10 Must-Have Business Tools for Small Business Owners in 2025
Running a small business is hard work. But the right tools can make it much easier. I’ve tested many apps and software over the years. You don’t have to do everything by hand. And you don’t need tons of money to get good tools. I’ve tried lots of business apps. Today I’m sharing the 11 tools that can make your business life so much easier.
Why Good Tools Matter
Before we start, let’s talk about why tools matter. When you’re doing everything in your business, being fast and smart isn’t just nice—it’s needed. The right tools save you time, help you make fewer mistakes, and make you look professional. They also help you grow without going crazy.
1. Canva: Make Beautiful Graphics Easily
Price: Free plan available; Pro starts at $14.99/month
You don’t need to be a designer to make pretty graphics anymore. Canva makes it super easy to create professional-looking stuff for your business.
What’s great about Canva is that it helps all your graphics look the same. Whether you’re making social media posts, presentations, or flyers, you can use templates that keep your brand looking good and consistent.
2. QuickBooks: Keep Track of Your Money
Price: Plans start around $30/month (often has discounts for new users)
Managing money is super important for any business. QuickBooks makes it easy to track where your money comes from and where it goes.
QuickBooks lets you see all your income and expenses in one place. This makes tax time way easier. You can also see how much money you have coming in versus going out. This helps you make smart choices about your business.
3. HoneyBook: Manage Your Clients Better
Price: Starts at $19/month (paid yearly) with a 7-day free trial
Keeping track of clients can be tough. HoneyBook helps you stay organized and look professional. It handles contracts, invoices, and proposals all in one place.
The coolest thing about HoneyBook is that it can do things automatically. You can set it up to send follow-up emails, contract reminders, and payment requests without you having to remember. This means nothing gets forgotten, and you stay in touch with clients the right way.
4. Project Management: Trello, ClickUp, or Asana
Price: Free versions available; paid plans start around $5–10/month
These tools help you break big projects into smaller tasks. Whether you pick Trello (which looks like boards), ClickUp (which has lots of features), or Asana (which is somewhere in between), find one that makes sense to you.
These apps help you set deadlines, track what’s done, and if you have helpers, give them tasks to do. Being able to see everything laid out helps clear your mind and shows you what to do next.
5. Google Workspace: Your Business Email and More
Price: Business email plans start at $6/month per user
Most people use Gmail for personal email. But Google Workspace turns Google’s tools into professional business tools. Having a business email address (like [email protected]) makes you look more professional right away.
You also get calendar, document sharing, and cloud storage. The best part is that you can work on documents with clients or team members at the same time. No more emailing files back and forth and getting confused about which version is the latest.
6. Email Marketing: MailerLite, ConvertKit, or Mailchimp
Price: Free versions available; paid plans start around $9–15/month
Email marketing is one of the best ways to reach customers. These tools help you build a list of people who want to hear from you and send them useful emails.
You can set up automatic email sequences. For example, when someone signs up for your newsletter, they can automatically get a welcome email, then helpful tips over the next few weeks. This keeps you in touch with potential customers without you having to remember to send emails.
7. Zoom: Video Meetings Made Easy
Price: Free for 40-minute group meetings; paid plans start at $14.99/month
Video meetings are normal now. Zoom is reliable and easy to use. You can share your screen, record meetings, and talk to people anywhere in the world.
Recording meetings is really helpful. You can make training videos, client guides, or just have a record of what was discussed for later.
8. Calendly: Stop Playing Phone Tag
Price: Free plan available; paid plans start at $10/month
Going back and forth trying to schedule meetings takes forever. Calendly fixes this by letting clients book time with you directly based on when you’re available.
You can set up different types of meetings, add buffer time between appointments, and it automatically adds meetings to your calendar. This saves time and makes you look more professional.
9. Payment Processing: Stripe or Square
Price: No monthly fees; about 2.9% + 30¢ per online transaction
Making it easy for clients to pay you is super important for getting paid on time. Both Stripe and Square let you accept payments safely and professionally without monthly fees.
These tools handle all the technical stuff and keep payments secure. They also give you reports about your transactions. Being able to accept payments online means you can work with clients anywhere in the world.
10. ChatGPT: Your AI Writing Helper
Price: Free with limits; ChatGPT Plus is $20/month
AI can be a huge help for small business owners. ChatGPT can help you write social media posts, create email templates, brainstorm ideas, or even write first drafts of blog posts.
The trick is learning how to ask ChatGPT the right questions to get useful answers for your specific business needs. It’s like having a writing assistant available 24/7.
11. Bonus Tool: Join Grants for Small Business Owners!
Join the thousands of other small business owners and the journey to winning grants for your business AND get more tips like this!
- Monthly Grant List with hundreds of thousands of dollars in opportunities
- Information on funding, programs and accelerator programs
- Live Sessions with Guest Experts and Q&A for Elite Subscribers
- Small Business News
- Community of other Small Business Owners
How to Get Started
Don’t try to use all these tools at once. Start with the areas where you’re struggling the most. For most small business owners, I suggest starting with money management (QuickBooks) and making graphics (Canva). Then add other tools as you grow.
Many of these tools have free trials or free versions. Try them out before you pay for anything. Make sure each tool fits the way you work and what your business needs.
What tools have helped your business the most? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below.
