Essential Business Tools For New Freelancers (And Most Are Free!)
Starting your freelance journey is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. The right freelance tools can make all the difference, helping you stay organised, get paid faster, and communicate effectively with clients. Whether you’re in the early stages of becoming a freelancer, or looking to streamline how you work, having the right tools in your corner can make everything feel a lot less overwhelming and a lot more doable. Here’s a practical, no-nonsense guide to the best tools for freelancers (most of them free!) to help you build a freelance business with more freedom, flexibility, and clarity
Project Management Tools
Project management for freelancers doesn’t have to be complicated.
Think of these tools as your digital workspace, keeping you organized, on-task, and clear about what’s next.
Trello: Visual boards, simple drag-and-drop, and easy to customize. Great for mapping out projects, tracking deadlines, and seeing your workload at a glance.
Notion: A great ‘all-rounder’ - I like to think of it as my online notebook. You can create guides and documents, calendars, project boards, to do lists and more.
ClickUp: Flexible enough to grow with you. Start with the free plan for task lists, reminders, and time tracking.
Asana: Asana is perfect if you like structure and checklists, or manage teams. Asana’s free tier is perfect for managing projects solo or with collaborators.
My tip: Start simple. The best project management tool is the one you’ll actually use.
Invoicing and Payment Solutions
Getting paid should be straightforward. But managing your finances is also one of the most crucial elements to ensuring your business can succeed. Professional, easy-to-use invoicing tools mean you can spend less time chasing payments and more time doing what you love.
Wave: Free, no-fuss invoicing and accounting. Perfect for sending unlimited invoices and tracking payments.
Invoice Ninja: Free for unlimited invoices and clients, plus handy features like recurring billing.
Payment gateways such as Stripe or PayPal: Widely recognized, easy to set up, and ideal for international clients. Just watch out for transaction fees.
My tip: Set up your invoicing system early—even before your first client. It’s one less thing to worry about when the work starts rolling in.
Other Freelancer Tools That I Love
While managing your workload and finances may arguably be the two most important areas of your business, there are plenty of other tools that will make your operations even more streamlined. Below are some that I swear by.
Google Workspace - Perfect for all your communications, get Gmail, Calendar, Drive, and Meet all in one place.
Calendly - A super easy to use tool where people can book a time to meet straight into your calendar, based on your existing availability.
Clockify - Clockify is a free time-tracking site that supports multiple projects and clients, and gives you the option to download timesheets. This is a great tool if you work as a freelancer on an hourly basis.
Fathom AI - I used to diligently take notes in my meetings by pen and paper before I discovered Fathom, which is now essentially my meetings assistant. Fathom AI will join your meetings, record the audio and video, and transcribe the meeting for you, so that you never miss anything!
World Time Buddy - Managing clients in multiple time zones? Or maybe you’re a digital nomad, hopping around the world. Been there, my friend! World time buddy is a game changer tool for trying to figure out different time zones.
Focusmate - This is a really helpful tool for those who sometimes struggle to get stuck in and concentrate. It matches you up with someone to co-work with via online video, so that you’re held accountable.
Zapier - Use Zapier to connect almost any website or app to run automations. For example, I have an automation set up between Fathom AI and Notion, to populate my to-do lists with action items from any meeting I’ve joined.
Gamma - Maybe you need to create pitch decks or slides for your portfolio or client work, but design isn’t one of your strengths? Gamma AI will help you create STUNNING slides based from a prompt, or a written copy of the content.
Free vs Paid Tools: What You Need to Know
When you’re building your freelance business, it’s tempting to jump straight into premium subscriptions, thinking they’ll make everything run smoother. But here’s the truth: most freelancers can get started—and thrive—using free tools. In fact, even running my business right now, Fathom AI is currently the only tool from the list I’m actually paying for.
Free plans usually cover all the basics of project management, invoicing, time tracking, and client communication. These options are perfect for testing what works for you, learning the ropes, and keeping overheads low. As your client list grows or your workflow gets more complex, you may find that paid versions offer features that save time, automate repetitive tasks, or help you scale. The key is to upgrade only when you truly need the extra power, not just because it’s there.
You don’t have to figure it all out on your own…
The right tools can help you build a freelance business that works for you—not the other way around. Start simple, stay flexible, and remember: it’s about making your work (and life) easier, not more complicated.