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 enable you to write extra, higher high quality, and in much less time.

Nevertheless, with so many apps and instruments accessible, it may be arduous to know the place to start out. That’s why I’ve put collectively this record of the perfect freelance writing apps that will help you determine which of them are literally price utilizing.

Freelance writing is without doubt one of the best jobs for digital nomads and anybody else who desires to work for themself and make money with an online job. As a freelance writer myself, I’m at all times on the lookout for new methods to make my work simpler and simpler.

Used correctly, the next instruments can assist maintain your work working easily and effectively and assist cease you from feeling overwhelmed.

When you’re trying to turn out to be a contract author, take a look at my assessment of the Knowadays Freelance Writer course. I not too long ago accomplished this course and supplied my trustworthy insights and ideas right here in this review.

Finest Apps For Freelance Writers

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

When compiling this record of instruments for freelance writers, I included most of the applications that I repeatedly use myself. For the remaining, I picked a few of the hottest and highly-reviewed apps accessible on-line. To assist these on a finances, I’ve additionally included a number of free freelance writing apps.

1. Grammarly

Grammarly is without doubt one of the best-known, and most helpful, instruments to assist writers polish their work as much as a excessive normal. I take advantage of Grammarly day-after-day and assume it’s among the best freelance writing apps on the market.

As a contract author, it’s important that you would be able to constantly ship writing that’s free from spelling errors and grammatical errors. Nevertheless it’s additionally vital to make sure that your writing flows properly, is evident, 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 version ($144 per 12 months, $60 per quarter, or $30 per 30 days) which comprises quite a lot of superior options, like superior tone and readability modifying. However in my view, the essential free model is completely enough.

Execs of Grammarly

• Broad vary of checks together with spelling, punctuation, grammar, tone, phrase selection, and readability.
• Actual-time, correct instructed corrections.
• Customizable settings (e.g. you may set it to British, American, or Australian English).
• Effectively-designed person 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

• Often it may be a bit buggy with another purposes (e.g. the WordPress editor).
• Frequent prompts to improve your account (which, I assume, is truthful sufficient because it’s a freemium product).
• It may well’t be taught your voice, so generally makes solutions that don’t match with your personal private type.
• I’ve discovered that often it makes a suggestion that isn’t correct, though this doesn’t occur too typically.

2. Scrivener

Scrivener is one other useful gizmo designed to assist make freelance writers’ jobs simpler. The app acts as a phrase processor, a portfolio, and a scrapbook to your notes. It lets you handle and set up all your supplies, analysis, and writing in a single easy-to-access place.

Scrivener has quite a lot of superior options which are designed to assist create a seamless analysis, writing, and modifying course of. These instruments embody analysis playing cards, customizable templates and presets, the flexibility 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 another sort of freelance author, these options can assist enhance your workflow and maintain the whole lot organized and straightforward to entry.

It really works throughout all main working methods together with macOS, iOS, and Home windows. Price-wise, Scrivener has a one-off charge 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 strive it out before you purchase.

Execs of Scrivener

• 30-day free trial with entry to all options.
• Customizable setup and interfaces for a customized person expertise.
• Quite a lot of pre-set templates for numerous completely different genres of writing.
• Offline performance.
• Useful tutorials for mastering the platform.
• Comparatively inexpensive, one-off charge.

Cons of Scrivener

• Requires separate licenses for every platform (so, if you wish to apply it to each Mac and Home windows, you want to buy two licenses).
• No free model.
• Wide selection of options is perhaps difficult for some folks to turn out to be conversant in.

3. Evernote

Evernote is actually a robust note-taking device that provides 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 will help you kickstart your note-taking course of.

It’s a really versatile platform and lets you incorporate hyperlinks, tables, attachments, pictures, audio recordings, and even sketches into your notes. You’ll be able to even use it as a fundamental undertaking administration system and it’s appropriate with each Home windows and Mac.

Evernote has a free model with restricted options (together with a most notice measurement of 25 MB and a restrict of 60 MB uploads per 30 days). There’s additionally a Personal plan (at the moment $10.83/month or $129.99/12 months) or a Professional plan $14.17/month or $169.99/12 months) with a larger vary of performance.

Execs of Evernote

• Easy, intuitive interface.
• Glorious device for note-taking and conserving your notes organized.
• There’s a free plan.
• Doc scanner characteristic for digitizing handwritten notes or paperwork​.
• Highly effective search perform makes it fast and straightforward to navigate by means of intensive notes.

