Struggling to manage finances?

Feeling overwhelmed by endless workloads due to limited staff and resources?

You’re not alone – it’s a familiar struggle for every small business owner. But no worries, we’ve got your back!

Check out our handpicked list of the 23 best free small business tools that’ll put you back in the driver’s seat.

These tools cater to various business aspects, from streamlining workflow and automating administrative tasks to crafting marketing materials and analyzing your target audience.

Imagine your work being less stressful and having more time to focus on core activities to propel your business forward. Ready? Let’s dive in!

I. 23 Best Small Business Tools for 2024

1. Upbase: Project management & collaboration tool

Availability: Web, iOS, Android

Upbase is a favorite among many small business owners when it comes to project management work.

It’s designed to handle almost everything related to projects – from to-do lists and links, files, and documents. Plus, you can invite clients and team members into specific projects for collaboration.

Upbase provides multiple tools for real-time communication and collaboration, along with granular control of guest permissions, which is very convenient for small business owners.

Importantly, the app’s design is incredibly understandable and easy to navigate. You won’t feel overwhelmed, as is often the case with other all-in-one project management and collaboration tools.

In short, Upbase stands out for its perfect balance between simplicity and functionality, making it a great tool for startups, solo entrepreneurs, and small businesses.

Why Choose Upbase?

1. Generous Free Plan with Robust Project Management Functionality:

The best value for an SMB owner using a free account lies in lists.

Picture each list as a project hub where you can handle to-do lists, links, files, docs, schedules, discussions, and chats.

You get to create 10 free lists and bring in as many team members as you want.

Plus, there are some nifty free features like custom task filters, embedding Google Docs and Drive folders, and customizable templates.

Clearly, this free plan – offering a whopping 70% of key features – is super-generous, especially compared to other options.

Free feature	Upbase	Other Options
Number of users	Unlimited	Limited
File-sharing	✅	✅
Custom filters	✅
Document organization and collaboration	✅	✅
Embedding Google Docs and Drive folders	✅
Link management and collaboration	✅
Message boards	✅	✅
Real-time chat	✅
Customizable templates	✅	✅

It’s sufficient to cover the crucial needs of most small business owners.

On top of that, when you’re ready to upgrade, Upbase is a cost-effective choice as it replaces multiple business tools.

It’s also better at keeping everyone on the same page with its centralized workplace, boosting seamless teamwork.

2. Budget-Friendly Premium Plan:

Upbase’s Premium version is affordable and offers a solid return on investment.

With unlimited everything, guest access functionality, and handy add-ons for task management (like recurring tasks), scheduling (Google Calendar 2-way sync), communication (custom group chats), etc.

3. Intuitive Interface with Easy Navigation:

Though robust and comprehensive, Upbase manages to keep itself simple and user-friendly.

The intuitive interface and understandable layout make navigation easy and quick with just a few clicks.

Even as your business expands with increased tasks and data, finding/navigating to the desired item is still quick thanks to thoughtful features like custom filters, search functionality, bookmarks, and pin-to-tray.

Pricing

Why wait? Try Upbase now!

2. Google Meet: Virtual conferencing tool

Availability: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, web.

If you’re in search of a free small business tool for video conferencing, Google Meet deserves the top spot.

It’s widely used and offers a feature-rich free plan.

Anyone with a Google account can create high-quality video meetings for free, each lasting up to 60 minutes with a maximum of 100 participants.

What’s more, Meet supports interactive features such as emojis, live subtitles as participants speak during a meeting, and mobile calls with no time limit.

What truly sets Meet apart from similar virtual conferencing apps is its integration with other digital tools in Google Workspace. This enables you to collaborate seamlessly by meeting directly from Google Docs and easily scheduling meetings with Google Calendar.

Key Features

• High-quality video and audio
• Screen sharing and collaboration
• File sharing
• Integration with Google Workspace
• Mobile accessibility

Pricing

Google Meet offers a free plan with essential features, making it a budget-friendly choice for any small business owner.

Advanced features are available in Google One Premium and in Google Workspace plans.

