More and more people choose to freelance and learn the joys of diminished back pain, thanks to the Great Resignation launched by the pandemic. At some point, however, the office-free honeymoon gets a reality check since freelancing comes with its hidden hurdles. Latest surveys show that freelancers name work-life balance, staying productive, accounting, project management, and health among their top concerns. But, paraphrasing Rule 34, there is an app for that.
This article will look into the best freelance apps for anyone. The freelancer image is a bit biased, and our minds tend to jump straight to a techie in Bali surfing all day and then coding all night for a company in Berlin. This image is far from true, though we also have ideas for digital nomads. There are musicians, writers, journalists, I-bankers, physicians, and many others among freelancers, and, according to Forbes, at least one-third of them are 50+ years old. But even an octogenarian (an age, not a job) writing blue movie scripts as a gig needs accounting and project management tools. So here we go.
For self-management – Asana
First, comes first: how to organize your work and keep track of all the gigs and deadlines in one place? Some best freelance apps include Trello, Todoist, Toggle, and others, but we here really like Asana.
Asana is a trendy project management tool. It leans on Scrum, i.e., you can set up Sprints and use Kanban boards to move tasks if you wish. Otherwise, it will list your tasks and deadlines. There is space for collaboration, so you can even share it with your clients. The platform is also totally free of cost for teams of up to 15 people. The free version will still provide you with all the functionality required for task management, while the app design is very friendly and smooth.
For company – Groove
Over one-third of freelancers complain of the feeling of isolation. Some others find their homes comfy but a bit too relaxing to easily focus and manage their workload. Offline coworkings come at a price and are unavailable everywhere, while cafes may get too noisy.
How about virtual coworking? It's one the latest and best tools for freelancers, which brings together those looking for a company and better focus. One is FocusMate, where you can book Zoom-like sessions of 25-75 minutes with a selected partner. This platform does not require installation and can be used for a wide variety of tasks while you stay on camera: desk work, cleaning, cooking, art, music, writing, reading, or even at-home exercise.
But our choice is the Groove freelancer app, which positions itself as an "on-demand digital coworking space." With Groove, you get on a team of people similar to you and start your day with a short video call with them, stating your tasks and goals for the next few hours. Your tasks are tracked in a chat, and your day team will cheer you as you cross things out. This could easily be the best software for freelancers not ready to proclaim themselves as absolute and total introverts.
For life-work balance – Forest
Balancing working hours is also one of the main hidden difficulties in a freelancer's life. While many resign from the office in pursuit of flexible hours, the hours do not actually reduce, and their flexibility, in many cases, means that they are constantly working. While some cannot quite fit their vacation into the busy days, others stretch out their work from dawn to dawn. This could be a task of setting boundaries and time tracking – how to stay focused during work? A notification distracts your attention for a second, and then you find yourself on a Wikipedia page reading about Vlad the Impaler.
One of the great freelance apps is Serena. It helps you to pick one goal for the day and then block distracting apps and websites and silence your phone. Another instance of the best software for freelancers is Offtime – but this one goes straight to your smartphone and blocks anything you don't need for as long as required. However, we love gamification, so if you need some time to focus, why don't you grow a tree in Forest? When you start on a task, Forest plants a virtual tree that keeps growing while you are working. Another nice thing is that your dedication to work can translate into the actual trees the company will plant using your virtual coins.
But if you are staying focused on your dear ones, you can send them some love and money via our Profee service. This is actually the best motivation!
For health – Randomly RemindMe
Switching to freelance means losing out on the health benefits many offices offer as perks. Healthcare can be ridiculously expensive, so for freelancers, especially those working abroad, it is notably important to take proactive care of themselves.
Basically, this comes down to creating a regular daily routine where health is integrated. One of the best tools for freelancers is Randomly RemindMe. It helps build any habits you may be after drinking enough water, standing up from your PC, going out for a daily walk, or letting some fresh air into your room.
Another smart choice amongst the freelance apps is Home Workout - No Equipment. It provides daily workout routines which take no longer than 25 minutes and require just you and maybe a wall or some of your basic furniture.
Yoga people know their apps, so we will not go there, but we have some great tips on how to sleep better. Sleep is very important for functioning properly – your willpower and concentration abilities deeply rely on it, so proper self-management is not possible without a good night's sleep.
For accounting – Bonsai
Clients not paying on time, complex tax situations, time trackers, and intricate reports can make accounting a headache for freelancers. There are many management apps for this, and the choice will mostly depend on the country you are in at the moment – some apps for the self-employed do well with the US taxes, while others are more general.
We offer you to look into another "green"-themed app Bonsai. It is an "all-in-one" freelancer app that helps to get paid and manage finances. It allows tracking projects, contracts, invoices, time, and so on, and can work for pretty much any sphere: from consulting to design, from event planning to real estate, and from writing to coding. It has every kind of template you may need, including briefing, quoting, invoices, contracts, and various forms.
For money transfers – Profee
We have looked into a range of the best apps for the self-employed. Freelancers can also work in teams, and if you are the one distributing the pay, Profee can help you send money virtually around the world in no time at all. Profee makes card-to-card transfers in just under 2 minutes. We proudly have minimal fees and maximum security. Try our fast and secure money transfers, or read more about what Profee can do for you.
