From typewriters to text messages, technology has come a long way. And for freelancers, technology is now a vital necessity. You depend on your high-speed internet connection, smartphone and laptop. Without technology, you couldn’t do your job. Period.
However, technology is constantly evolving. In between writing articles, chatting with clients and networking, it’s hard to keep up with the technological times. To bring you up to date, Las Vegas-based freelancer PJ Perez helped us compile a list of apps to make your freelance life a little easier.
PJ Perez photo by Geoff Carter.
Google Drive
You’re probably already familiar with Google Docs, but this handy app will kick your Google love up a notch. With this app you can write, share and store articles and photos in a cloud-based system. You can access this information from any device. For Perez, it’s his go-to app for office productivity. Recent additions make this a handy tool for collaboration with editors and clients easier.
Availability: iPhone and Android
Cost: Free
Harvest
How long did that last project take you to complete? Don’t guess. Get the real answer with the Harvest app. This app is a task-based time-tracker, so if you bill hourly, it’s a great way to keep track of your time. Perez uses it for all of his projects whether he bills hourly or not, so he knows how much time he devotes to each project and client. There’s an additional bonus, too: it helps you track expenses. You can take pictures of receipts, track mileage and submit expenses to clients.
Availability: iPhone and Android
Cost: Free and paid versions available
InkPad
Rather than carry a pen and paper around to take notes, you can use the InkPad app to digitally jot down your thoughts. It’s an easy-to-use app, with options to type, save, share and edit notes. You can sync it to your Google account for easy access. Plus, you can also create to-do lists to help you organize your day.
Availability: Android (the iPhone Notes app is a similar iOS version)
Cost: Free and paid versions available
HootSuite
Social media comes with the freelance territory. Whether you promote your own stories through various channels or help clients manage their accounts, keeping track of who’s on first in the social game isn’t easy. With HootSuite can manage several social media sites all from one dashboard. You can easily create posts from one “central command area,” as Perez calls it. It eliminates the need to sign into individual accounts to set up posts. You can even schedule posts ahead of time and get email notifications when someone leaves a comment.
Availability: Desktop and mobile versions for both iPhone and Android
Cost: Free and paid versions available
Invoiceable
For your clients that aren’t on Ebyline, use Invoiceable to create and send invoices. With this app, all of your invoices are in one place, so you don’t have to hunt for them on your computer. The app’s main purpose is invoicing, not accounting, so you won’t get lost in a bunch of bells and whistles.
Availability: iPhone and Android
Cost: Free
Is there an app you can’t live without? Tell us in the comment section below.
