Amy Nichol Smith

Former Staff Writer

Small business software, productivity apps, website builders, VPNs, web hosting

About

Amy Nichol Smith spent more than 20 years working as a journalist for TV and newspapers before transitioning to software and hardware product reviews for consumers and small businesses. She has been featured in publications such as L.A. Times, Tom's Guide, Investopedia and various newspapers across the U.S.

After decades of experience as a journalist, Amy Nichol Smith combined her love of research and writing with her passion for technology. She spent years using a scientific approach to testing and reviewing tech products and software to offer unbiased reviews for consumers and small business owners. Her reviews appeared in various publications, including Forbes, Tom’s Guide, Business.com, TopTenReviews and FitSmallBusiness.

Expertise

Small business software
Productivity apps
Website builders
VPNs
Web hosting

Achievements

20+ years of experience as a journalist and editor
10+ years of experience as a tech tester and reviewer
Featured in nationally known publications, such as L.A. Times and Reader’s Digest

Other Publications

4 weeks ago

10 Best Product Management Software Of 2025

Imagine going on a cross-country road trip with no map, no GPS and no idea where the gas stations are. Not exactly smooth sailing. That’s what it’s like trying to develop and launch a product without the right product management...
1 month ago

10 Best Mobile VPNs Of 2025

If you live on your phone, you can’t afford to skip using a mobile VPN. Whether you want to stream Netflix from across the pond, watch cat videos on YouTube while at a coffee shop, play online games on the...
1 month ago

Best Cloud ERP Software

Cloud ERP software is an enterprise resource planning platform that’s hosted online, so there’s no need to install it on in-house servers, as is traditionally the case. It’s meant to help businesses run all departments, from accounting and human resources...
2 months ago

GoDaddy Hosting Review: Features, Pros And Cons

GoDaddy is a popular domain name registrar and web hosting provider. It boasts high-performance web hosting plans and a reliable service. While it offers feature-rich plans, its entry-level plan is bare bones—lacking key features that are commonly free among its...
2 months ago

Best Free Gantt Chart Software 2025

I wish I could say the project management space was awash with free Gantt chart software, but unfortunately, I can’t. Many providers deem Gantt charts as premium tools and lock them behind paywalls. The best free Gantt chart software pickings...
2 months ago

Best Microsoft Project Alternatives Of 2025

Microsoft announced in May 2025 that Project for web will be axed in favor of Microsoft Planner. If you have been itching to move away from Microsoft-based software, now is the time to search for a robust Microsoft Project alternative....
2 months ago

Best Cash Registers For Small Business

Note that pricing is as of publication date and subject to change. Cash registers have evolved to include more than a simple cash drawer. Modern registers are all-in-one checkout systems, featuring powerful software that can help you track inventory, manage...
2 months ago

Best Jira Alternatives Of 2025

Jira is one of the best pieces of project management software for agile teams, especially those specializing in software development. However, its limited scope and sometimes hard-to-understand terminology can drive SMBs to seek alternative software solutions. If this sounds like...
3 months ago

7 Best QuickBooks Alternatives

QuickBooks is arguably the most popular accounting software option available, but it isn’t the only solution. Other solutions are available that are less expensive, easier to use and offer features that QuickBooks does not. To help make your decision easier,...
6 months ago

10 Best Content Management Systems Of 2025

Content can kill your business if it isn’t handled well. Your website should work for you, not become the time-eating monster that steals you away from actually running your business. The key to taming the website time suck is a...
8 months ago

Squarespace Website Builder Review: Features, Pros & Cons

Squarespace is an all-in-one website builder best known for its stunning designs. The popular platform makes it easy to establish your online presence, manage your site and set up an online shop. Between its affordable pricing and intuitive interface, Squarespace...
10 months ago

Square Online Store Review: Features, Pros & Cons

Is Square Online Store a viable ecommerce platform? Read Forbes Advisor's Square Online Store review for everything you need to know. Summary: Square Online is an ecommerce platform that allows businesses to sell products with built-in inventory management, a point-of-sale...
10 months ago

