As a multimedia generalist, freelancer, or content creator, having the right tools can make a huge difference in your productivity and the quality of your work. Over the past 10 years, I’ve worked in the communication arts field as a designer, videographer, editor, photographer, and producer. These are the tools that have consistently helped me succeed in both my professional career and side hustles.

In this post, I’ll share the top 10 tools I rely on to get the job done efficiently, whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro. Some of these may be obvious but it’s great to review your tools and even better if you’re diving into the industry.

DESIGN & EDITING TOOLS

1. Canva

For designers and content creators, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, Canva is a game-changer. This all-in-one tool is perfect for creating everything from social media posts to full-blown presentations, print assets, and even videos. It’s easy to use, offers templates, and includes collaboration features, making it one of the best free and paid creative resources out there. Plus, with AI tools being integrated, Canva is staying ahead of the curve.

• Pricing: Free plan available, Pro plan starts at $12.99/month.
• Best for: Graphic design, social media, presentations, and video editing.
• Why I use it: It’s faster than Photoshop or Illustrator for quick design tasks, and the ease of collaboration makes it ideal for team projects. I’m shocked to hear even when an experienced designer ignores platforms like this. They are missing out on timesaving templates, quick online editors, and collaborative project development. I even recommend Canva to all my freelance clients. They don’t need to ask you for every small design task they need, some they’ll be able to do themselves. Give your clients the tools to succeed as well!

2. Adobe Creative Cloud

If you’re serious about working as a creative professional, Adobe Creative Cloud is essential. As many pros already know this is the core suite covers everything from design to video editing and is the industry standard for most creative jobs. If you’re tight on funds you could probably get away with just buying Premiere Pro and use Canva for your graphic design while you start to invest in your tools. Must-have core programs include:

• • Photoshop: For photo editing and design.
  • Premiere Pro: For video editing.
  • Illustrator: For vector graphics and illustrations.
  • Lightroom: For fast bulk photo editing.
  • After Effects: For motion graphics and visual effects.
• Pricing: Creative Cloud All Apps starts at $54.99/month.
• Best for: Professionals needing a complete creative toolset.
• Why I use it: It’s the go-to suite for complex creative projects.

3. RunwayAI

RunwayAI is a powerful AI-driven tool for video creators that can help with in-painting (removing logos or objects from videos), background removal, captioning, and turning regular 24fps clips into smooth slow motion. It’s a massive time-saver in post-production.

• Pricing: Free plan available, Pro plans start at $12/month.
• Best for: Video and image editing tools, background removal, and slow-motion creation.
• Why I use it: I’ll run into some tough video editing requests like removing logos or people from a clip and this tool saves hours of manual editing. Removing backgrounds and logos from video has never been easier, and the slow-motion capabilities allow for flexibility even if I didn’t shoot in a high frame rate.

4. OPUS Clip

OPUS Clip is a must-have tool for social media video editors and content creators who need to quickly trim, cut, identify clips and add on screen captions. It’s designed to simplify the editing process, especially when working with large amounts of footage that need on screen text.

• Pricing: Free plan available, Pro plans start at $9.99/month.
• Best for: Video editing, clip organization, and fast trimming.
• Why I use it: It’s incredibly intuitive and saves me hours when I need to sift footage to find the perfect clips and add creative on screen text captions or transitions.

ADMIN & FINANCIAL TOOLS

5. Bonsai, Wave, or QuickBooks

These tools help you create, send, and manage invoices and your freelance finances. Any of these three options help cover all your bases:

• Wave: My personal favorite. A free option for freelancers making under $700 a month. It handles invoicing and payments but has transaction fees.
  • Wave is free with a 3% transaction fee.
• Bonsai: Ideal for freelancers making over $700 a month. Includes contracts, invoicing, and time tracking, all in one.
  • Bonsai starts at $21/month
• QuickBooks: A robust bookkeeping solution for freelancers needing more advanced financial management.
  • QuickBooks starts at $15/month.
• Best for: Invoicing, time tracking, and financial management.
• Why I use them: They save me time by automating invoices and payment tracking, freeing me up to focus on creative work. I personally like Wave the best just for the easy interface and good pricing. It also has features to send your clients and you reminders about invoices. I don’t have to constantly remind clients to pay invoices manually, which is inevitable in the freelance business. Bonsai is a close second and even offers Bonsai debit cards. QuickBooks is best if you have multiple people managing your financing or trying to track more in one spot.

6. ChatGPT

Think of ChatGPT as your AI assistant. Whether you need help drafting emails, generating creative ideas, optimizing a script or social post, or even organizing content, this tool can save you time and provide fresh perspectives.

• Pricing: Free plan available, ChatGPT Plus starts at $20/month.
• Best for: Writing, idea generation, and problem-solving.
• Why I use it: It’s like having a brainstorming partner and proofreader always available. I use it to help review emails, blogs, come up with content, and it’s invaluable for speeding up tedious tasks like reviewing & analyzing video transcripts. I once uploaded a 30-minute transcript a few dozen pages long and it found all the key moments, pulled high-lights, testimonials, and quotes in seconds.

