This is an ever-expanding list of free online tools for small businesses. Recently I have been spending a lot of time on reddit and for this reason, some tools which I had never heard of before have caught my eye. The tools listed on this page are also tools that we use at Wicked Reports; we think they’re awesome and we want to share them with the rest of the world.
1. Website Builder from Wix
If your small business needs a website (and the answer to that for most businesses is a resounding “yes, it does”) and your website building needs are basic, then try using a free website builder such as Wix, which offers a free account. Wix can help you create a full-featured, mobile-friendly website that won’t break your budget. After using the free plan for a while, if you realize that your business would really benefit from all the features a web hosting provider can provide you, then you can opt for a paid web hosting service such as HostGator Web Hosting.
2. Virtual Private Network from CyberGhost
Small businesses that concerned about security (and you should be) need to implement personal virtual private network (VPN) services. These services hide online activity from snoops, and limits who can and can’t access network content. Most VPNs are pay-to-play but there are a few services, such as CyberGhost (£1.57 Per Month for 2 Year Plan + 3 Months Free at CyberGhost VPN) , that give you a bit of protection at no cost.
CyberGhost is the best free VPN service on the market. It offers reliable connection speeds and excellent network security, plus it works on most modern operating systems (OSes). It’s somewhat difficult to configure, especially for really small businesses; and if you need Mac or Linux support, you’ll need to upgrade to the paid version. But if you just need something simple, easy, and free, then CyberGhost is a great tool.
3. Endpoint Protection from Avast
What’s the point of growing a business if it can be shut down by viruses or hackers? Avast’s endpoint protection comes in a free and a premium (£1.57 Per Month for 2 Year Plan + 3 Months Free at CyberGhost VPN) version, both of which protect your network well.
If you opt for the free version, keep in mind that you won’t have access to proactive controls, a firewall, or data shredding. However, you’ll still get access to solid malware blocking, security scanning, and rescue disk functionality—all of which will come in handy at some point.
4. Project Management from Wrike
Wrike’s (£1.57 Per Month for 2 Year Plan + 3 Months Free at CyberGhost VPN) project management solution is one of the best on the market regardless of which tier you choose. The free version supports up to five users, an unlimited number of collaborators, and 2 GB of free storage. With this plan, you can manage tasks, share files, and monitor your group’s activities in a real-time feed.
If you need customizations and reporting, you’ll have to upgrade to a higher tier. But if you’re just getting started and your team is small, the free project management tool will be perfect for you.
5. Video Conferencing from join.me
If you’re looking to connect with clients, prospects, and remote workers, you’ll need a reliable video conferencing solution to help you get the job done. Join.me (£1.57 Per Month for 2 Year Plan + 3 Months Free at CyberGhost VPN) offers a free plan that lets you invite up to 10 video participants, share screens, and supports up to five video feeds.
Join.me isn’t the most robust offering on the market, but it’s definitely a strong competitor among the free solutions. If you don’t have money to spend, and you need the cream of the free crop, try join.me.
6. Applicant Tracking from Zoho Recruit
Small businesses that don’t have job openings often will love Zoho Recruit (£1.57 Per Month for 2 Year Plan + 3 Months Free at CyberGhost VPN) . This applicant tracking tool gives you access to one recruiter and up to five open positions at once. You’ll be able to input, publish, and track jobs until you find the right candidate for your company’s specific needs.
You’ll also be able to send emails to applicants via five free email templates, which will make your life easier if you have to send the same (or similar) messages over and over again.
7. Human Resources Management from Deputy
Once you’ve found the right candidate, you’ll need to track his or her progress via a human resources (HR) management tool. Deputy (£1.57 Per Month for 2 Year Plan + 3 Months Free at CyberGhost VPN) offers a starter plan that costs just $1 per employee per month. Yes, I know, this isn’t free. But at only $1 per month, it’s an incredibly solid investment.
Deputy will allow you to schedule employee shifts, make company announcements, and manage tasks, all within one easy-to-use tool. Unfortunately, at this price tier, you won’t be able to add timesheets or payroll integration. For that, you’ll have to spend an extra $2 per employee per month.
