Updated October 2025
As a full-time freelance content writer, I spend a lot of time at a computer. A lot of time.
Because my work is all online, I use a ton of software programs, tools, and platforms to organize and complete my work.
I have tools I use personally as well as those I use with clients. Over the years, it’s grown to a pretty eclectic list—some are great, others are, well, not.
So, here’s my honest review of 20 platforms and tools I’ve used as a freelance content writer.
Project Management Tools for Freelance Writers
Any organization, business, or professional uses a project management system. For some, it may be a simple calendar or paper-and-pen notes, but most opt for more advanced software.
Project management tools are those that help you organize and assign tasks, manage deadlines, and communicate with a team.
Here’s what I’ve used and what I like about them:
1. Slack
Purpose: Project management and instant communication platform for teams.
Key features: One-on-one and group messaging features, integration with external apps, audio and video capabilities, and workflow automation.
Pricing: Multiple tiers, including a free option; paid membership starts at $7.25 USD per user, per month.
Status: I currently use the free version of Slack to communicate with clients.
My thoughts: Slack is a next-level instant messaging system. At the most basic, it’s a way to send individual or group messages to people you collaborate with, or you can get fancy and integrate other apps, set up workflows, and manage project files.
- Pros: I have not explored the full capabilities of Slack, but I like it a lot for basic messaging and communication. It has a user-friendly design that’s very easy to learn and navigate.
- Cons: Messages are only kept for three months in the free version, so you lose some conversation history.
2. Trello
Purpose: Project and task management for teams.
Key features: Workflow management, assign and track tasks, file management, workflow automation. Boards are customizable in styles like Kanban boards, lists, and calendar-view.
Pricing: Multiple tiers, including a free option; paid membership starts at $5.00 USD per user, per month.
Status: I used to use the free version of Trello with one client who added me to their workflows, but no longer do.
My thoughts: Trello and Asana are direct project management competitors with a lot of similar features. In my experience, Trello is more streamlined and simple to use. The real star of the show is their Kanban design, which is my favourite way to visually manage a workload.
- Pros: User-friendly design and great Kanban boards.
- Cons: No instant messaging option to chat with team members in the free version (it’s available as a paid Power-Up). You have to tag each other in comments, which is typically fine but it would be nice to have the chat integration.
3. Asana
Purpose: Project and task management for teams.
Key features: Assign and track tasks, automate workflows, goal reporting, time tracking, and more. Layout options include a calendar view, Kanban boards, timelines, or lists.
Pricing: Multiple tiers, including a free option; paid membership starts at $10.99 USD per user, per month.
Status: Not currently using Asana; dropped it after finding other tools.
My thoughts: I tried Asana as a personal project management tool. I found it to be less user-friendly than other options and too complex for what I needed. I realized I only wanted a “to-do checklist” to manage my work, so switched to Todoist for personal project management.
4. Notion
Purpose: All-in-one workspace for personal and professional use.
Key features: AI assistant, notes and docs, Wiki platform, project management, and calendaring function.
Pricing: Multiple tiers, including a free option; paid membership starts at $8.00 USD per user, per month.
Status: Not currently using Notion; dropped it after finding it too complicated.
My thoughts: I know some people who love Notion and will die on the hill that it’s the best organization system. I signed up and tried to use it to manage my personal projects, but honestly found it too detailed and had too many capabilities and options. If you love geeking out on all the details and features, it might be for you, but it was too much for me.
5. ClickUp
Purpose: Project and task management for teams.
Key features: Project and task management, whiteboards, chat function, AI assistant, forms, docs, and more.
Pricing: Multiple tiers, including a free option; paid membership starts at $7.00 USD per user, per month.
Status: Currently using the free version of ClickUp for one client’s work; they added me to their workflow.
My thoughts: ClickUp serves its function and I’m able to easily communicate with my client and manage our workflow, though it isn’t a platform I’d choose to use personally.
- Pros: I like that it has multiple views, like a list, calendar, or Kanban board.
- Cons: I do not find the platform to be very user-friendly and it has a lot of annoying pop-ups and suggestions to use their AI functions, which gets in the way of using the program. It can also be slow—for example, if I copy a file from one task to another, it doesn’t appear immediately and you need to close the browser window and re-open it so it shows up.
Organization Tools for Freelance Writers
Separate from project management tools are those solely for organization—what helps keep me on track and keep things running.
Organization tools help keep track of important details but are not necessarily part of paid project work itself.
Here are some I’ve tried out:
1. Toggl Track
Purpose: Time-tracking software.
Key features: Time-tracking, data insights, team schedule management, billable hours management, and more.
Pricing: Multiple tiers, including a free option; paid membership starts at $9.00 USD per user, per month.
