21 Small Business Tools That Every Entrepreneur Needs |Free List|

As an entrepreneur, it is crucial for you to have basic insights into almost every aspect of your business. Small business tools enable you to seamlessly meet your day-to-day requirements while arranging work schedules and projects on time. But it can feel daunting to know where to start, and paid software packages can quickly add up.

This article will explain why you need small business software, what small business tools are, and 21 software tools for small businesses and entrepreneurs to help you get started. 

What Are Small Business Tools?

Small business tools are software applications, platforms, or resources that help entrepreneurs and small business owners to manage various elements of their business operations. These products solve small businesses’ unique issues and needs, allowing them to streamline procedures, increase productivity, and achieve their objectives.

Why Do You Need Small Business Tools?

Small business tools help to streamline operations, optimize resources, and boost productivity. These tools enable effective task automation, saving critical time and resources while providing insights and analytics to make informed decisions. They allow firms to develop, adapt, and compete effectively in the dynamic market by boosting cost efficiency, fostering customer satisfaction, and enabling a professional online presence.  

MORE: How to start a business in the US?

What Is the Best Small Business Software? 

The best tools for small businesses can vary depending on the specific needs of your business. Here are 21 free essential business tools that every entrepreneur should consider t incorporating into their small business operations.

1. Google Workspace

Best for: Growing and running your business more efficiently

Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite) is a suite of cloud-based tools that provides a seamless and comprehensive solution for organizations of all sizes. 

Google Workspace improves communication and teamwork by providing real-time collaboration on documents, presentations, and spreadsheets through its suite of productivity and collaboration applications, which includes custom professional email @yourcompany, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and many more. 

Combining these tools results in a single workplace that promotes efficient workflow, streamlines document sharing, and keeps everyone on the same page.

Key Features of Google Workspace

• Easy IT administration,
• Centralized cloud storage,
• Professional email @yourcompany, 
• Secure video and voice meetings,
• Business grade security and 24/7 support.

MORE: Google Workspace review: A complete breakdown of its features and pros and cons 

2. CRM By Hubspot

Best for: Developing best-in-class customer relationships. 

Hubspot CRM is a good choice for startups. Although you may not  need the full package, you can always help your business by using the data entries feature. 

The centralization of the contact list is an easy-to-do task with Hubspot. This tool automatically registers customer interactions and takes data from the web to get insight into potential customers. 

The free version of Hubspot’s CRM tool is simple yet highly effective. If you’re an entrepreneur who cares about customer feedback. However, if you need the additional features, check out other best CRM software in the market. 

Key Features of CRM by Hubspot 

• Deal and taskboard,
• Drag and drop communicator,
• Company database,
• Sidekick integration,
• Templates, tracking, and scheduling.

MORE: Hubspot CRM: A complete guide

3. Kissflow 

Best for: Automating your workflows. 

Kissflow is a workflow management software that can quickly create your enterprise’s workflow process. The automated workflow enabled by the design tool can then be used by the members of your business immediately. 

Key Features of Kissflow

• Data imports/exports,
• Application integration,
• Resource management,
• Approval process control,
• Task tracking. 

MORE: Kissflow review: A full breakdown of its features

4. Calendly

Best for: Never missing that important meeting. 

Calendly is an online scheduling tool that optimizes schedule management while saving time.The software keeps track of your time and helps you get the most out of it. Plus, this software comes with great features such as being customizable for your needs, flexible, simple to use, easy to learn, etc. 

Need to schedule investor meetings, calls, and appointments easily and conveniently?? Use Calendly, it has free plan to check the features. This software also integrates with Google Calendar and Wix. 

Key Features of Calendly

• Access controls/permissions,
• Activity tracking, 
• Appointment management, 
• Automated scheduling, 
• API. 

MORE: Calendly review: A complete breakdown of its pros and cons, features and pricing.

5. Doodle

Best for: Scheduling your diary space. 

Doodle is an online appointment scheduling software that effectively manages the appointments made by the users by fixing and finding dates and places for them. This software is beneficial in several ways, including scheduling alerts, setting reminders, providing alerts based on the time and date on which the appointment is, and more. 

Key Features of Doodle 

• Alerts/notifications,
• Time & attendance, 
• Volunteer profiles, 
• Scheduling, 
• Appointment scheduling, 
• Online punch card.

MORE: Doodle review

6. WordPress 

Best for: Building, formatting and publishing your website and blog content. 

WordPress is undoubtedly one of the most recognized Content management systems (CMS) globally that needs no introduction. This open-source, free content management system offers excellent performance based on MySQL and PHP. The main features of this software include a template system and a plugin architecture to develop attractive and useful websites. 