Collaboration Software for Small Businesses
Project Management
8. Asana
9. Trello
File & Document Manager
9. Google Drive
10. Dropbox
Note-taking Apps
11. Todoist
12. Evernote
Productivity Software for Small Businesses
Workspace Organization
13. Shift
14. Station
15. TimeDoctor
16. RescueTime
Process Automation
17. Zapier
18. Automate.io
Scheduling
19. Calendly
20. Doodle
Marketing Software for Small Businesses
CRM Apps
21. HubSpot
22. Zoho
Social Media Marketing
23. Buffer
24. Hootsuite
Email Marketing
25. Mailchimp
26. ConvertKit
Website Host
27. GoDaddy
28. Siteground
Website Builder
29. WordPress
30. Wix
Design Tools
31. Adobe Creative Cloud
32. Canva
Accounting Software for Small Businesses
Bookkeeping
33. QuickBooks
34. FreshBooks
Payments
35. PayPal
36. Stripe
Invoicing
37. Xero
38. Wave
Tax Filing
39. TurboTax
40. H&R Block
Operations Software for Small Businesses
Customer Service
41. Zendesk
42. Help Scout
Contract Management
43. DocuSign
44. HelloSign
Performance Management
45. BambooHR
46. 15Five
Recruitment
47. LinkedIn Recruiter
48. AngelList
Learning and Development
49. LinkedIn Learning
50. General Assembly
Communication software and tools for small businesses
Team Messaging
Direct, one-on-one, and team messaging software has emerged as the primary means of small business communication with the ability to send and receive information, ideas, files, and more all in real-time. Messaging provides instant access to information email cannot.
1. Flock
We believe Flock is the best small business software for team communication because it’s more than just a messenger: It’s a business collaboration hub that helps you get more done, faster. Flock changes the way you connect with your team with direct and group messaging channels, video conferencing, secure file sharing, shared notes, company directories, custom team mailing lists, and more—all from a single app. Flock does everything your small business needs to communicate and collaborate effectively…and still so much more.
Plans
Basic: Free
Pro: $4.50 per user/mo.
Download now: Flock’s Ultimate Guide to Great Communication in the Workplace.
2. Slack
Slack shares many of the features as Flock but it comes at a higher cost per user, per month. Compare Flock vs. Slack.
Plans
Basic: Free
Standard: $6.67 per user/mo.
Plus: $12.50 per user/mo.
Video Conferencing
Video conferencing software and tools give small businesses the flexibility of communicating face-to-face from just about anywhere—the home, the office, or a job site—across all devices. The right software and tools integrate screen-sharing, screen-recording, and video streaming capabilities that give SMBs powerful tools to conduct professional virtual meetings.
3. Flock
Video conferencing is essential for globally dispersed and remote teams. Flock gives small businesses the ability to host online meetings and webinars with video-conferencing software built right into the core messenger. Start a video call directly in a conversation channel and share your screen during a live stream or presentation. Flock video conferencing lets you communicate with anyone face-to-face and in real-time from anywhere.
Plans
Basic: Free
Pro: $4.50 per user/mo.
4. Zoom
Zoom is one of the more popular small business video conferencing apps on the market. Its free plan lets you host unlimited 1:1 meetings or group meetings of up to 100 participants with a 40-minute limit, and includes custom meeting IDs and screen-sharing capabilities in HD.
Plans
Basic: Free
Pro: $15 per host/mo.
Business: $20 per host/mo.
Stay Connected
Host your virtual meeting on Flock with our built-in video conferencing tools.
Email
Email is still the most widely used business communication tool. While email is not ideal for quick discussions or decisions, it does establish a thread for robust dialogue, specifically when communicating with multiple internal or external stakeholders. It’s absolutely vital for SMBs to have a professional email address that represents your business and your brand.
5. Gmail for G Suite
Gmail’s professional counterpart gives SMBs a customized email address and access to Google’s full suite of business products and admin tools that help consolidate and optimize your organization’s communication.
Plans
Free 14-day trial, then $6 per month
6. Titan
Titan is modern business email that means business. Get a professional email address to match your website’s domain name without having to pay a bunch of money for a bundle of add-ons you don’t need. Build your brand and your business on the back of Titan.
Plans
Free 30-day trial, then $1.50 per user/mo.
Collaboration software and tools for small businesses
Project Management
The primary purpose of project management tools is to track teamwork and optimize productivity. Small businesses rely on project management software and tools to ensure that teams carry a balanced workload and tasks get completed on time.
7. Asana
Asana is an essential small business tool that teams use to stay focused on the goals, projects, and daily tasks of a growing business. The ability to view all of your projects in calendar view, list view, or board view, and assign tasks with due dates to multiple stakeholders is a beautiful thing. Asana’s aesthetically pleasing user interface and versatility are a few reasons why it’s one of the more popular project management tools on the market.
Plans
Basic: Free
Premium: $11 per user/mo.
Business: $25 per user/mo.
8. Trello
Like Asana, Trello lets you work more collaboratively with boards, lists, and cards that help you to visually organize and prioritize team projects like a pro should. Small businesses use Trello for a lot—from product planning to content strategy to budgeting. There’s not a whole lot that Trello can’t do to improve the way your small business works and collaborates.
Plans
Basic: Free
Business: $10 per user/mo.
Conclusion
Just starting your own business? Or do you run your own small business already? Then you know how hard it is to find the right tools to help you out. Well, this is my list of the best tools for small businesses, so keep reading.