a permanent free Workspace Starter plan. The official Workspace pricing page lists the commitment and billing terms alongside its introductory offers.
Slack for ongoing chat
Slack is for conversations in channels and direct messages. You can arrange channels by project or topic. Slack Connect is available for conversations with people outside your company, with different options by plan.
Choose chat when you and the client have agreed to discuss work there throughout the project. Agree on when you'll check messages and where you'll record decisions. A weekly summary can remain a separate part of your process. Our article on using Slack and client updates for different jobs explains that choice.
Slack has a Free plan at USD $0. Its first paid plan, Pro, is USD $8.75 per user per month when billed monthly. The official Slack pricing page also lists annual pricing and a temporary discount, which isn't the standard rate quoted here.
Microsoft Teams for calls and chat
Microsoft Teams Essentials is for chat, calls and video meetings. Its plan includes file sharing, tasks and polling, along with meeting recordings and transcripts. Choose it when calls and discussion are the main ways you work with a client.
Before buying, check whether you already have a Microsoft subscription that includes Teams. Then decide who needs a paid business license and which meeting features you'll use. Buying a meeting tool and setting a schedule for client updates are separate decisions.
The starting paid business plan, Teams Essentials, is USD $4 per user per month equivalent, paid yearly under an annual subscription. It isn't a month-to-month price. The official US Teams business pricing page lists that rate before tax. A separate free version of Teams exists, but Essentials is a paid plan.
Content Snare for a client portal and file collection
Content Snare is for requesting information and files from clients. You can build requests with questions and upload areas, send email reminders, and approve answers or send them back for changes. Clients use a link to access their requests through a simple client portal.
Choose it when you're waiting for client material before you can do the work. Write each request around what you need to receive, then decide who will review the answers. Collecting material and explaining progress are different parts of communication.
Its first paid plan, Basic, is USD $42 per account per month, billed monthly. Basic includes two users and 20 active requests. The free access is a 14-day trial, not a permanent free plan. The official Content Snare pricing page defines active requests and explains that recipients don't count as team members.
Dropbox for sharing files
Dropbox is for storing and sharing files. You can use shared links and folders to give someone access to material. Dropbox also offers file transfers, and its paid plans have different storage and sharing features.
Choose it when the client needs access to files rather than a task list or a conversation. Agree on folder names and which file is ready for review. Keep the request for feedback beside the file link, so the client knows what you need them to do.
Starting price is USD $0 for a Dropbox Basic account, a permanent free plan with 2 GB of storage. Paid plans are separate from Basic. See the official Dropbox plans page for the current paid options and the official Plus overview for its sharing features.
Calendly for booking client calls
Calendly is for letting people book time based on your availability. You connect a calendar and share a booking page. The Free plan includes one event type, one calendar connection and one-on-one scheduling.
Choose it when arranging a call is the task you need to handle. Set your availability before sharing the link, and explain what the call is for. Scheduling a meeting doesn't replace sending the client a written record of decisions afterward.
Calendly has a permanent Free plan at USD $0. Its first paid plan, Standard, is USD $10 per seat per month equivalent, billed yearly. A seat is for someone connecting calendars and hosting meetings, not a meeting invitee. See the official Calendly pricing page.
Trello for shared project tasks
Trello is for organizing work on boards with cards. You can assign work and set due dates. The pricing page lists task capture, automation and several views, with availability depending on the plan.
Choose it when the client will take part in managing tasks. Agree on who updates the cards and what each list means. You can also keep the board internal and send a separate summary. Read why your project management tool is for you before deciding what to share.
Trello's Free plan is USD $0 for up to 10 collaborators per Workspace. Its first paid plan, Standard, is USD $6 per user per month, billed monthly. See the official Trello pricing page for annual pricing and the plan comparison.
Choose client communication software by the missing task
Write down what the client needs to receive or do next. Choose email for correspondence, chat for ongoing discussion, a portal for requests, file sharing for documents, scheduling for booking and a project tool for shared tasks.
For weekly updates, start with a repeatable writing process. Our weekly client update guide explains how to write about completed work, next steps, client requests and changed plans. Then choose the tool that fits that process. You don't need every tool on the list.