January 12, 2023
When you’re looking for the best apps for writers, perfect apps for freelancers in 2023, and don’t want to spend a lot of money–or are searching for the best free apps–this roundup of apps for freelance writers will save you time from scouring the iTunes store or Google Play store.
I’ve been using many of these freelancer app options for years–like the time tracking app for freelancers, Togg.l–and other apps I use in different capacities of my freelance business. I even posted on my Twitter feed and asked other freelancers to share their top freelance writing apps.
Check out that list at the bottom of this article. Feel free to share your favorite apps for writers in the comments or on my Twitter post, too.
These are apps for freelancers that make this freelance writer’s life easier and more streamlined no matter what types of freelance writing you’re doing.
I use Google Drive for Google Sheets to track my assignments and pay, and other Sheets to track brands I want to pitch, when I’m writing pitches, and what happened after I sent the article pitch. I and many other freelance writers use Google docs for sending articles to clients, and I use Gmail when I want to pitch a freelance article. I truly could not work without G Suite. I also work with virtual assistants (or VA) in Drive, and we share documents and edit them without clogging up our inboxes. Lots of freelancers keep track of assignments in Google spreadsheets and submit content and presentations to clients via shared Google documents. It’s free to use, so you don’t need to buy Microsoft Office 365 for your computer.
This transcribing app for freelancers is free but I pay for the pro annual membership since I do many interviews with sources for freelance articles and have had positive experiences with the transcribing app. (That’s a lot to say coming from a journalist!) You can use the freelance transcribing app for free and get up to 600 minutes a month. Lately, I’m digging that I can record content for a blog directly into the app while doing something else–like feeding my infant–and it’ll transcribe it so I can write the blog that much faster when I get some time. It’s made working from home with a baby so much easier! I also use this app to transcribe recorded interviews when I write articles with expert interviews for clients. Other transcribing apps for freelance writers include Rev and Transcribeme.
I use the Notes app for writers on my iPhone nearly every day. It helps me keep track of freelance article ideas and business ideas I have while I’m away from my desk. I also write down some financial goals and numerical business goals. I like using the list feature so I can check off items when they’re done–but they don’t disappear. It makes my life easier when the app also syncs on my MacBook Air and I can copy and paste items as I’m writing them throughout the day. Right now, I’m trying to jot down about 10 business ideas every work day–that’s becoming quite the long list on the freelance app. Some people like other apps for freelancers that help them organize their tasks, like to-do lists and task management apps Todoist, RemembertheMilk, and Evernote which rank high as the best apps for writers as well.
You’re probably already following a few brands and influencers on this app, but it’s one of the popular apps for writers whether you’re promoting a published article, sharing freelance writing advice, or coming up with content marketing client ideas based on what you’re seeing on the apps. I recently started a business profile @DianaKellyLeveyFreelance to play around with sharing my tips and content in new ways. I’m basically like an infant learning how to walk as I practice making Reels on Instagram (and making videos on TikTok @FreelanceWriting101). But, it’s fun and I know a lot of my competitors and brands and the audience I want to reach is there so why not meet people where they are and showcase my freelance advice in short video format? Following the right social media hashtags for your business is important as your search on Instagram and TikTok. If you decide to create stories and Instagram posts or TikToks, make sure you are using popular hashtags and noting trends to help you grow your audience.
Twitter is an app for writers that is chock-full of freelance writing tips, freelancers and marketing experts, as well as editors at the types of publications you want to write for. It’s a good app for freelancers because you’ll find hashtags like #writerswanted and places where editors put out calls for pitches as well as #amwriting to find more writers like you. Follow me @dianakelly for freelance writing tips and freelance business advice on my feed.
I recommend the students in my freelance writing online courses on Teachable download the app so it’s easier to access each lesson on the go. The e-learning platform’s ease of use is one of the many reasons I decided to host my courses on their website. I like that this app for writers allows learning wherever you are–you can take advantage of time spent in line, waiting for a flight, or even while waiting for slow websites to load!
