Hi, I’m Chloe! You might already know me as the author of some of Durable’s blog posts, but what you might not know is that I’m a freelancer specializing in marketing for SaaS brands.
I’ve been freelancing for three years now, and in that time, I’ve experimented with different freelance tools to find the best tech stack for my freelance business. While everyone’s needs and preferences may differ, I’ve compiled my top tools for freelancers.
Read on to learn how you can integrate the right tools into your workflow to stay organized while juggling multiple clients.
7 of the Best Tools for Freelancers
If you’re venturing into freelancing, having the right tools can help you manage projects, track progress, and streamline freelance finances.
Since freelancing tends to be more of a solo journey (just you and your clients, who — depending on your line of work — you may not be in touch with often), the tools you choose are important for ensuring you get everything done in a timely manner.
Finding the right tools to fit with your working rhythm is a bit of a trial and error process, but I’m here to help. Here are some tools for freelancers that I’ve used and recommend.
- Durable: For building a website in seconds.
- Notion: For project management.
- Pomofocus: For time tracking and productivity.
- Quickbooks: For bookkeeping.
- Visme: For creating branded visuals.
- Slack: For client communication.
- Calendly: For scheduling meetings.
Durable: The Best Website Building Tool for Freelancers
As a freelancer — unless, of course, your trade of choice is website design — you might not have web design skills or the budget to hire someone to build your website.
There are several DIY website builders out there, but none quite as mind-blowing as Durable (and sure, maybe I’m a bit biased, but try it and you’ll see what I’m talking about).
With Durable’s AI Website Builder, all you have to do is input the type of website you want and watch it come to life. So in my case, I would tell Durable’s AI Website Builder that I need a website for a freelance writer, and it would auto-generate a fully-fledged website in less than a minute.
All I have to do is make minor changes to the design and copy until it’s perfect.
What I love about Durable:
- You can auto-generate different types of webpages to fully create your new business website in minutes.
- You also get access to additional freelancing tools like the AI Blog Builder, Brand Builder, and built-in SEO optimization capabilities.
- You can select sections of your website to “Restyle” until you find a design that you love.
Drawbacks:
- While Durable is perfect for service-based businesses, product-based businesses might find some limitations when it comes to online selling. If advanced e-commerce tools are a priority — for example if you sell online courses or guides — this might not be the perfect fit just yet.
Price: It’s free to generate your website. When you’re ready to launch, plans start at $12/month.
Notion: The Best Project Management Tool for Freelancers
I could write an ode to Notion and it still wouldn’t describe the love (nay, obsession) I have for this tool.
Notion is a fully customizable project management tool designed to help you manage tasks, track project progress, and collaborate with other freelancers. Start with a template or blank dashboard and use the building blocks to create something perfect for your needs.
For my own project management dashboard, I have a Kanban board that I can also switch to calendar view, helping me see deadlines at a glance, as well as what stage each of my pieces is at.
What I love about Notion:
- You can use it to create the project management database that feels right for your needs.
- You can find tons of useful templates online to use as a starting point or create your own.
- Notion dashboards can be used for anything, from freelance project management to grocery shopping/meal planning to daily journaling.
Drawbacks:
- Some of the features aren’t super intuitive or could benefit from additional capabilities to help you get set up faster.
Price: Solo freelancers can use Notion completely for free.
Alternatives: Trello is another project management tool with a Kanban board (one of Notion’s building blocks) that’s easy for freelancers to use.
Pomofocus: The Best Time Tracking and Productivity Tool for Freelancers
In my line of work, I don’t have to track the time I spend on a project. Instead, I prefer a tool I can use to help make the time I have more productive.
That’s why I love Pomofocus. It’s a time tracking app that helps freelancers track work hours, improve task management, and break the day into focused sprints.
However, its premium plan also comes with time and project tracking capabilities, making this the perfect all-in-one option for freelancers who do need that tracking component. Though you can also simply add the tasks you were working on during each of your sprints using the free version.
What I love about Pomofocus:
- One of my favorite things about this tool is its sleek, minimalistic interface that’s extremely clean and easy to use.
- If you create an account, you can access detailed reports showcasing your billable hours, helping you ensure accurate invoicing.
