Engage Small with
Apps
In this digital age, every strong business relies on a collection of applications. These should improve your business but they’ll hopefully save you time too.
Essential Applications for Every Business
Every app in here is one we’ve used and love. We wouldn’t ever recommend something unless we know it will help your business as it has ours.
Engage Small is reader supported, so you will find that some of our links are affiliate links, which means that we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. We try to give all the facts, but every business is different, so be sure to do your own research to make sure it’s something that will truly improve your business.
Collaboration Apps
Communication Apps
Finance Apps
Freelancer Apps
Investment Apps
Learning Apps
Marketing Apps
Project Manager Apps
Video Apps
Collaboration Apps
G Suite
Cloud storage & Apps
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Why we love it:
The gold standard of many basic business tasks. From G-mail to G-drive to docs. It has a lot of what you need and it’s free and widely used and accepted.
What could be better:
Google sometimes has a funny way of doing things. Their ecosystem can sometimes be confusing and not always intuitive. G-mail is a busy interface but you can migrate that to any other email app.
Who is it good for:
Everyone. Even if it’s not your main storage or document creator, you’ll find it useful in many circumstances.
Google Remote Desktop
Remote desktop manager
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Why we love it:
A free tool that we’d pay a lot for. Incredibly simple to use and we really don’t understand how it’s free. You can sign into one of your other computers remotely. We’ve signed into our office computer at home, and even with our iPhone.
What could be better:
It can be slow, but that’s expected. The tricky part is understanding your sleep settings on your computer. If you get logged out or the hard drive sleeps, this app won’t be able to wake it up. You have to plan to need it.
Who is it good for:
Anyone who might need to do minor tasks on a computer that isn’t nearby. Anyone who has an office out of their home.
Backblaze
Cloud Storage/Backup
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Why we love it:
Way less expensive than competitors with unlimited storage. Yes, you read that correctly. Unlimited. It backs up in the background and you can also back up external devices. It’s better and cheaper than pretty much everything else we’ve looked at.
What could be better:
It’s not a cloud service that you work off of like dropbox or box. It’s pretty strictly a backup for safety and security. The service to bring files back is pretty easy but it’s not incredibly quick. Definitely more of a backup system.
Who is it good for:
All businesses should have a cloud backup of their data. A computer can fail and a building can flood or burn. You should have a duplicate to work with and a backup off-site (preferably a cloud service). So, if you’re a person who has data (all people), this is for you.
Dropbox
Cloud Storage & File sync
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Why we love it:
Has a free version but we find the paid versions give us the drive space we need. The dropbox app can be used local and the syncing has come a long way. We use it as a main collaboration tool and backup.
What could be better:
Some clunkiness in the browser version but the solution is in using the app. Sometimes files don’t full sync for other users. Takes a bit of getting used to.
Who is it good for:
Anyone who needs to collaborate or have a cloud backup.
Box
Cloud Storage & File sync
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Why we love it:
Afforable and simple to use. Box has always seemed like a runner up to Dropbox but it’s come a long way and the easy to use interface is worth noting.
What could be better:
Not as many bells and whistles as dropbox but that might be a good thing.
Who is it good for:
Anyone who needs to collaborate or have a cloud backup.
Communication Apps
Zoom
Video communication
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Why we love it:
It’s now a household name. Has all the basic features you need, affordable pricing, runs quickly and continues to add features.
What could be better:
Some issues with video/audio connectivity and screen sharing. There have been noted security issues but many look like they’ve been fixed.
Who is it good for:
Remote workers, people with teams out of the office or anyone who can’t see clients in person.
Loom
Screen capture
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Why we love it:
Single use apps typically do their function the best. Loom has a free version that works perfect for many people. High quality recording and the Picture in Picture helps your recording stand out.
What could be better:
Lacks a lot of features and you have to upgrade to the paid versions to really get control.
Who is it good for:
Collaborators, presenters, educators and anyone who wants to explain something one time instead of a thousand times. Great for creatives who walk clients through a step process (like a web designer).
Square Appointments
Scheduling
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Why we love it:
Did you know the ever popular point of sale app also allows you to schedule appointments? If you are already using Square to ring up purchases, this is a no brainer. Why juggle multiple brands when one can do so much. Sound a little like Google or Apple?
What could be better:
It’s not as flashy as Calendly but we think it integrates better for its audience.
Who is it good for:
Physical businesses who need to schedule (salon, gym trainers, financial advisor) or anyone who is tired of emailing back and forth to schedule a call.
