open source business plan software free download

Free Business Plan Generator

Do you still spend hours writing and creating a business plan? Not after today. Upmetrics’ free business plan generator simplifies writing a business plan and helps you create a comprehensive and compelling lean plan in seconds.

Sounds exciting? Let’s learn more about getting started with our free business plan generator and using it to draft your plan.

Using Upmetrics’ Free Business Plan Generator

Need help using the free business plan generator? Follow these step-by-step instructions to create a business plan using the free generator in no time.

Creating a business plan requires filling in 4 critical fields—company overview, marketing details, competitor information, and financial overview. Let’s start with the first.

1. Enter the Company Overview

Provide a company overview in approximately 3-4 sentences, including your business’s name, service offerings, USPs, mission, goals, and target market. Here’s an example for you:

2. Add Marketing Details

The next step—provide marketing details. Start by answering how your business plans to attract new customers and what you want to achieve with your business.

You may also include details about your marketing budget and preferred marketing channels. Here’s an example for your reference:

“i.e. We will attract customers through a strong online presence, social media marketing, and in-store promotions. Offering loyalty programs and hosting community biking events will help build a loyal customer base.”

3. Enter Competitor Information

After adding the marketing details, provide the name of your primary competitor(s) and explain how you are distinct from your competitors.

Describe whether your offerings have any competitive advantages or differentiators. Here’s how it can be done:

“i.e. Our primary competitor is ‘Wheels & Gears,’ but what sets us apart is our personalized customer service and expert bike repair services. We also differentiate ourselves by focusing on eco-friendly and sustainable products.”

4. Provide Financial Overview

Finally,—provide an overview of your business financials. Include what your startup costs are, what your financial strategy would be, and your first-year sales.

We are creating a lean business plan, so it may not require a detailed description of your business financials. Here’s an example for your understanding:

“i.e. Our expected business costs are $87,000 and that includes rent, inventory, equipment, and staff salaries. Our financial strategy is to minimize overhead costs and optimize inventory turnover. We project annual sales to reach $500,000 in the first year.”

5. Click on Generate a Business Plan

You’ve filled in all the necessary fields. It’s time to click “Generate a Business Plan” and see it yourself.

Your lean business plan is ready; you may make a few changes and go ahead with it or choose an AI business plan generator for comprehensive planning.

Make detailed business & financial plans in minutes with

Upmetrics’ AI Business Plan Generator

Plans starting from $7/month

Business Plan Example that will Inspire You

We created this sample CycleWave business plan using Upmetrics’ free generator. Remember, it’s your first draft—you can always go back and re-generate or edit it later.

CycleWave Business Plan

Introduction

Welcome to the business plan for CycleWave, a bicycle retail and repair shop dedicated to providing high-quality bikes and expert maintenance services. Our mission is to promote a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle through cycling while offering exceptional customer service.

Market Overview

The cycling industry is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing interest in health, sustainability, and alternative transportation methods.

The target market includes cycling enthusiasts, commuters, and local community members.

Strong market potential due to growing awareness of the need for eco-friendly and sustainable products.

Competitive Analysis

Primary competitor: Wheels & Gears.

Differentiation factors

• Personalized customer service
• Expertise in bike repair services
• Focus on eco-friendly and sustainable products.

Highlight the advantages of our unique offerings to attract customers away from competitors.

Marketing Plan

Utilize a solid online presence through a professional website to showcase our products, services, and promotions. Implement social media marketing strategies to engage with customers and build brand awareness.

Host community biking events to foster a sense of belonging and attract potential customers. Offer loyalty programs to incentivize repeat business and build a loyal customer base.

Operational Plan

Secure a suitable retail location with ample space for displaying bicycles and providing repair services. Employ knowledgeable staff with expertise in bike repair and customer service.

Create efficient processes for inventory management and maintenance repairs to ensure fast turnaround times. Maintain an attractive and organized store layout to enhance the customer experience.

Financial Plan

Our expected business costs are $87,000, allocated as follows:

• Rent: $30,000
• Inventory: $40,000
• Equipment: $10,000
• Staff Salaries: $7,000

We project annual sales to reach $500,000 in the first year, allowing us to gradually cover expenses and increase profitability.

Conclusion and Call to Action

In conclusion, CycleWave aims to thrive in the bicycle retail and repair industry by offering high-quality bikes, expert maintenance services, personalized customer care, and eco-friendly products. Join us in promoting a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle through cycling.

If you want to support our mission and become part of our cycling community, please contact us or visit our store today!

Upgrade to Make Comprehensive Plans in Minutes

Upmetrics’ free business plan generator is undoubtedly a better way to business plan. However, you may need an upgrade to create a comprehensive, investment-ready plan.

AI business plan generator like Upmetrics make business plan creation a breeze with their modern AI-powered features.

AI writing assistant helps you write, rewrite, edit, or translate sections of your plan, while the forecasting assistant provides revenue and expense stream suggestions for accurate projections.

You also get to access the massive library of 400+ sample business plans . So, all you need to do is export a template into the editor and start preparing your plan with AI .

What are you waiting for? Business planning starts @ $7 per month.

Build your Business Plan Faster

with step-by-step Guidance & AI Assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a free business plan generator.

The free business plan generator is a free-to-use version of Upmetrics’ business plan software. It uses AI-powered features to help users create a business plan. Since it can only create a lean business plan, you need Upmetrics’ advanced features for detailed planning.

Is it really free to use?

Yes, Upmetrics’ free business plan generator is 100% free to use, but the features that come with it are also limited. So, you may consider getting a premium subscription for advanced business planning features.

What information will I need to provide to use the tool?

You must fill in the necessary details to create a business plan using the free generator. The information required may include a company overview, marketing details, competitor information, and a financial overview.

What type of businesses should use your free business plan tool?

Startups and small businesses starting up or operating on tight budgets should consider getting a free business planning tool to create a lean business plan.

Is there a limit to how many plans I can create with your software?

No. As of now, there’s no limit to the number of business plans you can create using Upmetrics’ free business plan generator.

Is a sample plan as useful as creating my own custom version?

Using a sample business plan or template is one of the easiest ways to create your business plan. All you need to do is export a template into the editor and start preparing your plan with AI.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

The #1 Free Business Plan Software

5 Best Free Business Plan Software in 2021

It’s a long journey from having a start-up idea to creating a plan, raising funds, and finally getting the business started. It takes extensive effort to create a business plan that would lure in capital support from investors. A business plan software is the best tool available in the market to help you with that. 