Drawbacks:
- I’ve tried different Pomodoro tools and this is by far my favorite, but I wish it had a desktop app so I didn’t have to rely on the browser version. I often have many open tabs and windows, so I have to go searching for it after each sprint.
Price: Free limited plan, with premium features available for just $3/month.
Alternatives: Other time tracking-specific tools for freelancers include Toggl Track or TimeCamp.
QuickBooks: The Best Accounting and Bookkeeping Software for Freelancers
Accounting and bookkeeping is far from the glamorous side of freelancing, but it’s a necessary evil that comes with self-employment and running your own business.
To simplify freelance finances (read: make it bearable) and stay on top of expense management, you need QuickBooks.
What I love about QuickBooks:
- You can easily add new customers and vendors to categorize income, expenses, and track billable hours.
- It’s easy to add your accountant (if you use one) in come tax time so they can access your income and expenses.
Drawbacks:
- Categorizing everything isn’t always the most intuitive and your accountant may come back with some errors or discrepancies.
Price: Starting at $35/month.
Alternatives: Other common bookkeeping and accounting tools include FreshBooks or HoneyBook.
Visme: The Best Design Tool for Freelancers
Visme is like Canva, but for professionals. Start with a template or a blank slate, then create any kind of document or sales material you might need, like a sales presentation, ebook, contract, proposal, and more.
I use Visme for a number of business-related documents and creative projects — from sales presentations to content creation and branding assets — that I need to create and send to clients. It’s easy to add in my own fonts and colors, matching them to my brand.
What I love about Visme:
- You can easily add your Durable-created branding to your dashboard to keep all of your visuals on brand.
- The interface is extremely easy to use to either create documents from scratch or start with a template.
Drawbacks:
- While Visme does have a free plan (like I mention below), it’s extremely limited, meaning you’re likely going to have to pay for a premium subscription.
Price: Limited free plan, but to export documents as PDFs (which I use frequently), you’ll need a premium plan starting at $29/month.
Alternatives: Another really popular design tool for freelancers is Canva.
Slack: The Best Communication Tool for Freelancers
Slack is a great tool for staying connected with potential clients, other freelancers, and team members through instant messaging and video calls. It’s a useful tool that can make collaboration much easier.
Personally, I don’t use my own Slack workspace. However, I am in many client workspaces, making this a great tool for quick communication. I use Gmail for email communication, but Slack is great for quick DMs.
There are also a lot of Slack communities for marketers and freelancers, where freelancers can network, share helpful files, and discuss project management challenges. So this is definitely one of my everyday tools.
What I love about Slack:
- The interface is really pretty and easy to use, and with its recent update, you can select color themes for each workspace you’re in.
- You can create different channels for different topics or projects to keep everything organized.
Drawbacks:
- Moving between workspaces (if you’re in several) can be clunky.
Price: Free limited plan with paid plans starting at $8.75/month.
Alternatives: Discord is a common communication/community alternative to Slack.
Calendly: The Best Scheduling Tool for Freelancers
If you regularly schedule virtual meetings with potential clients — whether for onboarding or to discuss monthly projects — Calendly simplifies schedule management, especially across timezones.
Calendly is perfect for that as it lets the client browse your availability and select a meeting time based on that, then automatically adds it to your calendar.
What I love about Calendly:
- You can set up auto-reminders for both you and your client to ensure no one’s time is ever wasted on forgotten meetings.
- Calendly integrates with your calendar of choice, so whether you use Google Calendar, Outlook, or Apple, you can ensure your meetings are added at the right times.
Drawbacks:
- Sharing a Calendly link with your clients will likely increase the number of meetings you have each month, which can take away from your time working on projects, so keep this in mind.
Price: Free limited plan available, with premium plans starting at $12/month.
Alternatives: You can always manually add appointments to your Google or Outlook calendar if you prefer not to use an appointment tool.
Find the Best Tools for Your Freelance Business
These are some of the tools I use to keep my freelancing business running smoothly. Test out these great tools or explore other freelancers’ favorites to see what works best for your freelance business.
But to get your freelancing website started, I highly recommend you give Durable’s AI Website Builder a try.
With just a few clicks, you can have a fully designed site, complete with content, ready to go — no hassle, and no coding skills needed.
Want to see for yourself? In just 30 seconds, Durable can generate your website with the power of AI. Try it now!
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