This CMS software ensures social sharing, auto upgrades, designing, and multiple page styles and supports a wide range of plugins and widgets, SEO, theme customization, and more. If you’re a fresh startup, consider it an ideal platform for building their websites and conveniently producing online traffic. 

Key Features of WordPress 

• Flexibility,
• Simplicity, 
• Easy publishing, 
• User management, 
• Publishing tools, 
• Easy theme system.

7. Confluence 

Best for: Collaborating on projects and company initiatives. 

When it comes to a reliable and compelling content and project collaboration tool, Confluence is a good option. This software enables teams to make documentation, give feedback, and centralize everything to ensure the work is accessible and organized. 

Key Features of Confluence 

• Project management,
• Content management system,
• Chat/messaging,
• Document management, 
• Task management, 
• Contact management, 
• Cooperative writing. 

MORE: Confluence review: A full breakdown

8. Zoho Desk 

Best for: Customer service productivity. 

Zoho Desk is an online customer service software that makes managers more impactful, allows agents to be more productive, and helps customers be empowered. This software is excellent, convenient, easy, simple, and customizable to use. It has a free customer service option for small businesses.

Key Features of Zoho Desk 

• CRM integration,
• Knowledge management, 
• Mobile app,
• Call management,
• Assignment management,
• Workflow management.

MORE: Zoho Desk review

9. Freshdesk 

Best for: Customer service that integrates with your social media channels. 

Freshdesk is a cloud-based customer service software that helps you support users via conventional channels like email and phone, social media channels like Twitter and Facebook, and their branded community. 

It is a Help desk software that delivers efficient customer service. It also provides everything you need to meet the customer’s needs and expectations. It has a forever-free plan to help small businesses.

Key Features of the Freshdesk 

• Customer database,
• Social media integration,
• Live chat system,
• Surveys & feedback, 
• Alerts/escalation,
• Community forums, 
• Ticket management, 
• Email integration. 

MORE: Freshdesk review

10. Blender

Best for: 3D design and modeling.

Blender is an open-source, free 3D design software on the market now. This excellent 3D modeling software has multiple features, including video editing, shortcuts for almost every action, scripting, unlimited installations, free updates, etc. No matter your specific customization needs, everything can be done with this highly customizable 3D software.  

MORE: Blender review

11. Renderforest 

Best for: Making videos for your social media channels.

Renderforest is an online tool that is great for making social media videos. This video tool lets you make intros, promotional videos, explainer animations, music visualizations, slideshows, video CVs, and even logos. 

This reliable tool aims at quality and flexibility, enabling you to make professional, top-class videos in minutes. Renderforest brings unlimited choices for infographics, logo creation, slideshows, videos, and more. 

Key Features of the Renderforest 

• Marketing automation,
• Landing pages,
• Email integration,
• Content / blogging platform,
• Social marketing.

MORE: Renderforest review

12. TalentLMS 

Best for: Helping businesses achieve their training goals. 

TalentLMS is a fast, efficient, and reliable learning management system designed to achieve your training goals. It is made to get maximum adoption from customers, partners, and employees and complete buy-in from stakeholders. 

The smart and intuitive design of the software indicates that it’s all set to go right off the bat. With an engaging, exceptional experience that’s accessible from almost every device, you’ll gain skills in a way that’s highly engaging and comfortable. 

Key Features of TalentLMS

• Document management,
• Registration management, 
• Training management, 
• Contact management, 
• Social media integration, 
• Collaboration tools. 

MORE: TalentLMS review

13. Thinkific

Best for: Users who want an end-to-end learning solution. 

Thinkific is a highly beneficial learning management system to get the best outcomes for SMEs. This tool is designed to cater to end-to-end solutions for Windows. 

This online LMS ensures Course Publishing, Video Management, Template Management, Blended Learning, and Self-Paced courses in a single place. It has a free plan for small businesses.

Key Features if Thinkific

• Template management, 
• Built-in course authoring,
• eCommerce,
• Content import and export,
• Self-paced courses,
• Gamification,
• Asynchronous learning. 

MORE: Thinkific review

14. Breezy HR 

Best for: Hiring new employees. 

Getting the right skilled individual for your enterprise has become essential and competitive. With the Breezy software, your organization can easily streamline the hiring process to choose the best candidates. 

This software is an easy-to-use, multi-feature HR and recruiting tool designed to help businesses to make structured and beneficial hiring decisions quickly and efficiently. 

Key Features of the Breezy 

• Applicant tracking,
• Application integration,
• Applications management, 
• Recruiting management, 
• Email templates,
• Applicant workflow.

MORE: BreezyHR review

15. GoDaddy

Best for: Domain name registration. 