A  business plan software  offers built-in templates to create business proposals in no time. Users can search the business plan template based on their needs and write up a plan using its step-by-step guide. A business plan software allows users to identify and analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges that are anticipated in the respective business field. This has led to the rapid growth of business planning tools. According to a report, the global market value of business plan software is expected to reach  USD 1,37,871.4 thousand  by 2027. 

There are multiple free and paid options for business plan software available in the market today. So it can be a little tricky to choose the best-suited software from the pool. If you are a beginner, it is better to start by exploring the free tools and understand them before purchasing a paid plan. To help you make an informed decision, we have listed the 5 best  free business plan software  in 2021.

Table of Contents

What should users look for in business plan software?

Following are the top features of a business plan software that one can use to reap its maximum benefit –

• Pre-designed business plan templates
• Collaborative tools
• Social sharing features
• Investor management
• Fundraising management
• Step-by-step template guide
• Performance dashboards
• Import/export functionality
• Multi-device support
• Data security
• Intuitive UI

Which are the 5 best free business plan software in 2021?

Following are the 5 best business plan software available in the market for free. These tools can be used for businesses of all sizes –

1. LivePlan

LivePlan is one of the  best business plan software in 2021 . It offers a comprehensive solution with a complete set of business planning tools. LivePlan provides more than 500 sample templates that help users to create appealing business proposals in no time. It also provides step-by-step instructions to guide users to make the best use of the software. These instructions explain the key components that users should add to different sections of their business plan. In addition, LivePlan also offers video tutorials on business planning.

LivePlan follows an SBA-approved format for drafting business proposals. It is a cloud-based platform with an easy-to-use interface. Users can create balance sheets, charts, graphs, cash flow diagrams, and profit/loss figures using LivePlan and add them to their business plan. It also enables users to keep track of their financial data with real-time updates. 

Key features

• Performance dashboard
• Milestone scheduler
• Third-party integration with Xero and QuickBooks
• Cost-effective
• Financial projections
• Financial forecasting
• Step-by-step instructions
• Online customer support
• Export file format compatibility with MS Word and PDF

LivePlan offers a free trial on its subscription plans that start at  $11.66/month . 

Enloop is an online  free business plan software  with a real-time performance score tracker. It can be used to automate business planning tasks. Enloop can automatically draft business proposals online that are ready-to-use. 

Enloop has a fairly easy-to-use platform with an intuitive UI. Users can create graphs, figures, and balance sheets to make their business plans appealing to investors. Enloop also supports a multi-user login that allows teams to work simultaneously on a project . 

Enloop creates regular financial reports that allow users to keep track of monetary transactions and distribution. It also provides in-built templates for users to create effective business proposals in no time. It also offers video tutorials that guide users through the proposal template and help them draft different sections of the business plan.

Enloop offers a freemium plan that is available for public use without any subscription charges. Advanced plans are also available that start at  $11/month . Paid plans also come with a free trial option.

3. Upmetrics

Upmetrics offer  free business plan software  with great financial modeling features. Users can utilize its business plan editor tool to create a refined business proposal in no time. It also allows users to create profit/loss charts, graphs, and figures to add additional value to the business proposal.   

Upmetrics has an in-built pinboard that can be used to organize business and financial data. It offers a free trial for its subscription plans where users can create multiple projects for free before finally implementing the paid version. It also allows multi-user login that supports team collaboration. In addition, Upmetrics offers a permission control feature that provides online data protection against any unauthorized action. 

• Permission control
• Multi-user login
• In-built business templates

Upmetrics offers a free trial on its subscription plan that starts at  $15/month .

4. IdeaBuddy

IdeaBuddy is a business planning platform that allows users to create a single-page business plan pitch. It offers financial tools for creating business plans and promote them in the market. IdeaBuddy utilizes financial forecasting feature to predict the opportunities and challenges of a business idea. 

IdeaBuddy supports cash flow projections for efficient financial planning. Its proprietary algorithm also calculates the performance score of a business idea beforehand so that users can make appropriate modifications to overcome the issues. 

A complete business model can be designed with this software. Being a cloud-based application, it supports multi-user login and remote accessibility as well. The key features of IdeaBuddy as a business planning software is as follows –

• Intuitive dashboard
• Step-by-step guide
• Pitch presentation
• Financial projection

IdeaBuddy offers a free trial on its subscription plans that start at  $6/month .

5. BizPlanBuilder

BizPlanBuilder helps entrepreneurs build professional business plans. It offers in-built templates with an easy-to-use drag-and-drop functionality that allows users to add content with just a few clicks. BizPlanBuilder is a cloud-based software that supports remote accessibility . So, it is one of the best options for companies with a distributed workforce.

BIzPlanBuilder follows a two-way authentication protocol to protect data from potential malware. In addition, it offers free start-up courses for users where they can learn tips and tricks for creating an appealing landing page for their business. Users can export their business plans in a PDF format and share them with clients. BizPlanBuilder currently works in integration with Xero and QuickBooks.

• Collaborative features
• Remote accessibility
• Two-way authentication
• User-friendly dashboard
• In-built business plan templates

BizPlanBuilder offers a free trial on all its subscription plans that start at  $97/year .

Most of the time having a business idea is not enough. It has to be backed up with a solid plan of execution, marketing, finances, and much more. Drafting a business proposal that will stand out in this highly competitive market takes time and can sometimes be tiring. Business plan software is just the right solution if you are stuck in something like this.

But again, choosing the right software can be tricky. It is recommended to start with options that are available for free. This way you can understand the process and filter the required features based on your needs. Once you are there, you can go ahead and purchase advanced paid plans. 

In this article, we have listed the 5 best  free business plan software  that can be used by both professionals and non-professionals. And in case, you wish to explore more options, do visit us at  SaaSworthy .

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Open source tools for running a small business in 2022

Opensource.com

This year, Opensource.com ran several great articles focusing on open source in business. These articles show the power of open source in business as tools, platforms, or integration points. Let's review some of the top open source business stories from 2021:

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• Free online course: RHEL technical overview
• Learn Advanced Linux Commands
• Download Cheat Sheets
• Find an Open Source Alternative
• Read Top Linux Content
• Check out open source resources

My favorite open source project management tools

If you've managed projects in an office environment, the odds are you've probably used Microsoft Project to track tasks and assignments. However, the open source community has created many options for tracking projects. For your project management needs, Frank Bergmann wrote about using Redmine, ]project-open[, ProjectLibre, GanttProject, TaskJuggler, and ProjeQtOr.

Use Apache Superset for open source business intelligence reporting

With business intelligence, you can get a better view of your information by sorting data, arranging results, and displaying contextual information. Business Intelligence (BI) is a key technology for any organization that wants to make "data-driven" decisions. Maxime Beauchemin article discusses Apache Superset and how it has matured into a leading open source BI solution.

