Freelance tools and what they cost
What a freelancer's software stack costs, which jobs need a dedicated app and when one suite is enough. Prices come from each vendor's own pricing page, with the date we checked them; check their site before you buy. The comparison pages below have the details per competitor.
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Articles
- What happened to Bench, and how to protect your booksBench shut down on December 27, 2024 and was bought by Employer.com. A dated timeline, and a checklist to keep your books safe from any provider.
- All-in-one business software vs separate tools: how to decideWhen one suite beats a stack of specialist apps for a freelancer, and when it doesn't: a decision table, switching costs and a worked example.
- How many hours do you spend on admin? A one-week audit templateTrack every task for one week in six categories, total them and find what to batch or automate first. Template, worked result and next steps.
- How to choose business software as a freelancer: 12 questions12 questions to ask before you pay for business software: export, price changes, seats, limits, fees, language and support, with red flags.
- Per-seat vs flat pricing: what small teams pay as they growWhat 6 per-seat apps cost for 1, 2, 3 and 5 people, next to flat team plans, with prices checked October 16 to 18, 2026.
- Starting a freelance business in the US: first 30 days checklistA day-by-day checklist for your first 30 days freelancing in the US: name, EIN, bank account, W-9, contract, booking page, invoicing and tax dates.
- How to switch business tools without losing client dataWhat HoneyBook, Dubsado, Bonsai, Calendly and DocuSign let you export, what stays behind, and a cut-over plan for one billing cycle.
- What is a client portal, and does a freelancer need one?A client portal is one private page with everything a client has with you. When it helps a freelancer, when email links are enough, and an example.
- Free plans for freelancers compared: e-signatures, scheduling, forms and linksFree-plan limits of 30 apps for e-signatures, scheduling, forms, links and more, checked October 16 to 19, 2026, and which limit you'll hit first.
- What a freelancer's software stack costs: 13 tools pricedThe cheapest paid plan for 13 freelance jobs, from DocuSign to Toggl Track, priced from each vendor's page: $153 a month at annual rates.
Free calculators
- Project cost calculator
- Meeting cost calculator
- Software stack savings calculator
- DocuSign cost calculator
- Calendly cost calculator
- Typeform cost calculator
- PandaDoc cost calculator
- FreshBooks cost calculator
- Loom cost calculator
- Notion cost calculator
- Linktree cost calculator
- Bitly cost calculator
- Toggl Track cost calculator
- Expensify cost calculator
- Subscription cost calculator
Comparisons
Proposals, contracts, scheduling and invoicing in one account
14 days free, no card needed · Then Basic for $2/month.