20 Best Time-Saving Tools for Freelancers and Consultants

Sure, there are plenty of perks to being a freelancer or consultant, like flexible hours and the freedom to work from anywhere. But it also requires you to have enough discipline to focus on tasks, communicate well with clients, and more. 

That’s why it’s important to have the right set of freelancer tools that’ll help you work efficiently and save time whenever possible.  

Below, we’ve rounded up the best productivity tools for freelancers and consultants (besides the obvious staples like Google Workspace, ChatGPT, and Zoom). We’ve made sure to pick easy-to-use tools with features that actually make your workdays less stressful.

Time-Saving Tools for Freelancers That Help Keep Focus

It’s important to have freelancer tools that work as guardrails for your attention span so you can stay productive.

1. Freedom

When your attention is scattered, everything takes longer. Freedom is here to block the sites and apps that pull you off task — be it social feeds, shopping tabs, or even email if you want. 

You can create a few “profiles” such as Deep Work, Admin Hour, Client Calls. Then, set these profiles to run on a recurring schedule, so focus time happens automatically instead of relying on your willpower. 

If you’re someone who works with clients, allow just the essentials like your calendar, video call apps, and booking notification, and silence the rest.

2. RescueTime

RescueTime runs quietly in the background and shows how your workday actually goes (i.e., how much time you spent in design tools, writing, email, or miscellaneous). 

You’ll get a weekly report showing clear patterns. Perhaps your Slack pings often spike mid-morning, or your supposedly quick inbox checks actually eat up an entire hour after lunch break. 

Use that data to adjust your calendar and habits, and over a few weeks, those small tweaks add up to real hours saved without working overtime.

Best Freelance Productivity Tools for Automating Work

Below are our top picks for software that help you avoid tedious handoffs with efficient automations.

3. Zapier

Zapier moves information between your apps automatically, so you’re not copying and pasting all day. You set a trigger (for example, “new client booking”) and choose the follow-up steps like adding the contact to your CRM and creating an invoice draft — then Zapier runs it every time. 

For a freelancer or consultant, that means smoother onboarding, fewer chances of missing anything important, and fewer menial administrative tasks after every call or booking.

4. Make (formerly Integromat)

Think of this tool as like Zapier, but with more control for complex workflows. Make lets you build multi-step workflows that keep your tools in sync (yes, even if you don’t have any developer skills). 

Here, you map out each step on a visual canvas, add conditions when needed, and let it handle the handoffs. That said, it’s great for standardizing how projects start, progress, and wrap up. The result is less manual follow-up and more reliable processes across clients.

Project & Task Management Tools for Freelancers

Managing your tasks and projects can feel daunting, especially if you work with multiple clients. Fortunately, there are these freelancer tools that can help you keep conversations, files, and due dates in one place so nothing slips through.

5. Trello

Trello turns your workload into a simple board with lists and cards, so you can see what’s in “To Do,” “Doing,” and “Done” without digging through messages. It’s great for keeping priorities clear and prevents half-finished items from getting lost, even when something urgent comes up. 

Each card contains the details like a checklist of tasks, their due dates, files, and comments. You can even add simple labels (priority, client name, phase) and set reminders to keep deadlines visible.

That makes it easy to show progress to clients or collaborators at any time, even if they don’t use productivity tools like this every day. Also, it helps you cut down on status meetings since everyone can simply open the Trello board and see what’s blocked, what’s next, and who’s responsible.

6. Asana

For freelancers or consultants working on more complex projects with plenty of moving parts, Asana comes highly recommended as it provides detailed project tracking. 

Here, you can lay out tasks on a timeline, add “dependencies” (e.g., one task starts when that other one finishes), and assign owners so there’s no confusion about who does what. Custom fields track status, scope, and review stage, so there’s no need for spreadsheets. 

As soon as you complete a task, automations can notify the next person or open a follow-up task. That way, you spend less time coordinating and more time producing the work you’re hired for.

7. Notion

Notion combines notes, documents, and simple databases in one workspace, which makes it easy to build reusable client portals, checklists, and project hubs.

