Best Productivity Tools and Apps for Freelancers
Freelancing means setting your own pace, picking projects you love, and yes, sometimes working in pajamas.
But let's be real: it isn't just fun and games. There's the juggling act of managing clients, deadlines, and the occasional forgotten invoice.
That's where those nifty software and apps comes in. Having the right tools can in fact make a big difference in your freelancing career and boost your productivity. Think of them as your digital sidekicks, ready to help you stay on track, get organized, and make the most of your freelance career.
But which one should you pick?
In this article, we will explore the best ones to keep your freelance game strong and stress levels low. Ready to level up? Let's go!
Best Productivity Apps for Freelancers: Our Top Picks
There is a ton of productivity apps out there, each tailored for different needs. Here are the main categories to help you find your perfect match:
- All-in-one Platforms
- Time Management Apps
- Note-taking Apps
- Project Management Apps
- Calendar Apps
- Asynchronous Video Communication Apps
- Storage Apps
- File-Sharing Apps
Best All-in-one App for Freelancer
If you are looking for a freelancing tool that has it all, you should have a look at all-in-one apps. These are apps that offer a range of functions and services for freelancers, such as invoicing, contracts, proposals, payments, accounting, and more. They can help you manage all aspects of your freelancing business in one place, saving you time and hassle. The best one in this category for us is Bonsai.
1. Bonsai (iOS, Android, Web)
Bonsai is a comprehensive freelancing platform designed to streamline freelancers' workflow, from proposals to payments.
Why we picked this tool: Bonsai's end-to-end client management, from proposal drafting to payment collection, is specifically tailored for freelancers, ensuring all business aspects are seamlessly covered in one platform.
Top Features
- Automated invoicing
- Contract templates
- Time tracking
- Task management
- Payments and accounting
- Centralized client information
- Banking (US Only)
- Tax estimation (US Only)
- Price: 7-day free trial; Paid plans start at $17/month (billed annually)
Best Time Management App for Freelancers
As a freelancer, time is money and this is why you need time management apps. They are tools that help you track your time, schedule your tasks, set your goals, and monitor your progress, whenever you are. They are super helpful to optimize your productivity, avoid distractions, and meet your deadlines.
Out best pick for time management apps is RescueTime.
2. RescueTime (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web)
RescueTime is an automatic time-tracking tool that helps freelancers understand where their day went.
Why we picked this tool: Its automatic tracking feature provides unparalleled insights into productivity without the need for manual input, setting it apart from many time-tracking tools.
Top Features
- Automatic time tracking
- Detailed reports
- Goal setting
- Distraction blocking
- Price: 7-day free trial; Paid plans start at $6.50/month (billed annually)
Best Note-Taking Apps for Freelancers
Note-taking are useful apps that help you capture your ideas, thoughts, and notes in various formats, such as text, audio, video, or images. They can help you organize your information, brainstorm solutions, and remember important details. Out top picks for note-taking apps are Notion, and Google Keep.
3. Notion (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web)
Notion is a versatile workspace that combines note-taking, task management, and collaboration tools, allowing freelancers to be more productive.
Why we picked this tool: Notion's modular block system allows users to embed tables, boards, and media within notes, making it a dynamic workspace unlike any other note-taking app.
Top Features
- Rich-text editor
- AI Automation right inside Notion
- Templates for various use-cases
- Kanban boards, tables, and lists
- Collaboration and sharing capabilities
- Price: Free basic version; Paid plans start at $8/month (billed annually)
4. Google Keep (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web)
Google Keep is a simple and colorful note-taking app that freelancers can easily syncs across devices to write and retrieve their notes.
Why we picked this tool: Google Keep's real-time syncing with Google services ensures that your notes are instantly available across all devices, from mobile to desktop. You just need a Google account for it (which you probably already have).
Top Features
- Quick notes, lists, and voice memos
- Color-coded notes
- Image annotations
- Reminders
- Price: Free!
Best Project Management Apps for Freelancers
You can use Project Management apps to help you plan, organize, and execute your projects, whether they are solo or collaborative. They can help you create workflows, assign tasks, communicate with clients and team members, and track your milestones. Our most recommended project management apps are Monday.com and Trello.
5. Monday.com (iOS, Android, Web)
Monday.com is a visual project management tool that helps teams and solo freelancers collaborate and achieve more from their work.
Why we picked this tool: Monday.com's automation capabilities allow for intricate workflow designs, enabling freelancers to automate repetitive tasks and focus on their core work.
Top Features
- Drag-and-drop task management
- Time tracking
- Automations
- Integrations with popular tools
- Price: Free Plan available; Paid plans start at $8/month (billed annually)
6. Trello (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web)
Trello is a card-based (Kanban-style) project management and collaboration tool that's simple yet powerful. It's great for freelancers to manage their projects with ease.