6 WordPress plugins for restaurants and retailers

The pandemic changed how many people prefer to do business—probably permanently. Restaurants and other local retail establishments can no longer rely on walk-in trade, as they once had. Online ordering of food and other items has become the norm and the expectation. It is unlikely consumers will turn their backs on the convenience of e-commerce once the pandemic is over. Don Watkins wrote about six open source plugins to help you create a WordPress site that meets your customers' preferences for online shopping, curbside pickup, and delivery. It also builds your brand and your customer base.

Try Chatwoot, an open source customer relationship platform

In any business with a customer-facing component, it's critical to keep on top of customer interaction. When did we last contact this customer, or when did they last contact us? Who responded from our organization? What service level agreements govern the relationship? These and other questions are best managed in a customer relationship management system (CRM). Nitish Tiwari wrote about Chatwoot, an open source customer relationship platform built with Ruby and Vue.js. Chatwoot was written from scratch to allow customer-relations teams to build end-to-end ticket management and support platforms. This article looks at Chatwoot's architecture, installation, and key features.

Try Dolibarr, an open source customer relationship management platform

Whether you run a retail store, restaurant, pub, supermarket, gym, or any other business, you need a reliable way to keep in touch with your customers. After all, they're customers because they like what you do, and if they've shared their contact information with you, they want to hear more about what you have to offer. Pradeep Vijayakumar wrote about the Dolibarr project, an open source enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) software. Dolibarr provides a whole range of ERP features, including point-of-sale (POS), invoicing, stock and inventory management, sales orders, purchase orders, and human resources management.

An open source alternative to Microsoft Exchange

Microsoft Exchange has for many years been nearly unavoidable as a platform for groupware environments. Late in 2020, however, an Austrian open source software developer introduced grommunio, a groupware server and client with a look and feel familiar to Exchange and Outlook users. Markus Feilner wrote about how grommunio can replace Exchange in the enterprise as a robust and fully functional choice for groupware.

A guide to simplifying invoicing with this open source tool

Many IT projects are late, over budget, and subject to dramatic changes during development. These issues make invoicing one of the most taxing activities in IT. Frank Bergmann wrote about how ]project-open[ simplifies the process of invoicing. Frank's article can also serve as a guide to handling financial tasks if you decide to become self-employed or set up a startup.

Open source is good business

Open source software isn't just for developers. Businesses can leverage the power of open source software, as well. In fact, open source is a major driver in many business areas. The tool you're using today might itself be open source software or using open source as part of the stack.

5 open source alternatives to Microsoft Exchange

There is no need to settle for a proprietary solution. Try one of these Linux-based email and groupware services.

5 ways open source software transformed business in 2021

This collection of articles shows how businesses connect with open source software.

Comments are closed.

Related content.

Open source project management software

Powerful classic, agile or hybrid project management in a secure environment., successful companies trust openproject, data sovereignty, maintain control of your data and stay secure.

Keep your data ownership: OpenProject protects your privacy in a secure environment with highest standards in data security.

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OpenProject can be installed on-premises in your own organizations's infrastructure, giving you complete control over your data and allowing you to manage it 100% yourself. You get insight into the storage and handling of your data, free from external influences.

We offer the highest level of security and protection of your data with a variety of security features, such as https encryption of your data, password security, two-factor authentication, definition of session runtime and much more.

Transparency

Free and open source software (FOSS) gives you transparent insights into the source code and the freedom to operate, distribute, study and modify OpenProject without restrictions. We develop our product in public, accessible to everyone. OpenProject is proudly licensed under the GNU GPL v3.

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With our Enterprise Cloud, your data is stored on secure servers within the EU or, if you wish, in Germany. Both the data center and the network architecture are designed to meet the needs of highly security-conscious companies.

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Enterprise on-premises

The Enterprise on-premises offers you professional support, Enterprise add-ons and security features for your self-hosted OpenProject. This OpenProject edition requires Linux or Mac experience to install it on your own infrastructure.

Enterprise cloud

Concentrate on your business and let the experts do the hosting for you. This SaaS solution does not require any technical setup. The Enterprise Cloud offers you professional OpenProject Hosting and additional Enterprise add-ons and support.

What our customers say

The students use OpenProject for their work to network. The theoretical project management techniques are directly put into practice. By using OpenProject, the productivity of the project members was increased significantly.

Prof. Dr. Eduard Gerhardt

Coburg University Faculty of Economic Sciences

OpenProject enables us to plan and structure projects quickly and comprehensibly, and thus to maintain an overview and stick to deadlines. At the same time, OpenProject allows us to have an efficient and sustainable exchange with customers.

Florian Rogge

go∼mus Sales Director

OpenProject helped me to visualize my project's timeline and have a better overview. Also, all my team members were able to have access to all project information at any time which reduced the coordination for me.

Jana Schilling

District Office Enzkreis Department Modern Administration, Personnel and organizational development

I value the flexibility and versatility of OpenProject, we were able to make it fit our own needs. Moreover, the on-premises installation provides us with the required data security.

Janne Louhikari

Greenpeace Nordic IT Operations Manager

OpenProject gives us the opportunity to have a lot of important data in one place. Work package distribution, task scheduling, meeting protocols and additional information are clearly arranged. Therefore no assigned job gets lost in endless lists. It greatly simplifies the organization of our project and thus helps us to work more efficiently together on our CubeSat SOURCE.

CubeSat SOURCE

KSat e.V. Stuttgart

Last year, we introduced OpenProject in our non-profit project "fLotte Berlin" to organize all the tasks related to the operation of 250 cargo bikes that can be borrowed free of charge. Since then, the communication effort in our team has decreased significantly, our response times have improved noticeably and the processes have become more structured and transparent. During the introductory phase, OpenProject provided us with amazing support. Thank you again!

fLotte Freie Lastenräder für Berlin

#1 Open Source Project Management Software

Try OpenProject now with your team and get convinced!

• User guides

Getting started

Learn about the first steps with OpenProject

In-depth guide of all features in OpenProject

System admin guide

Learn how to configure your OpenProject

General frequently asked questions

Enterprise edition guide

Manage your OpenProject Enterprise edition

Installation and operations guide

Find out how to install and operate OpenProject

Release Notes

See the latest changes in OpenProject

Development

Learn about how to contribute to OpenProject

Learn about the API powering OpenProject

Additional BIM features for construction teams

Detailed step-by-step instructions

A dictionary of project management terms

Security & privacy

Data protection and information security are of central importance for the OpenProject team.