Here are the pricing plans of Google Workspace:

Here are the pricing plans of Google One:

Read more: 19 Best Team Chat Apps For Business

3. Google Drive: Backup & cloud storage service

Availability: Web, Android, iOS, Windows, macOS.

Accidental deletion, hardware glitches, or other unforeseen events can lead to data loss – not something you want on your plate.

Having a backup is like having a safety net; it ensures that your important files and info can be rescued, reducing the risk of business chaos.

Now, among the many cloud storage services, Google Drive stands out – so much so that it’s considered one of the favorite small business tools for many business owners.

Why? Well, its free plan gives you a whopping 15 GB of storage, beating out most others that offer a measly 2 to 10 GB.

But wait, there’s more! Free Google Drive accounts are versatile, supporting various file types, allowing real-time editing and commenting, and playing nice with G Suite apps.

And here’s the security cherry on top:

This free small business tool comes with robust measures like two-factor authentication, encryption during transit and at rest, and regular security updates. This provides a secure environment for your sensitive business data.

Key Features

• Editing, commenting, and real-time updates
• File versioning and recovery
• Search capabilities
• Two-factor authentication
• Integration with G Suite

Pricing

4. WordPress.org: CMS and web development tool

Availability: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, web.

For small businesses looking to up their professional development, building a website is a game-changer, and WordPress is the go-to without a doubt.

What’s cool? No coding required!

Sure, WordPress is open-source, making it a playground for pro-coders to tweak and customize. However, it’s still a breeze for those not so tech-savvy.

With an intuitive dashboard, nifty editing tools, themes, and plugins, even beginners can set up websites and publish blog posts hassle-free.

Moreover, it provides SEO-optimization tools and integrates with Google Analytics, making tracking and analyzing your site’s metrics a breeze.

Key Features

• Intuitive dashboard
• Open-source platform
• Extensive themes and plugins
• SEO-friendly structure
• Responsive design to adapt to various screen sizes and devices
• Integration with many analytics tools, social media platforms, blogging platforms, etc.

Pricing

WordPress is a free business tool. But you’ll have to pay for hosting, domain name, and premium plugins/themes. The cost varies by hosting company and the plugins/themes you choose.

5. GoDaddy: Website host

Availability: Android, iOS, web.

GoDaddy serves as a convenient one-stop shop for domain registration, web hosting, website building, and online marketing tools.

It also provides a variety of pricing plans, including budget-friendly options.

So, no surprise, it’s one of the favorite small business tools, especially for those looking for a cost-effective way to amp up their professional presence.

The best part? GoDaddy keeps it simple.

With an easy-breezy interface, it’s a piece of cake for users with different tech levels to register domain names, build slick websites, and more.

Last but not least is security. GoDaddy provides SSL certificates for secure data transmission, an essential feature for online businesses.

Key Features

• Custom domain connection
• Website builders
• Websites and marketing analytics dashboard
• Website security (SSL)
• Website Chat + Unified Inbox
• Marketing tools

Pricing

6. WooCommerce: E-commerce platform

Availability: WordPress platforms, web browsers, Android, iOS.

There are plenty of good reasons why WooCommerce stands out as one of the best free small business tools.

First off, it’s a breeze to use. Since it’s a WordPress plugin, and WordPress is known for its user-friendly interface, even business owners with limited technical expertise can manage their online store with ease.

Now, let’s talk budget – WooCommerce won’t burn a hole in your pocket.

You get essential features for free, and setting it up costs just $135 per year for domain registration and hosting.

Plus, it provides a wide range of free professional development resources like themes, plugins, and extensions to enhance your online store without any extra charges.

There’s more! WooCommerce integrates with various affordable or free tools for functions like email marketing, shipping, and payment gateways.

Key Features

• Product and inventory management
• Flexible checkout, shipping, and tax options
• Product reviews and ratings
• Reporting and analytics
• SEO-friendly URLs and meta information
• Themes and extensions

Pricing

WooCommerce’s free plan offers basic features. However, you’ll need to cover setup costs such as domain registration, hosting, and premium themes or extensions. The price starts at $135 per use and goes up.