Check out the blog post here!
Slack
Chat & File share
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Why we love it:
Beautiful interface, quick communication and file sharing. Slack has grown to be a staple in many businesses. Even if you’re all in the same office, this chat app has grown to be a project manager.
What could be better:
Adding contractors to your team can feel clunky and convoluted. It’s hard to always know who can see what, especially if you have sensitive company information. You have to do a little learning to figure out the terms for different user types.
Who is it good for:
Businesses with large teams, remote workers or collaborators.
Calendly
Scheduling
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Why we love it:
Simple and intuitive. Not very expensive. Easy to get it set up right away. The basic version is free.
What could be better:
Integrates with a lot of things but it is another app to manage. You have to keep your calendar up to date for it to work properly and this is the case with all of the scheduler apps.
Who is it good for:
Freelancers and anyone who just needs to get a damn call scheduled! 🙂 Why is such a simple task so difficult!?
Check out the blog post here!
Finance Apps
Quickbooks
Accounting software
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Why we love it:
Simple and intuitive. We like how you can use it to just track basic business spending or you can benefit from the full line of tools it offers. We use it for paying estimated taxes, track spending, invoicing and budget planning. It also pairs with TurboTax so filing at the end of the year is quick and easy.
What could be better:
Invoicing is nice by offering bank transfers and credit cards but the lack of design in the invoice is a let down. It feels under-representative of your business. It’s a small thing but we wish it had more options.
Who is it good for:
It’s generally good for everyone but the software is more focused to sole proprietors and freelancers in our opinion.
Transferwise
Money transfers & Payments
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Why we love it:
There is a bit of setup but once you have your client detailed set up, it’s very simple to use. If you’re moving money beyond borders (US to Asia and Europe in our use-cases) it is very easy and the fees are far less for exchange.
What could be better:
It does take some setting up. Some clients may be required to send more detailed information depending on their country. It can make things a bit complicated (but the cost savings are worth it).
Who is it good for:
Anyone who needs to pay or receive money outside of their country.
Prospero
Proposal contracts & Invoicing
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Why we love it:
This is one of our favorite apps we’ve found when it comes to contracts and proposals. Beautiful templates that are completely customizable and e-signature settings that lock the document make this an amazing addition to your app collection. Plus, it’s incredibly affordable.
What could be better:
The interface takes a minute to understand and it can feel a bit heavy to load. These are both expected bumps in a newer app.
Who is it good for:
Good for anyone who needs to send a proposal or contract and wants legal proof of signatures (and a simple way to find them all).
Lemonade
Insurance
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Why we love it:
It’s insurance like you’ve never seen it. Simple, transparent and cheap. An amazing user experience. Answer some questions and they figure out great, affordable plan options for you to choose from. They currently offer home, rental, pet, and life insurance (the life insurance options were cheaper than the plans I currently had and came with bigger payouts). They also have a pretty transparent “give back” program which is a great social initiative.
What could be better:
They currently don’t offer care insurance but they announced that it is coming soon.
Who is it good for:
Anyone who needs insurance and is tired of high rates and having to call your broker. Check their rates in minutes (again, the life insurance rates were spectacular!)
And Co
Invoicing software
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Why we love it:
Simple and easy to use. Quick to get up and running with little setup. A huge bonus is the ability to create contracts and proposals. Finding an all-in-one when it comes to the invoicing can be hard.
What could be better:
Again, this has limited functionality when it comes to invoice design. Also, there isn’t any further business tracking. You won’t be able to pay taxes or track business spending.
Who is it good for:
It’s generally good for everyone but the software is more focused to sole proprietors and freelancers.
Paypal
Money transfers & Payments
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Why we love it:
Very simple to use and well-known. Easy to send money to just about anyone, anywhere.
What could be better:
Fees have began to climb with exchange rates and invoicing with it doesn’t always feel professional.
Who is it good for:
Typically a good bet for sending and recieving money within the country you live.
LegalZoom
Legal documents
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Why we love it:
An all-in-one tool that is great for your business and personal life. Create your structure or make a will (a simple offering we’ve used recently). This has all the forms you need to feel like you garnish representation without the retainer fees.
What could be better:
You can find cheaper forms out there but the fact that it’s a one-stop shop makes the offering worthwhile. It’s by no means high priced in the field of legal docs though. The prices are still very competitive. Some legal forms may become confusing and require additional help (for a fee). But doing it yourself like this, that’s just something you’ll have to overcome.