Most popular topics

Installing OpenProject

Learn how to download and install OpenProject on your own servers.

Enterprise add-ons

Find out about the OpenProject Enterprise add-ons to boost your project management.

OpenProject hosting

Get started easily with OpenProject hosting from the experts.

Find out how to get maintenance and support for OpenProject in your organization.

Free Download

Business Plan Template for Small Businesses

Business planning can feel complicated. it doesn't have to be. start putting pen to paper today with your free business plan template download..

Available formats:

Downloads: 939,892

Our free template includes:

• Fill-in-the-blanks simplicity

You don't need to be an expert. This template makes business planning easy.

All 100% free. We're here to help you succeed in business, no strings attached.

Why you need a business plan

Writing a business plan can seem like a big task, especially if you’re starting a business for the first time and don’t have a financial background. After all, business plans have changed over the years, and what lenders and investors expect now is different than it was even just 10 years ago.

What hasn’t changed is that writing a business plan will help you:

• Develop a strategy for success
• Reduce the risk of starting a business
• Explore new business ideas
• Attract investors and get funding

Learn more about how you can get value out of your business plan .

What is included in this business plan template?

This template includes definitions, guidance, and examples for every business plan component needed to start, fund, and grow your business.

After downloading the full template, you’ll receive instructions on how to fill out each of the following sections.

Executive summary

The brief summary of your business plan introduces everyone to your business, the problem you solve, and what you’re asking from your readers. It’s the first chapter of your business plan and the last thing you write once you have the details from your full plan.

Problem & solution

More than a simple description of your products and services – here you define the problem you’re solving and the value you provide. It’s also your chance to showcase any initial traction that shows you’re on the right track.

Market analysis and target market

A detailed assessment of the market you intend to enter, including the size and value of the market, potential customer segments, and their buying patterns.

Competition

Show that you know who your competitors are, what advantages you have, and how you’re positioning your business to be competitive.

Marketing & sales

Describe how you’ll reach and sell to potential customers with a detailed sales plan and chosen marketing channels.

What makes your business run? Outline the day-to-day workflows and what needs to be set up for your business to deliver a product or service.

Milestones & metrics

Set goals for your business that include the dates and people responsible for accomplishing them. This is what you’ll use to manage responsibilities, track growth, and execute your larger strategy.

Company overview and team

Provide a brief rundown of the legal and structural components of your company, including your history, current team, and gaps you need to fill.

Financial plan

Create well-structured and accurate financial statements to help you pitch to investors, land funding, and achieve long-term success. All without the help of a financial advisor or a degree in accounting.

While not required, this last section of your business plan is a great place to drop in additional documents that support and strengthen the rest of your plan.

How do you write a simple business plan?

If you’re exploring a business idea and don’t plan to pursue funding, then you actually don’t need to write a traditional business plan. Instead, opt for a one-page plan , which is far easier to create but just as effective.

To write a simple one-page business plan, follow the same core sections as a traditional plan. But instead of lengthy paragraphs and multiple pages covering each area of your business, stick with single sentences and bulleted lists.

If a one-page plan sounds like a better option, download our free simple business plan template to get started.

Start your business plan today

Whether you're writing a business plan to validate your business idea, secure funding, or grow your existing business – our template will help you achieve your goals.

Business plan template FAQ

What file formats are available for this business plan template?

You can download and use this business plan template as a Google Doc, .docx (Microsoft Word), or PDF.

Can you print out this template?

This is a printable business plan template that can be downloaded and printed no matter which format you choose.

Why should you start with a business plan template?

Starting with a good business plan template (like this one) includes everything you need to get started. It helps you organize your thoughts, and provides guidance, instructions, and examples to create an investor-ready and SBA-approved business plan format. It really speeds up the planning process. Oh, and it's 100% free!

Is writing a business plan easy?

Using a business plan template can make writing a business plan easier. Additionally, if you focus on just getting your information down quickly, with the expectation that you'll revisit and revise your plan, you can speed up and simplify the process .

Can someone write your business plan for you?

If you're still struggling to write your business plan even when using a template, you can look into hiring a professional business plan writer. We even have a free resource to help you ask just the right questions  to make sure you find the right plan writer.

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The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan

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51 best open source business software in 2022 (Updated)

Pos for ecommerce platforms.

Streamline in-store checkout with a specialized POS interface. Efficiently handle orders across multiple POS locations. Easily locate products using barcodes. Enhance sales with an advanced loyalty program and more.

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Open source business software keeps your costs down and stays on top of your online business with a fair budget. In addition, they are generally more transparent and more secure than proprietary alternatives. So, this article suggests the 51 best open source business software to run a small business and take it to the next level in 2022. They belong to 11 essential business management functions.

Overall, the 11 best open source software for each function are:

• Open Cart : Best for eCommerce
• Calligra : Best for Office suites
• ADempiere : Best for ERP
• WSDesk from ELEX : Best for CRM
• phpList : Best for Email management
• GnuCash : Best for Accounting
• Drupal : Best for Content management
• Taiga : Best for Project management
• Draw.io : Best for Visualization
• GIMP : Best for Photo and video editing
• Kimai : Best for Time tracking

Read on to find out!

What is open source software?

Open source software is non-proprietary software available to users with its source code. So you can change or enhance it according to your unique needs. Open source code originated in 1983 with the belief that programmers should have access to the software to modify it to understand, learn, and improve it. Therefore, the first open source license was called the GNU Public License . Today, open source software (OSS) includes a digital license of its original rights to limit and control the scope of software distribution.

Benefits of open source software to small businesses

Open source software authors don’t consider their creations to be proprietary. Instead, they release the software under a license that allows its code to be copied, learned, changed, and shared. Therefore, it brings the following benefits to small and medium enterprises.

Affordable price

According to TechRepublic , more than 30% of a retailer’s IT budget is spent on software licensing, but they often waste 50% on redundant or unnecessary software. In addition, time-consuming software development delays are a factor in wasted $85 billion . Meanwhile, open source small business software is affordable or even free.

Better technology control

You can easily change the parts for any purpose, even in a way that the competitors haven’t thought of yet. Open source software helps retailers get the right software solution for maximum productivity, cost-effectiveness, business consistency, and reach their full potential.

Reliable security

Contrary to security concerns, open source software is extremely safe. It’s continuously tested and modified by thousands of developers. Programmers can work on open source software without asking permission from the original author and repair, update, and upgrade open source software faster than proprietary software.

