Free Tools You Should Use as a Freelance Web Developer

As a freelance web developer it’s important to look professional (and be professional!), but that doesn’t mean you need to spend money on everything. In my opinion, you shouldn’t be afraid to spend money where it makes sense. The free tools in this list will help to keep you sane and looking professional as you run your freelance web development business, while at the same time saving your money so you can invest elsewhere as you see fit (hosting, GitHub Copilot, design, continued education, marketing, etc, etc).

Quickly, I have to preface this by saving you don’t need to use all of these (and probably shouldn’t). Find what works for you and run with it! The important thing is you stay professional, organized and able to do quality work for yourself and your clients.

I’m starting with Google Spreadsheets because I feel it’s the most underrated and underutilized free tool. Sometimes keeping is simple is best, and a spreadsheet is excellent for that. [ You can create a shared spreadsheet where you add the hours you’ve worked for a client. ] You can keep track of your freelance expenses, your income, you name it.

Loom is second on the list because clients love it. Using Loom can make a big difference in your web development business. You can pitch potential clients, you can record videos when delivering a project to a client. Sometimes asking a client a question through a Loom is much easier than through email – not to mention it builds trust with your client. Once your business gets going, I recommend paying for Loom, but as a single developer the free plan is usually good enough.

Figma

Google Calendar

Zoom – You know what Zoom is. This is simply a reminder that client calls (when scheduled properly) can build client trust, help both sides clarify questions, and often helps avoid confusion.

Clockify – I don’t know about you, but sometimes tracking time for everything can take the fun out of coding and web development. That said, I’ve come to recognize that it’s important to be able to analyze where you’re spending your time. Clockify allows you to …..

Calendly

Accessibility Checker – Not only is accessibility important, as I truly believe the internet is for everyone, but caring about accessibility is also the professional and profitable way to build websites. Be a professional. Be a good person. Build accessible websites, and encourage your clients to create accessible content.

Wave accessibility

WaveApps – I don’t love Wave’s accounting features if I’m being honest, but they do make it really easy to invoice clients, and I’ve used the tool for years.

Local
Local (used to be Local by Flywheel) is an amazing tool and can be really helpful whether you’re working on enterprise projects or you’re on a super tight budget

ChatGPT – It’s not what you think. I’m not going to tell you to use ChatGPT for communicating with clients or putting out half-assed marketing content. But you should use it where you can, and I think all devs should be using ChatGPT and/or similar products as a coding assistant.

Trello – Having a shared Trello board can help you manage client work, especially when you need to work asynchronously. I’ve personally found that using Trello for client work can really help avoid scope creep.

WordPress – Lastly, I want to give WordPress itself a shout. I had my doubts about the CMS when I started coding in 2018, but I can honestly say it’s gotten better and better.