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 make it easier 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 begin. That’s why I’ve put collectively this record of one of the best freelance writing apps that can assist you resolve which of them are literally price utilizing.

Freelance writing is among the finest jobs for digital nomads and anybody else who needs to work for themself and make cash with a web based job. As a freelance author myself, I’m all the time searching for new methods to make my work simpler and simpler.

Used correctly, the next instruments may also help preserve your work operating easily and effectively and assist cease you from feeling overwhelmed.

Should you’re seeking to change into a contract author, take a look at my assessment of the Knowadays Freelance Author course. I not too long ago accomplished this course and offered my trustworthy insights and ideas right here on this assessment.

Finest Apps For Freelance Writers

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

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

1. Grammarly

Grammarly is among the best-known, and most helpful, instruments to assist writers polish their work as much as a excessive normal. I exploit Grammarly day-after-day and assume it’s among the finest freelance writing apps on the market.

As a contract author, it’s important that you may persistently ship writing that’s free from spelling errors and grammatical errors. However it’s additionally necessary to make sure that your writing flows properly, is evident, and has the fitting 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 spread 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 model ($144 per 12 months, $60 per quarter, or $30 per thirty days) which incorporates various superior options, like superior tone and readability enhancing. However for my part, the essential free model is completely satisfactory.

Execs of Grammarly

• Broad vary of checks together with spelling, punctuation, grammar, tone, phrase alternative, and readability.
• Actual-time, correct recommended corrections.
• Customizable settings (e.g. you may set it to British, American, or Australian English).
• Nicely-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 suppose, is honest sufficient because it’s a freemium product).
• It could’t be taught your voice, so typically makes strategies 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 in your notes. It means that you can handle and arrange all your supplies, analysis, and writing in a single easy-to-access place.

Scrivener has various superior options which can be designed to assist create a seamless analysis, writing, and enhancing course of. These instruments embody analysis playing cards, customizable templates and presets, the flexibility to import and index recordsdata, and metatags.

Scrivener is especially helpful for managing long-form writing initiatives. Whether or not you’re an aspiring novelist, a scriptwriter, a contract copywriter, or every other sort of freelance author, these options may also help enhance your workflow and preserve 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 payment 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 attempt 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 reasonably priced, one-off payment.

Cons of Scrivener

• Requires separate licenses for every platform (so, if you wish to apply it to each Mac and Home windows, it’s essential buy two licenses).
• No free model.
• Wide selection of options is perhaps difficult for some individuals to change into conversant in.

3. Evernote

Evernote is basically a robust note-taking software 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 artistic course of extra structured and manageable. This system has a spread of templates that can assist you kickstart your note-taking course of.

It’s a really versatile platform and means that you can incorporate hyperlinks, tables, attachments, photographs, audio recordings, and even sketches into your notes. You’ll be able to even use it as a primary venture administration system and it’s suitable with each Home windows and Mac.

Evernote has a free model with restricted options (together with a most notice dimension of 25 MB and a restrict of 60 MB uploads per thirty days). There’s additionally a Private plan (presently $10.83/month or $129.99/12 months) or a Skilled plan $14.17/month or $169.99/12 months) with a better vary of performance.

Execs of Evernote

• Easy, intuitive interface.
• Glorious software for note-taking and preserving 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 in depth 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 units.

4. Google Docs

All people’s heard of Google Docs, proper? This implausible free software is tremendous helpful for freelance writers, particularly those that recurrently work in collaboration with purchasers and others.

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

Having the ability to share a doc together with your consumer 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 means that you can monitor adjustments over time, which may turn out to be useful when engaged on a number of revisions.

Execs of Google Docs

• It’s free.
• Actual-time collaboration so a number of individuals 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 enhancing options in contrast with Microsoft Phrase.
• You’ll be able to work offline, though real-time adjustments are solely synced when you could have an web connection.

5. ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is a robust software 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 thirty 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.

Probably the greatest options of ProWritingAid is its capability to revise obscure or unclear writing, providing useful strategies to enhance the standard of the textual content.

