Seven Of My Favorite Online Business Tools for Solopreneurs
Some of my favorite business tools and apps
Today, I want to share some of my absolute favorite business tools and apps that have been game-changers for me and my web design ventures. These nifty little tools have not only helped me stay organized and efficient, but they've also injected a dose of productivity and pizzazz into my daily operations.
Note - any link marked with an asterisk * is an affiliate link, meaning I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I actually use – and adore.
01. Clockify
Purpose: Clockify is a time tracking tool that helps me monitor and manage my work hours efficiently, allowing me to stay organized and productive.
Cost: Free (Paid plans are available)
Read more here in How I Track Time: A Solopreneur’s Comprehensive Guide to Clockify
Link: Clockify*
02. Squarespace (duh 😘)
Purpose: Squarespace* is a website building platform that simplifies the process of creating professional-looking websites, offering a range of plans to suit different needs, including a special discount when you collaborate with me.
There are four level of plans offered - Personal, Business, Commerce Basic, and Commerce Advanced.
Cost: Plans range $16/month to $49/month (paid annually). All plans include a 20% discount for your first year when you work with me as a Squarespace member. (current as of Sept 2023)
Read more here in Squarespace Subscription Plans & Prices Review
03. HoneyBook
Purpose: HoneyBook* is a comprehensive CRM tool tailored for small businesses, providing features such as invoicing, email management, scheduling, and more, streamlining my business operations and client interactions.
Cost: Plans start at $16/month and go up to $66/month. You can usually snag a good deal from their social media, like 2 months for $1, which cuts your costs considerably. Or you can grab this sweet deal below 👇
Get 25% your first year of Honeybook when you use my affiliate link.
04. Chrome Bookmark Tab
Purpose: The Bookmark Tab is a free tool that everyone has! It enhances my workflow by providing easy access to my most frequently used websites, apps, and articles, helping me stay organized and efficient.
Cost: free
For a quick and easy tutorial, read Declutter and Conquer: Organize Your Chrome Browser for Maximum Productivity.
05. Haute Stock
Purpose: Haute Stock* offers a collection of premium 'stock' photos that add a touch of sophistication to projects, making them stand out from the standard stock photo options available on platforms like Unsplash.
Cost: $139/quarter
Notes: I bought a three month membership when I was first getting started and I thought it was money well-spent! Make sure you have your branding locked in, especially if you plan on canceling after the first quarter.
Good to know: most photos are for your personal use only; you’ll have to pay extra to use them commercially or in clients’ projects or websites.
06. Canva
Purpose: Canva is a versatile design tool that allows me to create a wide range of visuals, from basic logos and social media posts to web graphics and mockups, offering both free and paid plans with advanced features.
Cost: Free, or $119/year
Notes: I honestly love Canva so much. I use it daily. Whether I’m making a blog graphic, newsletter image, blog post header, client proposal, or dozens of other projects, I find myself in Canva all the time. The Pro account is 100% worth it for me.
07. ChatGPT
Purpose: ChatGPT serves as a creative companion, making various aspects of my work more efficient and effective. Some of the tasks I use it for are:
Generating blog post titles, ideas or outlines
Generate sample site copy for mockups
Verify CSS code for my website
Cost: Free, unless you include your words, ideas and data being collected. 🤒 … I’ve been trying out a program recently that uses OpenAI, which I pay for, but to me it’s worth paying a couple cents a month rather than paying with my data. I’ve just started using this new platform, so if you’re interested, I’ll write an update and review once I have a little more experience under my belt. LMK!
Update! There is now a ChatGPT Pro account for $20/month.
These are just a few of my favorite online business tools and apps. See my ‘Tools for Solopreneurs’ page for an ongoing list of other tried and true things I love!
