Free tools

Affinity

Vector graphics, page layout and photo editing in one desktop

draw.io

Map out processes and structures for clients cleanly, no account needed

LocalSend

Phone to laptop over your own Wi-Fi instead of through the cloud

Audacity

Clean up and edit voice recordings for podcasts and video

Flameshot

Show clients what you mean with a screenshot, arrows and text

GIMP

Retouch photos and build graphics like in Photoshop, without the subscription

LibreOffice

Write proposals, spreadsheets and slides without an Office subscription

PDF24 Tools

Merge, shrink and convert proposals and receipts as PDFs

VeraCrypt

Keep client data encrypted on your laptop and USB sticks

Rectangle

Snap windows into halves and thirds with a shortcut — work side by side without fiddling

darktable

Develop and organise RAW photos like in Lightroom, without a subscription

Joplin

Project notes and checklists in one place, synced with encryption

Kdenlive

Edit client videos and reels with no watermark and no subscription

Adobe Color

Pick brand colors that work together and check contrast before you ship

ShareX

Screenshots, recordings and OCR on Windows without paying for a license

Krita

Paint digitally the way you would on paper: illustrations and comics with no license fee

Super Productivity

Tick off tasks while the time per client tracks itself

Thunderbird

Client and personal inboxes in one place, no subscription

Upscayl

Enlarge small client images sharply, locally on your own computer

ActivityWatch

See where your workday went, with no timer to start and no data sent to a cloud.

Realtime Colors

Try website colors and fonts on a live page before you build anything

Inkscape

Make logos and SVG graphics without signing up for another subscription

Handy

Hold a key, speak, the text appears — offline, open source, free

Kimai

Open-source time tracker with invoicing and team collaboration

Shotcut

Cut videos without converting files first, up to 4K

KeePassXC

Encrypted passwords on your own machine, with no account and no cloud provider

Color Hunt

Grab a ready-made color mood for a project instead of starting from scratch

GanttProject

Plan projects as Gantt charts offline — free, no subscription, your data stays local

Huemint

See a color scheme on an actual layout instead of guessing from swatches

Khroma

Stuck on color combos? Khroma learns what you like and suggests pairs that fit

Simplenote

Plain-text notes sync across devices instantly and free

Notion Calendar

Calendar with meeting booking, overlay views and team scheduling

Excalidraw

Browser whiteboard for hand-drawn sketches and diagrams

Ezgif

Free browser tool to create GIFs and compress images or videos

Gmail

Free email with 15GB storage, labels and advanced search tools

Google Calendar

Free calendar with team sharing, meeting links and mobile access

Google Docs

Real-time document collaboration with built-in commenting

Google Forms

Collect client feedback and responses without paying

Google Sheets

Free spreadsheets with real-time collaboration and formulas

Google Slides

Free presentation tool with real-time team collaboration

HandBrake

Convert and compress videos across Mac, Windows and Linux

ImageOptim

Lossless image compression for PNG, JPEG and GIF files on Mac

JSON Resume

Build a standardized resume recruiters can parse instantly

Open Resume

Open-source resume builder that stores nothing on servers

Pexels

Free stock photos and videos for commercial design projects

Reactive Resume

Free resume builder with customizable themes and self-hosting

Really Good Emails

Email design gallery for newsletters and campaign inspiration

tldraw

Sketch wireframes and diagrams together in real time

Unsplash

Free high-resolution photos for designers with no attribution

Google Sites

Free website builder integrated with Google Workspace and Gmail

BigBlueButton

Host live classes and webinars with screen sharing

Jitsi

Video conferencing with no signup, time limits or account needed

Penpot

Browser-based design tool with real-time collaboration

Photopea

Edit photos and designs directly

Substack

Write and monetize newsletters with built-in paid subscriptions

WordPress

Build blogs, shops, and business sites without coding skills

Microsoft Whiteboard

Sketch ideas live in a Teams call without rolling out yet another tool to clients

Paletton

Build a full color scheme from one base color, no color theory needed

ArtCraft

AI images and video with scene control instead of prompts alone, open source

WorkSnap

Rates, rounding and exports with no paid plan — for a single user

OBS Studio

Open source, free, no watermark — the standard for screen recording