If any business needs to keep a close eye on expenses, it’s a small business. That’s why we’ve put together a list of free software tools to help your company reach its big goals without straining your budget.
Running a small business often comes with significant expenses, and every decision counts. While some entrepreneurs may have the luxury of taking risks, most small business owners need to carefully evaluate every critical decision, including choosing the right software. To make that process easier, we’ve curated a list of free tools that can benefit your small business. The best part? Each of these tools offers premium plans for when your business outgrows the free options. So, don’t hesitate to explore these products—even if you plan to scale beyond the small business category in the future.
1. Wix (Website Builder)
If your small business needs a website (and for most, the answer is a definite “yes”), and your website building needs are simple, consider using a free website builder like Wix. With a free account, Wix allows you to design and build high-quality websites easily. Whether you’re promoting your business, showcasing your portfolio, opening an online store, or starting a blog, Wix has the tools to help you make it happen.
Wix features a user-friendly drag-and-drop site builder, perfect for creating small websites. With hundreds of free templates available, you can customize your site to fit your brand. Wix also offers web hosting and domain names, both free and paid options. Plus, the App Market allows you to easily add extra functionality, like photo galleries or e-commerce capabilities.
Key features of Wix’s free software include:
2. Canva (Image Editor)
You’re probably already considering (or using) social media to stay connected and build relationships with your customers. Beyond gathering likes and hearts, a strong social media presence can significantly enhance customer engagement and drive traffic to your business.
Creating a dynamic social media profile doesn’t happen by chance; it requires creative vision and strategic planning. However, it doesn’t have to require a lot of money. As you begin, draw inspiration from others who have successfully leveraged social media on a budget.
One of the biggest potential drains on your budget can be visuals. Fortunately, there are plenty of apps that can help you create brand-aligned graphics at no cost. Canva, for instance, is a powerful design tool that allows you to create brand visuals for free. You can design logos, website banners, profile pictures, and headers to build a consistent and appealing brand identity. Canva also offers a limited selection of high-quality free stock photos to enhance your designs.
3. Trello (Project Management Software)
When evaluating software for small businesses, it’s important to consider your internal operations as well. Efficient management of core processes requires well-organized projects that are planned and executed effectively.
To achieve this, a project management tool can be invaluable. Fortunately, many free options offer more functionality than you might expect. For example, Trello provides a free tier that includes up to ten Kanban boards per workspace, numerous templates, and unlimited users, making it a great choice for managing projects as your team expands.
4. Hubspot (CRM)
HubSpot CRM is designed to integrate seamlessly with your existing workflow, allowing sales teams to get started quickly with minimal disruption. It’s an ideal solution for companies that are just beginning to appreciate the benefits of CRM or for enterprises that aren’t fully utilizing their current CRM systems.
HubSpot CRM is a smart and user-friendly option that offers all the essential features without the often confusing complexity found in many other CRM platforms.
HubSpot simplifies the creation of detailed and attractive contact and company profiles by organizing every aspect of your customer communications. It efficiently manages and tracks your deals, monitors agent performance, and provides a comprehensive dashboard where all team members can easily stay updated on the company’s activities.
5. Moz (Keyword Explorer)
Another effective strategy to attract leads is keyword research. By understanding how your prospects search for you or your competitors, you can optimize your search engine ranking and avoid landing on the dreaded second page of results.
Several free keyword research tools can handle this task for you. One such tool is Moz Keyword Explorer, which offers user-friendly metrics to help you optimize your web presence for greater visibility. It provides a priority score to indicate whether a keyword is worth incorporating into your content and features a keyword gap analysis that reveals the keywords your competitors rank for that you currently don’t.
6. Wave (Bookkeeping)
Ultimately, you need to get paid for the goods and services you provide—that’s a fundamental aspect of running a business. To streamline this process and improve efficiency, consider using invoicing software.
Wave, for example, simplifies accounting tasks by tracking expenses, sending invoices, generating reports, and reconciling accounts. Its free tier also includes payroll and tax filing, offering many of the benefits of an in-house accountant without the associated costs (and without the need to cater to them at the holiday office party).
7. Buffer (Social Media Manager)
Buffer is an online app designed for managing social media content efficiently. Its main purpose is to streamline sharing across major social media platforms through a straightforward approach. Buffer connects to all your social media accounts, making it easier to create and schedule posts.
Rather than logging into Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and other sites individually, Buffer handles it all simultaneously. It also simplifies post creation and uploading with a single click. The app includes a browser extension for seamless integration with WordPress, Chrome, RSS readers, and other essential content tools.
