A lot of “tools for entrepreneurs” lists run dozens of apps deep, most with a monthly bill. You don’t need that.
Here are the 9 tools that actually earn their spot, what each one costs and the catch with each. Prices are from each company’s own pricing page.
| Tool | Job | Starts at | Free option? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wave | Invoices and bookkeeping | $0 | Yes | Details |
| Google Business Profile | Local listing on Search and Maps | $0 | Yes | Details |
| Square | Take card payments | $0 a month plus card rates | Yes | Details |
| Bluehost | Website hosting | $3.99 a month (36 month term) | No | Details |
| Shopify | Online store | $29 a month paid yearly | Short trial | Details |
| Google Workspace | Email on your own domain | $7 per user a month | 14 day trial | Details |
| QuickBooks Online | Full accounting | $38 a month | QuickBooks Free (limited) | Details |
| Upwork | Hire freelancers | Your budget, plus up to 7.99% | Free to post | Details |
| Skillshare | Learn skills yourself | Shown at signup | Trial if eligible | Details |
The 9 best tools for entrepreneurs and startups
1.Wave
Best free accounting
- What it is
- Accounting and invoicing software with a free plan that’s actually usable.
- What it does for you
- Sends unlimited invoices and estimates and keeps your books ready for tax time.
- What it costs
- Starter is $0. Card payments from clients cost 2.9% + $0.60 each. Pro is $19 a month or $190 a year and adds automatic bank imports.
- The catch
- On the free plan you enter bank transactions by hand.
Worth it? Yes for almost every new business. Start here and only move up when it slows you down.
2.Google Business Profile
Best free marketing
- What it is
- Your business listing on Google Search and Google Maps.
- What it does for you
- Shows your hours, phone number, photos and reviews to people searching nearby.
- What it costs
- Free. Google says creating a profile costs nothing.
- The catch
- Google bans offering discounts or freebies for reviews, so you have to earn them the slow way.
Worth it? Yes if you have local customers. It’s the best free marketing there is.
3.Square
Best for getting paid in person
- What it is
- A payments system for card readers and invoices.
- What it does for you
- Lets you take cards at a market, a job site or the counter, and send invoices customers pay online.
- What it costs
- Square Free is $0 a month. In person cards cost 2.6% + 15 cents. Cards paid through an invoice cost 3.3% + 30 cents on the free plan.
- The catch
- Those per swipe rates add up. Card payments on invoices are cheaper on the $49 a month Plus plan, which only makes sense at real volume.
Worth it? Yes if customers pay you face to face.
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4.Bluehost
Best cheap website hosting
- What it is
- Web hosting with WordPress set up for you.
- What it does for you
- Puts your business site and email-ready domain online so you own it instead of renting it.
- What it costs
- Starter is $3.99 a month on a 36 month term, then renews at $9.99. Free domain for the first year. Business is $6.99 a month.
- The catch
- The intro price needs three years paid up front, and renewals cost more than double.
Worth it? Yes if you want a real site for cheap and you’re fine with a little WordPress setup.
5.Shopify
Best for selling products online
- What it is
- An all-in-one online store builder.
- What it does for you
- Handles your product pages and checkout without touching code.
- What it costs
- Basic is $39 a month, or $29 a month paid yearly. Shopify’s page shows 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months. Online card rates start at 2.9% + 30 cents.
- The catch
- Apps and themes add up fast, and using another payment processor costs an extra 2% per sale.
Worth it? Only if you sell physical or digital products. A service business doesn’t need a store.
6.Google Workspace
Best business email
- What it is
- Gmail, Drive, Docs and Meet on your own domain.
- What it does for you
- Gives you [email protected] instead of a free Gmail address that looks like a side project.
- What it costs
- Business Starter starts at $7 per user a month. There’s a 14 day trial.
- The catch
- Every person you add is another monthly charge.
Worth it? Only once you have a domain and clients who’d judge a free email address. Solo and early? Free Gmail is fine.
7.QuickBooks Online
Best when your accountant asks for it
- What it is
- Intuit’s full accounting software.
- What it does for you
- Books, invoices, bills, sales tax and reports in one place, with room to grow.
- What it costs
- Simple Start is $38 a month for one user, Essentials $85, Plus $140. There’s also QuickBooks Free at $0, without the mobile app or app integrations.
- The catch
- It’s the priciest pick here, and you pay more as you add users.
Worth it? Only if your accountant works in it or you’ve outgrown Wave. Paying $38 a month to send three invoices is a waste.
8.Upwork
Best for hiring help
- What it is
- A marketplace of freelancers for design, writing, code, admin and more.
- What it does for you
- You post a job with a budget, freelancers apply, and you pay through Upwork when the work is done.
- What it costs
- Whatever you agree with the freelancer. On the free Basic plan, Upwork adds up to 7.99% on what you pay.
- The catch
- Quality is all over the place. Start with a small paid test before handing over the big job.
Worth it? Yes for one-off jobs you can’t or shouldn’t do yourself, like a logo or a bit of code.
Best for learning it yourself
- What it is
- An online class membership: design, marketing, video, freelancing and business basics.
- What it does for you
- Teaches you the stuff you’d otherwise pay someone to do, at your own pace.
- What it costs
- Skillshare shows the membership price when you sign up. Eligible new members get a free trial, and the plan renews automatically until you cancel.
- The catch
- It’s only worth it if you actually watch the classes. Set a reminder before the trial ends.
Worth it? Only if you’re going to put in the hours. Learning basic design or marketing beats paying for it on every small job.
What to skip early
Payroll software before you have employees. Inventory systems before you have inventory. Project management suites for a team of one. Fancy finance dashboards when Wave’s reports tell you the same thing.
Want a lighter setup for your day? These productivity apps cover to-do lists and calendars, most of them free.
How to pick (without overthinking it)
Ask one question per tool: does it get you paid faster or bring in a customer this month? If not, it can wait.
A simple stack for most new businesses is Wave plus a Google Business Profile, with Square if you get paid in person. Add a website when people start asking for one. If you sell products, Shopify replaces the website. Need more on invoicing? Here’s how the invoicing apps compare.
Keep business money separate too. These business bank accounts for freelancers make that easy and keep tax time sane.
FAQ
What tools do I need to start a business?
A way to invoice and track money (Wave is free) and a way to be found (a free Google Business Profile). If people pay you in person, add Square, which has a $0 plan. A website and business email come once you have customers.
What’s the best free accounting software?
Wave. The Starter plan is $0 with unlimited invoices and estimates. You only pay card processing when clients pay online, 2.9% + $0.60 per card payment.
Is Shopify worth it for a small business?
If you sell products online, yes. Basic is $29 a month paid yearly or $39 month to month. If you sell a service, skip it and use invoices instead.
Do I need QuickBooks?
Not at the start. It begins at $38 a month. Use Wave until your accountant asks for QuickBooks or you need features Wave doesn’t have.
Next step
Just getting started? Read how to start a startup with no money, then browse the rest of the business advice section.
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