online tools for developers

Shifting to a freelance way of working has become a preference for many full-time employees. In fact, by 2027, freelancing is slated to become the majority workforce in the US. However, the perception of freelancers enjoying a life of luxury while working off their laptops on a beach is more often than not entirely wrong. 

Freelancers need to manage their own activities while ensuring high levels of productivity. The reason for this is that unlike in a traditional office environment, freelancers have only themselves to depend on. As a freelancer, you need tools to ensure that you stay on track and deliver the goods every time for your clients. Here is a list of essential tools to keep you on top of your freelance game.

1) Freelance time management tools

Time trackers are a vital tool for freelancers, especially in the case of projects that are time-based. Since you are working away from the office, your client may be wondering whether you are actually working all the hours that you bill. For all he knows, you may be spending hours watching Netflix instead of working! Having an automatic time tracker is the best way to prove that you’ve spent time working for the duration you have claimed in your billable hours.

2) Project Management Tools

To really taste success as a freelancer, you must be organized when it comes to your projects. After all, you may be working for multiple clients at the same time. Project management tools will help you stay on track, whether you are working individually or as a part of a group of freelancers. Some popular project management tools are Asana, Trello, Evernote, and Basecamp.

3) Tools to keep track of money

As a freelancer, you cannot rely on just spreadsheets to keep track of expenditures and invoices. There are many great invoicing and accounting tools that you can use to keep track of your invoices and monitor your expenses.  Popular tools such as FreshBooks, FreeAgent, Freshbooks, and Wave Accounting will help you keep track of your money.

4) Contract Templates

Having contracts in place is an essential aspect of being a freelancer. Some freelancers may get lucky with clients and never face any problems. However, most freelancers run into some sort of a misunderstanding with their clients. Typical misunderstandings include scope creep in a project, late payment of invoices, or even having to redo completed work without being paid. To prevent such misunderstandings, it is essential to have a freelance contract in place with all your clients. Bonsai freelance templates offer customizable contracts that you can modify in minutes and quickly get the paperwork out of the way.

5) Tools to Generate Proposals

Before winning a contract, you need to show prospective clients that you have the expertise to complete a project successfully. In all probability, as a freelancer, you will be spending a lot of your time looking for new jobs and winning new clients. However, to win new clients, you need to send them a professional proposal, especially since you may be contending with other freelancers for the same project. While you can consider writing proposals from scratch for each project you bid on, it is a better idea to use proposal templates that you can customize for individual clients. Popular proposal tools are Bidsketch and SlideShare.

In Summary

The freelance life can be highly rewarding. But, to make the most of it, you need to stay organized in various aspects of your freelance career. This article suggests many online tools that you can use to streamline your freelance business and save time to focus on your core area of expertise.