When starting a business, it’s important to be aware of the costs associated with running a company. One way to save money is by using free business tools that are available online.
There are plenty of free business tools out there that can help you with a wide range of tasks, from project planning, and scheduling to collaboration. In this article, I will share with you the top free business tools that any startup should take advantage of.
By using these free business tools, you’ll be able to save money and focus on growing your business. Let’s get started!
Credits: Image by louishansel from unsplash
Trello
Trello is a project management tool that helps users organize and track their work. It is a flexible tool that can be used for a variety of purposes, from tracking personal tasks to managing large projects. Trello has a user-friendly interface and is available for free, making it a good choice for users who are new to project management tools.
While Trello is a good tool for managing tasks, it is not without its flaws. One downside of Trello is that it can be challenging to keep track of large projects with many people working on them. Additionally, Trello does not offer some of the advanced features that are available in other project management tools, such as Gantt charts.
Overall, Trello is a good tool for managing tasks and I would still use it if I need to manage a project.
Visit the site: https://trello.com/pricing
Zoom
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Zoom has become one of the most popular video conferencing platforms. Companies across the globe have been using Zoom to help employees stay connected and productive during the pandemic. But what is Zoom, and how does it work?
Zoom is a video conferencing platform that allows users to conduct video or audio meetings with up to 100 participants. The platform is easy to use and can be accessed on a variety of devices, including laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Zoom also offers a number of features, such as the ability to share screens, record meetings, and use virtual backgrounds.
If you’re looking for a video conferencing platform for your business, Zoom is a great option. It’s easy to use, offers a variety of features, and is available for free depending on your needs.
Visit the site: https://zoom.us/pricing
Google meet
Google Meet is an alternative to zoom. It is a video conferencing app that allows users to connect with each other in real-time. The app is completely free to use and is available on both mobile and desktop devices. Google Meet has a number of features that make it a great choice for video conferencing, including screen sharing, recording, and transcripts.
Google Meet is a great option for video conferencing, whether you’re looking to connect with co-workers or friends. The app is easy to use and has a number of features that make it a valuable tool for business and personal use.
Visit the site: https://meet.google.com/
Calendly
Have you ever made schedules and ended up having meetings that collide?
Or even worse forgot about the important meeting you were supposed to have with the local investor?
Calendly is a great tool for those who need to schedule appointments or events. It is easy to use and offers a variety of features.
For example, you can choose to share your calendar with others, set up reminders, and send out invitations. Calendly is also integrated with many popular applications, such as Google Calendar and Outlook.
As a startup, you will need to manage time wisely. Calendly will spare you the cost of a personal assistant.
Visit the site: https://calendly.com/pricing
MailChimp
A while back, I wrote about marketing strategies for startups. Among these strategies was email marketing.
Email marketing is a very efficient way of communicating with your clients and potential clients alike.
One tool that has made this process easy is Mailchimp.
Mailchimp is one of the most popular email marketing platforms on the market.
And for good reason – it’s easy to use, it’s affordable, and it has a wide range of features, including a landing page, email campaigns, and many more.
Visit the site: https://mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing/
Canva
Canva is a user-friendly graphic design tool that is perfect for creating professional designs for your startup.
With Canva, you can easily create stunning visual content for your website, social media, and marketing materials.
Canva is packed with features that make it easy to create beautiful designs. With over 1 million templates and tools available, you can find everything you need to create a professional design. You can also upload your own images and logos, or use Canva’s built-in photos and illustrations.
Canva is an affordable option for businesses of all sizes. Their paid plans start at $12.95 per month, and they offer a free trial so you can try before you buy.
Overall, Canva is an excellent choice for a startup looking for an easy-to-use, affordable, and feature-rich graphic design tool.
Visit the site: https://www.canva.com/pricing/
Slack
Since its launch in 2014, Slack has become one of the most popular chat tools for businesses and teams of all sizes. Part of what makes Slack so popular is its wide range of features, including support for file sharing, group chat, video calling, and more. Slack also has a strong third-party ecosystem, with a wide variety of apps and integrations that can be used to extend its functionality.
However, Slack is not without its drawbacks. One of the biggest complaints about Slack is its pricing, as the tool can be quite expensive for larger teams. However, its free version is sufficient to kickstart your startup. Slack helps separate work communication from personal communication.
An alternative to Slack is Microsoft teams.
Visit the site: https://slack.com/pricing
Google Analytics
As a startup, you will definitely need an online presence via a website.
You will also need to know how your website is performing in terms of traffic.
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that can help you track and understand your website traffic. With so much data at your disposal, it can be overwhelming to know where to start.
