15 Finest Apps for Freelance Writers in 2023 (Free and Paid)

There’s an ever-growing variety of apps for freelance writers. Numerous article writing apps and different software program for freelance writers all declare to have the ability to aid you write extra, higher high quality, and in much less time.

Nevertheless, with so many apps and instruments out there, it may be arduous to know the place to begin. That’s why I’ve put collectively this checklist of the perfect freelance writing apps that can assist you determine which of them are literally value utilizing.

Freelance writing is among the finest jobs for digital nomads and anybody else who needs to work for themself and earn cash with a web based job. As a freelance author myself, I’m at all times searching for new methods to make my work simpler and more practical.

Used correctly, the next instruments may also help hold your work working easily and effectively and assist cease you from feeling overwhelmed.

Should you’re trying to develop into a contract author, take a look at my overview of the Knowadays Freelance Author course. I lately accomplished this course and supplied my trustworthy insights and suggestions right here on this overview.

Finest Apps For Freelance Writers

From apps for content material writing to plagiarism checkers, and file administration to communication instruments, this submit is all about 15 of the perfect apps and applications for freelance writers.

When compiling this checklist of instruments for freelance writers, I included lots of the applications that I frequently use myself. For the remaining, I picked a number of the hottest and highly-reviewed apps out there on-line. To assist these on a price range, I’ve additionally included a number of free freelance writing apps.

1. Grammarly

Grammarly is among the best-known, and most helpful, instruments to assist writers polish their work as much as a excessive normal. I exploit Grammarly on daily basis and assume it’s probably the greatest freelance writing apps on the market.

As a contract author, it’s very important that you may constantly ship writing that’s free from spelling errors and grammatical errors. Nevertheless it’s additionally necessary to make sure that your writing flows properly, is obvious, and has the precise tone.

Grammarly delivers this in an easy-to-use, set-and-forget format. It’s easy to put in and arrange and works as a plugin throughout a variety of platforms together with Chrome, Google Docs, Microsoft Workplace, Apple Notes, and extra.

Even higher, the usual model is free to make use of. You’ll be able to pay for the premium model ($144 per yr, $60 per quarter, or $30 monthly) which incorporates a lot of superior options, like superior tone and readability modifying. However in my view, the essential free model is completely sufficient.

Professionals of Grammarly

• Broad vary of checks together with spelling, punctuation, grammar, tone, phrase alternative, and readability.
• Actual-time, correct prompt corrections.
• Customizable settings (e.g. you may set it to British, American, or Australian English).
• Effectively-designed consumer interface.
• Appropriate with a broad vary of platforms and different apps, together with Chrome and most typical Home windows and Mac purposes.
• The fundamental model is free (and nice).

Cons of Grammarly

• Sometimes it may be a bit buggy with another purposes (e.g. the WordPress editor).
• Frequent prompts to improve your account (which, I suppose, is honest sufficient because it’s a freemium product).
• It will possibly’t study your voice, so generally makes options that don’t match with your individual private type.
• I’ve discovered that sometimes it makes a suggestion that isn’t correct, though this doesn’t occur too usually.

2. Scrivener

Scrivener is one other great tool designed to assist make freelance writers’ jobs simpler. The app acts as a phrase processor, a portfolio, and a scrapbook in your notes. It means that you can handle and arrange your whole supplies, analysis, and writing in a single easy-to-access place.

Scrivener has a lot of superior options which can be designed to assist create a seamless analysis, writing, and modifying course of. These instruments embody analysis playing cards, customizable templates and presets, the power to import and index information, and metatags.

Scrivener is especially helpful for managing long-form writing tasks. Whether or not you’re an aspiring novelist, a scriptwriter, a contract copywriter, or some other kind of freelance author, these options may also help enhance your workflow and hold all the pieces organized and straightforward to entry.

It really works throughout all main working methods together with macOS, iOS, and Home windows. Value-wise, Scrivener has a one-off payment of $59.99 for Mac or Home windows or $23.99 for iOS. There’s no free plan, though there’s a 30-day free trial so you may attempt it out before you purchase.

Professionals of Scrivener

• 30-day free trial with entry to all options.
• Customizable setup and interfaces for a personalised consumer expertise.
• A wide range of pre-set templates for numerous totally different genres of writing.
• Offline performance.
• Useful tutorials for mastering the platform.
• Comparatively reasonably priced, one-off payment.

