Editorial picks based on public information and common use cases, not lab tests. Some links are affiliate links; if you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and it never changes what we recommend. Prices change, so check current pricing. How we pick tools.
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Claude
AI and automation
An AI assistant for drafting, summarizing, brainstorming and working through documents.
Best for: Drafts, summaries and brainstorming
Price: Free plan available; paid plans vary
Our take
A good all-round writing and thinking partner for offers, proposals, outlines and spreadsheet formulas. Treat output as a first draft and check facts before you publish or send.
Pros- Strong at long documents and careful writing
- Useful free tier to start
Cons- Can be wrong, so verify facts
- Usage limits on free plans
Visit Claude
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ChatGPT
AI and automation
A widely used AI assistant for writing, ideas, research help and simple automation.
Best for: Brainstorming and everyday drafts
Price: Free plan available; paid plans vary
Our take
A popular choice with many integrations. As with any AI tool, keep private client data out and review everything before it goes out.
Pros- Large ecosystem and plugins
- Free tier available
Cons- Answers can be confident and wrong
- Features differ by plan
Visit ChatGPT
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Perplexity
AI and automation
An AI search tool that shows sources next to its answers.
Best for: Fast research with sources
Price: Free plan available; paid plans vary
Our take
Handy for quick research because it links its sources. Always click through and confirm the source says what the summary claims.
Pros- Sources shown with answers
- Quick for market and competitor scans
Cons- Summaries can misread sources
- Not a substitute for primary research
Visit Perplexity
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Otter.ai
AI and automation
Records and transcribes meetings and calls, with summaries.
Best for: Customer interviews and calls
Price: Free plan available; paid plans vary
Our take
Useful for client calls and customer interviews so you can listen instead of typing. Tell people you are recording and check recording laws where you and they live.
Pros- Saves note-taking time
- Searchable transcripts
Cons- Transcripts need proofreading
- Recording consent rules apply
Visit Otter.ai
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Zapier
AI and automation
Connects apps so one event triggers another, with no code.
Best for: Linking forms, email, payments and sheets
Price: Free plan available; paid plans vary
Our take
Great for small automations like "new payment, then add to spreadsheet and send a thank-you". Start with one workflow and keep an eye on task limits, which can grow costs.
Pros- Thousands of app connections
- No coding needed
Cons- Costs grow with usage
- Each automation is another thing to maintain
Visit Zapier
Online payments for cards and wallets, with payment links and invoicing.
Best for: Payment links and online checkout
Price: Per-transaction fees; no monthly fee for standard payments
Our take
A common choice for taking card payments with payment links, no website required. You pay per-transaction fees, so check current rates for your country.
Pros- Payment links need no website
- Strong documentation
Cons- Per-transaction fees
- Account reviews can pause payouts
Visit Stripe
A widely recognized payment option with invoicing.
Best for: Customers who prefer to pay with PayPal
Price: Per-transaction fees
Our take
Many customers already have accounts, which removes friction. Compare fees and understand dispute and hold policies before relying on it.
Pros- Familiar to buyers
- Easy invoicing
Cons- Fees add up
- Holds and disputes can be frustrating
Visit PayPal
Payments for in-person and online sales, plus invoices.
Best for: In-person and local sales
Price: Per-transaction fees; hardware extra
Our take
A natural fit for local and in-person businesses, with card readers and simple invoicing. Compare processing fees with alternatives.
Pros- Good for in-person sales
- Simple setup
Cons- Fees vary by method
- Hardware cost
Visit Square
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Wave
Invoicing and books
Free-to-start invoicing and accounting for small businesses.
Best for: Solo owners starting invoicing
Price: Free to start; payment processing and add-ons cost extra
Our take
A friendly starting point for invoices, receipts and basic bookkeeping. Check which features are free today and what payment processing costs.
Pros- Easy invoices
- Low barrier to start
Cons- Feature set changes over time
- Processing fees apply
Visit Wave
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FreshBooks
Invoicing and books
Invoicing, expenses and time tracking built for service businesses.
Best for: Service businesses that bill time
Price: Paid plans; trial usually available
Our take
Polished and designed for freelancers and service firms, with time tracking and client management. It is a paid product, so use the trial to see whether you would use the extras.
Pros- Time tracking and invoicing together
- Easy to learn
Cons- Subscription cost
- Plan limits on clients
Visit FreshBooks
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QuickBooks
Invoicing and books
Full small-business accounting with a large accountant network.
Best for: Growing small businesses and teams
Price: Paid plans; trial usually available
Our take
The default choice for many accountants, which makes tax time simpler. It can be more than a solo freelancer needs.