7. Google Analytics: Website & traffic analytics tool

Availability: Web, Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux.

Google Analytics is among the best tools for small businesses to track their website traffic and assess online marketing effectiveness.

It’s free to use and seamlessly integrates with services like AdWords, providing insights into customer behavior, sources, and engagement.

So, why does this matter? Well, it helps business owners understand how users find their site, how long they stay, and which pages they visit.

Armed with this information, they can make informed decisions, optimize marketing efforts, and enhance their online presence.

But hey, fair warning: Google Analytics doesn’t automatically filter non-human traffic (bots and spiders), so you’ll need to do a bit of manual tweaking for accurate data.

Key Features

• Website traffic analysis: number of visitors, page views, and user demographics.
• Traffic sources: search engines, social media, direct visits, etc.
• User behavior tracking
• Conversion tracking
• Integration with other Google services

Pricing

Free.

8. Bitly: Link Shortening and click tracking tool

Availability: Web, Android, iOS, browser extension.

Bitly is among the best free small business tools, especially for those deeply involved in digital marketing and social media.

It lets you shorten long URLs, making links more manageable and visually appealing. This is particularly advantageous in character-limited spaces like social media posts and SMS messages.

What makes it even better? Bitly allows you to customize the URLs, like adding your brand, making it more recognizable during a marketing campaign.

But here’s the real gem: Bitly comes with link-tracking features.

This means you can track how many clicks a link receives, where those clicks originate, and when they occur. This data is invaluable for assessing the effectiveness of marketing efforts and understanding audience behavior.

Key Features

• Link Shortening
• Branding and customization
• Link tracking and analytics
• QR Code customizations and download formats

Pricing

9. Uniqode (formerly Beaconstac): QR code generator

Availability: Web

For small businesses wanting to step up their game in customer interactions, engagement, and measuring the impact of physical marketing, Uniqode is your go-to tool. It’s super easy to use and lets business owners quickly create QR Code campaigns.

You’ve got options – dynamic QR Codes, static ones, or choose from cool templates. Customize them to match your vibe and download them in different formats.

Uniqode goes the extra mile by tracking your QR code campaigns by hours, locations, and devices. You can filter your audience by age restrictions, get insights, and more.

No doubt, it’s one of the best tools for small businesses looking to dive into QR Code campaigns.

Key Features

• QR Code essentials (templates, annual scans, customization, etc.)
• Bulk QR Code generation
• Multi-link QR Codes
• Reports and analytics
• Branding

Pricing

Uniqode provides two separate pricing plans: one for individuals and another for businesses.

Here are the pricing options for individuals:

And here’s the pricing for businesses:

10. Mailchimp: Email marketing and automation tool

Availability: Web, Android, iOS.

Mailchimp is one of the popular email marketing tools for small businesses, renowned for its user-friendly interface and robust marketing automation features.

It enables users to segment their email lists based on various criteria such as demographics, location, and user behavior. Set up automated email campaigns, based on user interactions.

Moreover, it provides analytics tools to help business owners gain insights into open rates, click-through rates, and other metrics. This way, they can understand the effectiveness of their email marketing efforts.

Key Features

• Audience segmentation
• Email marketing automation
• Analytics and reporting
• GDPR compliance

Pricing

Mailchimp offers a free plan with basic features, making it accessible for small businesses with limited budgets. As your business grows, you can explore paid plans that offer additional features and scalability.

11. MixMax: Tool for scheduling email sequences.

Availability: Web

Mixmax is primarily known as a productivity and communication tool, especially for boosting email capabilities.

With this tool, you can check when recipients open their emails, suggest meeting times, and let recipients choose a slot that works for them right within the email.

Plus, you can create and use email templates, saving time on repetitive communications.

But that’s not all – Mixmax also includes collaboration features like shared email templates and sequences.

Small businesses can leverage these features to streamline their communication processes and boost productivity.