Who is it good for:
Anyone who needs legal documents to be created and filed officially. You can do a lot of this stuff yourself but one little mistake can ruin the whole effort.
Freelancer Apps
iWorker
Virtual Assistants
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Why we love it:
Incredibly affordable and high quality partnerships with little commitment for hours. You’re helping lift up these people in Venezuela by giving them a great living for their economy and you benefit by receiving highly intelligent and skilled workers.
What could be better:
They aren’t local to your community, which is the point. There could be communication or cultural missteps but we haven’t found that as of yet. A good on boarding process and plan should solve for any possible miscommunication.
Who is it good for:
Anyone who needs a hand in their business but isn’t ready to hire someone. This can be project based but ideally you’re looking for someone ongoing to help with writing copy, researching, editing, calling, coding, etc. You can find just about anything here.
Upwork
Freelance platform
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Why we love it:
Freelancers have full profiles so you can easily get a feel for them and find the right ones. There is a wide range of quality and experience. You can find something cheap but also find agencies and everything in between.
What could be better:
The interface isn’t always the simplest to use. We also like to encourage people to not shop for the cheapest, but the right fit but these type of sites do have a tendency to push cheap labor. You do have to create a project which takes a minute to do so freelancers know what they are bidding on. There is a new “gig” feature that is rolling out though.
Who is it good for:
Someone looking for partnerships with freelancers. It’s setup for projects but can easily be opened to ongoing work if you connect with a freelancer you like. It’s good for building your team or scaling up temporarily.
Fiverr
Freelance platform
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Why we love it:
Affordable and quick to use. You can simply just browse freelancer’s and pick a “gig” that works for your budget. Everything is built into the interface so you can quickly manage the project and safely pay a freelancer anywhere in the world.
What could be better:
These sites typically push cheap work. We’re not a fan of $5 projects. But you can find very high quality freelancers here. And you always get what you pay for so if you’re looking for quality work, check out their “Pro” freelancers.
Who is it good for:
Fiverr feels more like a store where you can buy pre-packaged ideas so it’s best for single projects, typically focused on the cheaper end even though they do have a “pro” section”. This is good for the budget, single need.
99designs
Logo Designs
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Why we love it:
A very cool resource that allows you to get many design options. A good tool if you need a new logo but just don’t know what the creative should be. You will get a lot of fun ideas from simple and timeless, to crazy and out of the box. This setup is basically a competition for your work. You receive many designs and choose the artist you like best. Then you fine tune that design until you’re happy.
What could be better:
Freelancer website can be a “race to the bottom”. 99designs can feel like that a bit, and while we don’t know the actual payment structures, it does seem like many artists aren’t compensated for their time if the designs aren’t chosen. It could be possible that they have business structures that help pad for this, but it isn’t known to us.
Who is it good for:
A business owner who just isn’t sure what they want. It’s good to see many ideas out there but that can also muck up the process. There is such a thing as too many options (at least we think so). If you’re looking for a more personal experience, we suggest finding a local freelancer to work with or trying on of the other freelance options.
Investment Apps
WeBull
Stock trading
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Why we love it:
Great community with learning tools. Can be used for the beginning and advanced trader. $0 commission fees and signup stock bonuses. Also runs community promotions to get more free stock.
What could be better:
They don’t offer mutual funds or fractional shares so it won’t be a replacement for your standard brokerage.
Who is it good for:
Anyone looking to trade stocks. The simple interface makes it easy to trade at any level with no fees. This can also help you kick start future savings or retirement for the freelancer that isn’t ready to start an IRA.
Check out the blog post here!
Acorns
Investment saving
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Why we love it:
Easy to use with transparent fee structure starting at $1 a month. This is a great way to invest in your future without worrying about which mutual funds to invest in or how it will affect your taxes. It’s basically a standard brokerage account that you can withdraw from at any time but they handle the investments for you depending on your risk tolerance.
What could be better:
The data is limited so it’s hard to really dig into performance. Obviously more money means good performance but it would be nice to see benchmarks with other funds. It is also difficult to know where your money is being invested and limited risk tolerance options (five as of writing this).
Who is it good for:
This is a great option for anyone who is serious about investing for their future but has limited knowledge or means to get that started. It’s very little effort to set up so it’s something you can do today.
Fidelity
Retirement mananagement
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Why we love it:
A friendly interface with $0 commission and a lot of mutual funds with no transaction fee. New brokerage tools like their Robo adviser accounts called FidelityGo. You can use your account to manage all of your money from cash to short and long-term savings and retirement. There are also options to speak directly to advisors for little cost.
