Whether you’re a freelance designer, developer, writer or consultant, running a successful freelance business means wearing many hats. Beyond your core work, you’ll also need to manage admin, marketing, accounting, and more.

Thankfully, the right digital tools can make your life easier, your business more efficient, and your clients happier. In this guide, we highlight the top tools for freelancers in the UK covering everything from time tracking to tax returns.

Invoicing and Tax Management Tools

Category: Invoicing and Tax Management – Visit FreeAgent

When it comes to handling invoicing, taxes, and staying on the right side of HMRC, the right tools can make all the difference. A standout option is FreeAgent, a cloud-based accounting platform designed specifically for freelancers, contractors, and small businesses. It’s HMRC-recognised for Making Tax Digital (MTD), so it’s ideal if you’re looking for a tool that handles:

• VAT submissions
• Custom invoice creation and automatic reminders
• Expense tracking and digital receipt storage
• Bank feed syncing and reconciliation
• Real-time Self Assessment tax estimates

Bonus: some UK banks including NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Mettle  offer FreeAgent for free with their business accounts.

Other Notable Tools in This Space:

• Xero: Ideal for growing small businesses, Xero offers robust invoicing, inventory, payroll, and MTD-ready tax features — plus loads of integrations.
• QuickBooks: A well-known platform with strong invoicing, mileage tracking, and tax tools for sole traders and small businesses alike.
• Zoho Books: Budget-friendly and scalable, this tool is great for businesses needing multi-user access, recurring invoicing, and project billing.

Whether you’re a sole trader keeping it lean or a small team looking to streamline, these platforms can simplify your financial admin and help you stay tax-compliant without the spreadsheets.

Time Tracking Tools

Category: Time Tracking (Free Alternative) – Visit Clockify

Tracking your time accurately isn’t just for agencies it’s a must for freelancers, consultants, and anyone juggling multiple projects. Whether you’re billing by the hour or just trying to understand where your time goes, a solid time tracking tool can help you stay productive and profitable.

One of the best free options out there is Clockify. It’s a no-frills, cloud-based platform that supports:

• Unlimited clients and projects
• Manual entry or live timer-based tracking
• Visual reports by day, week, or month
• Integrations with tools like Trello, Asana, and Jira

Perfect for freelancers or small teams who want visibility over billable vs. non-billable hours without paying a premium.

Other Great Options:

• Toggl Track: A user-friendly favourite for individuals and teams. It has slick reporting, cross-platform apps, and integrations galore though the free tier has limits. Visit Toggl
• Harvest: Ideal for those who also need lightweight invoicing and team management features. Great for client work and time-based project billing.
• RescueTime: Less about billing, more about productivity. RescueTime tracks how you actually spend your time on devices and helps cut distractions.

Whether you’re chasing productivity or getting serious about accurate billing, these tools help you take control of your time and your income.

Design and Marketing Tools

Category: Design and Marketing – Visit Canva

Strong visuals make a big difference whether you’re pitching to clients, building your brand, or standing out on social. That’s where tools like Canva come in. It’s a go-to graphic design platform for freelancers and small businesses who want polished, professional results without hiring a designer.

With Canva, you can easily create:

• Scroll-stopping social media graphics
• Branded client proposals and pitch decks
• Flyers, business cards, and marketing materials
• Custom invoices, letterheads, and downloadable PDFs

The free version is seriously capable, offering thousands of templates and drag-and-drop tools. Upgrade to Canva Pro to unlock premium templates, team collaboration, content scheduling, and full brand kits perfect if you’re running multiple projects or clients.

Other Tools Worth Exploring:

• Adobe Express: A simplified version of Adobe’s creative suite great for quick graphics, animations, and social media content.
• Visme: Fantastic for infographics, reports, and slide decks with a strong data-visual focus.
• Crello (now VistaCreate): A Canva-like tool with plenty of ready-made templates and animation features, useful for video posts and ads.

Whether you’re designing for yourself or clients, these platforms help you look like a pro  even if you’re not one (yet).

Organisation and Project Management Tools

Category: Organisation and Project Management – Visit Notion

When you’re wearing all the hats marketer, account manager, admin keeping your freelance life organised is half the battle. That’s where tools like Notion shine. It’s a flexible, all-in-one digital workspace that helps you manage your business your way.

Freelancers love Notion for its ability to:

• Plan and visualise content calendars
• Track project progress and deadlines
• Organise client communications and meeting notes
• Build a personal knowledge base or SOP library

Notion is incredibly customisable, making it a great fit whether you’re managing solo projects or collaborating with clients on a retainer.

Other Organisation Powerhouses:

• Trello: A visual, card-based project manager perfect for tracking to-dos and workflows at a glance.
• ClickUp: All-in-one productivity for those who like structure manage docs, tasks, and timelines in one dashboard.
• Airtable: Like spreadsheets but smarter ideal for building lightweight CRMs, content planners, and databases.

Whether you’re a visual thinker, list lover, or spreadsheet fan, there’s a tool to match your style and keep chaos in check.