Freelancing is a worldwide phenomenon and it's only getting bigger. Gone are the days of stuffy cubicles and water dispenser conversations; welcome in a new era of from-home, custom-hour workdays. Sounding like a dream?
As more and more people look for ways to make money outside of the traditional 9-5, freelance writing is becoming an increasingly popular option. Being a good freelance writer doesn't require a college degree or years of experience; what matters most is the quality of your writing.
The best way to ensure that your writing is in tip-top shape for you land that next big gig, we've compiled a list of the best writing apps for freelancers in 2024.
From tools that help organize research, to software that helps manage your workflow, this list has all the must-have tools for writers who want to stay ahead of the competition.
With these tools, freelancers can increase their productivity and improve their writing quality, helping them land more clients and make more money. Additionally, readers will gain a better understanding of how to select the right app for their particular writing needs.
So, let's get started!
How to choose which apps you need as a freelance writer
As a freelancer, you will need to use the assistance of apps at one point or another to stay productive and organized. Unless you are selling lemonade on the side of the road, it is almost guaranteed that all communication, project management, and payment will be conducted on a mobile device or computer.
When choosing which apps to use, it’s important to consider what features each app offers, its user-friendliness, and your budget. Try to keep track of how many apps you use, and your subscription plans, as it's easy to lose track as the payments flow from your credit card.
You'll likely find yourself looking for time-tracking apps, communication platforms, and much more software while on your journey toward perfect productivity. Fortunately, with IFTTT, our integrations can help you make a decision easier, and even eliminate some unnecessary apps by automating mundane tasks.
Without further delay, let us get into our picks for the best apps for freelance writers.
Our favorite apps for freelance writers
1. Trello
Trello is a visual collaboration and project management software that organizes tasks into boards, lists, and cards. Users can create boards to manage different projects and add team members as members or observers to collaborate and track progress.
Trello is particularly useful for freelancers, writers, and entrepreneurs who need a simple, yet efficient project management tool.
One of the key advantages of Trello is its visual and intuitive interface. Trello boards allow you to easily organize tasks and manage projects by visualizing things in a way that makes most sense for you.
As a freelance writer, Trello can be particularly helpful in keeping track of multiple projects and assignments. You can create a board for each client or project and add lists for different stages of the writing process, such as research, drafting, editing, and publishing.
You can also add due dates to cards to ensure that deadlines are met and leave comments and notes on cards to collaborate with clients.
2. Fiverr
Fiverr is a popular online marketplace that connects freelancers with clients from all over the world.
It provides an opportunity for writers to offer their freelance business services and work on projects ranging from blog posts and articles to product descriptions and copywriting.
Fiverr has a very large pool of potential clients. It makes it easier for writers to find new clients and expand their customer base.
Freelancers can set their own rates and price accordingly. Additionally, the platform handles the payment process, making it more secure and hassle-free for both freelancers and clients.
The platform makes it easy for self-employed freelancers to present their skills, find new customers, and secure payment for completed work.
3. Google Sheets
Google Sheets is a cloud-based spreadsheet program that is part of the G Suite productivity suite by Google. It is free to use for anyone with a Google account, and it offers features such as real-time collaboration, custom formulas, and charts, which help to simplify data management and analysis.
The commenting and editing features within the app make it easier to monitor feedback, manage revisions, and make necessary changes to sheets.
Google Sheets also offers templates such as budget templates, project management templates, and calendar templates, among others, which enable freelance writers to organize their work better.
Additionally, Google Sheets is available on both desktop and mobile, which allows for seamless collaboration and tracking even while on-the-go.
As a freelance writer, Google Sheets can be used to track deadlines, manage different projects, and keep track of finances. For instance, a writer can create a sheet to track payments from different clients, which enables them to manage their accounts payables.
The platform is also useful in tracking expenses like office supplies, travel expenses, and internet bills for tax purposes.
4. Harvest
Harvest is a time-tracking tool designed to help people manage their work hours and productivity more efficiently. The app allows freelancers to track their time and invoicing, create task lists, and improve their workflow.
With features such as project management, expense tracking, and invoicing, Harvest helps simplify project management tasks, saving precious time and effort.
The platform also offers a sophisticated dashboard that gives at-a-glance insights into the status of projects and finances. There's also the option of reporting tools that can be exported as spreadsheets or graphic charts, making it easier to analyze and present data to clients.
All data is stored on the cloud, making it easily accessible and available for remote workers. The platform is also integrated with different calendar apps, which makes scheduling different assignments manageable.
Finally, Harvest has features that help make invoicing and billing tasks more efficient. Freelance writers can create custom invoices and estimates and send them to clients directly from the app.
5. Dropbox
As a freelance writer, Dropbox can be used to store, share, and access files securely from anywhere. The wildly popular file storage and sharing app is used by a multitude of businesses.
With this app, writers can create folders for different clients, organize their work, and share documents with editors and clients.
It also has the option of document versioning, which allows writers to create multiple versions of the same document without confusion.
