Free is my favorite number, especially when it comes to finding a gem of a small business app. Anytime I see a free small business app, I give it a whirl to see whether or not it’s any good.
More times than not these apps are sub-par, but every once in a while they make my must-have list. So far I’ve managed to find great free apps to help make my business more efficient, and here are four more apps I’ve recently had a chance to try out:
Write Better With Grammarly
Grammarly is a lifesaver, especially if your grammar and spelling are subpar (no judgement, it happens to the best of us). It’s super easy to use and totally free.
If you don’t currently have Grammarly, honestly, what are you waiting for? Besides the initial download, there’s nothing more for you to do but you’ll instantly have access to a tool that will help make your communication superior.
Similar to Microsoft Word’s spell checker, Grammarly points out mistakes, but it’s much more powerful than Word. And you can use it with almost any application (including Word if you download the extension). Plus, Google Drive also has a beta Grammarly plugin, so it works on your documents there.
If you need more Grammarly, their premium version starts around $12 a month and helps make suggestions beyond spelling and grammar.
Another great writing app is the Hemingway App.
Stop Switching With Shift
I am a compulsive tab changer and Shift has made my business much more streamlined.
Shift allows you to use its interface to house several different email accounts (specifically Gmail) and apps that include Slack, Trello, Evernote, Skype, PayPal and more.
You load in your apps and use their seamless sidebar to switch between them — no need to open 80 tabs. It is one of my favorite business apps, and if you find yourself constantly switching from app-to-app it might be yours too.
If you need more Shift, the pro version starts at $29.99 a year. I personally have the advanced plan and I love it.
Stay on Top of Your Billing Wave
If you need to get a handle on your finances, specifically your invoicing and income, Wave is the free small business app for you.
You can use Wave for free to manage your small business’ accounting and invoicing. And if you need to there are built-in Wave payment and payroll features that you can purchase a la carte.
It’s great if you need to get your finances organized but can’t afford (or justify) an accountant and don’t love any of the paid software on the market.
Market Better With Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is a free small business app that allows you to automate your marketing and talk better with your target audience. It includes great marketing tools like automation, a CRM, tasks and projects and more!
While I don’t have a ton of experience with it yet, as I just started poking around in it a few weeks back, I do hear great things from other small business owners.
What are your favorite free business tools? Share them in the comments below!
Looking for Ways to Save More Money?
- 5 Free Marketing Tools For Your Business
- 5 Free Business Apps To Organize, Promote and Grow
- Bookkeeping Basics for Budding entrepreneurs
Tae started out as a journalist before following the money into the corporate world. But it turns out that the grass isn’t always greener and now you can find her spending most of her time writing about all the things she loves. Namely, money, travel and business with a hefty dose of self-deprecating humor. She is a podcast fanatic, blogging aficionado and loves to find new ways to turn passions into cold hard cash!