Cons of Evernote

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

4. Google Docs

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

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

Having the ability to share a doc together with your shopper 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 electronic mail.

As a result of the whole lot is cloud-based, all your work is saved mechanically and will be accessed from any machine (Home windows or Apple) at any time. The model historical past characteristic additionally lets you observe modifications over time, which may come in useful when engaged on a number of revisions.

Execs of Google Docs

• It’s free.
• Actual-time collaboration so a number of folks can edit paperwork concurrently.
• Cloud-based, so the whole lot is saved mechanically and will be accessed at any time (and from any machine).
• 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’ve gotten an web connection.

5. ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is a robust device 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 per 30 days, $120 per 12 months, or $399 for lifetime entry to the premium model.

Just like Grammarly, ProWritingAid helps to reinforce 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.

Among the best options of ProWritingAid is its capability to revise imprecise or unclear writing, providing useful solutions to enhance the standard of the textual content.

It’s a flexible platform and is appropriate with Home windows and Mac by means of browser extensions (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and so on.) in addition to plugins for different apps corresponding to Microsoft Phrase, Scrivener, and Google Docs.

Execs of ProWritingAid

• In-depth grammar, spelling, and magnificence 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 usefulness.
• Inexpensive pricing (if you happen to pay yearly) plus a free model accessible.
• 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.
• Often suggests incorrect amendments.
• No cellular app.

6. Dropbox

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

Dropbox is seamless and tremendous straightforward to make use of. It’s primarily 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. If you need more, you may pay $22/month (or $18/month if you happen to pay yearly) for as much as 3TB of knowledge.

I take advantage of Dropbox to again up my most vital 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 electronic mail.

Execs of Dropbox

• Actual-time syncing of information throughout numerous gadgets.
• Simple strategy to collaborate and share information/folders with others.
• Safe technique of backing up vital 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 is perhaps inadequate for some.

7. Freedom

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

The app blocks out distracting web sites and apps in your gadgets (Instagram, information web sites, and so on.) permitting you to work in a quiet, conducive digital surroundings.

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

The app is appropriate with most main working methods (each cellular 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.

Execs of Freedom

• Effectively blocks distracting web sites and apps.
• Nice for individuals who battle with productiveness due to distractions.
• You’ll be able to pre-schedule “blocked” classes.
• “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 is perhaps too restrictive for some, particularly if you happen to wish to take common breaks and browse different issues on-line when working.
• Not needed for everyone.

8. Hemingway Editor

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

Hemingway Editor helps be sure that your writing is evident, partaking, and simply digestible. It makes solutions the place needed to assist enhance the readability and tone of your writing.

It is a significantly useful gizmo for individuals who discover themselves writing overly advanced sentences, or utilizing an excessive amount of passive voice, which may generally have a damaging influence on the readability of the message being conveyed.

The online version of Hemingway Editor is free, making this an excellent choice for freelance writers on a decent finances. The offline desktop version is offered for a one-off charge of $19.99, making it among the best low-cost freelance writing apps accessible immediately.

Execs of Hemingway Editor

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

Cons of Hemingway Editor

• It might generally oversimplify advanced concepts or subjects.
• Will not be appropriate for sure technical or advanced genres of writing (e.g. science, regulation, engineering, and so on.).
• Some folks would possibly discover the solutions unhelpful, particularly you probably have a definite writing type.

9. Canva

Canva is a good device for freelance writers who additionally have to create visually interesting content material, corresponding to 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 varieties, it makes the in any other case lengthy and (dare I say it) tedious means of graphic design tremendous straightforward, fast, and satisfying.

I take advantage of Canva pretty typically and significantly like its wealthy library of pictures and graphics. I additionally love how straightforward it’s to format and customise your personal templates, permitting you to provide constant designs at scale.

You’ll be able to entry the essential model of Canva without spending a dime. Canva Pro 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.

Execs of Canva

• Big library of templates, pictures, and graphics.
• Fast and easy to create stunning 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 numerous performance.

Cons of Canva

• You’ll want to pay for some superior options.
• The massive variety of options and templates is perhaps overwhelming for some.
• Not prone to be helpful for text-only freelance writers.

10. Yoast Search engine optimization

When you’re a contract author who wants to put in writing SEO-friendly content (eg. web site copy, weblog posts, and so on.), Yoast SEO is without doubt one of the greatest and most helpful instruments round.

