50 Free Tools Every Founder Should Use
Building a startup does not require a big software budget. This curated list includes 50 genuinely free tools that can help you build, launch, and grow your startup. These are not 14-day trials or crippled free tiers. These are tools you can actually use to run a real business without paying anything.
Introduction: Free Does Not Mean Inferior
The startup tool landscape has changed dramatically. Companies now offer genuinely useful free tiers to attract users, hoping you will upgrade as you scale. This creates an incredible opportunity for bootstrapped founders to access enterprise-grade tools at zero cost.
Why Free Tools Exist
Free tiers serve several purposes for software companies:
- User acquisition: Free users become paying customers
- Network effects: More users make the product more valuable
- Brand awareness: Free users spread the word
- Product feedback: More users means more feedback
Freemium vs Truly Free
This guide distinguishes between freemium tools (free tier with paid upgrades) and truly free tools (no paid tiers at all). Both are included, but we note when upgrade pressure exists. Every tool listed here has a free tier substantial enough to run real business operations.
When to Upgrade
Stay on free tiers as long as they serve your needs. Upgrade when:
- You hit hard limits that block your work
- Paid features will generate clear ROI
- Team size requires collaboration features
- Security or compliance requires enterprise features
For a comprehensive view of building your entire tech stack, see our Ultimate Startup Tool Stack guide.
Communication (Tools 1-5)
Communication tools are foundational. Fortunately, excellent free options exist.
Slack (Free Tier)
Team ChatSlack's free tier includes unlimited channels, 1:1 messaging, and 10 app integrations. The main limitation is 90-day message history, which is fine for most early-stage teams. You get 1:1 voice and video calls included.
Free tier includes: Unlimited users, unlimited channels, 90-day message history, 10 integrations, 1:1 calls
Discord
Team ChatOriginally for gaming, Discord is now a legitimate business communication tool. Completely free with unlimited message history, voice channels, screen sharing, and up to 25 person video calls. No catch.
Free tier includes: Unlimited everything, voice channels, video calls, screen sharing, mobile apps
Google Meet
Video ConferencingGoogle Meet is free for anyone with a Google account. You get 60-minute meetings with up to 100 participants. For most startup meetings, this is more than enough. No software to install.
Free tier includes: 60-minute meetings, 100 participants, screen sharing, live captions
Loom (Free Tier)
Async VideoLoom's free Starter plan includes 25 videos up to 5 minutes each, which is perfect for quick product walkthroughs, feedback sessions, or team updates. Videos include transcripts and can be embedded anywhere.
Free tier includes: 25 videos, 5-minute max, screen + camera recording, transcripts, viewer insights
Calendly (Free Tier)
SchedulingCalendly's free tier includes one active event type, which is usually all a founder needs. Connect your calendar, set your availability, and share a booking link. No more scheduling ping-pong.
Free tier includes: 1 event type, unlimited bookings, calendar integration, basic customization
Project Management (Tools 6-10)
Organize your work without paying a subscription.
Notion (Free for Personal)
All-in-One WorkspaceNotion's free Personal plan gives you unlimited pages and blocks for personal use. You can build project trackers, wikis, databases, and more. For solo founders, this is an incredibly powerful free tool.
Free tier includes: Unlimited pages and blocks (personal), 5MB file uploads, share with 10 guests, basic API access
Trello (Free Tier)
Kanban BoardsTrello's free tier includes unlimited cards, up to 10 boards per workspace, and basic automation with Butler. The Kanban interface is intuitive and requires zero learning curve.
Free tier includes: Unlimited cards, 10 boards, unlimited storage, basic automation, mobile apps
ClickUp (Free Tier)
Project ManagementClickUp offers one of the most generous free tiers in project management. You get unlimited tasks and members with 100MB storage. It is feature-rich, perhaps overwhelmingly so, but powerful once learned.
Free tier includes: Unlimited tasks, unlimited members, 100MB storage, docs, whiteboards, time tracking
GitHub Projects
Issue TrackingIf you are already using GitHub for code, Projects is a natural fit. Built-in issue tracking with Kanban boards, tables, and custom fields. Free for public and private repos.