What could be better:
Some of the tools can be complicated or clunky. The applications have gone through enhancements in recent years and they are getting better. Limited fractional shares availability but they have options on their mobile app.
Who is it good for:
Everyone who is ready to take their retirement seriously (which should be anyone). Anyone can open a brokerage account and if you are self-employed, there are retirement account options for you. Additionally, Fidelity offers other savings tools so it’s truly a service for anyone.
Robinhood
Stock Trading
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Why we love it:
Incredibly simple to use with $0 commission fees. This app is a leader in the pack. Also has fractional shares which comes in handy when you want to hop on a trend that is a bit too expensive.
What could be better:
We find this to lean toward the beginner with no real education and limited data. It is simple to get started but you’ll find that you have to leave the app to get further information about your trades. This also doesn’t offer mutual funds.
Who is it good for:
Anyone looking to start trading stocks, especially if you’ve never done so before. It’s a great beginner tool.
ETrade
Retirement management
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Why we love it:
Thorough trading tools and data along with a clean interface. $0 commission and tons of no transaction fee mutual funds.
What could be better:
No options currently for fractional shares and no international exchanges.
Who is it good for:
Everyone who is ready to take their retirement seriously (which should be anyone). Anyone can open a brokerage account and if you are self-employed, there are retirement account options for you.
Learning Apps
Freelancer's Union
Freelance blogs & Community
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Why we love it:
It’s free with an amazing mission. They help freelancers and small business owners in many ways from education to community to healthcare to advocacy in politics. Like we said, it’s free to be a member and they have local groups to help build community.
What could be better:
It’s a major undertaking with little staff so they have growing pains as needs rise. They do their best to facilitate the local meetings but you really need that community initiative to make sure it happens for your city. Their healthcare offerings are on par with others but we’ve seen them getting better every year.
Who is it good for:
Anyone who needs a little insight, community or just help in their freelancing career. If you don’t know, they probably have the answer. Checkout out their local SPARK groups to find one near your town.
Fiverr Learn
E-learning
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Why we love it:
A large, high-quality collection of learning and it’s far more focused so may or may not be what you’re looking for. Price is all competitive and pretty cheap. If you’re a freelancer, you’ll likely find something that can expand your offering and skills.
What could be better:
Very limited. This isn’t the learn everything tool. It’s far more focused to benefit their users to help them grow and possibly offer additional services.
Who is it good for:
Freelancers and small business owners who want to expand their skills and create additional offerings.
Udemy
E-learning
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Why we love it:
You can learn anything. Easy to search courses of all experience. You can quickly find what you’re looking for and get started right away. Plus, you can flip it and sell what you know on the same platform.
What could be better:
E-learning has really had quite a boom in the last ten years and a search on this site shows it. It can be a bit hard to really find the precise course you’re looking for if you’re someone who needs to polish a skill you already have. The site is a bit flooded with offerings and could feel overwhelming.
Who is it good for:
Anyone eager to learn. If you need to know the basics of just about anything, they can help. If you need to be advanced in just about anything, they can help.
The Motley Fool
Investment education
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Why we love it:
The free educational tools are enough to make you keep coming back. There is a lot to offer and learn. If you choose to become a paying member, their Stock Advisor membership is quite affordable to get direct stock advice. They are focused on growing portfolios for the long-term so it’s a great resource to help you with your retirement.
What could be better:
Once you sign up, they won’t let you forget it. A barrage of marketing emails with flood your inbox. A quick unsubscribe will solve it unless you’re feeling lonely and want the constant check in. Their education is free and the entry level offering is cheap but their more advanced offerings can be quite expensive.
Who is it good for:
Anyone doing any money management on their own. This is not a road to take by yourself. There is so much research out there so choosing stocks or money markets without using it would just be gambling. If you’re trading a couple stocks or rebalancing your retirement, this site can greatly help.
Marketing Apps
The Free Website Guys
Website Design
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Why we love it:
One of our favorite offerings we’ve ever seen. They offer a free service (yes free!) where they will actually build you a whole website and teach you how to update it. We love everything about it. It’s seriously free and we know it is because they built this one! You can follow our link to apply to get a website too.