Cons of Scrivener

• Requires separate licenses for every platform (so, if you wish to apply it to each Mac and Home windows, it is advisable buy two licenses).
• No free model.
• Big selection of options could be difficult for some individuals to develop into aware of.

3. Evernote

Evernote is actually a robust note-taking instrument that gives a easy but efficient means for jotting down concepts, conducting analysis, drafting articles, organizing your notes, and even creating to-do lists.

Many individuals (myself included) can discover the method of writing considerably chaotic and overwhelming at occasions. That is the place Evernote comes into its personal, making the inventive course of extra structured and manageable. This system has a variety of templates that can assist you kickstart your note-taking course of.

It’s a really versatile platform and means that you can incorporate hyperlinks, tables, attachments, photos, audio recordings, and even sketches into your notes. You’ll be able to even use it as a primary venture administration system and it’s appropriate with each Home windows and Mac.

Evernote has a free model with restricted options (together with a most observe measurement of 25 MB and a restrict of 60 MB uploads monthly). There’s additionally a Private plan (at present $10.83/month or $129.99/yr) or a Skilled plan $14.17/month or $169.99/yr) with a better vary of performance.

Professionals of Evernote

• Easy, intuitive interface.
• Glorious instrument for note-taking and retaining your notes organized.
• There’s a free plan.
• Doc scanner characteristic for digitizing handwritten notes or paperwork​.
• Highly effective search operate makes it fast and straightforward to navigate via intensive notes.

Cons of Evernote

• The free model has restricted performance.
• Paid plans are comparatively costly for what you get.
• Sometimes it may be a bit buggy when syncing throughout a number of units.

4. Google Docs

Everyone’s heard of Google Docs, proper? This unbelievable free instrument is tremendous helpful for freelance writers, particularly those that frequently work in collaboration with shoppers and others.

Google Docs is mainly like a free model of Microsoft Phrase, besides all the pieces is saved within the cloud and you may collaborate with a number of different customers concurrently. That is one other app that I exploit on a near-daily foundation and would suggest it to any freelance author.

With the ability to share a doc together with your consumer and see edits and feedback in real-time is extremely useful. It makes the method of communication and revision a lot faster and simpler in contrast with “conventional” back-and-forth by way of e mail.

As a result of all the pieces is cloud-based, your whole work is saved robotically and might be accessed from any gadget (Home windows or Apple) at any time. The model historical past characteristic additionally means that you can observe modifications over time, which might turn out to be useful when engaged on a number of revisions.

Professionals of Google Docs

• It’s free.
• Actual-time collaboration so a number of individuals can edit paperwork concurrently.
• Cloud-based, so all the pieces is saved robotically and might be accessed at any time (and from any gadget).
• It’s tremendous intuitive and user-friendly.
• A great deal of useful options and settings from easy to superior.
• Appropriate cross-platform, so you may edit the identical doc on an iPhone, an Android cellphone, a PC, and a Mac all on the similar time!

Cons of Google Docs

• Lacks some superior formatting and modifying options in contrast with Microsoft Phrase.
• You’ll be able to work offline, though real-time modifications are solely synced when you could have an web connection.

5. ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is a robust instrument for freelance writers, serving as each a writing editor and a private writing coach. There’s a (restricted) free model, or you may pay $30 monthly, $120 per yr, or $399 for lifetime entry to the premium model.

Much like Grammarly, ProWritingAid helps to boost the standard of your writing by figuring out and fixing any spelling errors and grammatical errors. It additionally checks for plagiarism in addition to any contextual errors in your writing.

Top-of-the-line options of ProWritingAid is its skill to revise imprecise or unclear writing, providing useful options to enhance the standard of the textual content.

It’s a flexible platform and is appropriate with Home windows and Mac via browser extensions (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and many others.) in addition to plugins for different apps resembling Microsoft Phrase, Scrivener, and Google Docs.

Professionals of ProWritingAid

• In-depth grammar, spelling, and elegance checks to enhance writing high quality.
• Plagiarism checker to make sure content material originality.
• Simple to make use of.
• Appropriate with many different writing instruments.
• Browser extensions for simple entry and value.
• Reasonably priced pricing (if you happen to pay yearly) plus a free model out there.
• There’s a lifetime plan, which is cost-effective in the long term.

Cons of ProWritingAid

• The free model has restricted performance.
• The premium model is comparatively costly if you happen to pay month-to-month.
• Sometimes suggests incorrect amendments.
• No cell app.