Top 51 open source business software

If you’re looking to expand your retail store online, you’ll need an eCommerce software package for online product display, shopping cart, payment processing, checkout, order fulfillment, sales, customers, and inventory management. Here are the 5 best open source business software for eCommerce in 2022:

1. OpenCart

OpenCart is designed for small and medium-sized retailers to manage orders, provide multiple payment gateways, and manage multiple stores from one platform. In addition, it allows customers to leave product reviews and ratings. Most importantly, OpenCart offers free lifetime community support through an international network of partners. In addition to the native features, OpenCart offers extensions that meet the unique needs of each website.

2. Magestore

POS Open by Magestore is the best open source software specially built for small businesses with one warehouse. It’s packed full of features to serve your store operations, connecting online to offline, order management, and omnichannel inventory. However, you may have more than one warehouse and want an offshore dedicated development team to launch your online store in the shortest time. In that case, you can consider upgrading to the Magento POS Commerce — a paid version for growing business and unlimited access to advanced features.

3. PrestaShop

PrestaShop has native features for product management, payments, orders, shipping, and manufacturer management. In addition, PrestaShop offers many add-on modules to add new features and customize your store. PrestaShop is an easy-to-use platform. It offers translation, product display, localization, marketing, tax services, and export products to eBay. However, you’ll need to pay a service fee for support and training.

4. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is the most used WordPress eCommerce plugin with over 3 million active installs. In addition, you’ll benefit from the many plugins available from WooThemes and third-party vendor extensions on the marketplace.

5. Zen Cart

Zen Cart is an eCommerce platform forked from osCommerce. It’s geared towards advanced users and developers. Outstanding features of Zen Cart include gift certificates, coupons, and multiple payment options.

Office suites

Most people only use a fraction of the available features of Microsoft Office. So using an open source alternative would make good financial sense. In addition, they’re compatible with Microsoft Office file formats such as .xls and .doc.

6. Calligra

Calligra Suite is a graphic art platform and open source office suite from KDE. It can run on many devices such as smartphones, tablet computers, and desktop PCs. In addition, Calligra is compatible with many small business operating systems such as Linux, macOS, Windows, and FreeBSD.

7. LibreOffice

LibreOffice was forked from OpenOffice in 2010. It supports the Open Document file type and popular office file types like Microsoft Office by default. You can use it on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

8. NeoOffice

NeoOffice is another fork of OpenOffice based on Java. This application is specific to macOS, and you can run OpenOffice natively on Mac OS X. In addition, it can securely edit documents in your Dropbox or iCloud Drive.

9. Apache OpenOffice

OpenOffice is one of the first and best comprehensive open source office suites to replace Microsoft small business software. It was rebranded in 2012 and is compatible with Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software can be costly and very complex. Here are three open source ERP software systems that can replace Microsoft small business software, or even Microsoft Dynamics and SAP.

10. ADempiere

ADempiere is a popular and comprehensive open source ERP package compatible with Linux, macOS, Windows, and Unix. It provides production management, materials management, project management, accounting, finance, human resources, and maintenance management features.

Odoo is a full suite of applications, including production resource management, purchasing management, sales management, recruitment, accounting, and finance. Odoo’s free version helps you track sales easily, providing detailed invoices and reports. In addition, the paid version costs $25—30 per user per month with additional benefits such as unlimited support, bug fixes, and automatic updates. Odoo is compatible with both Windows and Linux.

OFBiz is an open source Java-based ERP package from the Apache Foundation. It includes accounting, manufacturing resource management, supply chain management, CRM, and small business asset management functions.

If you want to manage customer information but can’t invest an enormous budget in service providers like Salesforce or Oracle, here are three open source CRM software options to replace:

13. WSDesk – ELEX WordPress HelpDesk & Customer Ticketing System

WSDesk, the free ELEX WordPress HelpDesk & Customer Ticketing System Plugin, offers ticket generation and management, email piping, unlimited support agents, unlimited support tickets, personalized email replies, detailed ticket records, document attachments to tickets, and more. It is a simple and user-friendly WordPress Support Ticket System Plugin that will assist you in resolving your customer issues easily. All of your user complaints are converted into actionable support tickets by this plugin, making your work easier and faster. It is lightweight and AJAX-based, therefore it will not slow down your website’s loading time. 

14. SugarCRM Community Edition

This free small business management software includes automating customer support, sales, and marketing campaigns. You can use SugarCRM on Linux, macOS, Windows, and UNIX.

15. Fat Free CRM

Fat Free CRM is a CRM platform written on Ruby on Rails. It features lead and campaign management, opportunity tracking, team collaboration, and contact lists.

16. SuiteCRM

It’s an alternative to SugarCRM with many features similar to the paid version of SugarCRM. What’s more, it offers Joomla integration.

OroCRM is open source CRM software with an intuitive and easy-to-use interface. It provides marketing tools for omnichannel businesses and prioritizes personalized customer experiences.

Email management

If you need to reach customers or subscribers, you’ll probably need one of the following open source software to manage your email list:

18. phpList

phpList can migrate to your own Virtual Private Server (VPS) as your list grows to scale with your retailer. In addition, it offers extensible amenities like MailChimp or AWeber exclusive options.

19. eM Clients

If you need to manage several email accounts of different providers in one place, eM Client is for you. In addition, it allows running a standalone email client instead of a browser-based solution.

20. Thunderbird

Thunderbird is an email manager from Mozilla. It allows managing multiple accounts with typical applications such as autoresponders, signatures, and import of address books from text file exports or other email clients.

21. Claws Mail

Claws Mail has easy configuration and is extensible with plugins. The most popular plugins by users include the calendar tool, anti-spam, and archive engine.

Geary is the perfect choice if you’re after simplicity. It sends and receives plain text messages or text messages, so it excels in speed. In addition, Geary is compatible with Yahoo!, Gmail, and many other popular email services.

The following open source options are partial replacements for commercial packages such as QuickBooks, Sage, or Quicken:

23. GnuCash

GNUCash is a powerful accounting application for small businesses. It allows you to track bank accounts, income, send invoices, and create visual reports applying professional accounting principles. GnuCash is compatible with Linux, macOS, and Windows.

24. TurboCASH

TurboCASH has more than 100,000 users, mainly small and medium businesses. It integrates directly with open source eCommerce platforms like Zen Cart and OSCommerce. You can use TurboCASH to post transactions to accounts on a public ledger and generate financial statements. In addition, TurboCASH supports 80 tax regimes, including those of the U.K. and U.S. It’s compatible with Windows.

xTuple is a free business management software for medium and larger companies. It’s compatible with Linux, macOS and Windows, and BSD. It includes full functionality for sales, inventory, distribution, CRM, and accounting (banking reconciliation, financial statements, general ledger, accounts receivable, and payable).