Google Analytics is a free service that gives you detailed insights into your website traffic. It can show you where your visitors are coming from, what they’re doing on your site, and how they found you.
This information can be invaluable in helping you understand your customers and grow your business.
If you’re not already using Google Analytics, I highly recommend that you start. It’s easy to set up and use, and it can give you insights that you can’t get anywhere else for free.
Visit the site: https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/
Google Console
Google Console is another powerful tool from Google.
It helps you manage your website and track your performance in search results.
It has a web-based interface that you can use to submit your sitemap, view your search traffic, and see how your pages are performing in the search results.
You can also use it to generate and test structured data, and to troubleshoot issues with your website. This tool helps you to optimize your startup website for search engines.
Visit the site: https://search.google.com/search-console/about
Hootsuite
Hootsuite is a popular social media management tool for startups and businesses of all sizes. It offers a suite of features that can help businesses grow their online presence and engage with their audience. But is Hootsuite the right tool for your startup?
Hootsuite offers a free plan that gives startups the ability to manage up to 3 social media accounts. This is a great way to get started with the tool and see if it’s a good fit for your business. The paid plans start at $19/month and offer additional features, such as the ability to add more social media accounts, access to more analytics, and more.
Overall, Hootsuite is a great social media management tool for startups. It has a free version, is easy to use, and offers a suite of features that can help businesses grow their online presence.
Starting off it would be great to have this tool to manage your social media. It will be your DIY for social media management.
Visit the site: https://www.hootsuite.com/plans
Zoho CRM
If you’re a startup, you know that every penny counts. You need to be careful with how you spend your money and invest in things that will help your business grow. That’s why I had to include Zoho CRM for startups.
Zoho CRM is a great way to manage your customer relationships and keep track of your sales pipeline. It’s affordable and easy to use, and it can help you close more deals and drive more revenue for your startup.
So if you’re looking for a CRM solution for your startup, Zoho CRM can be your day-one solution. It’s a great investment that will pay off in the long run.
Visit the site: https://www.zoho.com/crm/free-crm.html
Surveymonkey
SurveyMonkey is a survey tool that helps startups to collect data and feedback from their customers. It is a simple and user-friendly tool that can be used to gather customer insights quickly and efficiently.
As a startup, you will need to understand what your customer’s pain points are and how how they perceive your brand. Customer feedback helps you in iterating your offering to serve the customers better.
With SurveyMonkey, the collection and analysis of these insights have been made easy. An alternative to Surveymonkey would be Google forms.
Visit the site: https://www.surveymonkey.com/pricing
Google docs
Google Docs is a popular word-processing application that offers a number of features designed for startups.
It is a great option for startups for a number of reasons.
First, it is a free application that can be used by anyone with a Google account.
Second, it offers a variety of features, such as templates, real-time collaboration, and version control.
Third, it integrates with a number of other Google products and services, which can be very helpful for startups that are already using other Google tools.
Overall, Google Docs is a great word-processing application for startups.
Visit the site: https://www.google.com/docs/about/
WordPress
As a startup, you know that time is of the essence. You need to get your business off the ground as quickly as possible, which means you don’t have a lot of time to learn new things. That’s where WordPress comes in.
WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that is designed to be easy to use, even for people who don’t have a lot of experience with web development. It’s perfect for startups because it allows you to create a professional-looking website without having to spend a lot of time or money on development.
There are a lot of WordPress themes and plugins available, which means you can easily find one that fits your needs. And if you ever need help, there’s a large community of WordPress users who are always happy to lend a hand.
WordPress website can also help you in creating an MVP on a budget. Test out your idea and see if it works before pouring lots of money into it.
Visit the site: https://wordpress.com/
DigitalOcean
DigitalOcean is a cloud computing platform tailored for startups. It has a simple pricing structure and a wide range of features that can be scaled up or down as needed.
DigitalOcean offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model, which means you only pay for the resources you use. This can be a great money-saver for startups, which often have fluctuating needs.
DigitalOcean also offers a wide range of features, including a user-friendly control panel, a robust API, and a wide range of integrations.
Overall, DigitalOcean is a great option for startups. It’s affordable and flexible, and it offers all the features you need to get your business off the ground.
Visit the site: Digital Ocean
Conclusion
There are many great free business tools available for startups. The most important thing is to find the ones that fit your specific needs. This article provided a list of some of the top free business tools available. Hope you enjoyed reading it. Let me know which other tools I might have missed and how to implement them in a startup setting. Be sure to like, follow, and comment to get the latest updates.
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