What could be better:
I mean, how can you complain about free? If I had to be picky, I’d say that I’d love a walk-through on tools and other add-ons but I know they would happily do that for a fee. We were so happy with them that we’ve started working with them on a paid website. I guess that’s how they get ya! 😉
Who is it good for:
Anyone who needs a website. They have a lot of applicants and can only take on a small percentage of them. They prefer different types that they haven’t done before. If you need a website or want to do a refresh, just apply and see what happens.
Check out the blog post here!
Bluehost
Web Hosting
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Why we love it:
Incredibly affordable and easy to use. The tools are great and access is simple. They have incredible deals and are one of the leading host providers.
What could be better:
If this isn’t your space, things can get confusing but they may get that way anywhere. Start small and watch a couple tutorials. We promise it’s easier than you think!
Who is it good for:
Anyone who needs hosting and you need hosting if you have a website (unless you go through Squarespace who will charge you for hosting themselves).
Hustle Timelapse
Timelaps screen recording
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Why we love it:
Such a cool tool to show progress or what fun things you’re working on. It works really well and fast. Love the simplicity and low one-time fee.
What could be better:
We’ve had some issues with videos not saving, which is a real bummer after recording for ten minutes. The maker has been working hard on updates. It would be cool to see added features but the offering is a pretty focused one so you don’t want to rock the boat.
Who is it good for:
Creatives who work on their computers and want to show off how-to’s or step through visual builds.
Squarespace
Website Builder
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Why we love it:
When you need a site up and running fast, there are aren’t many options quicker than this. The site templates are beautiful, responsive and work very well. You can really build a website in under an hour. Any website is likely better than no website.
What could be better:
It’s a bit costly for what it’s actually offering you in the end. The options and looks are limited and there are some that say it doesn’t perform as well with SEO. We know some web designers say they can spot these templates a mile away. The tools can also feel a bit slow to use.
Who is it good for:
Someone who just needs something professional and fast. If you have time, there are other alternatives that will likely suit you better.
Hootsuite
Social Media Management
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Why we love it:
A great tool to manage all of your socials in one space. Posting can be a full time job so having a space to sit and focus to schedule out is a necessity. They have access to just about everything and there are tons of tools to help you along the way.
What could be better:
The interface is confusing for some, although an update is coming. Cost can be high to manage several accounts and we’ve had login issues in the past but they have since been resolved. Our biggest issue with all of these sites is that they just don’t play well with everyone. Instagram is notoriously troublesome when it comes to scheduling videos. This is an issue on many social schedulers though.
Who is it good for:
Anyone who needs to have a social presence but doesn’t have time every day to post something. Scheduling is how everyone stays on top of it. Embrace the successful game plan!
Elegant Themes
WordPress Themes
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Why we love it:
Easy, affordable and beautiful. These themes are a really great place to start if you’re looking for a theme for your website. These are professionally built so they will load quick and will play nice on any platform (desktop or mobile). These themes are really pretty and you might be surprised to see that many big brands use these as starters when building websites.
What could be better:
Like all of these sites, they are limited and if you have a very specific need, it’ll be hard to find it here. You might need to hired someone. These are also just themes so you will need to add your own copy and edit the theme to compliment your website and brand.
Who is it good for:
Any business that is building their own website or even if you’re hiring someone. Starting with a high quality theme like this will less the hours of using a professional and save a ton of money.
Project Manager Apps
ClickUp
Project manager & Tasks
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Why we love it:
One of the best project managers out there and probably one that’s not on your radar. Our favorite part is that each user can use the manager in a view they like best (boards, table, calendar, list, gantt, timeline, mind map). So many features to use that we are just scratching the surface. Pricing is surprisingly low, plus there is a free version.
What could be better:
The app is heavy and as you move quickly, it can lag a bit. Like any project managers, there is a learning curve to use it the best way. The app was quite buggy but they’ve recently updated it.
Who is it good for:
People who have multiple balls in the air. This is a great tool to track projects, tasks or to make sure other’s are focused on the right tasks. You can add goals, deliverables, client information, etc. The possibilities are endless with this one.
Trello
Project manager
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Why we love it:
Easy to use, get started right away and no fluff (unless you want to add in some fluff). The card system is visual and easy to understand where things stand at a glance.
What could be better:
These boards don’t make sense for every style of project management. It’s free but added features are additional costs. It’s clunky to manage sub tasks for projects.
Who is it good for:
Anyone can use a Trello board. It’s good on its own and can be a nice addition to a deep project manager. I’ve known all kinds of people to use Trello from brides to producers to buyers to students to CEO’s.