26. OpenBravo

OpenBravo doesn’t just stop at accounting. It’s an enterprise resource planning system that helps you integrate store operations from sales, inventory to invoicing and quotes.

Project management

Project management tools help you collaborate with your team, assign tasks, and track progress toward goals and tasks.

Taiga has a beautiful and minimalistic interface. If you want a tool to monitor your website design and development project, Taiga will be the best choice.

28. OpenProject

OpenProject is a cloud-based hosting solution. In free community edition, it provides a fully-featured open source business management software. Team members can achieve desired goals and track deadlines for optimal productivity. It’s available in 30 languages ​​, so you can seamlessly connect your teams worldwide.

29. MyCollab

Amazon Cloud Services power MyCollab. Thus, it offers powerful collaboration tools protected with SSL encryption and is compatible with popular and small business operating systems.

30. GanttProject

GanttProject performs simple project management tasks quickly and efficiently. However, the feature set of this tool is quite limited for complex projects.

Time tracking

Here is the top 5 free open source software for time tracking:

Kimai is a free and open source time tracking software. It’s effortless to use. You can manage projects for each client by budget, number of orders, tasks for each project, and current status. From there, you can calculate wages automatically based on monthly, weekly, and hourly rates. You can run Kimai in your browser and on many platforms and mobile devices with unlimited users. Kimai is developed using the latest web frameworks and technologies such as Webpack, Symfony 4, PHP7, Bootstrap, Doctrine, and Flex.

eHour is the best open source software for time tracker as it has a web-based interface or install a hosted version and use it on your infrastructure. It helps you analyze the time your employees spend on different projects. eHour is available in multiple languages ​​and supports multiple currencies so that retailers can deploy it to different locations globally. In addition, you can create multiple projects per client and assign multiple people to a project.

33. Clockify

Clockify launched in 2017 and is a free time tracking software suitable for many company sizes. It’s also an advanced timesheet management tool for you to calculate project-related work hours and track employee engagement in real time. Clockify stands out from the competition because it allows adding unlimited users. You can install the app on either a smartphone, tablet, or desktop and sync data. Clockify uses Business Intelligence technology for opportunity analysis and performance improvement management. In addition, you can integrate it with other tools such as project management software and other accounting solutions.

34. Redmine

Redmine is a free open source software and web-based time tracking and project management tool. It’s incredibly user-friendly and visually presents timesheets, managing multiple projects, tasks, and deadlines with Gantt charts and calendars. In addition, Redmine is very flexible software and allows you to decentralize access control based on roles. Redmine is written using the Ruby on Rails framework, supports 34 different languages, and provides a REST API.

Content management

When creating a website, you must curate the content and power it. Many world-famous retailers use open source cross-platform CMS as follows:

The Economist, The White House, and Examiner.com all use Drupal. Its outstanding features include system administration, menu management, RSS feeds, user account registration and maintenance, and page layout customization. In addition, Drupal is the most secure and user-friendly CMS option of the choices, so many governments use it.

36. WordPress

WordPress started as a blogging system and has grown into a popular CMS in the eCommerce world with over 50,000 theme plugins, widgets, and plugins. It’s the most famous platform and accounts for about 20% of the top 10 million websites on the internet.

Joomla is second only to WordPress in terms of users and deployment. It’s used by institutions such as Citibank and Harvard University. In addition, Joomla allows instant UI editing. You don’t need to access the admin panel to make simple changes. It’s the right choice for decentralized multi-member sites because of its excellent access control features.

38. OpenCms

OpenCms is open source software based on Java. It provides a browser-based workspace and a WYSIWYG editor for managing workflows, users, and assets. Apart from us, OpenCms is one of the few CMSs that offers a native and complex version of the content. It ensures that you can keep track of what changes were made to your content, who made them, and when.

Django is built on Python. It gives high speed to use when taking on many web administration tasks. Plus, you can create sitemaps instantly with Django.

Visualization

Visualization tools help you visualize and share data for your clients and your team.

40. Draw.io

Draw.io is a simple diagramming tool. It allows you to save diagrams directly to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, GitHub, and optionally a storage device.

41. Charted

Charted is a free open source software. It can automatically generate simple line and stacked column charts from Google spreadsheets or .csv files.

42. Highcharts

Facebook and Twitter use HighCharts. It provides JavaScript-based interactive charts on your website.

43. Datawrapper

Datawrapper allows you to create data visualizations right on your mobile device. It supports different types of tables, charts, and maps.

XMind is a mind mapping tool. It’s a cloud-based application compatible with Windows, Mac, and iOS sync. After creating the map, you can export it to Office or PDF.

45. TiddlyMap

TiddlyMap is a plugin for Google Chrome. It helps you to draw browser-based mind maps.

46. Wireframe.cc

Wireframe.cc has a simple interface. You can drag and click online. In addition, Wireframe.cc has many templates available to design websites for many platforms.

Photo and video editing

The following open source tools help you edit photos and videos for your website, Youtube, and other platforms.

GIMP can edit and manage multi-layered image documents. Therefore, GIMP is the best open source software for business with image editor features. It’s an essential tool for many graphic designers and photographers.

48. Blender

Blender is a powerful 3D generator. It can animate, model, track motion, and edit videos.

49. ImageMagick

ImageMagick can convert images and can write and read about 200 file formats. You can use ImageMagick to convert, display, and edit vector image files.

50. Inkscape

Most people use Inkscape to create and edit SVGs. In addition, it can import, convert, and create many other image formats.

51. digiKam

digiKam helps you edit and publish photos directly to social networks. In addition, it allows you to manage large image libraries.

Is it possible to run a business entirely on free open source software? Indeed, with the best open source business software in this article. Open source software can provide free options for small businesses that don’t budget for large enterprise applications. Even if you want to stick with closed source software, your retailer can still take advantage of the many compelling benefits of open source small business software: it’s available free to download and set up without effort. However, technical support isn’t available for the free version of open source software. Still, you can hire a third-party agency or choose to upgrade to the commercial version at a low cost for genuine live support and get frequent updates.

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What a great article! Your information is very helpful for becoming a better blogger. Keep sharing.

Thanks for this list. Maybe other companies do also need a free low code solution.

This is an informative and comprehensive list of open source business software that can be useful for companies looking to save on costs while still maintaining high-quality solutions. It’s great to see the variety of options available, from project management tools to customer relationship management systems, all of which are free to use and customizable according to individual needs. This post is a valuable resource for businesses seeking cost-effective alternatives to traditional software solutions.

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How to check if your website is on Magento?

