Task Managers and Time Trackers
Freelancing = multitasking. You need to communicate with clients, sometimes look for new ones, do the actual work, and sometimes also study. And that’s not even counting everyday personal tasks. Task and time managers help you allocate your resources, handle workloads effectively, and remember everything.
Remember The Milk
"Remember The Milk" is a to-do list app for your smartphone, tablet, and computer. It also works with Siri and iWatch. The app syncs across all your devices and sends notifications when something needs to get done. There are many similar apps, but we like Remember The Milk for its concept and design.
Time Doctor
“Time Doctor” falls into the same category but is more serious. The app tracks time spent on websites and apps and provides you with reports. It promises to increase productivity by 22%. It’s hard to say how that’s calculated, but one thing is clear — Time Doctor can help you spend less time on news sites, Instagram, or TikTok.
Workflow
A planner for iOS with solid functionality and interface. You can leave yourself voice reminders: audio files are saved in Dropbox and played at the right time. The built-in timer reminds you of upcoming deadlines. There’s even a caffeine counter — it tracks your coffee intake and syncs with your health tracker.
File Managers
One of our PR acquaintances was working on two big projects and writing a university thesis. One day, a controller fried the hard drive, and everything on it was lost. Thankfully, there was a backup — otherwise, a nervous breakdown was close. File managers help organize your data, and some can help restore it after accidental deletion or hardware crashes.
SyncBackFree
A free backup program for Windows. It helps back up files easily, sync devices, and recover lost data.
EASEUS ToDo Backup
Another great utility for backups and recovery. Works on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. You can clone a disk or a partition. It regenerates data after loss in just a few clicks.
Free Commander
If you're the kind of person who creates a New Folder in a New Folder in a New Folder — Free Commander helps sort files and organize structure. There’s even a batch rename function, which is handy when you have 1000 images with random names and need to tidy them up.
P.S. But it’s still best to back up important data to Google Drive or an external storage device.
Communication
In this article we explain how to build effective communication in freelancing so that everyone is on the same page and processes run smoothly. One of the keys to good communication is the right software.
Trello/Slack
Tools like Trello or Slack are used for project management and internal communication. They’re great for creating teams, assigning and discussing tasks, tracking deadlines and performance. And they’re definitely better than getting dozens of messages in Telegram, Messenger, or WhatsApp.
Meister Task
An online task manager for organizing workflow. Create lists, add participants, assign tasks, and track resource usage. If you regularly review and analyze the data, you can optimize processes and boost productivity.
File Sharing
Are you also annoyed when someone sends a 200 MB PSD file via Telegram? To avoid this, use file-sharing tools. Google Drive is convenient — you can upload almost any amount of data, grant access via email, and organize everything into folders.
SHAREit
According to the developers, this app is 200 times faster than Bluetooth. It allows syncing between devices and works on Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows. You can transfer files without Wi-Fi, create backups, and handle “heavy” files like HQ photos, Adobe projects, or rendered video/animation.
Text Editors
When you're in a rush, it’s easy to make silly mistakes in text. Especially if you're a writer, SMM specialist, project manager, or just someone who types a lot. There’s software that checks grammar, punctuation, and style.
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Grammarly
Grammarly checks all your text: messages, blog posts, documents, etc. Besides grammar, punctuation, and style, it suggests vocabulary improvements to avoid repetition and checks your text for plagiarism. You can install it as a standalone app or use it with documents. The Chrome extension proofreads every web page you’re working on.
LanguageTool
A multilingual alternative to Grammarly. It does all the same things but in over a dozen languages.
P.S. Here is the previous guide to tools for freelancers. Only Trello is repeated, so be sure to check it out.
And if you want to level up your toolkit through real practice and master new skills, register for the coaching program “Freelancer: The Big Game.” You’ll improve your ability to communicate with clients and teammates, manage your finances, learn about tools and software to increase your efficiency, and start earning your first freelance income.