Why we picked this tool: Trello's Power-Ups feature allows for integrations that transform it from a simple board to a powerful project management tool, adaptable to any workflow.
Top Features
- Boards, lists, and cards for tasks
- Integrations (Power-Ups)
- Collaboration tools
- Price: Free basic version; Paid plans start at $5/user per month (billed annually)
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Best Calendar Apps for Freelancers
Calendar apps are one of the most useful tools in the freelancing arsenal. They help you manage your appointments, events, deadlines, and reminders. They can also help you plan your workday, week, or month, sync with other calendars, and send invitations to clients and collaborators. The best calendar apps for us are without any doubts Google Calendar and Calendly.
7. Google Calendar (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web)
Google Calendar is a scheduling tool that integrates seamlessly with other Google services. It's widely-used by freelancers but also by pretty much anyone!
Why we picked this tool: Its widespread adoption and integration capabilities make scheduling and coordination with others incredibly smooth.
Top Features
- Event creation and reminders
- Shared calendars
- Integration with Google Meet
- Color-coded events
- Price: Free!
8. Calendly (Chrome, iOS, Android, Web)
Calendly is a fantastic appointment scheduling tool that eliminates the back-and-forth of setting up meetings, which could be extremely useful for freelancers.
Why we picked this tool: The elimination of back-and-forth emails for scheduling and its ability to detect time zones automatically make it a standout for global freelancers who work remotely.
Top Features
- Automated meeting scheduling
- Time zone detection
- Integration with popular calendars and tools
- Customizable availability
- Price: Free basic version; Paid plans at $8/seat per month (billed annually)
9. SimplyBook.me (iOS, Android, Web)
SimplyBook.me is an innovative online booking tool that offers more than just appointment setting, making it a great asset for freelancers.
Why we picked this tool: Its ability to integrate payments and offer detailed statistics for bookings stands out, especially for freelancers needing comprehensive scheduling solutions.
Top Features
- Customizable booking interface
- Email/SMS notifications and reminders
- Google Calendar synchronization
- Online payment integration
- Insightful booking statistics
- Classes & Membership feature for event management
- Price: Free basic version; Paid plans from $8.25 per month (billed annually)
Best Asynchronous Video App for Freelancers
Next, we have the most revolutionary tool for freelancers: asynchronous Video Communication Apps. These are apps that help you record and share video messages with your clients, team members, or prospects. They can help you communicate more effectively, personally, and flexibly, without requiring everyone to be online at the same time. They are awesome for digital nomads and remote workers. Our best pick in this category is Loom.
10. Loom (Chrome, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web)
Loom is a video messaging tool that allows freelancers to send quick videos instead of long emails, saving countless hours of virtual and in-person meetings.
Why we picked this tool: Loom's ease of use and the personal touch of video messages offer a more engaging alternative to traditional emails or text-based communication. It also save freelancers a ton of time that would be spent otherwise in never-ending meetings.
Top Features
- Screen recording with voiceover
- Download
- Video sharing
- Folder creation
- Video trimming
- Viewer insights
- Comments and reactions
- Price: Free basic version; Business at $12.50/month (billed annually)
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Best Storage App for Freelancers
Another useful tools that you should consider as a freelancer are storage software. These are apps that help you store your files, documents, and data in the cloud, so you can access them from anywhere and any device. They can help you backup your work, sync your devices, and share your files with others. Out top pick in this category is Google Drive.
11. Google Drive (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web)
Google Drive is a cloud storage solution that allows freelancers to save files online and sync them to various devices so they can access them from anywhere they wish.
Why we picked this tool: The generous free storage, combined with real-time collaboration on documents and integration with other Google Workspace tools like Docs or Sheets, makes it a comprehensive solution for storage and collaboration.
Top Features
- Real-time collaboration on documents
- Integration with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides)
- File sharing with customizable permissions
- Offline access
- Price: 15 GB free; Additional storage starting at $1.99/month for 100 GB
Best File-Sharing Apps for Freelancers
Last, but not least, we have file-sharing apps. They are tools that help you send and receive large files that are too big for email attachments and can help you transfer your work to clients and collaborators quickly and securely. Our recommendation for the best file-sharing apps is WeTransfer.
12. WeTransfer (iOS, Android, Web)
WeTransfer is a quick and efficient file-sharing service that allows freelancers to send large files without the need for registration.
Why we picked this tool: Its incredibly straightforward approach to sending large files without the need for registration or software installation makes it a hassle-free choice for quick file transfers, even on the-go. It's simply the fastest way to transfer files on the internet.
Top Features
- Send files up to 2 GB for free
- Email notifications for file delivery and download
- Pro version offers file transfer up to 20 GB and password protection
- Price: Free for basic use; Pro version at $12/month
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