6. Dropbox

I’ve been utilizing Dropbox for so long as I can bear in mind, since properly earlier than I began working as a contract author. Nevertheless, it’s a very great tool for freelance writers who have to retailer, backup, share, and entry their work from anyplace, together with on the go.

Dropbox is seamless and tremendous simple to make use of. It’s basically a drag-and-drop system the place you choose the information and folders you need it to entry and the platform does the remaining for you.

There’s a free plan that gives as much as 2GB of storage. Should you want extra, you may pay $22/month (or $18/month if you happen to pay yearly) for as much as 3TB of knowledge.

I exploit Dropbox to again up my most necessary pictures, paperwork, and information. It’s additionally a good way to share bigger information (like high-res pictures) with others, particularly if these information are bigger than the restrict that you just’re capable of ship by e mail.

Professionals of Dropbox

• Actual-time syncing of information throughout numerous units.
• Simple solution to collaborate and share information/folders with others.
• Safe technique of backing up necessary work.
• There’s a free model with as much as 2GB of storage.
• Appropriate on all main working methods, together with iOS.

Cons of Dropbox

• The free plan affords solely 2GB of storage which could be inadequate for some.

7. Freedom

Freedom is a good app for freelance writers who wish to be free from distractions throughout their working hours. And in flip, being extra productive.

The app blocks out distracting web sites and apps in your units (Instagram, information web sites, and many others.) permitting you to work in a quiet, conducive digital setting.

You’ll be able to customise the web sites/apps that it blocks, and schedule “blocked” periods throughout which all distractions are stored at bay. It even has a “locked” mode for many who could be tempted to try to disable the blocker.

The app is appropriate with most main working methods (each cell and desktop) and prices $8.99/month if you happen to pay month-to-month, or $3.33/month if you happen to pay yearly.

Professionals of Freedom

• Effectively blocks distracting web sites and apps.
• Nice for many who battle with productiveness due to distractions.
• You’ll be able to pre-schedule “blocked” periods.
• “Locked” mode for stricter enforcement of the blocking guidelines.

Cons of Freedom

• It’s comparatively costly for what it’s (particularly if you happen to pay month-to-month).
• It could be too restrictive for some, particularly if you happen to wish to take common breaks and browse different issues on-line when working.
• Not vital for everyone.

8. Hemingway Editor

Hemingway Editor is one other fashionable instrument for freelance writers trying to improve the standard of their written output. In addition to containing a regular spelling and grammar checker, it additionally affords enhanced insights on readability, sentence complexity, and energetic vs. passive voice.

Hemingway Editor helps be certain that your writing is obvious, participating, and simply digestible. It makes options the place vital to assist enhance the readability and tone of your writing.

It is a notably great tool for many who discover themselves writing overly complicated sentences, or utilizing an excessive amount of passive voice, which might generally have a unfavorable influence on the readability of the message being conveyed.

The on-line model of Hemingway Editor is free, making this an awesome possibility for freelance writers on a good price range. The offline desktop model is on the market for a one-off payment of $19.99, making it probably the greatest low-cost freelance writing apps out there at this time.

Professionals of Hemingway Editor

• Effortly improves your writing type, making textual content clearer and extra participating.
• Assesses readability and sentence complexity.
• Nice for many who battle with readability and overuse of passive voice.
• The web model is free.
• The offline desktop model is reasonably priced ($19.99 for lifetime entry).
• Appropriate with each Home windows and Mac.

Cons of Hemingway Editor

• It might generally oversimplify complicated concepts or matters.
• Will not be appropriate for sure technical or complicated genres of writing (e.g. science, regulation, engineering, and many others.).
• Some individuals may discover the options unhelpful, particularly when you have a definite writing type.

9. Canva

Canva is a good instrument for freelance writers who additionally have to create visually interesting content material, resembling social media posts, displays, posters, commercials, official firm publications, and the like.

With an intuitive drag-and-drop editor and an enormous variety of customizable templates and design sorts, it makes the in any other case lengthy and (dare I say it) tedious means of graphic design tremendous simple, fast, and satisfying.

I exploit Canva pretty usually and notably like its wealthy library of pictures and graphics. I additionally love how simple it’s to format and customise your individual templates, permitting you to provide constant designs at scale.

You’ll be able to entry the essential model of Canva at no cost. Canva Professional affords a variety of extra superior options, templates, and pictures and prices $119.99 for an annual subscription, or $14.99 if paid month-to-month.

