10 free tools every start-up needs to save time and boost efficiency

Starting and running a business is no small feat. I have discovered that there are so many hats that you need to wear and a million things to juggle and remember, that time seems to be constantly slipping away. So the best thing to do is to leverage tools that can help you streamline your processes, boost efficiency, and help you focus on what really matters: growing your business.

Did you know that there are over 14,000 products out there for marketing as of the end of 2024? There is clearly plenty of fantastic technology and tools out there in the market that can help you. Yet, one frustration I experienced early on in setting up the processes for Wisepod was the prohibitive cost of many of them for start-up businesses: particularly when many are subscription based. Consider this: If I am needing to select 5 different technologies and each costs around £190 per month, I would need to invest well over £10k for year one alone. Great to consider once you have cash flow and are looking to scale, but if you are starting out or have a finite budget, that just isn't an option.

However, you get to benefit from my experimentation and the best news is that there are a good selection where you don’t need to break the bank to access them. The beauty for these solution providers? When I am ready to scale, I will be returning the favour by choosing to spend my money with them.

In this post, I’ll walk you through the top 10 free tools that will save you time, improve your productivity and help you run your business like a well-oiled machine. And just remember - free doesn’t mean rubbish or feature-poor.

1. Calendly

Type: Time and productivity management

What it's used for: Calendly is a scheduling tool designed to eliminate the back and forth of setting up or scheduling meetings. You can share a calendar link which automatically syncs to your calendar and allow clients or team members to schedule time with you.

Why is it worth trying: It makes scheduling of meetings seamless and professional, and will save plenty of time and emails every week. It's perfect for small business owners, freelancers, or anyone who needs to book appointments with clients.

How I use it: I use Calendly to offer clients the opportunity to book a discovery call and time in with me direct from my website. It gives them the opportunity to choose a time that best fits with them, while also showing my pre-set availability.

Limitations with the free version:

• You can only have one event type, so can't offer multiple types of meeting.

• There are some limitations with third-party integrations.

• Basic reporting and reminders and no of the automated workflows.

Cost to upgrade: There are two options for upgrade: Premium ($8/month or $72/year) or Pro ($12/month or $120 per year) depending on the additional features or integrations that you need for you or your team.

2. Clockify

Type: Time and productivity management

What it's used for: If you work with multiple clients as a freelancer, or need a way to track your time on projects, Clockify is a helpful time tracking tool that allows you to monitor the time spent on different tasks or projects. It's great for those that want to keep track of billable hours, improve productivity, or even just analyse how much time you spend on various activities.

Why is it worth trying: Time is one, if not the, most valuable resource, so a time tracking solution makes sure you know where it is going. This tool can help you spot inefficiencies so that you can stay on track with deadlines and even automate some specific tasks.

How I use it: Clockify is useful to track the hours I spend on specific projects, and give me insights into where my time is going. If I see that I am spending a bit too much time on admin tasks, or content creation, I can adjust my approach accordingly.

Limitations with the free version:

• Fairly basic time tracking features.

• Lacks the advanced reporting and analytics you may need.

• If you have a team, there are some limited features available.

Cost to upgrade: There are three options for upgrade: Plus ($9.99/month or $95.88/year), Premium ($14.99/month or $139.92/year), or Enterprise ($19.99/month or $179.88/year).

3. HubSpot

Type: CRM and marketing automation

What it's used for: If you are looking for an all-in-one CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platform, then look at Hubspot. It's a great tool to manage and nurture your customer relationships, offering a variety of tools for sales, marketing, customer service and also content.

Why is it worth trying: Regardless of whether you are just starting out or looking to scale, it is a really good solution for managing your leads, sales process and clients. It is has some great features in the free version, that can improve the interactions you have with your customers.

How I use it: For me HubSpot is my prospective list-tracker, task management, email logger and more recently, my quote and invoice creator. It allows me to track interactions with potential clients, and set up follow-up reminders. It is great for reviewing and monitoring processes as the business scales.

Limitations with the free version:

• Limited and basic reporting and analytics are available.

• There are some limitations to the automation features - quite restrictive.

• Can't integrate with third party apps without upgrading.

