ChatGPT is already a great productivity tool on its own. But adding the right apps can make it even more useful, whether you need help managing your calendar, summarizing long documents, creating files, or streamlining your daily workflow.

As a journalist, I've tested dozens of ChatGPT apps looking for the ones that actually save time. These seven stood out because they solve real problems I run into every day and have earned a permanent place in my workflow.

Google Drive, Habitify, Reclaim.ai and more do the job

The word “tabs” is synonymous with my work life. Thankfully, I’ve gotten to the point where I’m not switching between the 10 I have open at a time—keeping about 5 or six tabs open does a lot to keep me from going crazy over trying to find the one I need for a particular situation.

ChatGPT will forever remain one of those essential tabs and the productivity-themed apps installed within it do a lot to keep me from doing a whole lot of tab switching and push me to get more work done with its help.

These are 5 of the best ChatGPT productivity apps I’ve used and highly recommend for your use as well:

• Google Drive: Just like most folks, I tap into Google Docs to jot down my creative notes for personal writing projects and get a good look at the documents sent my way for a variety of reasons. Instead of downloading files from Google Drive and inputting them into ChatGPT for tasks related to them, I like using the Google Drive app inside the chatbot to more easily access documents. I’ve gotten accustomed to using this app to summarize lengthy documents, analyze slides and brainstorm ideas based on all the random notes I’ve jotted down in my own personal documents.
• Norton: I’m glad Norton is here to tell the difference between a legit email and one that’s more than likely a flat-out scam. Since my inbox is filled to the brim with emails from all sorts of different PR companies and individuals attaching links to article proposals, I’ve gotten used to using the Norton app to get a thorough analysis of the messages in my inbox that I’m a bit weary of. Having the Norton app stand tall as my first line of defense inside ChatGPT is so reassuring for someone like me that’s inundated by emails and wants to give them a quick scan so I can get back to work.
• Reclaim.ai: Since this ChatGPT connects right to my Google Calendar, I’m able to ask ChatGPT to help me get a good look at my daily schedule, find planning conflicts, reschedule meetings and also find the best times for future ones. Even prompting it to set aside an hour for a personal ideation session can be accomplished with this app’s help.
• Habitify: Developing healthy habits that get me out of my computer chair and clear my head has proven to be accommodating. Incorporating Habitify into ChatGPT has worked out great since I just have to prompt it to show me my daily habits and stick by them without having to access them in another tab. Routinely checking in with the Habitify app inside ChatGPT to remind myself to take a 15-minute walk, take my vitamins, and get a quick meditation session in while I’m working from home does a lot for me.
• Goodnotes: Since I’m quick to get into some long yapping sessions with ChatGPT, I’m also quick to turn those chats into documents I can use for further reference. The Goodnotes app can take my lengthy conversations and transform them into text, flowcharts and images. So, for instance, I’ve prompted this ChatGPT app to turn my evening mental wind-down routine into a document that lays it all out in an easy-to-follow format.

Bottom line

ChatGPT’s productivity-themed apps are capable of filling the same role, such as calendar management, accessing files, summarizing meetings, etc. The ones I’ve incorporated into my daily work sessions with my go-to chatbot handle those important tasks and other objectives that make my work output that much stronger.

Even using Spotify to build instrumental playlists that put me in the right state of mind to focus is a great way to boost my productivity. Make these ChatGPT apps a part of your daily work regimen and you’ll notice the benefits it brings you.

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Elton Jones covers AI for Tom’s Guide, and tests all the latest models, from ChatGPT to Gemini to Claude to see which tools perform best — and how they can improve everyday productivity.

He is also an experienced tech writer who has covered video games, mobile devices, headsets, and now artificial intelligence for over a decade. Since 2011, his work has appeared in publications including The Christian Post, Complex, TechRadar, Heavy, and ONE37pm, with a focus on clear, practical analysis.

Today, Elton focuses on making AI more accessible by breaking down complex topics into useful, easy-to-understand insights for a wide range of readers.