My favorite time-tracking app for freelancers–Togg.l–can help you determine how much time you’re spending on each freelance project and assignment, which can give you insights into your hourly rate. One year, I used Togg.l for every project I worked on which helped me realize I was earning at least $100/hour freelancing on some projects—and also let me know that others were way too time-consuming for the freelance article rate! I also track how much time I spend posting on social media, writing blogs, reading other freelancers’ content and blogs, pitching editors, reading industry news, and participating in the social media groups I’m a part of. This helps ensure that I try to work on projects that earn me a good income. It has also helped me realize that I earn a higher hourly rate on some articles than I thought (and a lower rate on those that take a long time). Another time-tracking app for freelancers is Clockify. It also helps you calculate billable hours.
This social media scheduling platform helps me scan streams I saved and want to follow on Twitter, it allows me to schedule Twitter and LinkedIn posts, and learn more about the best times to schedule content to appear on social media–according to their algorithms. I often work with a virtual assistant to upload social posts and we both can have access to my feeds from this platform. (It’s how I scale my freelance business working about 10 hours a week.) I’ve been using this tool for years and find it an app for freelancers that’s very easy to use.
I have a business page on Facebook (@DianaKellyWriter) where I post freelance writing tips and articles to, but I find the most value in this app for writers is being part of groups on this social media platform. I like reading about what other freelancers are going through and adding advice when I can. I also find good blog ideas from frequently asked questions, learn about articles to read, platforms to discover, and potential clients to consider (or avoid!) from these groups. I also keep my personal page open when I need “real people” stories for editorial freelance clients. (For some reason…people from my childhood love to contribute to these types of stories–and I’m happy to include them!) Being active on Facebook is one of my social media tips for freelancers just make sure you log how much time you spend on social in a time-tracking app for freelancers.
This is a great free app for freelancers that’s a design tool to help make presentations look snazzy, create social assets (I use it for blog-post images that I save to Pinterest, Instagram posts and videos, LinkedIn article post images, as well as designs and templates for digital products I’m selling on Etsy), as well as resizing images for blog posts and portfolio articles on your freelance writer website. Even if you’re not visually oriented, you’ll be pretty amazed at what you can create in Canva. I know some authors who’ve created whole e-books! Here are some of the types of freelance writing all freelancers should know.
I use this file transfer site when I need to send a large digital file off to a virtual assistant, when I need to include photos with an article for a freelance client, or when I want to make sure a client or third party is accessing a document that I didn’t upload to Google Drive. I used this app for freelance writing when I had a designer work on my eBook 100+ Tips for Beginner Freelance Writers and a copyeditor reviewed the document before it was published. This is one of those apps for freelancers that’s great to use if you have a manuscript to send to an agent, too. Another file transfer app for writers that’s easy to use and modify for your business is DocSend by DropBox.
This is probably the app for freelancers I used most often these days–other than my Gmail. There are plenty of ways to succeed as a LinkedIn freelance writer. Regularly using one of these apps for freelancers will help you appear higher in search results and give you a leg up in your freelance business. LinkedIn enables you to find the editor’s name before sending a pitch. Freelancers can use it to locate the best contact at a potential client company. (Looking for freelance writing websites where you can find jobs? I’ve got you covered.)
Say what you will about having an AI platform correct your grammar and spelling but having this browser extension and freelance app has saved me from many a typo (even while writing this blog!). This app for writers isn’t a fail-safe for creating good content and checking your work, but it’s helpful to have, especially on social posts and emails. I also like to plug my article copy into here one more time before I send a freelance assignment to a client in case any small errors or typos slipped throug. (Just kidding! *through.*) The Hemingway Editor app helps correct grammar, sentence structure and makes sure your writing is clear and succinct.
You might not first think of Spotify as one of the best apps for writers but this music streaming app should be on your devices for several reasons. One, what makes this one of the best apps for freelancers is that I use this app to listen to my favorite podcasts for freelancers, particularly when I’m walking or driving. I enjoy the plethora of freelance business advice that’s available that I can absorb as I go about my life away from my desk–and I still try to log that time spent on my business ina time tracking app for freelancers. Two, I also like to listen to music from this app while working out. Or, I find myself turning on the Pandora website or app to listen to The Piano Guys or instrumental music as I write. Taking a break from writing always gives me more energy and ideas. Get the answer to how many hours freelancers work here.
Some additional apps for freelancers to explore that are a bit hit with solopreneurs, writers, and other freelancers include:
Tags: article writing advice, content strategy, freelance, freelance writer, freelance writing, freelance writing advice, freelance writing tips, freelancer, productivity, productivity tips, six figure income, write faster, writing tips
Leave a Reply