Useful online tools

Last updated: 4th October, 2023

0. Considerations for reading this page

Prices can change over time, and the specific price might depend on the region, specific plan, and promotional offers.

Some tools have multiple subscription tiers, so the costs I provide may not encompass all options. I'll generally give a range or starting price.

The pros and cons are based on general feedback and personal opinions. What might be a pro for one user might be a con for another, and vice versa.

1. Project management & productivity

Asana: Organize, track, and manage team tasks and projects.

• Pros: User-friendly, integrates with other tools, good mobile app.
• Cons: Advanced features require a paid plan, can have a learning curve for complex setups.
• Cost: Free basic plan. Premium plans start at $10.99/user/month.

Notion: Note-taking, project management, and knowledge base.

• Pros: Flexible, can integrate multiple work tools into one, active community for templates.
• Cons: Might be overwhelming for new users.
• Cost: Free for personal use. Team plans start at $8/user/month.

Toggl: Time tracking for tasks, enhancing transparency.

• Pros: Simple, integrates with other tools, great reports.
• Cons: Features like project profitability are in higher tiers only.
• Cost: Free basic version. Starter plan at $9/user/month.

RescueTime: Monitor time spent on apps and sites.

• Pros: Automatic tracking, detailed reports, productivity score.
• Cons: Can be invasive since it monitors all computer activities.
• Cost: Free version available. Premium at $12/month.

2. Communication

Slack: Team chat with channels and direct messaging.

• Pros: Integrates with many other tools, highly customizable.
• Cons: Can be distracting with many channels, file storage limits.
• Cost: Free basic version. Paid plans start at $6.67/user/month.

Zoom: Video conferencing for meetings and webinars.

• Pros: Reliable, HD video quality, virtual backgrounds.
• Cons: Security concerns in the past, 40-minute limit on free plan meetings.
• Cost: Free basic plan. Pro plan at $14.99/host/month.

Googlemeet: Another video conferencing app that is integrated with google accounts.

• Pros: Integrated with Google tools, no software installation needed.
• Cons: Fewer features than some competitors.
• Cost: Free for 60-minute meetings. Extended features with Google Workspace subscription starting at $6/user/month. There are free plans for non-profits if you are a registered charity.

Discord: Chat platform for community building.

• Pros: Free voice channels, community-building features.
• Cons: Originally for gamers, so might have a learning curve for professionals.
• Cost: Free. Nitro subscription for enhanced features at $9.99/month.

WhatsApp group / Signal : Secure mobile messaging.

• Pros: End-to-end encryption, widely adopted (WhatsApp).
• Cons: WhatsApp is owned by Facebook (privacy concerns for some).
• Cost: Both are free.

3. Collaboration & document sharing

Google workspace: Suite of tools like Docs, Sheets, and Drive.

• Pros: Integrated suite, real-time collaboration, reliable.
• Cons: Concerns about Google's data privacy.
• Cost: Plans start at $6/user/month.

Dropbox: Cloud storage for document sharing and backup.

• Pros: Reliable, integrates with many apps, easy sharing.
• Cons: Limited free storage.
• Cost: Free basic version. Plus plan at $9.99/month.

Evernote: Note-taking and collaboration on ideas and plans.

• Pros: Feature-rich, OCR on images, multi-platform.
• Cons: Free version limitations, past issues with redesigns.
• Cost: Free basic version. Premium at $7.99/month.

Padlet : Digital bulletin board for idea sharing.

• Pros: User-friendly, multimedia posts, templates.
• Cons: Limited free boards.
• Cost: Free for basic. Pro at $12/month.

Airtable: Blend of spreadsheet and database for organization and collaboration.

• Pros: Flexible, blends spreadsheet & database, rich field types.
• Cons: Can become slow with very large bases.
• Cost: Free basic plan. Plus at $10/user/month.

4. Calendar & scheduling

Google Calendar: Scheduling and event tracking.

• Pros: Integrated with Google services, free, widely adopted.
• Cons: Limited advanced scheduling features.
• Cost: Free.

Calendly: Streamlined meeting scheduling.

• Pros: Time zone detection, integrates with many calendars.
• Cons: Free version limits event types.
• Cost: Free basic. Premium at $8/user/month.

Outlook calendar: Integrated scheduling tool.

• Pros: Integrated with MS services, feature-rich.
• Cons: Best within MS ecosystem.
• Cost: Part of Microsoft 365 subscription starting at $7/user/month.

LettuceMeet: Simple and fast group scheduling.

• Pros: No-signup required, easy-to-use.
• Cons: Fewer features compared to competitors.
• Cost: Free.

When2meet: Visual tool for group availability.

• Pros: Simple, no account required.
• Cons: Basic interface, limited
• Cost: Free.

5. Engagement & outreach

Mailchimp: Email marketing and newsletter management.

• Pros: User-friendly, good templates, integrations.
• Cons: Can become expensive as the list grows, steep learning curve for advanced features.
• Cost: Free up to 2,000 contacts. Paid plans starting at $9.99/month.

Buffer: Social media management and analytics.

• Pros: Multi-platform posting, analytics, simple UI.
• Cons: Limited number of social accounts on free version.
• Cost: Free for basic use. Pro plan at $15/month.