Status: Currently use the free version to track my work hours, both for personal interest/accountability and billable hours.
My thoughts: I love this platform and the free version has great useability. I don’t need a lot of the data insights or team features of the paid version, though I imagine it would be useful for a small team. I like knowing how much time I’m spending on specific projects and, of course, it’s useful for anything I do that’s billed at an hourly rate.
2. PayPal
Purpose: Send and receive money.
Key features: Create and send invoices, bank transfers, collect payments, and send money.
Pricing: Free to use but there are various fees for services. For example, I pay a 3% fee to collect payments via PayPal invoices.
Status: Currently use PayPal to invoice clients.
My thoughts: Overall, no complaints. PayPal is extremely easy to use and recognized globally as a safe and secure way to transfer funds.
- Pros: I think their invoicing feature is straightforward and streamlined to use—you can customize it with your logo or other features and can either send it directly by email or copy the link and send it another way. Clients can pay via PayPal (for a fee) or send you an etransfer, which you can then record on the platform. I also appreciate that I can pull records to keep track of my financial records.
- Cons: The fees can add up. While any program will have some cost to it, PayPal’s fees are on the high side. I keep using it due to its simplicity, but if I were handling a larger volume of transactions, I would consider switching. Their exchange rate between currencies is also not as favorable as other platforms, so you can lose some money on it.
3. Todoist
Purpose: Task management.
Key features: To-do checklists, team collaboration, time management, reminders and due dates, integrations, and more.
Pricing: Multiple tiers, including a free option; paid membership starts at $5.00 USD per user, per month.
Status: Recently updated to the paid membership to access features like deadlines and collaboration with more teams external to my organization.
My thoughts: This simple and streamlined app is a great replacement for pen-and-paper to-do lists. The app can be as simple as one list, or you can get more creative and complex with tags, projects, team integrations, and more. Highly recommend it for people who like the satisfaction of checking something off your to-do list!
4. LastPass
Purpose: Password management.
Key features: Store and share passwords, manage online security, generate passwords, safe autofill.
Pricing: Multiple tiers, including a free option for personal use; paid memberships start at $4.25 CAD (personal) or $5.50 CAD per user, per month (business).
Status: Currently use the free version to sign into one client’s accounts.
My thoughts: The idea and purpose of this platform is great! Imagine not having to click “forgot password” only to be told “you cannot re-use a password” ever again. I use it to sign into one of my clients’ accounts, but am not using it to manage my personal passwords yet—it’s on my list to set things up, though!
Content Creation Tools for Freelance Writers
I’m a writer and produce written content—blogs, articles, emails, newsletters, social media copy, and more.
Content creation tools are those that directly help with my writing and other paid projects.
Here’s what I’ve used before:
1. Grammarly
Purpose: AI-assisted grammar and spelling check.
Key features: Spelling and grammar correction, AI suggestions, writing tone suggestions, and plagiarism checks.
Pricing: Multiple tiers, including a free option; paid membership starts at $12.00 USD per user, per month.
Status: Currently use the free version as a Chrome extension.
My thoughts: No-brainer for someone who writes as much as I do. The Google Chrome extension makes it so easy to use and I rely on it heavily to help me edit and proofread all my content. I am considering upgrading to the
- Pros: Easy to use, streamlined spelling and grammar check. Accuracy is very high, and I like that you can switch between English dialects (i.e., US vs. UK English).
- Cons: Grammarly is not a replacement for human editing. I repeat—it is not a replacement for your human brain! It’s pretty good, but it’s not always correct. It also does not account for personal stylistic choices that may be grammatically incorrect but literarily interesting.
2. ChatGPT
Purpose: Text-based AI chatbot.
Key features: Real-time chatting and content creation.
Pricing: Multiple tiers, including a free option; paid membership starts at $20.00 USD per user, per month.
Status: Currently use the free version to support writing projects.
My thoughts: I have to admit, I’m a little terrified of AI and a little worried robots are going to take over one day. However, my more rational side sees how useful AI tools are to support productivity and content creation. I use ChatGPT on a limited basis, mostly to generate article outlines or ideas for social media captions. I have yet to dive deep into what it’s really capable of, but enjoy using it in this way for now.
3. WordPress
Purpose: Website hosting platform.
Key features: Domain management, website templates and personalized designs, blogging platforms, sales platforms, SEO optimization, and more.
Pricing: Multiple tiers, including a free option; paid membership starts at $5.00 CAD per user, per month.
Status: Currently host my website with the Business plan ($396/year). I also pay $26.00/year for my domain—www.alyssawiens.com (free version includes “wordpress” in your domain)—and $97/year for my Gmail inbox—hello@alyssawiens.com.