Cost to upgrade: It's quite a steep jump from the free version. There are three options for upgrade: Starter (£41/month or £432/year), Professional (£738/month or £8.4k/year), or Enterprise (£2,544/month or £30k/year).

4. Brevo or Mailchimp

Type: Email marketing and automation

What it's used for: Both Brevo and Mailchimp are all-in-one email marketing platforms that allow businesses to create and send professional email campaigns and automate communications. They can help you engage with your customers and stay connected without needing advanced technical skills.

Why is it worth trying: Regardless of whether you are just starting out or looking to scale, they both have some great features t is a really good solution for managing your leads, sales process and clients. It is has some great features in the free version, that can improve the interactions you have with your customers.

How I use it: I have used both of these tools for different purposes. Mailchimp is typically my go-to for newsletters and as it is easy to segment my audience and follow-up with automated emails. Brevo, is handy when it comes to both the email and SMS campaigns to a more targeted audience, so is currently my go-to.

Limitations with the free version:

• You can only send 300 emails per day for Brevo or 500 per month with Mailchimp, so as you scale you are likely to need to upgrade this quite quickly.

• There are some limitations to the automation features - quite restrictive.

• Basic reporting and analytics

Cost to upgrade: Brevo has two options to upgrade: Lite ($25/month and 10k emails), or Premium ($65/month and 20k emails per month). Mailchimp on the other hand is better for scaling with three upgrade options: Essentials ($13/month up to 50k emails), Standard ($20/month), or Premium ($350/month).

5. Social media scheduling

Type: Social media management

What it's used for: Scheduling social media content allows you to schedule and manage your posts directly within the platform and eliminate the need for extra third party apps. There is basic scheduling features enabling you to plan and automate content delivery in advance.

Why is it worth trying: By batching your content scheduling into a couple of hours every two weeks, you can save yourself plenty of time and inefficiencies, while reducing the need to be tethered to social media every day. The native scheduling within each platform is fairly intuitive without the limitations or hidden fees of third party tools.

How I use it: I have been disappointed with the free versions of social media schedulers of Hootsuite, Buffer or Later that I have eliminated them altogether. I now use the native scheduling tools to plan my posts in advance. I use Meta Business Suite for Instagram and Facebook, and the in-app scheduling for LinkedIn and Pinterest. It gives more flexibility and ensures that I can remain consistent online even when I'm tied up with other tasks.

Limitations with the free version:

• Most will only allow you to schedule content up to 28 days in advance.

• No consolidated analytics or reporting.

• Can't integrate with third party apps without upgrading.

Cost to upgrade: All native tools are free with the added costs of advertising if you choose to. Tools which allow you to schedule all of your social from one location, include Buffer which offers a free version, and then ranges from $6-120/month, or Hootsuite which ranges from $19-599/month.

6. Canva

Type: Content creation and design

What it's used for: Canva is a graphic design tool that makes it easy for anyone (and I do mean anyone) to create visuals to a good and professional-looking standard. Whether it's social media graphics, presentations, flyers, infographics and even some basic videos, there are thousands of templates to get you started.

Why is it worth trying: As a business owner you'll save time and money. There is an intuitive drag-and-drop style interface that makes it easy to create graphics on the fly using done for you templates, without needing to a hire a professional.

How I use it: I use Canva for most of the graphic design elements and like to create my own design templates to ensure my brand stays authentic. Sure, it won't beat Adobe's Creative Cloud suite when it comes to more advanced graphic design, but for the price point it allows you to create materials effectively and quickly while maintaining a polished look.

Limitations with the free version:

• Limited access to premium templates, graphics and elements

• Some images and elements come with a watermark

• No ability to upload custom fonts or set up brand kits

Cost to upgrade: Upgrading to Canva Pro (£10.99/month or £99.99 per year) takes you to the premium version with advanced tools for resizing, image editing and access to a wider library.

7. DaVinci Resolve

Type: Content creation and design

What it's used for: DaVinci is a professional-level video editing software that offers powerful editing, colour correction, visual effects and post-production features. Useful for YouTube videos, or promotional content, it provides everything you need for the creation of high-quality videos.

Why is it worth trying: This is by far one of the best and most intuitive video editing tools that I have used packed full of features, and it is free. If you are serious about progressing your content creation or social media, then I recommend adding this to your stack. It is perfect for anyone needing high-quality video production without the steep learning curve of cost associated.