Key Features

• Instant scheduling
• Email sequences with customization
• Reporting & analytics
• Email polls & surveys
• CRM auto-BCC

Pricing

12. Hootsuite: Social media management tool

Availability: Web, Android, iOS

Hootsuite allows small businesses to manage multiple social media profiles from a single dashboard.

Imagine this: a centralized platform where you can effortlessly create, edit, and schedule social media posts in advance. This not only saves time but also ensures a consistent social media presence, even during non-working hours.

Not just so, you can also monitor interactions, track important metrics (think engagement, follower growth, and post reach), and analyze the effectiveness of your social media strategies.

And if you’re working with a team, no sweat. Share access, toss around assignments – all in this nifty platform.

Key Features

• Post scheduling
• Social ads management, analytics, & reporting
• Access to messages in one inbox
• Assign messages to team members

Pricing

13. xTuple: Tool for distribution management

Availability: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS

If you’re in the manufacturing or distribution game, xTuple is your sidekick with features custom-made for these industries.

It aids in managing production processes, keeping tabs on inventory levels, and optimizing supply chain management.

Even better, xTuple comes in an open-source version.

For business owners who love to customize, it’s a dream. They can tweak and extend the software to fit their distribution management needs.

Key Features

• Open-source nature
• Quote and sales order entry and management
• Purchase order entry and management
• Inventory management
• Multi-location support
• Reporting and analytics

Pricing

You need to contact the sales team for pricing details.

14. Sellsy: Tool for managing sales processes

Availability: Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, Web.

Sellsy offers a range of features and functionalities that streamline various aspects of the sales cycle.

It’s got a CRM module that’s the real deal – managing customer info, tracking leads, and keeping all your contacts in one cozy spot.

But that’s not all – create slick sales quotes, handle sales orders, track leads, and even analyze sales performance.

Moreover, team members can collaborate on deals, share information, and work together to move opportunities through the sales pipeline.

Key Features

• Sales quote creation
• Customer history and activity tracking
• Contacts management
• Sales analytics and reporting
• Business opportunity management and pipeline view

Pricing

Here’s the annual pricing:

And here’s the monthly pricing:

15. Loyverse: Point-of-sale (POS) solution

Availability: Web, Android, iOS, iPadOS

Loyverse is a point-of-sale (POS) and inventory management system designed for small businesses, especially those in the retail and hospitality industries.

It allows businesses to issue digital receipts and invoices, create customer profiles, manage inventory, and track employees’ performance.

And get this – it grows with you. Loyverse provides dedicated features for multi-store management, plus integrations with third-party services and tools – enhancing its functionality.

Oh, and did I mention Loyverse helps you cook up loyalty programs? Keep those customers coming back and sprinkle in some rewards based on their transaction history.

Key Features

• Multi-store management
• Open tickets, discounts, refunds, and item variants
• Sales reports
• Employee management
• Offline mode

Pricing

Here’s the monthly pricing of Loyverse:

And here’s the annual pricing:

16. Pipedrive CRM: CRM tool

Availability: Web, Android, iOS, Windows, Mac

Pipedrive is a popular sales pipeline management platform amongst small businesses due to its competitive pricing, ease of use, and robust features.

You can create and manage sales pipelines, track deals at various stages of the sales cycle, organize contact info, and even set repetitive tasks on autopilot.

And when it comes to crunching numbers, Pipedrive’s got your back—track conversion rates, deal progress, and how your team’s performance.

In a nutshell, Pipedrive CRM is the go-to tool for small businesses seeking an efficient and user-friendly solution for sales pipeline management, deal tracking, and keeping contacts in check.

Key Features

• Lead, calendar, contact, deal, and pipeline management
• Document and contract management
• Custom fields
• Automations builder
• Meeting, email and video call scheduling
• Insight reports

Pricing

17. SurveyMonkey: Online survey tool

Availability: Web, iOS, Android

SurveyMonkey is an online survey platform that empowers users to create and conduct surveys for various purposes.

It caters to different use cases.