Think of it as a lightweight project hub where you keep briefs, meeting notes, timelines, and deliverables in one place. Afterward, all you have to do is share that single link with your client. 

With everything centralized, you’ll find what you need fast and keep projects moving. No more digging through emails and message threads just to grab the details you need to get your work done. 

Scheduling & Communication Tools for Consultants/Freelancers

Below are the best freelancer tools for when you want to cut the back-and-forth, centralize conversations with your clients, or use quick video explainers when a call isn’t needed.

8. Bookedin

If your work involves in-person or virtual sessions with clients, then Bookedin is here to make appointment scheduling infinitely easier for both you and your clients. It even comes with a 14-day free trial, so you can test out everything Bookedin has to offer.  

Whether you’re a hair stylist, photographer, career coach, or another type of freelancer, Bookedin gives you your very own online booking page where clients can pick a time slot and get automatic reminders by text and email. 

On your end, you can set buffer times and lead times for each session, so your work day doesn’t end up getting too hectic. You can also sync your Bookedin calendar with your personal calendars to prevent double-booking and keep everything in one view. 

Book a free demo & see how it works

9. Slack

Slack keeps conversations organized by client or project, so you don’t have to waste time scrambling for something in your inbox. We’re talking channels, threads, and searchable history that make it easy for you to find that file or approval from last week. 

You can set notification schedules and do-not-disturb hours, or use scheduled send to reply during business hours without being “always on.” 

Shared channels with clients reduce status calls because everyone can simply drop updates, files, and quick questions in one place.

10. Loom

Ever wanted to explain something clearly without typing it all out or hopping on a “quick call” (both of which often end up taking longer than they should)? Loom is here to solve that problem and more. 

With Loom, you can record your screen and camera to walk through a draft, a proposal, or feedback, then share that link so your clients or teammates can watch it when they’re ready. 

They can even pause, rewatch, and leave comments at exact timestamps, which cuts down on back-and-forth and clarifies what needs to change. That said, this tool is super helpful for tasks that involve a lot of visualization or complex explanations.

Freelance Productivity Tools for Writing, Researching, & Note-Taking

Turn ideas and research into useful notes, and notes into publish-ready drafts.

11. Jasper.ai

Struggling with writer’s block while on a tight deadline? Jasper is an AI writing assistant that’ll help you get past the blank page. (After all, sometimes one needs a little help with gaining momentum).

Give it a goal, audience, and key points, and it’ll generate rough outlines, headline options, or a rough draft you can refine for better accuracy and tone. Granted, it won’t replace your judgment, but it will shorten the gap between idea and the first draft.

That said, it’s especially useful for when you need to write blogs, landing pages, social posts, and other similar content. The real win is momentum: you start editing sooner, and projects move forward instead of stalling at “drafting.”

12. Grammarly

Think of Grammarly as your personal proofreader for any writing you do, whether it’s a document, email, or your answers on an online form. It flags typos, grammar slips, and unclear sentences, then suggests straightforward fixes you can either accept or ignore.

That said, if your freelance or consultant work involves a lot of writing, Grammarly is here to help ensure your output is of good, readable quality on the first pass. 

13. Raindrop.io

Raindrop.io takes away the pressure to read everything right now, so you don’t have to worry about info overload. With one click, you can save links to articles, research, and examples that you’d rather explore later. 

You can even get back to these links when you’re offline (the tool creates permanent copies of bookmarked pages) or using another device. 

It’s one of those freelancer tools that especially come in handy if you’re a writer collecting sources for various content projects, or a graphic designer checking other sites for creative inspiration. 

Alternatively, if you’re a consultant, Raindrop.io makes writing proposals or strategy decks easier, as you already have a curated set of sources instead of a mess of open tabs.

14. Temi

Temi turns recorded audio — whether it’s interviews, webinars, podcast clips, or your own voice notes — into text quickly and affordably. All you have to do is upload a file, get a transcript, and jump straight to the parts you need by searching for a keyword. 