To determine the framework of your website, you have two methods to choose from:

• Method 1: Use BuiltWith, a popular web service that provides valuable insights into your website’s technology stack, including the framework it is built on. To access BuiltWith, click to visit their website .
• Method 2: Log in to the backend (admin panel) of your website. If you see the Magento logo displayed at the top of the left sidebar, there is a strong indication that your website is built on the Magento framework.

About the Magento platform

1. what is magento.

Magento is an open-source platform that helps retailers create eCommerce websites, released on March 31, 2008, by Varien and developed on Zend Framework. In 2018, Adobe acquired Magento with a price of $1.68 billion. There are currently about 270,000 eCommerce websites running on Magento in 2022.

2. Why eCommerce retailers choose Magento?

Most of our customers say Magento is speedy and more customizable than others; it is suitable for medium and large enterprises or fast-growing businesses with complex requirements/customizations.

Not sure if you’re using Magento, check your website here!

3. What to do next?

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It’s worth noting that Magestore POS for other platforms like WooCommerce and Shopify is currently unavailable, but Magestore POS for Shopify is estimated to release in late 2023.

What is Magento POS?

A Magento POS (point of sale) system can be seamlessly integrated with your Magento website(s) to synchronize data between your online and offline stores, streamlining retail operations.

Magestore is a web-based and Magento-native POS, so it requires at least one Magento website to work. One of the key advantages of Magestore is its lifetime license , which means you won’t be burdened with recurring fees.

1. Who needs a Magento POS system?

A Magento POS system is designed for retailers who operate both Magento eCommerce website(s) and physical stores. It allows them to centralize all sales data and serve customers both online and offline.

2. Some features of Magento POS system

A basic Magento POS system functions as a cash register, allowing you to create orders, apply discounts and taxes, print receipts, and manage sales.

On the other hand, a complete Magento POS system offers more advanced capabilities, including inventory control, supplier management, loyalty programs, and more.

3. Why use Magento POS?

• Magento POS such as Magestore is often native to Magento and is installed directly on your Magento backend without third-party plugins, to inherit all of Magento’s power.
• With our Magento POS, you can enjoy the flexibility of using it on multiple devices and web browsers.
• All data stays safely on your server, and your POS system doesn’t have to rely on third-party servers like cloud POS.
• With its lifetime license, you only have to pay once, enabling you to create unlimited accounts and locations with no recurring fees.

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Best open source software of 2024

Free software for everyday use

Best office suite

Best media player, best image editor, best video editor, best audio editor, best password manager, best browser, best ftp client, best email client, best cloud storage, how we test.

The best open source software makes it simple and easy to do everyday business tasks without the cost of license fees.

1. Best office suite 2. Best media player 3. Best image editor 4. Best video editor 5. Best audio editor 6. Best password manager 7. Best browser 8. Best FTP client 9. Best email client 10. Best OS 11. Best cloud storage 12. FAQs 13. How we test

Open source software is any kind of program that anyone in the world can download, modify and distribute it without paying fees. This is because the developer has specifically chosen to release the source code for free under an open source license. 

Since the open source movement took off as a software development philosophy at the end of the 1990s, it’s changed the world. Estimates even suggest that a mind-blowing 96% of all web servers globally are running on some form of open source Linux operating system , for example. 

It’s important to remember that open source doesn’t just mean “free”. Lots of companies release their software for free but maintain full copyright ownership of their code, so other developers aren’t able to modify it. By contrast, successful open source initiatives are built on the hard work of potentially thousands of collaborators who have voluntarily given up their time to create something awesome. 

Such an accessible development system has some serious advantages. Open source software is often more secure because people from around the world scrutinize new releases and bugs get reported and addressed fast. Also, people are motivated to add cool new features to open source platforms which means open source software is often just as good, if not better, than competing pay-to-use programs.  

While open source software is used in everything from networks to web servers, here we'll focus on the best open source software for you to download and run on your desktop or laptop .

We've also featured the best laptop for programming .

The best open source software of 2024 in full:

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1. LibreOffice

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

With support for documents, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, diagrams, and mathematical formulae, LibreOffice is essentially a free version of the world’s most popular office productivity suite, Microsoft 365 . 

Some would actually argue that LibreOffice is the more fully-featured of the two, thanks to its dedicated developer community which is adding new tools and tricks all the time. For example, in the latest update, LibreOffice added a QR code generator tool so you can quickly create mobile-friendly links. 

An alternative well-known open source office tool is Open Office, which offers many similar features to LibreOffice. The reason that LibreOffice has taken the top spot today is that it is much better at preserving Microsoft file formats. In other words, your formatting won’t get screwed up if you need to modify a document originally written in Microsoft Word. 

The only downside to this awesome free office software is that editing documents collaboratively online is a bit tricky. Recently, an online editing option has been added but it still requires some technical know-how to implement. 

Read our full LibreOffice review .

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2. VLC Media Player

VLC (or VideoLAN Client) media player is a lightweight application created by an open source development group known as the VideoLAN project. This video and media player has been leading the industry for years in terms of popularity, and it’s not hard to see why. You can use VLC media player to open audio and video files in just about any format without having to hunt down extra codecs. 

VLC also works for streaming media such as podcasts and online radio stations. But perhaps the greatest VLC media player feature is playback control. You can change almost everything about how your media is displayed from hardware optimization to adding subtitle files from third-party sources. 

Like some of the other amazing open source offerings mentioned here, VLC is constantly being upgraded with new goodies and features to explore. The latest updates to the free video player have included the ability to stream to other devices (like Chromecasts) and 360-degree video support for VR headsets . 

Read our full VLC Media Player review .

Beloved by Linux users since its original release in 1996, GIMP is one of the most famous and best-maintained open source software tools out there. This software is about as close to image editing power and flexibility of the Adobe Photoshop platform as you’re likely to get for free.

GIMP has built-in support for layers, filters, and automatic photo enhancement. It also makes it easy to create new graphic design elements and you can really take things to the next level by downloading plug-ins created by the broader GIMP open source community. 

Just like Photoshop , GIMP has a fairly steep learning curve but anyone who puts in a bit of time is sure to appreciate its customizable interface and GPU hardware acceleration. However, if you’re looking for a simple free photo editor , check out Paint.NET instead. It’s not as powerful, but easier to get to grips with. 

Read our full GIMP review .

Shotcut is open source free video editing software . It’s one of those open source programs that really demonstrates how much a dedicated development community can improve a platform given time. In earlier versions, the Shotcut interface was a little bare, but later releases have added extra dockable panels, an intuitive timeline, and other touches that put Shotcut in the same league as premium video editors like Adobe Premiere Pro .

