As a small business owner, you are always looking for creative ways to save money. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best free tools and apps that can be life-changing for your small business.
Canva
Canva is a free online image editing tool that allows users to create social media images, infographics, presentations, posters, business cards, and invitations.
The application’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for even the most novice user to create stunning graphics with little effort. Canva has a large library of templates, fonts, and images that can be used to create custom graphics. Users can also connect their social media accounts and share their work on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube with just one click.
The Canva website boasts that more than 20 million users have created over 100 million designs on the platform since its launch in 2013. The tool is compatible with all major operating systems, including Windows and Mac computers as well as iOS and Android devices.
To access some features like Magic Tool, you may need to subscribe to the pro version which is around $54 for Kenyans.
ChatGPT by OpenAI
ChatGPT is an excellent free app for small businesses that can assist in various aspects of daily operations. It’s a powerful AI-driven language model that can provide valuable support small business owners in the following ways:
- Generate product descriptions and social media captions.
- Conduct market research by gathering information, analyzing data, and providing insights into industry trends and consumer preferences.
- Help you brainstorm new product ideas, marketing concepts, or creative solutions to business challenges.
Alternatives to ChatGPT include Google Bard, Bing AI search, Perplexity, etc.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite offers a wide range of tools to help you manage and grow your social media presence. The app allows you to schedule posts, track analytics, engage with customers via direct messages, and more.
The freee version allows you to connect three social media accounts and content for the next 30 days. To connect more social media accounts, you’ll need to pay for one of the many pro versions available on their website.
Alternatives to Hootsuite include Later, Zoho Social, SocialOomph, etc.
MailChimp
MailChimp is a free email marketing tool that you can use to create newsletters, marketing emails, and more. It’s easy to use and has a free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers. The platform also offers paid plans for those who need a higher volume of email sends.
MailChimp allows you to create customized templates for any content, such as newsletters, promotions, or event invitations. You can easily add images with just a few mouse clicks in its drag-and-drop editor.
Alternatives to MailChimp include ConvertKit, Aweber, ActiveCampaign, SendinBlue, etc.
Audacity
Audacity is a free, open-source audio editor that you can use to record, edit and mix sounds. It’s available for Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems.
With Audacity, you can:
- Record live audio or import from a variety of sources.
- Edit your tracks with cut/copy/paste editing tools or apply effects like normalize, fade in/out, echo, and change the speed or pitch of an audio track.
- Mix multiple tracks using Audacity’s built-in mixer functions, then export your final product into one file per track in the desired format.
Capcut Video Editor
CapCut Video Editor is a free video editor with many useful features. You can use it to create videos for marketing purposes, and it’s also great for editing videos—whether you want to add text or sound effects, crop footage, and more.
CapCut is a great addition to your business if you use TikTok to promote your business. You can make high-quality videos without spending money on expensive studio equipment or hardware upgrades.
Google Drive
Google Drive is a cloud storage service that allows users to store files in the cloud. The app can be used on any device and has versions of its mobile and desktop apps available for download. Google Drive is free to use, so if you’re looking for an easy way to keep your company’s files organized and accessible from anywhere, this is definitely worth checking out.
Alternatives to Google Drive include Dropbox and OneDrive
Zoom
Think of Zoom as an app that allows you to make professional audio and video calls, share screens, or chat with people within and outside the country. If you’ve ever wanted to connect with a potential business prospect via phone call or video chat but don’t want to pay for it, then this is the tool for you.
Alternatives to Zoom include Google Meet and Skype. Both of these tools are free to use, so if you’re looking for an alternative to Zoom that won’t cost you anything, these are worth checking out.
Slack
Slack is one of the most popular messaging apps out there. With Slack, you can talk to and share files with your team members. It’s an extremely useful tool for keeping in touch with colleagues, especially if you work remotely.
Slack has many features and great integrations with other apps that small businesses use daily, like Dropbox, Google Drive, Calendar, Asana, etc.
WhatsApp Business
WhatsApp Business is a free app that makes it easy to communicate with potential and existing customers. It’s ideal for showcasing your product catalogs, special offers, and automatic messages.
The interface resembles WhatsApp but has been updated with features specifically made for small businesses. You can also use this app to share your location with prospects or customers when they need help finding you in a large mall or store.
HubSpot Academy
Hubspot Academy is a free online tool with free short courses for small business owners. The lessons are short and easy to follow through and only require a few minutes out of your day.
The lessons cover topics such as:
- Social Media Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Search Engine Optimization
- Business and Operations
- Brand and Identity
- Analytics
Alternatives to Hubspot Academy include SimpliLearn on YouTube, Coursera, SkillShare, and Google Digital Garage.
Google Podcasts
Google Podcasts is a free app that allows you to listen to free podcasts worldwide. You can listen to great interviews to help you run your small business efficiently.
The Google podcast app is easy to use and comes with an in-app search feature that allows you to find the topics you’re interested in. You can also subscribe to your favorite podcasts to get a notification once a new episode is out.
Wrapping up
Every business has processes and tasks that need to be completed on a daily basis. The easiest way to free up your time as a business owner is by using and embracing new technologies available on the market for free. We hope that this list has been helpful to you!
Let us know in the comments below if you have more free apps that can benefit small business owners in Kenya.