Professionals of Canva

• Big library of templates, pictures, and graphics.
• Fast and easy to create lovely visuals and professional-looking designs.
• Customizable templates for model consistency.
• Consumer-friendly drag-and-drop editor.
• Simple to make use of, even for these (like me) with none background in graphic design.
• Appropriate with Mac and Home windows.
• The free model is nice and has plenty of performance.

Cons of Canva

• You could pay for some superior options.
• The large variety of options and templates could be overwhelming for some.
• Not prone to be helpful for text-only freelance writers.

10. Yoast Search engine marketing

Should you’re a contract author who wants to jot down Search engine marketing-friendly content material (eg. web site copy, weblog posts, and many others.), Yoast Search engine marketing is among the finest and most helpful instruments round.

Yoast analyzes your writing and gives actionable insights and proposals on the best way to optimize your content material to make sure that it complies with Search engine marketing finest practices. It has a beginner-friendly interface, making it an awesome instrument even for these unfamiliar with Search engine marketing.

Yoast Search engine marketing is a plugin for WordPress, which is a standard platform for managing on-line content material on web sites. The fundamental model is free and there’s additionally a paid Premium model that prices $99 per yr.

I exploit the free model on a regular basis and would extremely suggest it to any freelance author producing on-line content material.

Professionals of Yoast Search engine marketing

• Simple to make use of and intuitive interface.
• Gives sensible insights and proposals for on-page Search engine marketing optimizations.
• Focus key phrase characteristic helps you optimize content material round particular key phrases.
• Common updates and good buyer assist.
• The free model is nice.

Cons of Yoast Search engine marketing

• Suggestions is usually a bit overly prescriptive and mechanical.
• Solely helpful for freelance writers who want to jot down Search engine marketing-optimized content material for on-line publication.

11. Copyscape

Copyscape is among the finest applications for plagiarism detection and is a good instrument for any freelance author to make sure that the content material you produce is authentic and free from any type of plagiarism.

It’s a web based platform the place you enter the writing you wish to examine and it shortly scans the content material and allows you to understand how a lot (if any) of this materials seems anyplace else on-line.

Copyscape is reasonable and easy to make use of. You’ll be able to both copy and paste content material into the instrument or just add complete PDFs or Phrase paperwork and the software program scans it for you robotically.

Copyscape is accessible by way of an online browser so isn’t depending on any working system. Pricing relies on the variety of phrases checked, beginning at 3 cents for the primary 200 phrases and 1 cent for every extra 100 phrases.

Professionals of Copyscape

• It’s pretty low-cost so long as you don’t have to examine very massive volumes of content material.
• Helps checking whole paperwork in PDF and Phrase format.
• There’s a WordPress plugin for these writing on-line content material.

Cons of Copyscape

• The free model of Copyscape solely means that you can examine for plagiarised variations of your content material already on-line.
• To examine whether or not your content material incorporates plagiarism itself, it is advisable pay.
• The associated fee can shortly add up for bigger paperwork/tasks.
• It’s web-based so that you want web entry to make use of it.

12. Otter

Otter is an app that gives professional-quality speech-to-text dictation. It’s an awesome instrument for freelance writers preferring dictating their concepts somewhat than writing them down and works in seconds to transcribe your spoken phrases into textual content.

There are many totally different speech recognition software program on the market all providing comparable issues. I’ve personally used Otter and it’s some of the correct instruments I’m conscious of, a lot better than the speech-to-text operate constructed into my iPhone or MacBook.

Otter is on the market as an app for smartphones (iOS and Android), so it may be used anyplace, together with on-the-go. My accomplice is a journalist and she or he additionally makes use of Otter to create transcripts of interviews and different conferences. It’s fairly versatile.

There’s a free model that offers you entry to primary options, in addition to a Professional model that prices $10/month (billed yearly). Otter Professional means that you can transcribe longer conversations, add colleagues to your workspace, import and transcribe audio and/or video information, and extra.

Professionals of Otter

• Very correct voice recognition.
• You’ll be able to add customized phrases like technical phrases, firm jargon, slang, and many others.
• Integrates with different apps together with calendars, Slack, Groups, and many others.
• Consumer-friendly interface that’s simple to make use of.

Cons of Otter

• You must pay to entry premium options (like transcribing audio and video information).
• The associated fee could be a deterrent for some.
• It does sometimes errors (though, in equity, that’s true of all transcription software program, and Otter is unquestionably probably the greatest choices).

13. Slack

Slack is a well-liked instrument amongst freelance writers and different groups to remain in contact with their colleagues and shoppers.