How I use it: This is my 100% go-to for all my video editing. Be it for social media, music, promotional or training videos. It is so feature-rich that it allows for plenty of flexibility in creative and professional videos editing, in less than time than traditional software. A real game changer for DIY video editing on a budget.

Limitations with the free version:

• My own knowledge and expertise...

• Some export options and advanced colour grading options are only available in the paid version.

• Can't integrate with third party apps without upgrading.

Cost to upgrade: It is unlikely that you would need to upgrade unless you are planning on real-time collaboration as part of a larger team, which you can purchase for a one-off license fee of $295.

8. Pexels

Type: Content creation and design

What it's used for: If you're needing high-quality and royalty-free stock photos and videos, then head over to Pexels. Whether you are designing marketing materials, enhancing your website or creating content for social media, there is an extensive library of images and videos that you can use for free.

Why is it worth trying: An image says a thousand words, so choosing the right one is important. If you want to elevate your brand's visual appeal without the budget for professional photography or expensive stock images, then Pexels is a great resource. You can also use these images for commercial purposes without worrying about licensing which is hugely beneficial.

How I use it: Pexels is my go to for high-quality video footage and images that I can use to supplement my promo videos. The search functionality is great allowing me to quickly find material that fits my theme While they don't require attribution, I do provide it always nice to credit the creator.

Limitations with the free version:

• Finding the right image or video can be time-consuming.

• More niche or specific imagery may be limited to paid stock libraries.

• Overall the quality is excellent, but there may be some variation depending on the industry or topic you are searching for.

Cost to upgrade: Pexels currently only operates a free-only model, however some images can only be accessed via third-party partners such as Shutterstock or Adobe Stock where you have to pay.

9. ChatGPT

Type: Time and productivity management

What it's used for: ChatGPT is an advanced AI language model designed to understand and generate human-like text. It can be used for various tasks, including content creation, brainstorming ideas, customer support or answering questions.

Why is it worth trying: Some of the best ideas come out of brainstorming - not to remove the creative process but to supplement it. Ideas breed ideas, so use ChatGPT as your assistant in your business. You can use it to automate repetitive tasks or help with content research.

How I use it: I use it for brainstorming ideas and topics and also for reviewing text I have written to suggest improvements for improved legibility. It makes you feel like you are having a conversation with an assistant and can be useful in streamlining some processes.

Limitations with the free version:

• Slower response time and access to the latest models.

• Some responses my lack the additional editing or accuracy.

• Limitations with integrations of customisations.

Cost to upgrade: If you would like faster response times, or priority access to the latest version it will cost $20/month.

If you missed the blog on the future and ethics of AI, check it out here.

10. Tawk

Type: Customer support

What it's used for: Tawk.to is a live chat software that you can embed on your website to allow you to communicate with visitors to your website in real-time. It is a powerful tool for customer support, lead generation and enhancing customer experience without needing a dedicated support team.

Why is it worth trying: If you are looking to provide immediate assistance to your customer and increase your conversion rate, give Tawk a try. Regardless of your business size, you can use it to answer questions quickly. I'd recommend waiting to implement it until you have a slightly higher number of visitors to your website.

How I use it: I have been disappointed with the free versions of social media schedulers of Hootsuite, Buffer or Later that I have eliminated them altogether. I now use the native

Limitations with the free version:

• There are limitations with customised branding with the free plan.

• Basic metrics with no advanced analytics or reporting.

Cost to upgrade: Upgrading starts at $15/month for additional features, or you can pay to outsource the entire management of chats to support agents where the cost depends on the hours and number of agents you would need.

These 10 free tools have been game-changers when it comes to helping set up and run a business and they will undoubtedly help to save you time, streamline your business operations and help you focus on what truly matters: growing your business. Of course, there are many other powerful tools out there that can help depending on your focus and strategy that didn't quite make this list. For example, ManyChat is great for automating conversations on social media, while Zapier can help automate repetitive tasks and integrate apps. Regardless of what you choose to implement, make sure that you are leveraging tools that help you move our business forward.

Ready to boost your productivity even more? Try out these tools today and let me know which one has made the biggest impact for your business.