Freelancing has its rewards, but it can also be incredibly challenging.

Thankfully, online tools can make freelance life a bit easier.

Delayed Payments:invoicely

Delayed payments put freelancers in an awkward situation.

Smiling brown haired woman on a couch with a laptop on her lap and looking at her phone

It’s difficult to constantly remind someone to pay up.

To spare yourself an uncomfortable situation, use an invoice app that sends automated reminders.

invoicely is one of thebest free invoice apps for freelancers and small business owners.

Invoicely Sample Invoice

The site lets you send five invoices to three clients per month.

you could also add your logo and set default or custom emails.

The free version allows you to send five invoices to three saved clients per month.

EasyLegalDocs home page

Simply upgrade your plan once you gain more clients.

Download:invoicely forAndroid|iOS(Free, in-app purchases available)

2.

Freelancers need to guard themselves against scope creep, which leads to additional workload without payment.

Ryter AI stats page

Scope creep is one of thereasons why freelancers should create contracts for work.

Contracts accurately outline job responsibilities, task descriptions, and deliverables.

If your client changes their mind mid-project, it’s possible for you to remind them about your contract.

Weebly website

Creating a contract is difficult, especially if you’re doing it for the first time.

EasyLegalDocs helps you create a customized consultancy agreement quickly.

To download your legal document:

3.

ClickUp List View

Writer’s Block:Rytr AI

Writer’s block hits even the best of us.

You may feel under the weather and can’t muster the creative juices to say something clever.

Or it may seem like everything about an assigned topic has already been said.

Let’s Meditate app all meditations page

If you could relate, it’s time to try an AI writer like Rytr AI.

Rytr AI is a free tool that helps you generate ideas and content quickly.

The free plan writes 10,000 characters for you each month.

Let’s Meditate app new meditations page

If you’re using an AI writer, remember to edit and fact-check before submitting anything!

Unappealing Website:Weebly

Freelancers are often more likely to find work if they have a website.

A website displays tangible proof of the experiences you listed on your resume.

Let’s Meditate app settings page

Aside from this, a website is accessible.

Clients can quickly look at your website portfolio by clicking on a link.

Weebly is a free site that allows you to create professional-looking websites.

Coursera app explore courses

The platform lets you choose from different themes depending on your niche.

If you want your website to come up in Google searches, use Weebly’s SEO options.

Download:Weebly forAndroid|iOS(Free, in-app purchases available)

5.

Coursera app user’s progress

If you want to write a simple reminder, try Google Keep.

However, if you need more robust features, use ClickUp.

ClickUp is a highly customizable project management tool that helps you keep track of individual and team projects.

Coursera app downloads page

Download:ClickUp forAndroid|iOS(Free, in-app purchases available)

6.

Burnout: Let’s Meditate

Burnout is a common problem for freelancers.

You might also feel isolated and lonely if you’re not disciplined about your time.

Calmly Writer showing Grammarly Chrome extension

To prevent burnout, add self-care to your schedule.

The Let’s Meditate app lets you download and play guided meditations.

you might start your day with a quick morning meditation.

Focus To-Do 25-minute timer countdown

The best part is that everything is free, with no distracting ads!

Download:Let’s Meditate forAndroid(Free)

7.

Lacking Job Skills:Coursera

Do you struggle with self-doubt?

Hectic Freelancer OS project page

Have you ever felt like you’re not skilled enough?

One of the best ways to combat imposter syndrome or self-doubt is to define your fears and improve yourself.

Once you’ve identified the skill you don’t feel confident about, take action and start learning.

Online learning platforms like Coursera offer an accessible avenue to learn about anything.

If you want to know the secret to happiness, Coursera has a class for that.

If you wish to learn Cybersecurity, there’s a course for that as well.

you’re free to solve your lack of job skills once you take the step to learn.

Download:Coursera forAndroid|iOS(Free, in-app purchases available)

8.

If you’re writing or ideating, distractions make it especially difficult to return to your train of thought.

Calmly Writer helps minimize distractions while working.

It’s a straightforward online tool that integrates with Chrome extensions such as Grammarly, an online grammar checker.

Just remember to clickToggle Full Screento remove multiple tabs from your sight.

Once you’re done, remember to save, download, or print your work.

Procrastination:Focus To-Do

One of the hardest things to beat as a freelancer is procrastination.

The temptation to binge and convince yourself that you’ll work tomorrow is real.

If this sounds like you, try Focus To-Do.

Based on the Pomodoro technique, the app sets 25 minutes for focused work.

After the 25 minutes are up, Focus To-Do gives you a quick five-minute break.

When the timer ends, you’ll feel accomplished for being productive.

Download:Focus To-Do forAndroid|iOS(Free, in-app purchases available)

10.

Too Many Online Tools:Hectic

Do you already feel overwhelmed by too many freelancing apps and sites?

If you’re free to choose one to start with, try Hectic.

The site makes it easy to manage your business tasks, from client communication to project management.

If you’re always on the go, you’re free to also download Hectic’s mobile app.

You’ll likely encounter more issues and explore more tools as you go on your freelance journey.

If you feel overwhelmed, remember that there’s always help available.

While apps may not solve everything, they’ll make your load lighter.