For instance, when launching new products or services, small businesses can use it to gather input from potential customers. Similarly, businesses organizing events can employ it to collect RSVPs, preferences, and feedback from attendees.

A plus is SurveyMonkey keeps things super user-friendly. Customize your surveys, play with analytics, and make it uniquely yours.

Key Features

• Shared surveys with permission control
• Shared asset library for on-brand surveys
• Contributor seats
• Quizzes with custom feedback
• Survey analytics, filtering, and result exporting

Pricing

SurveyMonkey offers a free plan and 3 paid plans for teams, individuals, and enterprises. Here are pricing options for teams:

And here are pricing options for individuals:

In terms of the Enterprise plan, you’ll need to contact the sales team for pricing details.

18. Canva: Graphic design and visual content creation tool

Availability: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Web.

Canva is a favorite among many small business owners for its generous free plan, user-friendly interface, and super easy to use.

They can design professional-looking graphics—whether for social media posts, marketing materials, or presentations—without the need for advanced design skills or hiring a professional designer.

And the goodies don’t stop there.

Canva hands you thousands of pro-designed templates, design options, stock photos, and more, many of them free.

The interface? Clean and super easy to get the hang of.

Key Features

• Drag-and-drop editors
• Premade templates, stock photos, graphics, and design types
• Real-time editing, commenting, and collaborating
• Brand Kits

Pricing

19. Pixlr: Online photo editing tool

Availability: Web, iOS, iPadOS, Windows, Mac

Pixlr offers a comprehensive toolset for photo editing and manipulation, making it suitable for tasks like retouching images, adjusting colors, and applying filters.

There’s a free version with essential photo editing features, allowing small businesses with budget constraints to leverage it for basic editing needs.

The Premium version offers additional features and assets at a cost that may be more affordable than other professional-grade photo editing software.

Key Features

• Photo editing and saving
• AI image generator
• AI design tools
• Big library of templates, animations, fonts, elements, etc.

Pricing

Pixlr offers a free version and 3 paid versions as below:

20. HelloSign: contract management tool

Availability: Web, Android, iPadOS

HelloSign is like your virtual pen and paper – letting you send and receive e-signatures on documents without drowning in paperwork. Think smoother document-signing, fewer delays in deals, and seamless remote collaboration.

And no worries about security – HelloSign adheres to industry standards for e-signatures, ensuring a secure and compliant way to execute agreements.

Plus, it gives you an audit trail to record the entire signing process, from the time a document was sent and viewed to being signed, enhancing transparency and accountability.

Key Features

• Electronic signature sending and receiving
• Audit trail
• Data validation
• Reminders and notifications
• Reports
• SSO

Pricing

HelloSign offers a free plan and 3 paid plans:

21. Wave: invoicing, accounting, receipt scanning tool

Availability: Web, Android, iOS

Wave offers free accounting software, making it a cost-effective option for small businesses with limited budgets.

With the free plan, you get all the accounting essentials – tracking income and expenses, financial reporting, and the ability to connect bank and credit card accounts.

Moreover, Wave can assist business owners with various aspects of financial management, including invoicing, payroll, and receipt scanning.

Key Features

• Income and expense tracking
• Bank and credit card connections
• Financial reports
• Invoicing
• Payroll
• Receipt scanning

Pricing

22. Harvest: Time tracking & invoicing tool

Availability: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.

Harvest is a popular tool designed to help users track working hours, manage projects, create invoices, and analyze time and expense data. Perfect for service-based businesses billing clients by the hour.

You can even use it to set project budgets and keep an eye on expenses, making sure your projects stay on track without breaking the bank.

Key Features

• Time-tracking and invoicing
• Reminders
• Project budgeting and cost tracking
• Reporting
• Sync with QuickBooks and Xero

Pricing

23. BoomTax: tax filing solution

Availability: Web

BoomTax helps small businesses simplify and automate te process of filling tax forms, especially when dealing with Affordable Care Act (ACA) forms.