Pros- Accountants know it well
- Deep reporting
Cons- Higher cost
- More complex than simple tools
Visit QuickBooks
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HoneyBook
Invoicing and books
Proposals, contracts, invoices and payments in one client portal.
Best for: Client-based service businesses
Price: Paid plans; trial usually available
Our take
Good for creative and service freelancers who want one workflow from inquiry to payment. Compare the subscription with using separate tools.
Pros- Proposals, contracts and invoices together
- Professional client experience
Cons- Subscription cost
- Less flexible than separate tools
Visit HoneyBook
Email marketing for creators and small businesses, formerly ConvertKit.
Best for: Creators and newsletter writers
Price: Free plan available; paid plans scale with subscribers
Our take
Built around landing pages, forms and automated sequences for creators. Pricing scales with subscribers, so watch costs as your list grows.
Pros- Simple sequences and forms
- Free plan to start
Cons- Cost grows with list size
- Fewer design options
Visit Kit
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MailerLite
Email marketing
Affordable email marketing with a drag-and-drop editor.
Best for: Budget-conscious beginners
Price: Free plan available; paid plans scale with subscribers
Our take
A budget-friendly option with automation and landing pages. Compare current free-tier limits with Kit and Mailchimp.
Cons- Limits on free plan
- Support varies by plan
Visit MailerLite
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Mailchimp
Email marketing
A long-established email platform with many features.
Best for: Businesses that want many features
Price: Free plan available; paid plans scale with contacts
Our take
Familiar and full-featured, though pricing and plan limits change often, so read the current plans carefully.
Pros- Feature-rich
- Many integrations
Cons- Pricing can climb quickly
- Interface can feel busy
Visit Mailchimp
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Canva
Templates and selling
Easy design for social posts, PDFs, proposals and simple brand kits.
Best for: Non-designers creating clean visuals
Price: Free plan available; Pro plans extra
Our take
The fastest way to make a clean one-page offer, checklist or social graphic without design skills. Check the license terms for templates you use commercially.
Pros- Very easy to use
- Huge template library
Cons- Templates look familiar
- Some assets need Pro
Visit Canva
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Notion
Templates and selling
Notes, docs and simple databases in one workspace.
Best for: Planning, trackers and documentation
Price: Free plan available; paid plans extra
Our take
Flexible for client trackers, content calendars and SOPs. It is easy to over-build, so start with one simple page.
Pros- Flexible
- Template marketplace
Cons- Learning curve
- Easy to over-engineer
Visit Notion
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Gumroad
Templates and selling
Sell digital products like PDFs and templates without a website.
Best for: Selling your first PDF or template
Price: Fee per sale; no monthly fee for standard use
Our take
A quick way to sell a first digital product. It takes a share of each sale, so compare fees against other platforms.
Pros- Fast to launch
- No monthly fee
Cons- Percentage fee per sale
- Limited design control
Visit Gumroad
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Lemon Squeezy
Templates and selling
A platform for selling digital products with tax handling built in.
Best for: Digital product sellers who sell worldwide
Price: Fee per sale
Our take
Acts as a merchant of record for digital products, which can simplify sales tax and VAT. Review current fees and terms.
Pros- Handles sales tax and VAT
- Built for digital products
Cons- Fees per sale
- Platform terms can change
Visit Lemon Squeezy
Lets people book time with you without email back-and-forth.
Best for: Discovery calls and client meetings
Price: Free plan available; paid plans extra
Our take
Saves a surprising amount of time for discovery calls. The free plan covers basic booking; paid plans add team features.
Pros- Cuts scheduling emails
- Calendar integrations
Cons- Advanced features are paid
- Another link for clients to learn
Visit Calendly
Open-source scheduling you can use hosted or self-hosted.
Best for: Technical users who want flexibility
Price: Free plan available; paid plans extra
Our take
An alternative to Calendly with a generous free tier and flexibility if you like to tinker. Check current limits.
Cons- Setup takes longer
- Smaller ecosystem
Visit Cal.com
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SiteGround
Hosting and domains
Managed WordPress hosting with support and tools for beginners.
Best for: First WordPress site
Price: Paid plans; renewal prices are higher
Our take
A common recommendation for first WordPress sites thanks to support and built-in tools. Introductory prices often rise at renewal, so check renewal pricing.
Pros- Beginner-friendly
- Support and backups
Cons- Renewal prices rise
- Plan limits on visits
Visit SiteGround
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Namecheap
Hosting and domains
Domain registration with hosting and email add-ons.
Best for: Registering a domain
Price: Domains priced per year; renewal prices vary
Our take
A popular place to register a domain. Keep your domain registrar login secure and turn on two-factor authentication.
Pros- Low-cost domains
- Simple dashboard
Cons- Add-ons are upsold
- Renewal prices differ from first year
Visit Namecheap
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