Later : Schedule and manage Instagram posts.

• Pros: Visual content planning, best for Instagram.
• Cons: Instagram-specific features might not be as useful for other platforms.
• Cost: Free for basic use. Paid plans start at $12.50/month.

SurveyMonkey / Google Forms : Create and distribute surveys and keep it organized.

• Pros: User-friendly, integration options (SurveyMonkey), completely free (Google Forms).
• Cons: Limited questions and responses for free version (SurveyMonkey).
• Cost: Google Forms is free. SurveyMonkey starts free, with paid plans beginning at $25/month.

6. Link management & analytics

Bitly : URL shortening with click analytics.

• Pros: Reliable, trackable links, custom domains.
• Cons: Limited branded links in the free version.
• Cost: Free for basic use. Custom plans for businesses.

QR Code Generator: Generate QR codes for free / QR Monkey: Customizable QR codes.

• Pros: Simple, customizable designs, trackable stats (QR Monkey).
• Cons: Limited features in the free version.
• Cost: Both offer free basic versions. QR Monkey's premium starts at $7/month.

7. Financial management

Paypal / Wise : Handle donations, transfers and currency conversion.

• Pros: Widely accepted, currency conversion (Wise), secure.
• Cons: Fees can add up, especially for international transactions.
• Cost: Variable fees per transaction.

Invoice Generator : Free invoice generator.

• Pros: Simple, no account required.
• Cons: Limited customization.
• Cost: Typically free.

8. Website management

Wordpress : Content management for websites.

• Pros: Highly customizable, large plugin ecosystem, good for SEO.
• Cons: Can be complex, may require maintenance.
• Cost: Open-source (self-hosted) is free. WordPress.com plans start at $4/month.

Wix / Squarespace : Platforms for web design and maintenance.

• Pros: Drag and drop design, no coding required.
• Cons: Less flexible than WordPress, costs can add up with add-ons.
• Cost: Wix starts free with ads. Premium starts at $14/month. Squarespace starts at $12/month.

10. Data analysis

Google Analytics for Beginners : Analyze website traffic.

• Pros: Comprehensive data, integrates with other Google services.
• Cons: Steep learning curve.
• Cost: Free.

Tableau: Data visualization.

• Pros: Powerful data visualization, integration options.
• Cons: Can be expensive, requires training.
• Cost: Pricing varies based on business needs.

Microsoft Power BI:  interactive data visualization software

• Pros: Integrated with MS tools, powerful data visualization.
• Cons: Learning curve for advanced features.
• Cost: Desktop version is free. Pro is $9.99/user/month.

11. AI tools

Chatbots (ChatGPT, Claude, HuggingChat)

• Pros: Natural language processing, enhances customer service.
• Cons: Not always perfect, can sometimes misunderstand and have incorrect information.
• Cost: Varies, many have free versions or tiers.

Grammar checkers and rewording tools (Grammarly, Wordtune)

• Pros: Can check grammar errors and improve writing.
• Cons: Can sometimes not understand stylistic choices in writing.
• Cost: Base version is free. Premium version range in costs.

Scheduling (Reclaim, Clockwise Motion, otter.ai)

• Pros: Streamlined scheduling and calendar integration.
• Cons: Might have a learning curve, especially for newcomers
• Cost: Varies. Many offer free versions with premium features available at an additional cost.

Email inbox management (SaneBox, EmailTree)

• Pros: Efficient email sorting and management + automation of replies.
• Cons: Possibility of misclassification or overlooking important emails.
• Cost: Varies. Some start with a free trial or basic version, with advanced features available at premium costs.

Content creation (Jasper.ai, Copy.ai, Anyword )

• Pros: Speeds up content generation, AI-enhanced creativity.
• Cons: Still requires human oversight.
• Cost: Plans usually start free with limited usage. Paid tiers vary.

Video creation (Descript ,Wondershare , Runway)

• Pros: Streamline video editing, AI-enhanced features.
• Cons: May lack advanced features of professional software.
• Cost: Varies, starting free or with trial versions.

Image generation (DALL·E 2, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion)

• Pros: Unique AI-generated imagery, quick content.
• Cons: Potential for misuse, limited to AI's creativity.
• Cost: Varies.

Transcription and meeting assistants (Fireflies, Maestra.ai, Krisp)

• Pros: Automates transcription, improves meeting productivity.
• Cons: AI transcriptions might not always be 100% accurate.
• Cost: Varies, many offer free versions with limitations.

Slide decks and presentations (Decktopus, Beautiful.ai, Slidesgo)

• Pros: Quick slide creation, professional designs.
• Cons: Might lack customization of tools like PowerPoint.
• Cost: Some free options or templates. Premium features have costs.

Research (genei, Aomni, elicit)

• Pros: AI-enhanced research, faster content understanding.
• Cons: Still requires user discernment.
• Cost: Varies based on tool and features.

Automation (Zapier)

• Pros: Connects various apps, streamlines workflows.
• Cons: Complex automations might require troubleshooting.
• Cost: Free for basic use. Starting at $19.99/month for premium.