It provides dedicated tools for generating accurate and compliant IRS forms (like 1094 and 1095), along with e-filing services, so you can shoot those ACA-related forms straight to the IRS electronically.

And here’s the beauty – it’s user-friendly. With a straightforward interface, step-by-step guides for ACA reporting, and even nifty automated features, it saves you time on administrative tasks.

Key Features

• IRS form generating with correction services
• E-files with IRS
• State reporting

Pricing

II. How do I choose the right tools for my small business needs?

To find the right tools that really boost your small business growth, keep these 5 factors in mind:

1. Your Budget & Business Requirements: What’s your budget? What tasks and processes need some help?
2. Cost vs. Value: Look at the whole cost picture—subscription fees, and any extras like training or support. Ask yourself if the tool’s value to your business justifies the cost.
3. Ease of Use: Choose tools with an intuitive interface that aligns with your team’s skill level to minimize training time and increase adoption.
4. Scalability: Make sure these small business tools can handle increased data, users, and workload as your business grows.
5. Customer Support: Reliable and responsive support is crucial in case you encounter issues or have questions.

On top of that, see if the customization options match up with what you need. And if your team works remotely, make sure the tools have handy mobile apps.

Extra tips:

• Check out reviews from other small business owners to get the lowdown on how the tool performs in the real world.
• Take advantage of free plans/trials to test the tool’s features and functionality.

III. Why Upbase for small business project management and collaboration?

Upbase stands out as a compelling choice for small businesses, striking the perfect balance between simplicity and functionality.

Whether you’re a startup, solo entrepreneur, or small business, it provides the right tools and features to streamline project organization, enhance collaboration, and boost overall productivity.

Plus, you can easily tailor the platform to your unique needs.

The cherry on top?

Upbase offers a generous free plan, giving you all the essentials, while its premium plan is budget-friendly with unlimited everything.

Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to a more organized, efficient small business – sign up for Upbase now!

IV. Small Business Tools: FAQs

1. What are small business tools?

Small business tools are software, apps, and resources designed to help small businesses operate more efficiently, manage tasks, and achieve goals. These tools are usually free, user-friendly, and scalable.

2. What are the types of small business tools?

Small business tools cover various aspects of business operations, including:

Types of small business tools	Purposes/Examples
Project management tools	Help in business planning, project organizing, and task management.
Team collaboration tools	To facilitate teamwork among team members, whether they’re on-site, hybrid, or remote teams.
Website and online presence tools	E.g: +Website builders +Domain registration services +Hosting providers
E-commerce systems	E.g: +Online store platforms +POS systems for physical stores +Inventory management software
Customer relationship management (CRM) software	Aids in managing and organizing customer data and relationships.
Financial management tools	E.g: +Time management software +Payroll software +Accounting software
Digital marketing tools	E.g: +Social media marketing tools +Email marketing platform options +SEO and Google Analytics tools

3. Why do we need tools for small businesses?

It’s because tools for small businesses serve various essential functions. They help in:

• Automating business processes
• Measuring marketing efforts
• Gaining valuable insights
• etc.

With the right tools, small business owners can navigate challenges, make informed decisions, and enhance competitiveness.

4. What factors do I should look for in a small business tool?

When choosing small business tools, it’s important to consider these 5 factors: ease of use, scalability, cost vs. value, customer support, and customization.

Ensure the selected tools align with your small business operations, needs, and budget.

5. What is the best project management tool for small businesses?

Upbase is a robust project management tool specifically designed for startups, solo entrepreneurs, and small businesses.

It’s free to start and affordable to upgrade. Importantly, it has the tools for project organization, collaboration, communication, and even tracking daily operations in real-time. This makes Upbase a helpful tool for small business owners to streamline needs and optimize processes.

6. What are the best free business tools for startups?

Here are the best free tools for small businesses and startups across different categories:

• Pipedrive CRM – customer relationship management tool
• Wave – accounting software
• Upbase – project management and collaboration tool
• Google Meet – video conferencing tool
• Mailchimp – email management tool
• WooCommerse – e-commerce platform
• Harvest – time tracking tool