50 Free Resources for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs

Bootstrapping a new business doesn’t need to be hard work. There are thousands of free or cheap tools out there to help you manage projects, increase you and your team’s productivity, manage your marketing efforts, communicate with customers and inspire you to move forward. Check out our roundup of free resources to help you and your business succeed – without breaking the bank.

Social Media Management

1. Feedly
Feedly simplifies the process of subscribing to blogs and also doubles as an RSS Feed.
2. Buffer
Buffer is the ideal tool for social media management. It allows you to schedule your posts ahead of time so that you can sit back and focus on social media engagement and analysis.
3. Hootsuite
Another social media management tool that simplifies the process of social media, especially when you are running more than one social media account.
4. Sprout Social
Social media management software company, Sprout Social is another management and engagement tool, and they offer a 30 Risk-Free trial for their product.
5. Tweetdeck
With its specific focus on Twitter, Tweetdeck is the most powerful Twitter tool for real-time tracking, organizing, and engagement.
6. Google Analytics
Once you have your social media and content system up and running, it’s important to assess your progress. Google Analytics is the ideal platform to assess your growth.

Time Management and Productivity

7. Pomodairo
Pomodairo is a productivity and time management application that is based on the pomodoro technique. This tool helps you to stay focused and task-driven.
8. Cold Turkey
Cold Turkey will help you increase your productivity by blocking websites and applications on your personal computer.
9. Coffitivity
If you are the type that works well with background noise, then this is the software for your business. It mimics the sounds heard in a coffee shop to help you focus and increase productivity.

Project Management and Financial Software

10. Trello
When working on a project with many employees, it’s important to have a project management structure. Trello allows you to divide these tasks, projects and progress into boards so that you can visually plan your campaign.
11. Mint
Even though this product isn’t free, it is affordable and definitely worth it. Manage your personal finances and budget by following their guidance.
12. Invoice To Me
Invoice to me is a free invoice tool that allows you to make use of a basic template to create invoices.
13. Yahoo Finance
Yahoo Finance will help you keep your finger on the pulse of the latest in stocks, finances, and world news.
14. Tuts+ Business
A great platform for project management, business tips and entrepreneurial resources of your small business.

Content Creation and Traffic Software

15. Grammarly
Creating flawless content has never been this easy. Grammarly’s basic account is free, with the plugin installed you will be notified whenever you are making spelling and grammar mistakes in emails, social media platforms or content management systems.
16. Quicksprout
Quicksprout analyzes your website to determine whether there are any errors, missing information and what the overall influence is. Neil Patel wants to help you create more traffic and revenue for your business.
17. WordPress
WordPress is probably the most popular CMS, with some many themes to choose from and easy to use, this is the go-to platform from which to manage your blog.
18. SEO by Yoast
If you are making use of a WordPress CMS it is absolutely crucial to have the SEO by Yoast plugin installed. This will show you whether your post meets the SEO requirements and also assess the readability of your post.
19. Evernote
Being an entrepreneur means that you are trying to juggle copious amounts of responsibilities at once. Make use of Evernote to save sections or full pages of content you want to read later. You can also use Evernote as an online journal.
20. Buzzsumo
Buzzsumo allows you to search in the trending topics within your industry, as well as analyze specific influencers or competitors.
21. ZenPen
Get your writing done, right here and right now. ZenPen helps you block distractions when you need to pen to paper.
22. Pexels
As they promote themselves: “The Best Free Stock Images in One Place”.
23. Flickr – Creative Commons
There are a lot of free images to be used on Flickr. Just make sure that you look for those on the Creative Commons that have attribution licenses.
24. Startup Stock Photos
Stock up on the best images for your small business promotion. These images are free for you to use.
25. Google Trends
See what is trending around the world by viewing the most searched terms in any country.

Mail and Communication Apps

26. Mailchimp
Mailchimp is an online email marketing management tool that helps you create a schedule newsletters. Sign up for the free account.
27. Free Conference Calls
An ideal tool for conference calling that allows you to include up to a 1000 participants completely free.
28. Unroll.me
Unroll Me will help you make sense of the chaos and clear the noise. This email management software will help you unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters and organize those you do want to keep.
29. Boomerang
Boomerang for gmail allows you to the reply on emails but decide when you want the emails to be sent.

File Sharing and Saving Software

30. Hive
Store, share and stream your digital collections free with the Hive application.
31. Echo Sign
Echo Sign is an online service for signing, tracking, and publishing that will boost your business flow.
32. Google Drive
Google Drives enables you to backup your data through secure cloud storage.
33. Dropbox
Dropbox is another file storage system that assures your personal and professional data is safe and secure.
34. Slideshare
If you are looking to educate or share academic content, SlideShare is the ideal platform to create your informative slideshow.
35. FaxZero
FaxZero is an online tool that enables you to send free faxes across the US and Canada.
36. Wobzip
Uncompress your files with Wobzip.

Recording and Editing Tools

37. Audacity
This is a free multitrack recording and editing program created by volunteers, and free to download.
38. PicMonkey
PickMonkey is a free online editing tool for your images where you can add filters, frames, adjust colours and much more!

Courses, Podcasts, and Webinars

39. Khan Academy
The creator, Salman Kahn succeeded in creating a free, online education system for everyone. The material is presented video micro lectures on YouTube.
40. Coursera
Coursera gives you access to free online courses from Top Universities. Whatever you need to know, they probably have a course for it.
41. Treehouse
Learn development and design skills from the expert team at Treehouse. Sign up for the free trial today.
42. Udemy
Udemy is one of the most popular destinations for online studies and they provide a great selection of free educational courses online.
43. Amy Porterfield
Amy Porterfield is a social media strategist and author with  a wonderful selection of podcasts that will help you push your limits and help you drive your business into success lane.
44. How To Start a Startup Podcast
These podcasts and lectures will take you through the process of starting a startup and following the right steps to achieve business success.
45. The How
The How shares the latest in startup conferences, lectures and talks that will help you learn from other entrepreneurs.
46. Startup Talks
A curation of online videos relating to small business and entrepreneurial interviews, talks and news.
47. Tim Ferriss Podcast
If anything, Tim Ferriss is a remarkable influencer and life-hacker of our times. Apart from his teaching and books, he uses the Podcast series to interview other experts and life-hackers. A must-listen for every aspiring entrepreneur.
48. Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen is an author, blogger and motivational speaker focused on the art of happiness and how to increase productivity. Her books are must-reads and her podcasts, Happier With Gretchen Rubin will inspire you to chase a happier lifestyle.
49. Brain Pickings
Maria Popova writes, curates and shares the most interesting articles, literature reviews, philosophies and interviews on her blog, Brain Pickings and it is sure the inspire even the ‘dullest’ minds.
50. Ted.com
Ted Talks have their focus on Ideas Worth Spreading, listen to videos in almost any category to educate yourself on the latest research in all the sciences.
Don’t forget that you can always hire expert designers, developers, writers, animators and more on Envato Studio to help out with more complex stuff that you don’t have time or skills to take care of yourself. Check out what’s available.