The Freelancer's Toolkit
Photo by Allie Smith on Unsplash
Every Freelancer Needs a Toolkit
We get it. You’re a hustler. And whether you’re just starting out or running a freelance empire, your time is precious.
Working efficiently is how you pay the bills. It’s how you get good reviews, build your brand, and secure more opportunities.
Efficiency also lets you enjoy the perks of freelancing. It means you actually have time to go for a hike, spend time with loved ones, or take a Wednesday off, which was the whole point of going freelance anyway.
Luckily, there are a bunch of great thinkers out there who want to make your life easier with tools to maximize productivity, efficiency, and general well-being. There are apps for all kinds of things, from scheduling to proofreading to placing more than one URL link on your Instagram profile. Here’s a round-up of my favourites by category.
Job Opportunities
UpWork
60 Remote Work Websites
The Remote Job Guide
Writing
Grammarly — free grammar and spell-checker with a Chrome plug-in
Scrivener — organize your manuscript, thesis paper, or screenplay
File Management
Dropbox — back, back, back it up
WeTransfer — send large files without cluttering Google Drive/Dropbox
Communication
Slack — a very handy communication app for teams
Zoom — video meeting app for webinars, team calls, screen sharing, and interviews
Loom — free tool for recording videos and screencasts
Project Management
Asana — my go-to project management tool
Wrike — a versatile and robust project management tool
Trello — remote communication and workflow management
Evernote — the online filing cabinet you always wanted
Productivity
Toggl — seamlessly track hours for all your clients and projects
1-Click Timer — a Chrome extension that puts a Pomodoro timer on your computer
Focus Keeper — iPhone app that employs the Pomodoro method
Active Inbox — turn your Gmail inbox into a task manager
Freedom App — blocks you from the websites that distract you most
Rambox — a cool and free little app that consolidates all of your message systems (ie. Messenger, WhatsApp, Skype, Slack, Gmail) into one window
LastPass — free password manager to save you time and headaches
Social Media
Later — social media scheduler
bit.ly — create custom short links for sleeker posts
LinkTree — add more than one URL link to your Insta page
If This Then That — a powerful way to connect and streamline social platforms
SmarterQueue — a fab social media scheduler
Planoly — an Instagram scheduler with a great preview feature
Tailwind — a Pinterest scheduler with a free trial
Photo & Video
Adobe Creative Cloud — my go-to for photo and video editing
Splice — a powerful video editor for mobile
VN Video Editor — an easy-to-use editor with some free music
Music Vine — music licensing for videos
Frame.io — essential for collaborating and exchanging notes on video edits
Website
Squarespace — my personal preference for its minimalist design
WordPress — a powerful website or blog builder
GoDaddy — get your domain
Branding & Design
Canva — a free and intuitive web-based graphic design tool
Wisestamp — revamp your Gmail signature
Unsplash — free stock photos
Pixabay — free stock photos
SEO
SEO Optimizer — does exactly that
Zadro — free website auditor
Yoast SEO — a free plugin for optimizing SEO
Moz — explore the best keywords
Accounting
Quickbooks Self-Employed - everything a freelancer needs for accounting and invoicing
Cultivate Your Toolkit
Every freelancer’s toolkit looks different. I hope this list of general resources helps you to craft and cultivate a unique toolkit of your own!