It’s a flexible platform and is suitable with Home windows and Mac by browser extensions (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and many others.) in addition to plugins for different apps similar to Microsoft Phrase, Scrivener, and Google Docs.

Execs of ProWritingAid

• In-depth grammar, spelling, and elegance 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 straightforward entry and value.
• Inexpensive pricing (in case you 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 in case you 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 anyplace, together with on the go.

Dropbox is seamless and tremendous simple to make use of. It’s primarily a drag-and-drop system the place you choose the recordsdata and folders you need it to entry and the platform does the remainder for you.

There’s a free plan that gives as much as 2GB of storage. Should you want extra, you may pay $22/month (or $18/month in case you pay yearly) for as much as 3TB of information.

I exploit Dropbox to again up my most necessary photographs, paperwork, and recordsdata. It’s additionally an effective way to share bigger recordsdata (like high-res photographs) with others, particularly if these recordsdata are bigger than the restrict that you simply’re in a position to ship by electronic mail.

Execs of Dropbox

• Actual-time syncing of recordsdata throughout numerous units.
• Simple solution to collaborate and share recordsdata/folders with others.
• Safe technique of backing up necessary 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 superb app for freelance writers who wish to be free from distractions throughout their working hours. And in flip, being extra productive.

The app blocks out distracting web sites and apps in your units (Instagram, information web sites, and many others.) permitting you to work in a quiet, conducive digital atmosphere.

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 attempt to disable the blocker.

The app is suitable with most main working methods (each cellular and desktop) and prices $8.99/month in case you pay month-to-month, or $3.33/month in case you pay yearly.

Execs of Freedom

• Effectively blocks distracting web sites and apps.
• Nice for individuals who wrestle 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 in case you pay month-to-month).
• It is perhaps too restrictive for some, particularly in case you wish to take common breaks and browse different issues on-line when working.
• Not mandatory for everyone.

8. Hemingway Editor

Hemingway Editor is one other widespread software for freelance writers seeking to improve the standard of their written output. In addition to containing a normal 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, participating, and simply digestible. It makes strategies the place mandatory to assist enhance the readability and tone of your writing.

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

The on-line model of Hemingway Editor is free, making this an important possibility for freelance writers on a good price range. The offline desktop model is offered for a one-off payment of $19.99, making it among the finest low-cost freelance writing apps accessible at this time.

Execs of Hemingway Editor

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

Cons of Hemingway Editor

• It could typically oversimplify complicated concepts or matters.
• Will not be appropriate for sure technical or complicated genres of writing (e.g. science, regulation, engineering, and many others.).
• Some individuals may discover the strategies unhelpful, particularly if in case you have a definite writing type.

9. Canva

Canva is a superb software for freelance writers who additionally have to create visually interesting content material, similar to social media posts, displays, posters, ads, official firm publications, and the like.

With an intuitive drag-and-drop editor and an enormous variety of customizable templates and design sorts, it makes the in any other case lengthy and (dare I say it) tedious technique of graphic design tremendous simple, fast, and satisfying.

I exploit Canva pretty typically and significantly like its wealthy library of photographs and graphics. I additionally love how simple 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 free of charge. Canva Professional affords a spread 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, photographs, 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 plenty of performance.

Cons of Canva

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

10. Yoast Web optimization

Should you’re a contract author who wants to put in writing Web optimization-friendly content material (eg. web site copy, weblog posts, and many others.), Yoast Web optimization is among the finest and most helpful instruments round.

Yoast analyzes your writing and supplies actionable insights and proposals on easy methods to optimize your content material to make sure that it complies with Web optimization finest practices. It has a beginner-friendly interface, making it an important software even for these unfamiliar with Web optimization.

Yoast Web 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 exploit the free model on a regular basis and would extremely advocate it to any freelance author producing on-line content material.

Execs of Yoast Web optimization

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

Cons of Yoast Web optimization

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

11. Copyscape

Copyscape is among the finest applications for plagiarism detection and is a superb software for any freelance author to make sure that the content material you produce is unique and free from any type of plagiarism.

It’s a web based platform the place you enter the writing you wish to verify and it rapidly scans the content material and allows you to understand how a lot (if any) of this materials seems anyplace else on-line.