Free tier includes: Unlimited projects, custom fields, multiple views, automation, integrates with issues and PRs
Linear (Free Tier)
Issue TrackingLinear's free tier supports teams with up to 250 issues. For small startups, this can last months. The interface is beautiful, fast, and keyboard-driven. When you exceed limits, pricing is reasonable at $8/user/month.
Free tier includes: Unlimited members, 250 issues, cycles, roadmaps, integrations
Design and Creative (Tools 11-15)
Create professional visuals without expensive software or designers. For more design resources, see our design tools for non-designers guide.
Figma (Free Tier)
UI/UX DesignFigma's free tier includes 3 Figma files and unlimited personal files. For a solo founder working on their product's design, this is more than enough. Includes Dev Mode access and FigJam files.
Free tier includes: 3 Figma files, unlimited drafts, unlimited viewers, Dev Mode, mobile preview
Canva (Free Tier)
Graphic DesignCanva's free tier is incredibly generous. Access millions of photos, graphics, and templates. Create social media posts, presentations, documents, and more. The only limits are some premium elements and brand kit features.
Free tier includes: 250,000+ templates, millions of photos and graphics, 5GB storage, download in multiple formats
Photopea
Image EditorPhotopea is essentially free Photoshop in your browser. It supports PSD, XD, Sketch, and raw files. No account needed. Just open the website and start editing. Supported by ads, which you can remove for $5/month.
Free tier includes: Full Photoshop-like features, PSD support, layers, filters, no account required
Remove.bg (Free Tier)
Background RemovalRemove.bg uses AI to instantly remove backgrounds from images. The free tier includes 1 free preview image per month in full resolution, plus unlimited low-resolution previews. Perfect for quick product shots or headshots.
Free tier includes: Unlimited low-res downloads, 1 full-res per month, API access
Unsplash
Stock PhotosUnsplash offers over 3 million high-resolution photos, all free for commercial use. No attribution required. The quality rivals paid stock sites. Essential for any founder creating content or marketing materials.
Free tier includes: 3+ million photos, commercial use allowed, no attribution required, high resolution
Development (Tools 16-20)
Build and deploy your product without infrastructure costs eating your runway.
GitHub (Free Tier)
Code HostingGitHub's free tier includes unlimited public and private repositories, 500MB of package storage, and 2,000 Actions minutes per month. GitHub Copilot is not free, but everything else a startup needs is.
Free tier includes: Unlimited repos, 2,000 Actions minutes/month, 500MB packages, unlimited collaborators on public repos
Vercel (Free Tier)
Hosting/DeploymentVercel's Hobby tier is perfect for personal projects and small startups. Includes serverless functions, edge network deployment, and automatic HTTPS. The limits are generous for most MVPs.
Free tier includes: Unlimited deployments, 100GB bandwidth/month, serverless functions, edge network, automatic HTTPS
Netlify (Free Tier)
Hosting/DeploymentNetlify offers a generous free tier with 100GB bandwidth, 300 build minutes, and serverless functions. Great for static sites, JAMstack applications, and frontend projects.
Free tier includes: 100GB bandwidth/month, 300 build minutes/month, 125K serverless function invocations
Railway (Free Tier)
Backend HostingRailway gives you $5 of free usage monthly, enough to run small backend services, databases, or APIs. Supports many languages and frameworks with one-click deployments from GitHub.
Free tier includes: $5 credit/month, PostgreSQL, Redis, multiple languages, GitHub integration
Supabase (Free Tier)
Backend as a ServiceSupabase is an open-source Firebase alternative with a generous free tier. Includes PostgreSQL database, authentication, storage, and edge functions. Perfect for building MVPs.
Free tier includes: 500MB database, 1GB file storage, 50,000 monthly active users, 500K edge function invocations
Marketing (Tools 21-25)
Get the word out without a marketing budget.
Mailchimp (Free Tier)
Email MarketingMailchimp's free tier includes up to 500 contacts and 1,000 sends per month. You get basic email templates, landing pages, and forms. Limitations exist on automation, but it is enough to start.
