Starting your own business is like deciding to bake a cake from scratch. You’ve got the ambition, a vague idea of what you want, and maybe a Pinterest board full of inspiration. But then reality hits: where do you even start? Don’t worry—I’ve got you covered. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a one-person business, or a bootstrapper, here’s a rundown of the best free tools for entrepreneurs that’ll help you get your business off the ground without breaking the bank. Because let’s be honest, your startup budget isn’t exactly Forbes 500 material—yet.
1. popUP Email Automation: 30 days Free for Beta testing
Email is the backbone of any business, and when you’re a one-person operation, the last thing you want to do is manually send out 100 personalized emails to your contacts. With popUP Email Automation, you can automate your email campaigns with ease. Right now they are in the beta testing phase, so the first 30 days are free.
2. HubSpot CRM: Free
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is like your business’s memory bank, and HubSpot CRM is the ultimate free tool to keep everything in one place. Track leads, manage contacts, and never forget a follow-up again. Plus, it integrates with just about everything, so you can automate tasks like contact creation when someone books a meeting. No more manual data entry—because that’s just miserable.
Oh and did you know that you can export your contact list as an excel (XLSX) or CSV file? Perfect for use with popUP Email Automation.
3. Waveapps.com: Free
Invoicing is the necessary evil of running your own business. Wave makes it a little less painful with its free invoicing software. You can create, track, and even automate reminder emails for unpaid invoices. There’s a small fee if clients pay through Wave, but just have them use ACH and avoid the extra cost.
4. CapCut: Free
If you’re creating a slick promo video or trying to spice up your social media content, CapCut is a necessity. This free video editing tool comes with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a paid service. Auto-captions, transitions, and more—everything you need to make your content pop without hiring a video editor.
5. Canva: Free or $120/year
If you’re like me and design skills aren’t exactly your forte, Canva is a lifesaver. The free version is great for creating simple graphics, but if you want to unlock the full potential, the $120/year upgrade is totally worth it. Think of it as an investment in your brand—because first impressions matter.
6. Google Workspace (formerly G Suite): $144/year
Google Workspace is like the ultimate business toolbox. You’ve got Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Calendar, Meet, and more, all wrapped up in one neat package. It’s everything you need to keep your business running smoothly. Sure, you might not need every single tool right away, but as your business grows, you’ll be glad you have it.
Did you know popUP Email Automation will work with your Gmail account as well?
Free tools for entrepreneurs
Starting your own business doesn’t have to cost a fortune. With these free tools for entrepreneurs, you can get your operation up and running without spending more than you need to. And remember, the goal is to streamline your processes so you can focus on what really matters—growing your business.
So go ahead, dive in, and start building your empire. And when you’re ready to take your email game to the next level, check out popUP Email Automation. Because nothing says “professional” like a well-timed, personalized email that you didn’t have to spend hours sending.