Freelance writers can use it to speak with their shoppers, share paperwork (briefs, drafts, feedback, and many others.), and focus on and collaborate in actual time. You should utilize it to make calls, host video conferences, and for one-on-one or group instantaneous message chats.

Slack is on the market as each an app (smartphone and desktop) in addition to by way of an online browser. It integrates with a lot of different apps and instruments (together with Google Suite) which additional enhances its performance.

I exploit the free model of Slack fairly frequently. There’s additionally a paid model that begins at $7.25 per consumer monthly (billed yearly) and has much more superior options.

Professionals of Slack

• Seamless communication with shoppers and colleagues.
• The free plan has lots of helpful options.
• The paid model is pretty reasonably priced.
• Integrates with a lot of different apps and instruments.
• A number of built-in communication choices cater to varied communication wants.
• Simple-to-use and extremely customizable interface.

Cons of Slack

• Many individuals may not just like the “at all times out there” nature of instantaneous messaging.
• I personally discover it may be difficult to maintain observe of ongoing conversations and the message historical past can get buried.
• The net browser model is usually fairly sluggish to load.

14. Notion

I’ve lately began utilizing Notion and it’s been a sport changer for me. Notion markets itself as a unified workspace that means that you can hold your whole notes, tasks, duties, and to-do lists in a single place.

Fairly than having a number of tabs open on the high of your browser for every of your ongoing duties, you may file these all effectively inside Notion in an easy-to-access format.

It’s a good way to prepare your ideas, handle your schedules and deadlines, and hold all the pieces working easily. For me, as a freelancer and small enterprise proprietor, it permits me to juggle a number of tasks concurrently with out feeling overwhelmed.

The fundamental model is free and comes with an awesome vary of options. There’s additionally a paid model, though I don’t actually assume it’s vital given how good the free model is. Notion additionally has apps for desktop and smartphones, though personally, I want the web-based model.

Professionals of Notion

• A good way to prepare your notes, duties, deadlines, and to-do lists.
• It’s an all-in-one workspace.
• Extremely versatile with a variety of helpful options.
• The free model is nice.
• Accessible in web-based format in addition to via apps (for smartphone, desktop, Mac, Home windows, and many others.).
• Cross-platform performance.

Cons of Notion

• There’s a little bit of a studying curve while you first begin.
• Not everybody may discover it helpful, it depends upon the way you wish to work (however I’d nonetheless suggest attempting it – I find it irresistible!).

15. Pocket

If, like me, you at all times have an intensive “to learn” or “to look at” checklist, you’ll love Pocket. This nice little app means that you can save articles, web sites, documentaries, movies, and extra multi function place, permitting you to entry them later.

For freelance writers, it is a nice solution to retailer analysis and different supplies collectively, to assist hold all the pieces organized and straightforward to handle. You’ll be able to file issues away into folders, permitting you to refer again to them shortly every time it is advisable, together with while you’re offline.

It’s additionally nice for private suggestions, no matter you’re fascinated with. At any time when anyone says, “You will need to learn X” or “Watch Y, it’s nice”, I save the suggestions in Pocket after which learn/watch them later every time I’ve time (e.g. on a protracted flight or practice journey).

The fundamental model of Pocket (which I exploit) is free. There’s additionally a Premium model that incorporates extra options (like a everlasting library, superior looking out, note-taking, annotating and highlighting supplies, and many others.) and prices $5 monthly or $45 per yr.

Professionals of Pocket

• The fundamental model is free (and nice).
• It’s a very environment friendly solution to retailer and arrange content material that you just wish to learn later.
• The app additionally recommends extra content material so that you can learn based mostly in your private pursuits.
• Offline entry to saved content material (written solely, not video).
• Premium model affords extra options together with superior looking out, limitless highlighting, and a everlasting library.

Cons of Pocket

• You’ll be able to’t save movies for offline playback.
• You must pay for Premium options (though it’s nonetheless comparatively reasonably priced).

Should-Have Freelance Writing Instruments: FAQs

Conclusion

I extremely suggest profiting from these apps for freelance writers to assist maximize your productiveness, handle deadlines, and optimize the standard of your writing.

I exploit many of those instruments each day. They’re all nice and assist me enormously, I hope you discover them helpful too. Should you’re contemplating changing into a contract author, take a look at the course with Knowadays. I lately accomplished this course and extremely suggest it. Use this hyperlink and promo code GOATS25 for 25% off.