Moreover, Dropbox syncs across different devices, which means that writers can access their documents and work from any device, anywhere at any time.
This feature makes it easier for writers to work remotely, which is essential in today's world where remote work is becoming standard.
Freelance writers can benefit heavily from Dropbox's collaboration, versioning, and syncing features, which help decrease the time spent on administrative tasks and increase writing productivity.
6. Slack
Slack is a cloud-based messaging and collaboration tool used by businesses of all sizes to communicate and work remotely. Although oftentimes used by teams, as a freelance writer, Slack can be used to collaborate with clients, editors, or other writers seamlessly.
With Slack, users can receive feedback, discuss projects with clients, and share files easily within the platform. In addition to messaging, the platform offers video and audio calling, enabling teams to collaborate and discuss projects in detail.
Another advantage of Slack is the option to create channels for different topics or projects. For instance, freelance writers can create channels for specific clients, projects, or tasks, which help keep conversations organized and facilitates easy access to past discussions.
The app also offers customizable settings, including notification preferences and “Do Not Disturb” mode, making it easy for users to manage communication on their terms.
With its flexible messaging features, different notification options, and integrations with various tools, Slack makes life as a freelance writer more manageable and organized.
7. Evernote
Evernote is a productivity app designed to help users create and organize notes, ideas, and information.
Writers can take advantage of Evernote's many features to keep track of their research, story ideas, and notes, allowing them to work more efficiently.
Versatility is the key to Evernote's success, allowing users to create different types of notes: text, images, audio, and even handwritten notes. This versatility makes Evernote useful for taking notes during interviews, lectures, or while on the go.
Another advantage of Evernote is its synchronization feature, which allows users to access their notes from any device. Evernote's collaboration features also allow team members to share notes and work together on projects.
Evernote also features web clipping tools, which enable users to save articles, web pages, and images from the internet into their notes.
Professional freelance writers can use this feature to save research and reference materials, allowing them to collect ideas and information for their writing all in one place.
8. Feedly
As a freelance content creator, you are constantly on the lookout for new ideas, trends, and insights that can improve your writing and keep your content fresh and engaging. This is where Feedly comes in.
Feedly is a content aggregator that compiles articles and blog posts from your favorite websites and blogs in one place. With Feedly, you can get access to the latest content from different sources and stay up-to-date with relevant news, events, and trends in your niche.
Feedly stands out for its usability and intuitive interface. It allows you to organize your content into different categories, such as industry news, competitors, and research topics.
Since Feedly provides a wide range of sources, you can ensure that your content is accurate and well-researched, boosting the credibility of your articles and blog posts.
For instance, when writing an article about digital marketing, an author can use Feedly to follow different blogs and websites that are relevant to digital marketing. They can then curate the different articles and blog posts into different categories, such as SEO, social media marketing, and content marketing.
What is the best app for freelance writers?
From the list above, it really is hard to choose the single best app for freelance writers. Each of the freelance apps listed is the best at what they do in its respective space, whether it be messaging, payment, time tracking, and more.
Nevertheless, if you had to choose one paid and one free app, here are our choices.
Paid Winner: Fiverr
Fiverr does offer the bulk of its features with its free plan, but we believe Fiverr becomes much more useful if you are willing to spend a few dollars.
In order to land freelance writing gigs on this app, you will have to submit proposals to job offerings, and you are very limited in terms of proposals with the free plan.
By upgrading to the Basic or Standard plan, you gain access to ten or twenty proposals per day, respectively. This is more than enough to fill all your job-searching desires.
Plus, we believe that finding a freelancer gig is the first, most important step, which means that Fiverr is unparalleled in getting you your next big break.
Free Winner: Trello
Trello is one of those apps where you may never choose to upgrade to a paid plan because all of the best functions are offered right up front.
The free plan includes access to unlimited personal boards, which can be used to create custom workflows, track tasks, and visualize progress. Users can also add up to 10 team boards, which allow for collaboration with other users and team members.
Trello's free plan also offers different functionalities to help users customize their boards. Users can create boards for different projects and add different lists to represent each stage of the project.
Filtering and some analysis tools are also included, which provides a freelancer with most of the metrics they would need to gauge their project's success.
Integrate your freelance writing apps with IFTTT
As a freelance writer, you understand the importance of using multiple apps to manage your work effectively. However, keeping track of all those apps and workflows can get complicated. That's where IFTTT comes in.
IFTTT, which stands for "If This Then That," is a platform that automates the connections between different apps and devices. With IFTTT, you can create "applets" that automatically trigger an action in one app when a specific event occurs in another app.
For freelance writers, IFTTT offers an easy way to integrate and automate over 1000 different applications, including all the tools covered above.
IFTTT is an essential platform for writers seeking to streamline their app usage and create efficient, automated workflows. By integrating your freelancing apps with IFTTT, you can focus on writing and let the platform take care of the rest.
Try IFTTT for yourself today and see why we are the most trusted automation by millions worldwide.
Business
The 8 best apps for freelance writers in 2024
July 26, 2024
