Running a business solo is all fun and games until people start talking productivity and strategy. For some entrepreneurs, self-management comes naturally. They find joy in the organization and optimization of their daily operations.
Process development isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time though. Especially when the psychological price of entrepreneurship — sleepless nights and constant worry — can leave people overwhelmed to the point of inactivity. The stress of having so much to do weighs heavy, leaving the path forward unclear.
Whether you’re organized or otherwise though, keeping a business moving requires more than your mind and a laptop. You need tools that will enable you to manage operations seamlessly as a party of one, while also building towards bigger and better outcomes. Tools that preferably don’t come with a steep monthly price tag attached.
Here are 15 free (or free trial) tools to use when running a business as a solopreneur.
Kashoo
While managing your finances might not top the list of things you want to do, it’s something you absolutely have to do as a solopreneur. Luckily, Kashoo offers quality online accounting software for tracking income, expenses, receipts, and more. It might not be entirely free but they’re considerably cheaper than the competition — and offer a 14-day free trial.
Todoist
If you’re a visual person, lists matter. Todoist allows you to track everything you’re working on in one flexible, collaborative environment. Getting started is completely free, but they offer premium functionality as well.
Asana
For those otherwise unfamiliar with the concept of project management, Asana is a great beginners tool. This is also a platform that will grow with you and your future team. Their free membership gives you the ability to track tasks, assign due dates, customize the view, and more.
Google Drive
Documentation is your friend when running a business. Which means you’ll want to make sure it’s organized and easily accessible at all times. Google Drive allows for up to 5 GB of free file storage, in addition to their entire suite of tools for small businesses.
Google Hangouts
Another Google tool worth highlighting is Hangouts Meet. You can easily schedule virtual meetings with potential prospects and partners thanks to seamless Calendar integrations. Simply send an invite and join each meeting’s unique online conference room.
Boomerang
You wear many hats as a solopreneur — with one of them being that of sales manager. With that in mind, Boomerang serves as a free Gmail extension for managing your inbox. You can schedule email sends for different times throughout the day and take advantage of their AI-based email assistant for drafting messages that sell.
Hootsuite
Marketing channels can easily fall by the wayside when running your own business. With Hootsuite, however, you can schedule content on social media, while also keeping up with audience interests. Their free plan is perfect for solopreneurs and includes a monthly spend stipend for paid promotion.
Canva
Shaping your business’ brand doesn’t require years of professional training. But it does require thoughtfulness around design consistency. Luckily, Canva helps you in designing just about anything — offering a wide variety of features and templates to build from in doing so.
Typeform
Building a business is about knowing your customers. And Typeform is an online survey tool perfect for learning more about what makes your visitors tick. Their free plan allows for up to 100 responses per month across a limit of ten survey questions.
Tab Manager
Who doesn’t get a little tab crazy every now and then? Keep your open windows organized with the help of Tab Manager. This free Chrome extension is a great way to give your productivity a boost.
Hourly App
If you currently get paid by the hour or are simply hoping for a better understanding of where your time is going, hourly is an app that makes it possible. It’s currently only available on iOS but it’s 100% free to use.
Hemingway Editor
From marketing materials to prospect emails, small business owners spend a lot of time writing. Hemingway Editor’s free desktop tool reviews written content for readability — helping you get your point across clearer, faster.