Asana
Project manager & Tasks
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Why we love it:
One of the most popular project managers, and it’s that way for a reason. This one has paved the way for what a project manager should be. You can really focus down to exactly what needs to get done and clearly identify people to do those tasks and sub tasks and sub sub tasks.
What could be better:
It’s a lot to learn and the features are deep but it can really get confusing quite fast. You need to take it slow and use tutorials to make sure you aren’t wasting your time. Cost is a bit steep unless you’re using all the features.
Who is it good for:
Bigger teams seem to thrive better with it. It’s a bit overkill for a sole-proprietor in our opinion but you should check it out. It might be just the thing you need.
Video Apps
Adobe Suite
Video & Image creation
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Why we love it:
Video editing, audio, graphic design, illustration, and everything around that, Adobe has become a household name when it comes to creativity. It’s a standard for many people and can be a welcome addition to any business looking to add to their kill set. They have monthly plans so you don’t have to purchase a wildly expensive license up front.
What could be better:
It’s a complicated set of programs. Some are simpler than other and you can pick and choose what you need. Photoshop at its core is a simple program but using it to make elite graphics takes skill and years. There are plenty of tutorials out there for you. They also update the software often and have a bit of a reputation for sending updates that have issues.
Who is it good for:
Anyone who needs this for their work or wants to level up their marketing.
Artlist
Stock music
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Why we love it:
Beautiful tracks created by Indie artists that sound anything but “stock”. These songs are great fits for your videos and after browsing you’ll start to realize that big brands are using these same tracks. Annual membership is very cheap and you’ll get a full license buyout of the whole site. Basically, unlimited music.
What could be better:
The interface is slow and is a bit buggy. It feels a bit dated but it works. You can’t download without getting an email or going back into you downloads after “checking out”. It’s just a little confusing.
Who is it good for:
People who need music tracks. Anyone who is marketing themselves or creating videos for clients. Music can be very expensive and this annual membership pays for itself in about 2 or 3 songs.
Artgrid
Stock video
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Why we love it:
Beuatiful cinematic footage with download options. Full buyout of the whole site with one subscriotion. No individual licensing.
What could be better:
Clips can feel random and hard to locate if you’re looking for something specific or a group of things.
Who is it good for:
Anyone needing high quality stock footage and lots of it.
The Plot
Storyboard creator
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Why we love it:
Fun to use. Cheap. Simple. visually interesting.
What could be better:
Online only so button limitations. Very simple, not overly complex. Images load slowly
Who is it good for:
Video creators and motion graphic artists. Or anyone wanting to tell a story or get thoughts down.
Envato Elements
Stock image, videos and graphics
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Why we love it:
A single, low-cost subscription can give you everything you need for creativity and marketing. The full license buyout gives you unlimited access to music, sound effects, stock video, motion graphics, images, illustrations, icons, and a lot more.
What could be better:
The quality of assets ranges greatly. There are some very cheap looking things in the collection but for the price, there are plenty of quality assets to outweigh that.
Who is it good for:
Anyone who needs assets to build videos, graphics or market. These assets are a great way to make a small business look like it has a much bigger footprint.
Filmpac
Stock video
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Why we love it:
Cinematic footage with tons of options, angles and diversity. Lot’s of people footage with dramatic moves and some ungraded footage. Clips are built in “pacs” which you can buy a la carte or get a subscription. The packs are set up to be several shots to help you create a seen with the same actor. This is a must if you’re trying to tell a story with stock footage.
What could be better:
The library is growing fast but it feels heavy on the people side. Lot’s of actors and emotions and scenes. We find that there are other sites that have better options showing “data” or digital aspects which is a common need now.
Who is it good for:
Video editors and marketers who need stock footage but don’t want boring footage. This is a great way to add some movement to simple marketing ads.
Pond5
Stock video & images
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Why we love it:
An enormous collection with just about everything you could ever want. Pricing is competitive and you can find ways to save with package pricing.
What could be better:
They’ve been around for a while so with lots of options comes a lot of scrolling. You really want to fine tune your searching skills but you should be able to find what you need. Pricing is per image or video so if you need a large collection, it could be expensive.
Who is it good for:
Companies who want high quality images and videos for their media. If you’re just looking for a couple, you will find the pricing to be pretty comparable.
Vimeo
Video player & Storage
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Why we love it:
Easy and intuitive. Beautiful player and no ads. You can brand the player with your logo and sit buttons and links.
What could be better:
Some options are only available on embed but new options are added all the time.
Who is it good for:
Anyone looking to host. Accounts are free for basic users.