6a. DeepSeek

DeepSeek is a relatively NEW AI-powered tool that works better at formatting and organizing content, making it a fantastic alternative or complement to ChatGPT. Whether you’re drafting Word documents, formatting web pages, or structuring long-form content, DeepSeek’s precision and ease of use stand out. Its free version is robust, though you may occasionally encounter “server busy” notices—just refresh and you’re good to go.

• • Pricing: Free plan available, with optional paid upgrades for advanced features.
  • Best for: Formatting documents, web pages, and structured content.
  • Why I use it: DeepSeek is my go-to for longer tasks that require clean, professional formatting. It’s particularly helpful when I’m working on client deliverables like word documents, reports, proposals, or blog posts. The fact that the free version works just as well as the paid one makes it an unbeatable value. If you’re looking for an AI tool that’s more focused on structure and presentation, DeepSeek is a must-try.

WEBSITE TOOLS

7. IONOS Hosting

For one of the most affordable hosting platforms out there, IONOS is a top contender. It offers domain registration, SSL certificates, and managed WordPress hosting, all at a budget-friendly price.

• Pricing: Managed WordPress hosting starts at $5/month, with SSL and email included.
• Best for: Multiple website hosting, SSL, and email management.
• Why I use it: It’s one of the most affordable hosting platforms with great features like Unlimited WordPress and SSL Hosting packages for both client sites and personal projects.

HIDDEN SAVINGS TIP – I save over $500 a year by calling my hosting provider and asking if they can offer me any discounts. With IONOS they given me a %50 discount every year on my email packages and even this year they threw in an extra %50 discount on my web hosting! GoDaddy also occasionally offers discounts. I bet if you call and let them know your looking at different providers and are trying to save costs, you’ll most likely get a discount. Don’t be shy with your providers ask for that DISCOUNT!!!

8. WordPress

With WordPress powering over 43% of websites globally, it’s a reliable and flexible platform for building any kind of website. Whether you need a blog, portfolio, or eCommerce site, WordPress has a plugin for everything.

• Pricing: Free to use, but paid hosting required. Managed WordPress hosting starts at $5/month.
• Best for: Website creation, blogs, and eCommerce.
• Why I use it: Its flexibility and vast library of plugins make building highly customized websites a breeze.

9. Avada Theme

When building WordPress websites, a good theme can save hours of design work. Avada Theme offers a visual builder, essential plugins, and pre-built templates that can be customized easily.

• Pricing: $69 one-time fee per website (lifetime updates included).
• Best for: Quick and easy WordPress website creation.
• Why I use it: The pre-built designs help speed up the process without sacrificing quality.

STOCK RESOURCES

10. Storyblocks

If you regularly need stock footage, titles, or After Effects templates, Storyblocks offers fantastic value. It has a vast library of b-roll, lower thirds, motion graphics, and even music. You don’t need to be an After Effects pro—many templates come with step-by-step instructions.

• Pricing: Individual plan starts at $15/month for video or $30/month for all-access.
• Best for: Stock footage, titles, After Effects templates, and music.
• Why I use it: The extensive library of After Effects templates alone makes it worth the subscription. Adding professional motion graphics can elevate any project.

10a. Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock is one of the most comprehensive stock resource platforms available, offering high-quality images, videos, templates, and more. While it tends to be on the pricier side compared to some competitors, the quality and variety of assets are unmatched. Whether you’re looking for the perfect stock photo, a video clip, or a professionally designed template, Adobe Stock likely has exactly what you need.

• • Pricing: Pay-as-you-go $or\; subscriptionplans\; startat\; \$$29.99/month for 10 assets.
  • Best for: High-quality stock photos, videos, and templates.
  • Why I use it: When I need premium assets for a project, Adobe Stock is my go to spot when I can’t find what I need on StoryBlocks. The integration with Adobe Creative Cloud also makes it incredibly convenient to search, license, and use assets directly within apps like Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and After Effects. While it’s not the cheapest option, the quality and seamless workflow integration make it worth the investment for professional projects.

BONUS: Best Free Stock Resources

As a freelancer, free resources are invaluable. Here are my favorite go-to sites for stock images, videos, and sounds:

• Pexels: A great resource for high-quality, royalty-free stock images and videos. Perfect for both commercial and personal projects without the need for attribution.
• Unsplash: One of the most popular free image resources, offering stunning photography and high-resolution images. It’s a go-to for creatives looking for high-quality visuals.
• Videvo: Offers a wide collection of free stock videos and motion graphics, including royalty-free clips and animations for use in video projects.
• Freesound: A vast library of free sound effects and audio clips. It’s ideal for enhancing video content, podcasts, and creative projects with unique sounds.
• DaFont: A massive library of free creative fonts, perfect for adding unique typography to your designs. Fonts range from decorative to minimalist, with plenty of variety.
  • Pricing: Free to use, with optional premium plans for some sites.
  • Best for: Free stock photos, videos, and sounds.
  • Why I use them: These resources help me save money on stock assets when budget is tight!

Final Thoughts

These tools have been my go-to resources for both my creative work and freelance business over the past decade. Whether you’re a seasoned freelancer or just starting out, I highly recommend exploring these options to help streamline your workflow, improve your output, and manage your business more efficiently.