8. Calendly (Scheduling Tool)
Calendly is a user-friendly scheduling software designed to save time, boost sales, and enhance service quality.
It eliminates the hassle of email and phone tag for scheduling appointments, calls, interviews, demos, and more. By allowing prospects to connect instantly, it prevents staff from losing potential opportunities to scheduling delays.
Simply set your availability preferences, share the link with clients and colleagues, and let them choose a time that works for them. The appointment is then automatically added to your calendar. Calendly offers a more efficient and streamlined approach to scheduling compared to traditional methods, making it easy to set up, use, and manage appointments.
Key features of Calendly include:
9. CyberGhost (VPN)
Small businesses concerned about security (as you should be) should consider using personal virtual private network (VPN) services. These services protect your online activity from prying eyes and control access to your network content. While most VPNs require a subscription, some, like CyberGhost, offer a bit of protection at no cost.
CyberGhost is one of the best free VPN services available. It provides reliable connection speeds, strong network security, and is compatible with most modern operating systems. While it can be somewhat challenging to configure, especially for very small businesses, and lacks support for Mac or Linux unless you upgrade to the paid version, CyberGhost is an excellent option if you need a straightforward, free VPN solution.
10. Avast (Anti Virus)
What’s the benefit of growing a business if it’s vulnerable to viruses or hackers? Avast offers endpoint protection with both free and premium versions that provide strong network security.
The free version includes effective malware blocking, security scanning, and rescue disk functionality, which will be valuable for your protection. However, it lacks proactive controls, a firewall, and data shredding features. Despite these limitations, the free version still offers robust basic protection for your network.
11. Zoho Docs (Document Management)
Zoho Docs is a great document management solution for small businesses with moderate document needs. The free plan accommodates up to 25 users and offers 5 GB of storage per user. This plan includes unlimited file and folder sharing, desktop synchronization, editing tools, user management, and version history. You can also integrate with Dropbox and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for enhanced security. Additionally, each document supports in-app chat for real-time collaboration.
12. Visme (Content Creation)
Visme is a user-friendly and powerful design tool that enables small businesses to create eye-catching visual content with ease.
Whether you’re designing presentations, infographics, social media graphics, or marketing materials, Visme offers all the resources you need to bring your ideas to life, even without prior graphic design experience.
With Visme, you can produce professional and engaging content that captures attention. Its intuitive interface and extensive template library make it simple to create visuals that reflect your brand and convey your message effectively.
Some key features of Visme:
13. Zoom (Video Conferencing)
Zoom is perfect for remote workers and teams, as well as for virtual and hybrid educators. It’s a popular choice for its simplicity, whether you’re setting up large meetings or having quick chats in your personal meeting room. With Zoom, you can easily create and share a private meeting link, making it effortless to connect with remote and hybrid team members through video conferencing. Top free features:
14. Dropbox Sign (eSignature)
Dropbox Sign, formerly known as HelloSign, offers a free version that provides users with an efficient and accessible way to electronically sign documents. This tool is particularly valuable for individuals, freelancers, small businesses, and anyone who needs to manage signatures without the need for physical paperwork. The free version of Dropbox Sign includes a variety of features that simplify the signing process, making it a reliable choice for those who need to manage their documents efficiently.
With the free version, users can sign three documents per month, which is sufficient for occasional users who don’t have a high volume of documents to process. This feature eliminates the need for printing, scanning, or faxing documents, saving time and resources. Users can sign documents directly from their desktop, tablet, or mobile phone, making it convenient to manage signatures from anywhere.
15. Dropbox (Document Storage)
Dropbox is one of the most popular cloud storage services available, offering a free version that provides users with a robust set of features for managing and storing files online. While the free version has limitations compared to the paid plans, it remains a valuable tool for individuals, freelancers, students, and small businesses that need a reliable, accessible, and secure way to store and share files.
Key Features of Dropbox Free Version:
In Conclusion:
Several free software options are available to help small businesses thrive in today’s digitally connected world.
Even with limited budgets, small businesses can leverage cloud platforms to access professional support and cutting-edge technology, providing essential solutions that streamline operations and enhance competitiveness.
Statistics show a growing acceptance and adoption of cloud and SaaS technology by small businesses, underscoring the benefits of giving them a try. The key advantages—affordability and flexibility—have enabled small businesses to save money, seize new opportunities, and remain agile in the face of business challenges.