Free tier includes: 500 contacts, 1,000 sends/month, basic templates, landing pages, signup forms
Buffer (Free Tier)
Social MediaBuffer's free plan supports 3 social channels with 10 scheduled posts per channel. Includes basic analytics and a mobile app. Perfect for maintaining a consistent social presence.
Free tier includes: 3 social channels, 10 posts per channel, basic analytics, planning tools
Google Search Console
SEOEssential and completely free. See how Google views your site, which queries bring traffic, and identify issues affecting your search presence. Every website should be connected.
Free tier includes: Complete search analytics, indexing status, Core Web Vitals, mobile usability reports
Ubersuggest (Free Features)
SEO ResearchUbersuggest offers limited free searches for keyword research, competitive analysis, and site audits. You get 3 searches per day without an account. Great for basic SEO research on a budget.
Free tier includes: 3 searches/day, keyword suggestions, domain overview, basic site audit
Hunter.io (Free Tier)
Email FindingHunter helps you find professional email addresses. The free tier includes 25 searches and 50 verifications per month. Useful for outreach, sales prospecting, or finding the right contact.
Free tier includes: 25 searches/month, 50 verifications/month, Chrome extension, domain search
Analytics (Tools 26-30)
Understand your users without expensive analytics subscriptions. For more options, see our analytics tools guide.
Google Analytics 4
Web AnalyticsGA4 is completely free with no practical limits for most startups. It is complex to learn but comprehensive. Includes events, conversions, audiences, and integrates with the entire Google ecosystem.
Free tier includes: Unlimited events, 14-month data retention, audiences, conversions, BigQuery export
Plausible (Self-Hosted)
Web AnalyticsPlausible is open-source and can be self-hosted for free. Privacy-focused, lightweight, and simple. The hosted version starts at $9/month, but self-hosting costs only your server time.
Self-hosted includes: Unlimited websites, unlimited pageviews, GDPR compliant, no cookies
Hotjar (Free Tier)
Behavior AnalyticsHotjar's Basic plan is free forever. Includes heatmaps for 35 daily sessions, recordings for 100 sessions/month, and 3 surveys/feedback widgets. Enough to understand how users interact with your site.
Free tier includes: 35 heatmap sessions/day, 100 recordings/month, 3 surveys, feedback widget
Microsoft Clarity
Behavior AnalyticsMicrosoft Clarity is completely free with no limits. Unlimited heatmaps, unlimited session recordings, and advanced insights including rage clicks and dead clicks. Perhaps the most generous free analytics tool available.
Free tier includes: Unlimited sessions, unlimited heatmaps, rage click detection, scroll maps, GA4 integration
Mixpanel (Free Tier)
Product AnalyticsMixpanel's free tier includes 20 million events per month, which is substantial for most startups. Build funnels, analyze retention, and understand user behavior with event-based analytics.
Free tier includes: 20M events/month, unlimited data history, core reports, 5 team members
Customer Support (Tools 31-35)
Help your customers without expensive support platforms. See our Intercom alternatives guide for more options.
Crisp (Free Tier)
Live ChatCrisp's free tier includes live chat for 2 team members with unlimited conversations. You also get a basic knowledge base and mobile apps. A solid starting point for customer communication.
Free tier includes: 2 seats, unlimited conversations, basic chatbot, knowledge base, mobile apps
Tawk.to
Live ChatTawk.to is completely free with no limits. Unlimited agents, unlimited chats, ticketing, and even a knowledge base. They make money from optional add-on services like hired chat agents.
Free tier includes: Unlimited agents, unlimited chats, ticketing, knowledge base, video + voice + screen sharing
Freshdesk (Free Tier)
Help DeskFreshdesk's free plan supports up to 10 agents with email and social ticketing. Includes a knowledge base and basic reporting. Great for startups that need more structure than just chat.
Free tier includes: Up to 10 agents, email ticketing, knowledge base, basic reporting
HelpCrunch (Free Tier)
Customer SupportHelpCrunch offers a free plan with 1 team member, live chat, and basic automation. More limited than alternatives, but a good option if you want an all-in-one customer communication platform.
