Tools for Freelancers

First, What You Should Look for in Freelancer Tools

"The Great Resignation" is changing the way we all work (walk your dog during a work call, anyone?) If you’re thinking about taking the leap toward freelancing, planning should be your first priority when it comes to managing varying workloads on a consistent basis. Whether you’re just getting started building your freelance business or you’re ready to scale up, you should take advantage of online capabilities that can take your efficiency to the next level. You can also join a group on the Noumena app to ask some peers questions about making the shift — it’s a freelancers-only social finance app you can join right now.

The Most Popular Tools for Freelancers by Category

The key is to track your inputs and outputs. Whether it’s a project overview, brand building, communication, or tracking expenses and income, there are plenty of resources that can be pooled together to make your life easier by utilizing data. And many of them are free to join — like Noumena!

Here are some of the top hacks you can start to implement today to keep your freelance business running 24/7, whether you operate alone or with a team of remote workers or freelance collaborators.

Project Management Tools and Storage

Being a freelancer is already busy enough as it is. Everyone working on the Noumena team are freelancers working together around the world! In order to make the best use of your energy, it’s essential to prepare your time-tracking tools in advance — and project management tools are a freelancer’s best friend. Using the below productivity tools and software for freelancers, you can help yourself get a bird's-eye view of everything you currently have going on and what you need to get done each and every week.

Google Drive + Workspace

It could seem obvious at first, but it’s true: Google Drive and Google Workspace are two of the best freelance project management tools that most people will be familiar with. Formerly known as the "G Suite," they include software for freelancers across product offerings — Google Docs for writers and editors, Google Sheets for analysts and bookkeepers, Google Slides for presenting to potential clients, Google Meet for face-to-face interactions, Google Forms for acquiring feedback, Google Tasks for ticking off jobs, and the list goes on. It also acts as a central collaboration software where emails and messages can be transmitted instantly or when a video call needs to be scheduled.

Additionally, Google Drive is the ultimate storage option for all of your content and media files. Whether it’s for brand assets, current projects on hand, or something that you're preparing for a future launch, Google Drive gathers everything in one place.

Asana

There’s a reason why some of the largest companies in the world (like Amazon) use Asana’s project management platform — and freelancers can make use of it too. It’s perfect for marking key milestones on projects as well as meeting tight deadlines, and users can measure success metrics from one comprehensive dashboard. Plus, it’s free for teams of 15 people or less.