Yoast analyzes your writing and supplies actionable insights and proposals on the right way to optimize your content material to make sure that it complies with SEO best practices. It has a beginner-friendly interface, making it an excellent device even for these unfamiliar with Search engine optimization.

Yoast Search engine optimization 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 12 months.

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

Execs of Yoast Search engine optimization

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

Cons of Yoast Search engine optimization

• Suggestions generally is a bit overly prescriptive and mechanical.
• Solely helpful for freelance writers who want to put in writing Search engine optimization-optimized content material for on-line publication.

11. Copyscape

Copyscape is without doubt one of the greatest applications for plagiarism detection and is a good device for any freelance author to make sure that the content material you produce is unique and free from any type of plagiarism.

It’s an internet platform the place you enter the writing you need to examine and it rapidly scans the content material and allows you to understand how a lot (if any) of this materials seems wherever else on-line.

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

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

Execs of Copyscape

• It’s pretty low-cost so long as you don’t have to examine very massive volumes of content material.
• Helps checking complete 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 lets you examine for plagiarised variations of your content material already on-line.
• To examine whether or not your content material comprises plagiarism itself, you want to pay.
• The fee can rapidly 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 provides professional-quality speech-to-text dictation. It’s an excellent device for freelance writers preferring dictating their concepts reasonably than writing them down and works in seconds to transcribe your spoken phrases into textual content.

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

Otter is offered as an app for smartphones (iOS and Android), so it may be used wherever, together with on-the-go. My companion 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 provides you entry to fundamental options, in addition to a Professional model that prices $10/month (billed yearly). Otter Professional lets you transcribe longer conversations, add colleagues to your workspace, import and transcribe audio and/or video information, and extra.

Execs of Otter

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

Cons of Otter

• It’s a must to pay to entry premium options (like transcribing audio and video information).
• The fee is perhaps a deterrent for some.
• It does often errors (though, in equity, that’s true of all transcription software program, and Otter is unquestionably among the best choices).

13. Slack

Slack is a well-liked device 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 so on.), 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 immediate message chats.

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

I take advantage of the free model of Slack fairly repeatedly. There’s additionally a paid version that begins at $7.25 per person per 30 days (billed yearly) and has much more superior options.

Execs of Slack

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

Cons of Slack

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

14. Notion

I’ve not too long ago began utilizing Notion and it’s been a recreation changer for me. Notion markets itself as a unified workspace that lets you maintain all your notes, tasks, duties, and to-do lists in a single place.

Somewhat 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 maintain the whole lot 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 excellent vary of options. There’s additionally a paid model, though I don’t actually assume it’s needed given how good the free model is. Notion additionally has apps for desktop and smartphones, though personally, I want the web-based model.

Execs of Notion

• An effective 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.
• Obtainable in web-based format in addition to by means of apps (for smartphone, desktop, Mac, Home windows, and so on.).
• Cross-platform performance.

Cons of Notion

• There’s a little bit of a studying curve if you first begin.
• Not everybody would possibly discover it helpful, it depends upon the way you wish to work (however I’d nonetheless suggest making an attempt it – I adore it!).

15. Pocket

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

For freelance writers, this can be a nice strategy to retailer analysis and different supplies collectively, to assist maintain the whole lot organized and straightforward to handle. You’ll be able to file issues away into folders, permitting you to refer again to them rapidly each time you want to, together with if you’re offline.

It’s additionally nice for private suggestions, no matter you’re all for. Every time someone says, “You could learn X” or “Watch Y, it’s nice”, I save the suggestions in Pocket after which learn/watch them later each time I’ve time (e.g. on a protracted flight or prepare journey).

The fundamental model of Pocket (which I take advantage of) is free. There’s additionally a Premium version that comprises extra options (like a everlasting library, superior looking, note-taking, annotating and highlighting supplies, and so on.) and prices $5 per 30 days or $45 per 12 months.

Execs of Pocket

• The fundamental model is free (and nice).
• It’s a very environment friendly strategy to retailer and set up content material that you just need 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, limitless highlighting, and a everlasting library.

Cons of Pocket

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

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 take advantage of many of those instruments every day. They’re all nice and assist me enormously, I hope you discover them helpful too. When you’re contemplating turning into a contract author, take a look at the course with Knowadays. I not too long ago accomplished this course and extremely suggest it. Use this link and promo code GOATS25 for 25% off.