GoDaddy is one of the world’s most prominent domain name registration and web host platforms. 

This cloud-based platform is a simple, fast, and budget-friendly domain registrar site. GoDaddy has become a destination for businesses to design a professional website, name their business ideas, and manage operations. 

You can also check GoDaddy Airo, an AI-powered solution with everything businesses need to get online and start getting customers. We show how to get GoDaddy Airo in our pricing review.

Key Features of GoDaddy

• Product variations,
• Abandoned cart recovery,
• Strong uptime rates,
• Fast loading speed,
• Domain registration,
• Excellent customer support.

MORE: GoDaddy review

16. TeamViewer 

Best for: Screen sharing and collaboration remotely. 

TeamViewer is entirely a remote access collaboration software that will help you connect people, personal computers, and places. This quick and easy-to-access tool can be used anytime, anywhere. It is free for personal use.

After having the reputation of a good “screen sharing” software, it’s good to know that it comes with all smart modules that ensure high compatibility, easy understanding, enhanced team communication, and more. 

Key Features of TeamViewer 

• Remote server monitoring, 
• Dashboard,
• Remote control,
• Session recording, 
• Survey & feedback,
• Screen sharing, 
• File sharing. 

MORE: TeamViewer review

17. TunnelBear

Best for: Computer security software. 

TunnelBear has emerged as a reliable and effective computer security software that ensures enhanced user data protection. 

This software protects the computing system and safeguards users against spyware worms, viruses, and other unwanted programs.

Key Features of TunnelBear 

• Anti-spam,
• Remote access,
• Database security audit,
• Vulnerability protection,
• DNS leak protection,
• Maintenance scheduling, 
• Antivirus.

MORE: TunnelBear review

18. RoboForm 

Best for: Password management.

RoboForm is a platform that ensures automated and secure password management for every staff present on every device. This software boosts productivity and security by directly pinpointing all essential aspects of the password cycle. 

This software handles  the security concerns, from password generation to reuse, storage, and sharing. The platform also alleviates all costs related to password resets. The software’s management console enables businesses to seamlessly onboard all staff, consign permissions, establish security guidelines, deploy credentials, and survey reports. 

MORE: RoboForm review

19. Dashlane 

Best for: Protection from identity theft.

Dashlane is a full-featured password management tool that protects you from identity theft and data theft. It is well-known for optimal password management. Also, it can seamlessly do documentation of 50 passwords at once. The most impressive thing about this software is dark web monitoring. 

Key Features of Dashlane 

• Role management, 
• Credential management, 
• Multi-factor authentication, 
• Single sign-on, 
• Password generator,
• Password synchronization. 

MORE: Dashlane review

20. SE Ranking

Best for: SEO site audits.

SE Ranking is a renowned cloud-based software explicitly designed for online marketing and SEO professionals to ensure a comprehensive toolset for site audits, website ranking, backlink monitoring, competitor analysis, keyword suggestion and grouping, automated professional reporting and more. 

Apart from being a standard SEO software, it offers a range of extra features like a marketing plan that elevates your business’s professional digital services to the next level. This is an all-in-one platform that comes with a user-friendly interface for all. 

Key Features of SE Ranking 

• Auditing, 
• Social media integration,
• Analytics,
• Web forms, 
• Marketing analytics,
• User management, 
• Dashboard.

MORE: SE Ranking review

21. Yoast 

Best for: Content optimisations. 

Yoast has become an excellent choice for businesses that want to enhance their content quality while optimizing it effectively. The SEO tools added to the software are flexible enough to fit into any ecosystem. It enables you to do a real-time assessment of the content while checking its grammatical errors and plagiarism. 

Key Features of Yoast 

• Campaign management, 
• SEO management,
• Keyword tracking, 
• Backlink management, 
• Dashboard,
• Analytics. 

MORE: Yoast review

Benefits of Small Business Tools

Small-business tools provide numerous advantages that can assist businesses. The following table lists out the pros and cons of small business tools. 

How is AI Changing Small Business Tools? 

With the explosion of new artificial Intelligence (AI) tools coming into the SaaS marketplace, it can be hard to keep up with all the new tools. To help you keep up-to-date we publish new tools daily to SaasGenius via our new AI tools page. 

Key Takeaways 

With this comprehensive guide, you have got a list of the top 21 small business software tools to help you succeed as an entrepreneur. Get the most out of this guide and test the tools to see which ones fit perfectly into your business model. 

To make sure you pick the right tool, understand its features, and know how much you’ll have to pay for premium facilities/features. So, leverage the power and benefits of free technological tools to grow and become a successful entrepreneur.