This voice recording and AI-powered transcription tool saves you hours of manual typing or relistening just to pull accurate quotes for a blog, case study, or proposal. 

15. Otter.ai

Ever wish you always had someone to take complete notes during meetings while you talk? Otter does exactly that by transcribing in real time, plus labeling the speakers involved and adding timestamps. 

This ensures all action items and quotes are captured while you keep your full attention on the discussion, as you won’t have to look down just to write something.

Afterward, you can share the transcript link with clients or teammates. That way, everyone can easily look up something they need, and there’s no need for a separate notes document.

Best Freelancer Tools for Marketing & Lead Generation

Whether you’re marketing your works or doing it for a client, these software and apps can smooth your day-to-day.

16. Canva

Canva makes it easy to create good visuals even if you don’t have any design experience. Start with a template, drop in your copy and brand colors (if you have), and export works in the right size for social posts, proposals, one-pagers, or ads. 

You can even keep logos, fonts, and colors in a Brand Kit so everything looks consistent from Instagram to PDF proposals and everything in between. Not to mention, you can duplicate your previous designs to build new versions right away instead of starting from scratch.

As for client reviews, Canva helps make these more efficient when you turn on commenting and link sharing. That keeps changes clear, shortens approval time, and helps you deliver a final file everyone agrees on.

17. Buffer

For help in keeping your social media posting schedule simple, Buffer is the way to go. You create a few posts at once, pick dates and times, and let Buffer publish these posts across multiple platforms automatically. 

It comes with a view of the posting lineup, so you can preview exactly what’s going out and when, and spot any gaps easily. You’ll also find basic analytics that tell you what earns clicks or engagement, so you can assess what’s working and what isn’t.

18. Mailchimp

Mailchimp gives you a straightforward way to send newsletters and simple nurture sequences for your email marketing efforts.

You can import your contacts from a spreadsheet, organize them into simple groups (like prospects, past clients, or newsletter readers), and build emails easily with drag-and-drop blocks for text, images, and buttons.

Additionally, you can set up basic automation in a few clicks: Send a welcome email when someone signs up, a short follow-up series after a webinar, or a reminder nudge for people who clicked but didn’t book. 

Mailchimp also provides built-in reports that show who opened, who clicked, and which links got attention, so you can focus on topics your audience actually cares about. 

Time-Tracking & Billing Tools for Consultants & Freelancers

If your rates are hourly (or you track time against retainers), these tools make it easy to track time cleanly and show clients exactly what they’re paying for.

19. Toggl Track

Toggl Track makes it easy to see where your work hours actually go. Start a timer with one click, type a short note about what you’re doing, and tag it to a client or project. 

The dashboard turns those entries into clear summaries you can share — helpful for invoices, progress updates, or scoping the next job. This tool also has a mobile app that’s great between meetings. Start or stop a timer on your phone, and it syncs to your desktop automatically. 

Over time, you’ll spot patterns (e.g., how long a discovery call really takes, or which tasks eat your afternoons) so you can adjust your hourly rates if needed, set better time estimates, and manage your focus better.

20. Harvest

Harvest combines time tracking with basic expense logging, then lets you export everything into clean, ready-to-send invoices. If you also invoice clients for out-of-pocket expenses — like stock photos, software, mileage, or ad spend — you can attach receipts and link each cost to the right project. 

This tool also generates reports that show hours and expenses side by side, so it’s easy to explain a bill or notice when the work is expanding beyond the original plan. 

It also connects with common tools you already use (such as project boards, accounting apps), so your records match across all platforms. 

Also read: How To Make Your One-Person Business Look More Professional

Conclusion

Having the right consultant or freelancer tools at your disposal can make all the difference in your productivity and efficiency. 

And while you don’t necessarily need to have every single tool we’ve recommended here, you should definitely always keep an open mind to using software or apps that make your job easier and faster.

Note: Bookedin does not control, operate, or sponsor the third-party tools mentioned in this article. That said, we strongly advise our readers to treat these as suggestions and pick what works best for your work or business.

FAQs About Productivity Tools for Freelancers & Consultants