Free tier includes: 1 team member, live chat, basic chatbot, email forwarding
Notion (as Knowledge Base)
DocumentationNotion's free tier can serve as a public knowledge base. Create help articles, FAQs, and documentation, then share pages publicly. Not purpose-built for support but effective and free.
Free tier includes: Unlimited pages, public sharing, basic customization, search
CRM and Sales (Tools 36-40)
Track your customers and sales pipeline without monthly CRM fees.
HubSpot CRM
CRMHubSpot's free CRM is genuinely unlimited and powerful. Manage up to 1 million contacts, track deals, log activities, and integrate email. The best free CRM available, no contest.
Free tier includes: 1M contacts, deal pipeline, email integration, meeting scheduling, live chat, basic reporting
Notion (as CRM)
DIY CRMMany startups use Notion databases as a lightweight CRM. Create a contacts database with custom properties, views, and relations. Not as powerful as dedicated CRMs but infinitely flexible.
Free tier includes: Custom databases, relations, filters, views, templates available
Airtable (Free Tier)
Database/CRMAirtable's free tier includes 1,000 records per base, which is sufficient for early-stage CRM needs. Combine the flexibility of spreadsheets with database power. Many CRM templates available.
Free tier includes: 1,000 records/base, unlimited bases, 1GB attachments, 100 automation runs/month
Folk (Free Tier)
CRMFolk is a modern, relationship-focused CRM with a generous free tier. Includes 200 contacts, email sync, and LinkedIn integration. Perfect for founders who manage relationships rather than sales pipelines.
Free tier includes: 200 contacts, email sync, LinkedIn extension, basic templates
Streak (Free Tier)
Gmail CRMStreak lives inside Gmail, perfect for founders who live in their inbox. The free tier includes basic CRM features, email tracking for 500 emails/month, and pipeline management.
Free tier includes: Basic CRM, 500 tracked emails/month, pipeline view, mail merge, snippets
Finance and Legal (Tools 41-45)
Handle finances and legal basics without expensive subscriptions.
Wave
AccountingWave offers completely free accounting software with unlimited invoicing, expense tracking, and financial reports. They monetize through payment processing and payroll services. US and Canada focused.
Free tier includes: Unlimited invoicing, expense tracking, financial reports, receipt scanning, bank connections
Stripe
PaymentsStripe has no monthly fees. You only pay transaction fees when you process payments. This makes it effectively free to set up and use until you have revenue. Best-in-class developer experience.
Free tier includes: No monthly fee, 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction, invoicing, subscriptions, payment links
PandaDoc (Free eSign)
E-SignaturesPandaDoc's free plan includes unlimited e-signatures, which is the main thing most startups need. Document creation is limited, but for signing contracts, this is a great free DocuSign alternative.
Free tier includes: Unlimited e-signatures, document uploads, mobile signing, audit trail
Termly (Free Tier)
Legal/ComplianceTermly helps you generate privacy policies, terms of service, and cookie consent banners. The free tier includes basic policy generation. Essential for any website collecting user data.
Free tier includes: Privacy policy generator, terms of service, basic cookie consent
Clockify
Time TrackingClockify is a completely free time tracking tool with no user limits. Track time across projects, generate reports, and understand where time goes. Useful for client billing or personal productivity.
Free tier includes: Unlimited users, unlimited projects, time tracking, reports, integrations
Productivity (Tools 46-50)
Work smarter without paying for productivity apps.
Notion (Workspace)
All-in-One WorkspaceNotion deserves another mention as a general productivity tool. Use it for notes, documents, project management, CRM, knowledge base, and more. The free personal plan is incredibly capable.
Free tier includes: Unlimited pages, databases, integrations, templates, basic API access
Google Workspace (Free Tier)
Productivity SuiteA personal Google account gives you Gmail, Drive (15GB), Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Meet for free. For solo founders, this is often sufficient before needing custom domain email.
