Top Freedompreneur Apps






bitmoji-laptop-happy For freedompreneurs who seek to build a graceful, nimble, joyful, sustainable and highly profitable boutique business, here are e-tools and apps that I use and alternative suggestions. Freedom on!
signature-ella-xo

All-In-One Solution Communication​  |  Lead Generation​  |  Time Saving |  Project Mgmt Data MGMTVirtual Support |  Financial  |  Graphic​  |  Web Hosting ​​ |  Travel

All-In-One Solution

Simplero

Simplero • Simple all-in-one solution: website + mailing list + shopping cart +  e-course + membership site + CRM + landing pages + more, for $119 to $199/month.

TRY SIMPLERO for Free

 

Read Ellany's blog on Preventing Multi-system Chaos, where I used to use: Aweber ($69) + 1shoppingcart ($59) for e-commerce + SendOwl for membership site ($24) + Aweber Pro for CRM tagging ($49) + LeadPages ($25) for landing pages + Zapier (to integrate these separate platforms)... $240/month!!

If you found that blog useful and would like to credit us, use our referral link: https://simplero.com/?ref=4842-ellanylea

Alternative: Kajabi. If I wasn't using Simplero.com for the last 5 years, I'd use Kajabi. It has all the features of Simplero.com, plus a stronger functionality to emulate "Facebook groups", for $199/month.
Try Kajabi • 1 Free Month


Communication Ease

Zoom • No more dropped calls, like Skype. Cleanest audio line I've experienced, in 90+ countries! I used it for coaching calls, webinars, screen-sharing, video conferencing, and even watching a movie with an overseas bestie. It also has international dial-in numbers, automatic recording, live chat and break out rooms.

Alternative: Skype (free). Popular, but call quality not as high, calls drop regularly and doesn't work in some of the 60+ countries I've been to.

Warning: DO NOT use WebinarJam. It has 2 min delay between your speaking and your audience seeing/hearing you. So if you ask a question, your audience will only hear it 2 min later. 🤨


Lead Generation

Interact Quiz • Interact is an elegantly simple way to turn strangers into friends, to play together and build the foundations of a relationship. Friendship fosters the best clients and/or referrals.


Time Saving

Simplero

Simplero • Simple all-in-one solution, which includes appointment scheduling and multiple types of calendars and bookings, for $119 to $199/month.

Alternative: Acuity Scheduling. Save time, get rid of back-and-forth e-mails, avoid double-booking, auto set timezones. Multiple types of bookings. $15/month

World Time Buddy • Never miss another international call! Pro tip: Always schedule the call in client/customer's timezone, and then convert to timezone that you'll be in. That way, the client/customer calls at their scheduled time and don't have to deal with timezone, just because you are a digital nomad.


Project Management

Asana • Multiple projects (to-do list, shopping list, reading list, ideas list, in progress list). Tasks and subtasks within each project. Swipe right to check off tasks (shot of dopamine), swipe left to delete a non-essential task ( wisdom)

Alternative: Trello. It's free. it can do neat tricks, but I prefer simplicity and minimalism, over gadgety.


Google Workspace • Gmail customized to myname@mydomain.com, integrated with Gcal and Google Drive (gdocs, gxls) for file storage and transfer. Automatic back up of my entire computer on the cloud. Document syncing between laptop and mobile devices. $8/month

Alternative: Gmail yourcompany@gmail.com + Evernote for notes + Dropbox for file storage and transfer (free)... which eventually leads to multi-system chaos


ExpressVPN • VPNs protect you from online snooping, interference, and censorship. Take charge of your online privacy and security with best-in-class encryption.

Try Free 30 day trial!

Alternative: NordVPN


LastPass • Save your sanity with one master password to access all other passwords. This allows other passwords to be randomized and more secure. I feel 1.5 tons lighter. Free for 1 device, $12/month for multiple-devices.

Alternative: 1Password


VIRTUAL SUPPORT

Upwork • Hire freelancers with five star ratings + proven project history + portfolio only.

Alternative: Angeline Ambatali, my virtual assistant (VA), she's trustworthy and dependable, quick to learn any new e-system I teach her, and efficient with her work.

