As a freelancer, managing your time and business is mandatory if you want to get some time for designing. All the softares and websites introduced in this article can save you some precious time and money.
Money tools & Invoicing
1. Hourly Rate Calculator
A great tool for the freelancer starting out. Enter some informations about your fees, expenses, working hours and expected incomes, you’ll get the hourly rates you should be billing.
2. Sage accounting software
Perfect for small businesses to manage their invoicing and accounts.
3. Freshbooks
Send, track and collect payments quickly. Great for teams, freelancers and service providers.
4. CurdBee
A simple and straightforward invoicing solution that also integrates with PayPal and Google Checkout.
Backup & Security
5. DropBox
Awesome online backup tool, user friendly and quite cheap if you go for a paid plan. Syncing folders can be a bit tricky though.
6. Mozy
Mozy is another popular online backup tool, you can try Mozy for free!
7. ClamAV for PC or ClamXav for Mac
OpenSource antivirus for both PC and Mac, have a more secured computer is better right?
8. Tor
Surf anonymously, Tor helps you defend against a form of network surveillance that threatens personal freedom and privacy. Its use is made much easier for browsing with Tor Button (for Firefox).
9. Snort
Open source network intrusion prevention and detection system for Mac.
10. Pastor
Mac software for storing all your passwords, website logins, serial numbers, etc. encrypted and password-protected. With built-in password generator.
Productivity
11. Remember the Milk
Take your tasks anywhere with this feature-packed application. See tasks located nearby, add and complete tasks on the go, organize upcoming tasks, and sync it all seamlessly with Remember The Milk.
12. Highrise
The ultimate online contact manager. Highrise prepares you for your next call, next meeting, next pitch, next follow-up, and next sale.
13. Things
Task management Mac application with tons of great and innovative features.
14. EverNote
Note Taking made simple. Save everything you like or need, and access it on any device.
15. Quicksilver
Application launcher for Mac and much more, a real time-saver (for Windows users, see Launchy).
Project management
16. Fuze Meeting
Organize online visual meetings with anyone, anwhere and at anytime. Try it for free.
17. drop.io
Simple real-time sharing, collaboration, and presentation.
18. MindMeister
Online mind-mapping.
19. Basecamp
The leading web-based project collaboration tool. Share files, meet deadlines, assign tasks, centralize feedback,…
20. AgileTracker
An Air App that allows you to keep track of time spent on projects by client.
21. Ora Time & Expense
Ora allows you to track expenses, keep a list of your tasks, run a timer on your tasks and more.
Feedback Tools
22. Please Critique me
A website for designers to get their work reviewed and critiqued by other designers.
23. ConceptFeedback
Free Feedback for Marketers and Designers, a good way to test your concepts before going live.
24. 5 seconds test
A simple online usability test that helps you identify the most prominent elements of your user interfaces.
Marketing
25. AWeber
Creates Lasting Customer Relationships with email marketing, AWeber is one of the leaders of this industry and is used by many popular bloggers and internet marketers.
26. iContact
Easily create, send, and track email newsletters, surveys, and autoresponders.
27. Ping.fm
Ping.fm is a simple and free service that makes updating your social networks a snap!
28. Shozu
Kind of like Ping.fm for images. Upload your photos and videos to your chosen online communities from Facebook to YouTube, Twitter to Flickr and many more.
29. LinkedIn
A good way to stay in touch with your professionnal contacts or to build some new working relationships.
Website & Analytics
30. Google Website Optimizer
Website Optimizer is Google’s easy-to-use tool for testing site content that delivers actionable results. It’s a great tool to listen to your visitors and increase your conversions.
31. Compete
Analyze the competition by getting some of their statistics and keywords.
33. Google Analytics
The free do-it-all Analytics tools by Google, let’s you set goals and trace them.
About the Author
Mirko Humbert
Mirko Humbert is the editor-in-chief and main author of Designer Daily and Typography Daily. He is also a graphic designer and the founder of WP Expert.