My thoughts: WordPress is one of the most widely used website hosting platforms and, in my opinion, for good reason. It’s easy to use and has all the features you would need.
4. MailChimp
Purpose: Email marketing.
Key features: Email and newsletter templates, marketing automation, data insights, CRM management and audience segmentation, and more.
Pricing: Multiple tiers, including a free option; paid membership starts at $17.50 CAD/month.
Status: Previously used this to create newsletters for clients and have used Mailchimp extensively for past projects and workplaces.
My thoughts: Mailchimp’s design and layout are user-friendly and intuitive. It does what it’s supposed to and doesn’t give me any trouble. (Note that this is from the content creation perspective—I don’t manage the contacts or use their data analytics).
5. Active Campaign
Purpose: Email marketing.
Key features: Email and newsletter templates, CRM tools, forms and landing pages, site and event tracking, marketing data insights, and more.
Pricing: Multiple tier options starting at $39.00 CAD/month.
Status: Previously used this to create newsletters for a client.
My thoughts: It does its job and offers some creative and attractive email templates and designs. Overall, I find it less intuitive and user-friendly than Mailchimp, so would not choose to use it personally. At times, it seems glitchy as well—hyperlinks don’t work, you can’t change it to the font you want, or it doesn’t save changes.
6. Otter.AI
Purpose: AI-generated transcripts and summaries from audio/video input.
Key features: AI-powered transcriptions, AI meeting assistants, chat services, text summaries, and more.
Pricing: Multiple tiers, including a free option; paid membership starts at $10.00 USD per user, per month.
Status: I occasionally receive transcripts from clients that have been generated with Otter.AI.
My thoughts: I can’t speak to the useability of features as someone with an Otter.AI subscription, but I can speak to the accuracy of the transcripts. They are very good and quite accurate—the better the audio input, the better the transcript. I think it’s a great option to transcribe your work without paying a lot of money for a human transcriptionist or spending time doing it yourself.
7. Canva
Purpose: Graphic design templates for content creation.
Key features: Design templates for online and print assets, brand kits, and AI assistance.
Pricing: Free and paid tier ($18.99 CAD per user, per month).
Status: I regularly use the free version of Canva for both personal projects and client work.
My thoughts: Canva is a brilliant invention—it makes graphic design accessible to anyone. There are thousands of easy-to-use templates available for free, or you can create something from scratch. I enjoy using it to resize photos, make simple graphics for blog posts, or design event flyers.
8. Pexels
Purpose: Stock photos and videos.
Key features: Free, royalty-free, downloadable stock images and videos.
Pricing: Free
Status: I regularly use Pexels to find stock images for blog posts.
My thoughts: Excellent high-quality site. Between Pexels and Unsplash (below), I find plenty of great photos that match a variety of topics and themes.
9. Unsplash
Purpose: Stock photos and videos.
Key features: Free, royalty-free, downloadable stock images and videos.
Pricing: Free and paid tier ($7.00 CAD/month).
Status: I use the paid version of Unsplash to get photos for client blogs.
My thoughts: My go-to site to get stock images. Because I have access to Unsplash+, I find more unique photos on this site and can usually something that fits the content I’m writing. The funny thing about looking at so many stock photos is that now I see the same ones used on websites all. the. time!
10. Google Workspace
Purpose: Collaboration tools for individuals and teams.
Key features: Formerly called G Suite, Google Workspace includes Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, and more.
Pricing: Tiers start at $7.80 CAD/per user, per month.
Status: I have a Google Workspace subscription through my website domain; I regularly use Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, and Sheets to manage nearly all my professional work.
My thoughts: Not much to say here—most people use and love these tools! The biggest pros are easy collaboration options, file storage and sharing, and user-friendly design. A few clients I work with still prefer using MS Word and emailing content back and forth… it’s a lot more work.
11. Loom
Purpose: Screen recording tool
Key features: Create video screen recordings with voiceover. Great for asynchronous communication where you want to show a file, document, website, etc. while giving verbal direction.
Pricing: Free version for up to 25 videos; paid tiers start at $15 USD/month.
Status: I occasionally use this to send detailed updates on my projects with clients; one client regularly sends me Loom videos with information, which I have found to be very useful.
My thoughts: Excellent product. It’s a great option for when you want to say more than you can say in writing but don’t necessarily need a full meeting. Ideal for walking someone through a complex document, website, report, etc. where you need to show them your screen and explain what’s going on.
What are your favourite tools as a freelance writer?
There you have it—20 tools and platforms I’ve used or currently use as a freelance content writer and what I think about each.
What are your favourites? Any must-try options?
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