Financial Sanity

Wise • Holds personal and business virtual bank accounts in MANY currencies. Sends foreign exchange from bank to bank with lower fees and higher exchange rates than physical banks. Comes with free Debit Mastercard that debits my EUR account when I'm spending in Barcelona, my GBP account when in London, my USD account when in New York City, etc. Debit Mastercard sometimes doesn't work for day-to-day purchases, it gets blocked for some reason. Top up accounts via: online banking (2 min), credit card (7 min), debit card (2 min) or bank transfer (1-3 days). Customer service by phone (5 min wait).


Bookkeeping + Accounting
  logo-xero-accountingXero Accounting


Alternative:
Quickbooks Online


The software that shall remain nameless that I overstayed on 🙈
 Price $840 USD / year
$200 USD / year
$190 USD / year
Transactions in multi-currency

 Reports in multi-currency

(in 'home' currency only)
Choice of operating currency  ✅
(in 'home' currency only)
Connects to Wise  ✅
(to 'home' currency only)
Auto refreshes bank feeds  ✅
(must always deactivate / reactivate some feeds)
Cashflow chart
(if multi-currency turned on)
Cashflow planner
(if multi-currency turned on)
 ❌
Real-time snapshot of business health  ✅
Foreign exchange transfers reconciliation  
(must use journals)
Tax reconciliation report
 Canada GST report
 ❌
(if operating currency not CAD)
 ✅ ✅ 
Bookkeeper manual work 2 steps / month 5 steps / month 14 steps / month



Graphic beautification

Canva.com • Simple and beautiful digital graphic editing app. I love browsing their infographics and tables of content for design inspiration. Only downside is it only works if you're online. Free, some stock images or shapes paid. When I'm offline, my VA does what I need done. As of Feb 1, 2019, the Canva app on iPHone won't allow editing of Canva 2.0 projects, bummer. But sooo pretty! Warning: You may get sucked into design vortex and never come out ;)

Alternative: Photoshop, $10/month, worth every penny if you love graphics design, need layering and transparent PNGs

Creativemarket.com • Join forces with talented designers around the world. Get original and modern graphics, fonts & icons at affordable prices.
You can browse around from the thousands of options they have until you find one that suits your brand ;)

Alternative: Pay hundreds of dollars to have back and forth discussions with a single graphic designer that may or may not wow you.


WEB HOSTING Reliability

ICDSoft • Web hosting, reliably used since 2003 (until I merged my website into all-in-one solution Simplero.com), super quick support ticket response time + my longest response time was 11 min (Business Plan $10/month)

Alternative: N/A (I wouldn't recommend GoDaddy or BlueHost as hosting sites, my colleagues have run into soooooo many problems with no customer support, problems that I've never even heard of and can't even replicate with ICDSoft, who have always gotten back to me under 15min.)


Travel Freedom + Joy

Mark 'O Travel • Keep track of countries visited with photo reminders and color-coded map.

Alternative: Use Google Maps like Ella's Travel Pins.


Airbnb • Home away from home for globetrotters. Passive income for hosts in 190+ countries (View my home)

Alternative: Look up co-living spaces in your city. So far, I still found Airbnb less expensive, with much more amenities and facilities included than co-living spaces.

Lime Scooter • Lime is revolutionizing micro mobility and empowering a new urban lifestyle. The mobile app lets riders easily find and unlock shared smart bikes and scooters. It's a fun, efficient and sustainable way to move around the city. 

Get 1 free unlock

Skyroam • Travel the world with super fast mobile WiFi connectivity and power for all your gadgets. Hassle-free - unlimited, fast, secure internet at one low, flat rate worldwide.

Get 20% Off

Airalo • Did you know you can travel with an eSIM and worldwide data without needing an additional SIM chip in your phone? Save US$3 off your first Airalo data pack with code ELLANY2039

Enjoy $3 off your first eSIM purchase!

VisaHQ • VisaHQ.com, Inc. has provided online visa services and U.S. passport solutions enabling travelers to apply online for visas to virtually any country in the world.