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

Copyscape is accessible by way of an internet 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 verify very massive volumes of content material.
• Helps checking total 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 means that you can verify for plagiarised variations of your content material already on-line.
• To verify whether or not your content material incorporates plagiarism itself, it’s essential pay.
• The associated fee can rapidly add up for bigger paperwork/initiatives.
• 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 important software for freelance writers preferring dictating their concepts moderately 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 related issues. I’ve personally used Otter and it’s probably the most correct instruments I’m conscious of, a lot 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 anyplace, together with on-the-go. My accomplice 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 offers you entry to primary options, in addition to a Professional model that prices $10/month (billed yearly). Otter Professional means that you can transcribe longer conversations, add colleagues to your workspace, import and transcribe audio and/or video recordsdata, and extra.

Execs of Otter

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

Cons of Otter

• You need to pay to entry premium options (like transcribing audio and video recordsdata).
• The associated 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 certainly among the finest choices).

13. Slack

Slack is a well-liked software amongst freelance writers and different groups to remain in contact with their colleagues and purchasers.

Freelance writers can use it to speak with their purchasers, share paperwork (briefs, drafts, feedback, and many others.), and talk about and collaborate in actual time. You need to use it to make calls, host video conferences, and for one-on-one or group instantaneous message chats.

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

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

Execs of Slack

• Seamless communication with purchasers and colleagues.
• The free plan has plenty of helpful options.
• The paid model is pretty reasonably priced.
• Integrates with a lot of different apps and instruments.
• A number of built-in communication choices cater to varied communication wants.
• Simple-to-use and extremely customizable interface.

Cons of Slack

• Many individuals won’t just like the “all the time accessible” nature of instantaneous messaging.
• I personally discover it may be difficult to maintain monitor 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 means that you can preserve all your notes, initiatives, duties, and to-do lists in a single place.

Moderately 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 an effective way to arrange your ideas, handle your schedules and deadlines, and preserve the whole lot operating easily. For me, as a freelancer and small enterprise proprietor, it permits me to juggle a number of initiatives concurrently with out feeling overwhelmed.

The fundamental model is free and comes with an important vary of options. There’s additionally a paid model, though I don’t actually assume it’s mandatory given how good the free model is. Notion additionally has apps for desktop and smartphones, though personally, I desire the web-based model.

Execs of Notion

• An effective way to arrange 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 apps (for smartphone, desktop, Mac, Home windows, and many others.).
• Cross-platform performance.

Cons of Notion

• There’s a little bit of a studying curve if you first begin.
• Not everybody may discover it helpful, it relies on the way you wish to work (however I’d nonetheless advocate attempting it – I find it irresistible!).

15. Pocket

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

For freelance writers, this can be a nice solution to retailer analysis and different supplies collectively, to assist preserve 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 at any time when it’s essential, together with if you’re offline.

It’s additionally nice for private suggestions, no matter you’re interested by. Each time any individual says, “It’s essential to learn X” or “Watch Y, it’s nice”, I save the suggestions in Pocket after which learn/watch them later at any time when I’ve time (e.g. on a protracted flight or prepare journey).

The fundamental model of Pocket (which I exploit) is free. There’s additionally a Premium model that incorporates extra options (like a everlasting library, superior looking out, note-taking, annotating and highlighting supplies, and many others.) and prices $5 per thirty days or $45 per 12 months.

Execs of Pocket

• The fundamental model is free (and nice).
• It’s a extremely environment friendly solution to retailer and arrange content material that you simply wish to learn later.
• The app additionally recommends extra content material so that you can learn primarily based in your private pursuits.
• Offline entry to saved content material (written solely, not video).
• Premium model affords extra options together with superior looking out, limitless highlighting, and a everlasting library.

Cons of Pocket

• You’ll be able to’t save movies for offline playback.
• You need to pay for Premium options (though it’s nonetheless comparatively reasonably priced).

Should-Have Freelance Writing Instruments: FAQs

Conclusion

I extremely advocate benefiting from these apps for freelance writers to assist maximize your productiveness, handle deadlines, and optimize the standard of your writing.

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