CyberGhost Vs. NordVPN: Comparison

Choosing a virtual private network (VPN) to protect your internet activity is a smart decision, but with so many VPN services to choose from, it can be difficult to figure out which one is best for your needs. In the...
10 months ago

Keeper Password Manager Review

Keeper is a secure password manager offering multilayered security features. Read Forbes Advisor updated Keeper password manager review to decide if it's right for you. Summary: Keeper is a secure password manager that takes the safety of your logins and...
10 months ago

Zoho CRM Review: Features, Pros & Cons

Zoho CRM is an excellent entry-level CRM platform that scales with your small business's growth. Its free CRM plan is popular among new businesses looking for a free way to track leads and manage contacts easily. For more robust features, users...
10 months ago

Best Password Manager For Mac

A password manager is an effective and affordable way to keep yourself protected from identity theft. These services safely store passwords for all your different accounts, requiring you to only remember one central password. The best password managers for Mac...
10 months ago

Best ACH Payment Processing For Small Business

Although most people pay with debit or credit cards these days, automated clearing house (ACH) payment processing is still very much a viable option for payments. The ACH method is a bit like a wire transfer. An ACH transaction is...
10 months ago

Best Remote Work Software

Whether your business is fully remote or uses a hybrid work model, it’s important to have software that allows your team to work the way they need. Forbes Advisor chose some of the best remote work software that help you...
10 months ago

Best Free Invoice And Billing Software

The best free invoice software is not only easy on the bank account but user-friendly and packed with the features that you need to convert quotes or projects into invoices easily so that you can send them to clients and...
10 months ago

10 Best Business Plan Software

Writing a business plan not only helps you stay on track as you start a new business, but it can also help you secure funding. You can create one from scratch with a simple template, but business plan software often...
10 months ago

Best Invoicing And Billing Software

The best invoicing software makes it easy for you to track projects, estimates and invoices, and get paid on time. They include features that convert quotes into invoices automatically and track billable hours. Most offer client portals to get the...
10 months ago

Best Fleet Management Software

There’s a lot that goes into tracking business vehicles and drivers. The best fleet management software can make the process much easier, efficient and cost-effective. From scheduled maintenance and parts inventories to real-time location tracking and document storage, this software...
10 months ago

Best Mobile Credit Card Readers

Note that pricing is as of publication date and subject to change. Startup businesses saw a 24% increase in 2020, signaling that a growing number of Americans are seeking a path toward successful entrepreneurship. To do so, many are relying...
11 months ago

Best Mobile POS Systems

Thanks to mobile point-of-sale (POS) systems, small business owners don’t have to be tied to a countertop POS at a physical location or an online store. You can use a POS app on any mobile device, whether it’s a smartphone...
11 months ago

Best Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)

Note that pricing is as of publication date and subject to change.Nearly every commercial motor vehicle in the United States must be equipped with an electronic logging device (ELD) according to recent law, so it’s a necessary purchase if you’re...
11 months ago

Best SEO Tools & Software

The primary goal of search engine optimization (SEO) is to help your website rank higher in search engines such as Google. This enables you to drive more traffic to your website. To be effective at SEO, however, you’ll need some...
11 months ago

Best Agile Project Management Software

An Agile project management solution should support the most popular methodologies: Kanban and Scrum. We considered a variety of tools that enable teams to track tasks and backlogs, manage projects from various views and adopt the software quickly and easily....
11 months ago

The Best Android POS Systems

If you're looking for a great point-of-sale (POS) system for your business, there's no need to swap to an iPad. If you already have Android devices or prefer them over iOS devices, you'll be happy to know that there are...
11 months ago

Best Employee Training Software

Employee training and ongoing education are vital to the success of businesses of all sizes. Having the best employee training software allows you to create courses for education, onboarding and compliance easily and affordably, keep employees engaged with awards and...
11 months ago

Best Free VoIP Phone Service Providers

There are several voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) services available, but many of them come at a high cost per user, per month. For small businesses with a larger staff, the cost may be too high to consider. Enable your team to connect...