Free Tools I Use Every Week (And Would Reccommend)

If you spend most of your week juggling projects, meetings, research, marketing, admin and content, the right tools can save hours.

I’ve tested hundreds of apps over the years. Most are unnecessary. Some are overpriced. A few genuinely make work easier.

These are the free tools I use every week for productivity, writing, AI, organisation, websites and business operations.

None of these are sponsored, and most have free plans that are more than enough for individuals or small teams.

1. ChatGPT

Best for: Writing, brainstorming, research and productivity

ChatGPT is the AI tool I use most consistently throughout the week.

I mainly use it for:

• generating content ideas
• summarising information
• planning projects
• troubleshooting technical issues
• organising thoughts quickly

The biggest advantage is speed. It helps remove friction from repetitive work and accelerates research and content creation.

Why I keep using it

• fast responses
• flexible use cases
• useful across business and creative work
• saves hours every week

2. Claude

Best for: Long-form writing and deep analysis

Claude is one of the best AI tools for structured thinking and longer conversations.

I often use it for:

• analysing large amounts of text
• refining long-form content
• idea expansion
• research summaries
• strategic planning

It feels especially strong for detailed writing tasks and nuanced responses.

Why I recommend it

It handles large context and long-form workflows extremely well.

3. GoFullPage (Chrome Extension)

Best for: Full-page website screenshots

GoFullPage is one of the simplest but most useful browser extensions I use.

It allows you to capture entire webpages instantly without stitching screenshots together manually.

I use it for:

• website audits
• inspiration saves
• client feedback
• documentation
• design references

Why it’s useful

It saves a surprising amount of time when working with websites.

4. ColorZilla (Chrome Extension)

Best for: Picking and analysing colours on websites

ColorZilla makes it easy to inspect colours directly from any webpage.

I use it for:

• identifying brand colours
• website design work
• UI inspiration
• quick styling references
• matching colour palettes

Biggest advantage

It removes the need to manually inspect styles or guess colour values.

5. Canva

Best for: Quick graphics and content creation

Canva is still one of the easiest ways to create professional-looking visuals quickly.

I mainly use it for:

• social graphics
• presentations
• thumbnails
• PDFs
• simple branding assets
• website visuals

Why I keep using it

It reduces the amount of time spent on design work dramatically.

6. HubSpot

Best for: CRM and business organisation

HubSpot is one of the better free CRM platforms available for managing contacts and pipelines.

I use it for:

• contact management
• tracking leads
• sales organisation
• email activity
• business workflows

Why it stands out

The free tools are genuinely useful without forcing immediate upgrades.

7. Webflow

Best for: Building modern websites visually

This website originally started in Webflow before being exported and hosted independently.

What I like about Webflow:

• visual design flexibility
• responsive layouts
• smooth animations
• cleaner structure than many builders
• fast development workflow

Biggest advantage

It allows you to build professional websites without relying heavily on plugins.

8. Airtable

Best for: Databases and workflow management

Airtable sits somewhere between a spreadsheet and a database.

I use it for:

• organising projects
• content planning
• CRM workflows
• tracking systems
• structured data

Why I recommend it

It’s one of the easiest ways to build flexible systems without coding.

9. Google Drive

Best for: File storage and collaboration

Google Drive is still one of the most practical free productivity tools available.

I use it constantly for:

• cloud storage
• collaborative documents
• spreadsheets
• backups
• sharing files across devices

Why it remains essential

It works reliably and integrates smoothly into daily workflows.

10. PeoplePerHour

Best for: Freelance work and finding opportunities

PeoplePerHour is a platform I’ve used for freelance opportunities, networking and project work.

It can be useful for:

• finding clients
• remote work opportunities
• project collaboration
• side income
• building experience

Why I included it

Freelance marketplaces can still be valuable if used strategically and professionally.

Final Thoughts

Most productivity tools promise massive transformation.

Very few actually improve your workflow consistently.

The tools above are the ones I keep returning to because they:

• save time
• reduce friction
• simplify work
• work reliably
• have genuinely useful free plans

The best setup is usually the simplest one.

You do not need 25 apps.

You need a small number of tools you will actually keep using.

‍