Free tier includes: Gmail, 15GB Drive storage, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, Calendar
Grammarly (Free Tier)
Writing AssistantGrammarly's free tier catches spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors across your browser, desktop apps, and mobile. Essential for professional communication. Premium adds tone and clarity suggestions.
Free tier includes: Spelling, grammar, punctuation, browser extension, desktop app, mobile keyboard
Otter.ai (Free Tier)
TranscriptionOtter transcribes meetings and conversations automatically. The free tier includes 300 minutes per month with 30-minute max per conversation. Integrates with Zoom for automatic meeting notes.
Free tier includes: 300 minutes/month, 30-min max per conversation, Zoom integration, speaker identification
Raycast
Productivity LauncherRaycast is a powerful launcher for macOS that replaces Spotlight. The free tier includes all core features: app launching, file search, clipboard history, snippets, and thousands of extensions.
Free tier includes: All core features, extensions, clipboard history, snippets, window management (macOS only)
Free Tool Stack Combinations
Here are complete tool stacks for different founder profiles, all completely free.
Solo Founder Stack ($0/month)
| Category | Tool | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Workspace | Notion | All-in-one for docs, tasks, notes |
| Gmail | 15GB storage, reliable delivery | |
| CRM | HubSpot Free | Track all customer relationships |
| Email Marketing | Mailchimp Free | 500 contacts, 1K sends/month |
| Design | Canva Free | Social graphics, presentations |
| Analytics | GA4 + Clarity | Complete picture for free |
| Scheduling | Calendly Free | End scheduling back-and-forth |
| Accounting | Wave | Full accounting, free forever |
Small Team Stack ($0/month)
| Category | Tool | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Chat | Discord | Free with unlimited history |
| Video | Google Meet | 60-minute meetings, 100 people |
| Project Management | ClickUp Free | Unlimited tasks and members |
| Documentation | Notion | Wiki and knowledge base |
| CRM | HubSpot Free | Full team access |
| Support | Tawk.to | Unlimited agents and chats |
| Design | Figma + Canva | Product design + marketing |
| Development | GitHub + Vercel | Code hosting and deployment |
Technical Founder Stack ($0/month)
| Category | Tool | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Code Hosting | GitHub | Free private repos, Actions |
| Project Tracking | Linear or GitHub Projects | Built for developers |
| Frontend Hosting | Vercel | Automatic deploys from Git |
| Backend | Railway | $5 credit covers small apps |
| Database | Supabase | PostgreSQL with auth included |
| Analytics | PostHog (self-hosted) | Product analytics + more |
| Error Tracking | Sentry Free | 5K errors/month |
| Documentation | Notion | API docs, internal wiki |
Non-Technical Founder Stack ($0/month)
| Category | Tool | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Website | Carrd ($19/year) | Simple landing pages |
| Workspace | Notion | Everything in one place |
| Email Marketing | Mailchimp Free | No code required |
| CRM | HubSpot Free | User-friendly interface |
| Social Media | Buffer Free | Schedule posts easily |
| Design | Canva Free | Templates for everything |
| Forms | Google Forms | Surveys and data collection |
| Support | Crisp Free | Easy to set up live chat |
All 50 Tools at a Glance
| Tool | Category | Truly Free? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discord | Communication | Yes | Team chat without limits |
| Microsoft Clarity | Analytics | Yes | Session recording, heatmaps |
| HubSpot CRM | CRM | Yes | Contact management |
| Tawk.to | Support | Yes | Live chat |
| Wave | Accounting | Yes | Invoicing, bookkeeping |
| Clockify | Time Tracking | Yes | Time tracking, reports |
| Unsplash | Stock Photos | Yes | Free commercial photos |
| Photopea | Image Editing | Yes | Photoshop alternative |
| Google Analytics 4 | Analytics | Yes | Web analytics |
| Google Search Console | SEO | Yes | Search performance |
| Notion | Productivity | Freemium | Personal workspace |
| Figma | Design | Freemium | UI/UX design |
| GitHub | Development | Freemium | Code hosting |
| Vercel | Hosting | Freemium | Frontend deployment |
| Supabase | Backend | Freemium | Database + auth |