Free Tools Every Small Business Owner Should Know

Running a small business is expensive enough. You don’t need to pay for every tool when free options often work just as well.

Here are the free tools I recommend to every small business owner.

Analytics: Know Your Numbers

Google Analytics

What it does: Tracks who visits your website, where they come from, and what they do.

Why it matters: You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Analytics shows what’s working and what isn’t.

Key features:

• See how many people visit your site
• Know which pages are most popular
• Understand where visitors come from (Google, social media, direct)
• Track basic conversions

Limitation: The learning curve can be steep. Start with just a few key metrics.

Get it: analytics.google.com

Google Search Console

What it does: Shows how your site appears in Google search results.

Why it matters: This is straight from Google—see exactly what searches bring people to your site.

Key features:

• Which keywords you rank for
• How often you appear in results
• Click-through rates
• Technical issues Google finds

Limitation: Only shows Google data, not other search engines.

Get it: search.google.com/search-console

Plausible or Fathom Lite

What it does: Privacy-friendly analytics that’s simpler than Google Analytics.

Why it matters: If GDPR compliance matters to you or you want something easier to understand, these are good alternatives.

Limitation: Plausible’s free version is self-hosted (requires technical setup). Fathom Lite is no longer actively developed.

Design: Look Professional

Canva

What it does: Create graphics, social media posts, presentations, and basic designs.

Why it matters: You don’t need Photoshop for most small business graphics.

Key features:

• Drag-and-drop design
• Thousands of templates
• Stock photos included
• Resize designs for different platforms

Limitation: Free version has fewer templates and features. Many templates use paid elements.

Get it: canva.com

Remove.bg

What it does: Removes backgrounds from images automatically.

Why it matters: Product photos often need background removal. This does it in seconds.

Limitation: Free version has resolution limits. Download full quality requires payment.

Get it: remove.bg

TinyPNG

What it does: Compresses images to smaller file sizes without visible quality loss.

Why it matters: Smaller images = faster website. This can reduce image sizes by 50-80%.

Limitation: 20 free compressions per batch.

Get it: tinypng.com

Unsplash and Pexels

What it does: Free stock photography you can use commercially.

Why it matters: Good images make your content look professional without licensing headaches.

Limitation: Popular images show up everywhere. Your competitors might use the same photos.

Get it: unsplash.com | pexels.com

Organization: Stay on Top of Everything

Notion

What it does: Notes, databases, project management, wikis—all in one.

Why it matters: Replace scattered notes, spreadsheets, and documents with one organized system.

Key features:

• Flexible pages and databases
• Templates for many use cases
• Collaborate with team members
• Works on all devices

Limitation: Can be overwhelming at first. Start simple.

Get it: notion.so

Trello

What it does: Visual task management with boards, lists, and cards.

Why it matters: See all your tasks at a glance. Great for workflows with stages.

Key features:

• Drag-and-drop cards
• Assign team members
• Due dates and checklists
• Simple and visual

Limitation: Free version limits some features. Can get messy with many tasks.

Get it: trello.com

Google Workspace (Free Tier)

What it does: Docs, Sheets, Forms, Calendar, Meet—all free with a Google account.

Why it matters: Most of what you’d pay Microsoft for, free from Google.

Key features:

• Collaborate in real-time
• Access from anywhere
• Automatic saving
• Easy sharing

Limitation: Requires internet for most features. Business branding requires paid tier.

Get it: docs.google.com | sheets.google.com

Calendly (Free Tier)

What it does: Lets people book meetings on your calendar without back-and-forth emails.

Why it matters: Saves hours of “What time works for you?” exchanges.

Limitation: Free tier is one event type only. No reminders in free version.

Get it: calendly.com

Email Marketing: Stay in Touch

Mailchimp (Free Tier)

What it does: Send email newsletters and automated sequences.

Why it matters: Email is still one of the most effective marketing channels.

Key features:

• Up to 500 subscribers free
• Email templates
• Basic automation
• Landing pages

Limitation: Free tier has Mailchimp branding. Features limited compared to paid.

Get it: mailchimp.com

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

What it does: Email marketing with more generous free tier than Mailchimp.

Why it matters: If you have more contacts, Brevo’s free tier may suit you better.

Key features:

• Unlimited contacts
• 300 emails per day free
• Email templates
• Basic automation

Limitation: Daily sending limit. Some features locked behind paid tiers.

Get it: brevo.com

ConvertKit (Free Tier)

What it does: Email marketing focused on creators and content producers.

Why it matters: Simpler interface than Mailchimp, designed for newsletters.

Key features:

• Up to 1,000 subscribers free
• Landing pages
• Email templates
• Tag-based organization

Limitation: Fewer design options. Limited automation in free tier.

Get it: convertkit.com

Social Media: Manage Your Presence

Buffer (Free Tier)

What it does: Schedule posts across social media platforms.

Why it matters: Batch your social media work instead of posting throughout the day.

Key features:

• Connect 3 channels free
• Schedule posts in advance
• Basic analytics

Limitation: Limited posts queued at once. Fewer features than paid.

Get it: buffer.com

Later (Free Tier)

What it does: Visual social media planning, especially good for Instagram.

Why it matters: See how your feed will look before posting.

Key features:

• Visual content calendar
• Instagram preview
• Basic scheduling

Limitation: Limited posts per profile. Some features need paid plan.

Get it: later.com

Other Useful Free Tools

Loom (Free Tier)

What it does: Record your screen with video to share.

Why it matters: Explain things visually instead of writing long emails. Great for support.

Get it: loom.com

Bitly

What it does: Shortens links and tracks clicks.

Why it matters: Know how many people click your links. Cleaner URLs for sharing.

Get it: bitly.com

Google Business Profile

What it does: Manage how your business appears in Google Search and Maps.

Why it matters: Free local SEO. Shows up when people search for businesses like yours.

Get it: business.google.com

Wave

What it does: Free invoicing and accounting for small businesses.

Why it matters: Send professional invoices without paying for QuickBooks.

Get it: waveapps.com

How to Actually Use These

Don’t try to adopt everything at once. Here’s my suggestion:

Week 1: Analytics Set up Google Analytics and Search Console. Just get them running.

Week 2: Organization Pick Notion or Trello. Move your to-do lists there.

Week 3: Design Create a Canva account. Make one thing (social post, flyer, anything).

Week 4: Email Choose an email platform. Set up a simple opt-in on your site.

Small steps add up. One new tool per week is sustainable.

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Gustavo has worked in web development and digital marketing for 15 years. He writes these guides to help small business owners understand technology without the jargon.