There’s never been a better time to be a young entrepreneur! You have the world, quite literally, at your fingertips. You’re more connected than any entrepreneurs who came before you.
As an entrepreneur, you know the value of saving money where you can. That’s why we’ve collected this list of the best FREE online tools. From managing social media to keeping a budget, here’s everything you need to successfully launch and run your business.
CREATE A WEBSITE
-> Wix
If all you need is a basic website, try Wix. They let you get started for free! And if you’re ready to take it to the next level, Wix offers a special rate for student portfolios.
Wix’s free package includes up to 500MB of storage. The downside to the free plan is that you don’t get to create your own domain name and your web page will include Wix ads. But hey, for free? We’ll take it!
-> Webnode
This is another website service that lets you set up, design, and host your website for free. (No credit card required!) Webnode offers a custom domain free for 1 year. Included in the free plan you get customer service and unlimited pages for your website – great for shops with a lot of products to sell.
MANAGE A BUDGET
-> Mint
Learning how to manage a budget is not only important for your business, it’s a life skill you’ll take with you as you grow up. Mint is a great free tool for young entrepreneurs because you get account trackers, bill reminders, advice, tools, calculators, and online help included.
-> Goodbudget
This is a great free tool for absolute beginners who want a no-frills way to track their spending and earnings. With a free account, you get access to 20 Goodbudget “envelopes.” These envelopes help you categorize your money, like, “For college” or “For business.” They also offer online tools that teach you how to create and stick to a budget.
CREATE BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS AND LOGOS
No money? No problem! No artistic skills? Also no problem!
Adobe Express lets anyone create eye-catching graphics for whatever you need. Instagram stories. Flyers. Album covers. Resumes. Menus. You name it, Adobe Express is here to help you design it. And don’t worry if you can’t even draw a stick figure. The site has hundreds of free templates and a library full of icons and graphics.
-> Canva
Like Adobe Express, Canva offers a free and intuitive way to create stunning graphic designs for your business. (Or for yourself. We’re not here to judge.) There are free stock photos you can use, audio and video, and tons of templates. Zero graphic design experience required.
CONNECT WITH CUSTOMERS
-> Mailchimp
If you’ve ever listened to a podcast or subscribed to a vendor’s mailing list, you’re probably already familiar with Mailchimp. The free plan gives you access to pre-built templates, a creative assistant, and forms and landing pages for your website. You also get free basic reporting and analytics. In other words, you can track the emails you send out and see how well you’re connecting with customers.
Those of you who want more than a basic report of who is opening your emails and what kind of click-throughs you’re getting might consider trying Google Analytics. Anyone can sign up for an account. Once you add your website, you can dig deep into data such as:
- How many new users visited your website
- How much time each user spent on each page of your website
- Where they live and how they found your website
- What time of day they visited your website
Basically, anything that can be tracked with a cookie can be tracked on Google Analytics.
GET AND STAY ORGANIZED
-> Todoist
For a free tool, Todoist really does a lot! Create reminders for one-off tasks, everyday tasks, and future due dates. Add personal notes, labels, and folders to keep track of the different areas of your life. As you finish each item, just click on the little circle and pat yourself on the back for being so organized!
-> Google Calendar
Most phones come with Google Calendar already installed, so you should be good to go. If you’re not already taking advantage of this tool, Google Calendar allows you to keep track of events, including repeating appointments (like after-school activities) down to the minute, as well as set up custom reminders and invite others.
MANAGE SOCIAL MEDIA
-> Buffer
Don’t get offended, we’re not trying to insult your social media prowess. But running social media for your business isn’t the same as posting vacation videos. Running social media for business is itself a full-time job for many major companies. When it’s just you, you’ll need some help. Management tools like Buffer let you add 2 social media accounts, schedule posts ahead of time, and tailor posts for each platform, all for free.
-> Simplified
Since you’re not managing social media accounts for a major corporation, Simplified offers just what it says: a simple (and free) way to manage basic business social media. Your free account includes up to 3 social media channels, AI help with writing, templates, an audio library, and more.
We hope that at least some of these tools are useful to you. Starting a small business, especially by yourself, can seem overwhelming. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of free tools out there to make life easier for you!
Before signing up with any of these sites, we recommend you look them over carefully and read the fine print. As you’re well aware, a lot can change between the time this post was written and when you’re reading it. Make sure the plan you sign up for is truly free. Make sure you know what you get with your free plan. Once you start making a profit, you can always upgrade your plan to take advantage of even more benefits and features.
Good luck getting started, and we can’t wait to hear about your success!
If you are a high school student in Florida with a passion for entrepreneurship, click here to find out more about the Kantner Foundation’s college scholarship program.