This video tool supports non-destructive audio and video editing, meaning you can compile effects without any quality loss. You can also use this platform to do color keying and grading operations, as well as more basic clip splicing and trimming. 

Perhaps the coolest thing about Shotcut is its ability to work with more or less any format of video, audio, or photo media. That’s largely thanks to FFmpeg, an open source video framework that sits under the hood of the Shotcut program. 

Read our full Shotcut review .

5. Audacity

Even two decades after its original launch date, Audacity remains one of the most widely-used open source applications. It’s a free audio editor that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.

After installing this nifty little package, you’ll find everything you need to record, edit, and enhance sound files. What’s more, thanks to the enormous developer community supporting the program, you can use Audacity’s library of third-party extensions to add any features that aren’t included by default. These will allow you to do everything from adding sound effects to auto-tuning your tracks. 

The Audacity interface might look a little complex at first, but given the professional-grade tools available through the program, it’s easy to see why this is the go-to application for musicians and podcast creators.

Read our full Audacity review .

Although it didn't make it as one of our best password manager recommendations, KeePass Password Safe is still worthy of note here thanks to its simple set up and comprehensive feature set. It uses industry-standard (and near unbreakable) AES encryption and two-factor authentication to keep the details of your accounts safe and secure. 

KeePass also deserves a mention on this run-down of the best open source platforms due to its portability. Although this open source program can be installed on Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile devices, you can also store your database and the program on a USB stick for safekeeping. 

As if that wasn’t enough, an extensive selection of plug-ins is available for KeePass. You can use these to sync KeePass credential data automatically with your cloud storage service of choice or your browser. 

Read our full KeePass review .

Built on top of Google ’s open source Chromium project, Brave is a web browser that’s designed to keep your browsing activity private by automatically disabling website trackers and blocking pesky ads. For even more secure browsing, it has a built-in Tor function. 

The big advantage of using Brave is that you can access many of the Google Chrome store’s thousands of extensions but enjoy a faster browsing experience than you’d get with a normal Chrome browser. That’s because Brave is less of a resource hog than Google’s regular Chrome package, giving it a performance boost when loading pages. 

Another interesting thing about the Brave browser is something called Brave Rewards. The idea behind this feature is that you can opt in to see certain ads and receive a small Basic Attention Token crypto coin in return. Eventually, the developers behind Brave hope this will change the way advertising works on the internet.

Read our full Brave browser review .

8. FileZilla

FileZilla is a free file transfer protocol (FTP) client that allows you to manage server file systems remotely. If you own your own website, you’ll already know that doing FTP operations through a web client can be a frustrating experience, and FileZilla provides a far more consistent and pleasant FTP experience than you can get with the default FTP applications that most web hosts offer. 

This open source FTP tool comes with all sorts of advanced features such as support for large file transfers, synchronized directory browsing, and filename filters. In case you have any trouble getting through to your website’s server, a network configuration wizard is also included. 

The FileZilla interface might look a little confusing to first time users, but it’s actually very simple to use. In the left-hand panel, you’ll find a window displaying your local file system. Meanwhile, on the right, you’ll see the file system of your server. To move a file from one to the other, simply drag and drop it. 

Read our full FileZilla review .

9. Thunderbird

If you’ve used Microsoft Outlook before, you’ll know all about the benefits of being able to check multiple email inboxes in one place. That’s exactly what Mozilla Thunderbird allows you to do, but with an open source twist. Thunderbird is an email client developed by Mozilla, which you’ve likely heard of thanks to its other famous project, Firefox . 

Thunderbird comes with plenty of cool tricks to help you deal with your email more efficiently. You can, for example, link emailed event updates with an inbuilt calendar or check the news with an RSS reader. If you need to send a contact a huge file, Thunderbird will even let you do by uploading it to a separate server and dropping a link into your message. 

Read our full Thunderbird review .

Obviously this list couldn’t be wrapped up without mentioning the most iconic open source software around, Linux. First released in 1991, Linux has since morphed into a huge family of different OS distros including desktop variants like Chrome OS (which you'd find on a Chromebook ) and Ubuntu, and server stack solutions like LAMP. 

Back in the day, Linux was only run by a handful of coders due to the difficulty of installation and the amount of tweaking Linux systems required to run. However, in recent years, the developers behind the best known Linux distros have made a conscious effort to turn them into more user-friendly packages. It’s now easier than ever to run a virtual Linux machine or re-partition your hard drive to add Linux as an extra OS.

Several big-name computer manufacturers have even started selling Linux laptops directly to the public. That’s probably, in part, because Linux uses completely different base code from more popular Windows and Os X systems, making it less of a target for hackers and bad actors online. 

Back in the day, users would often be put off Linux because few software manufacturers developed for the system. Fortunately, cloud applications don’t care what kind of local system you’re running, and as these get more popular there’s less reason than ever not to give Linux a go.

Read our guide to the best Linux distros .

11. Internxt

Internxt is a cloud storage service that focuses on privacy and security, and like everything else on this list, it’s open source. Internxt is available for all major desktop and mobile platforms, and there is a free plan with up to 10GB of storage.

Since it’s available on multiple platforms, the service has automatic syncing which makes sure that all of your information is up to date and saved no matter what device you’re using.

Users can also access their files offline.

Getting started with Internxt is fast and easy, and when you do, you’re greeted with a very intuitive and clean interface on all platforms, as the service is very user-friendly. You can easily view your files and customize your folders with various options. Uploading files is done via drag and drop and you can share your files through a link. All the files uploaded are instantly encrypted on your device.

Chat support is quite responsive and if you wish to contact the support team, you can do so via email 24/7.

The company has several pricing plans for personal users, while business users will have to contact the company for more information. There are three personal plans - 20GB for $1.49 a month, 200GB for $4.99 a month, and 2TB for $10.99 a month.

Read our full Internxt review

We've also featured the best small business apps .

Which open source software is best for you?

When deciding which open source software to download and use, first consider what your actual needs are, as some platforms may only provide basic options, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a different platform is much more worthwhile. There are many different open source software options out there, some better than others, but ultimately your choice will be based on whether the open source platform delivers on the tools you actually need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require.

To test for the best open source software we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. We then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations. The aim was to push each open source software platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar .

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How To Start A Business In 11 Steps (2024 Guide)

Updated: Apr 7, 2024, 1:44pm

Table of Contents

Before you begin: get in the right mindset, 1. determine your business concept, 2. research your competitors and market, 3. create your business plan, 4. choose your business structure, 5. register your business and get licenses, 6. get your finances in order, 7. fund your business, 8. apply for business insurance, 9. get the right business tools, 10. market your business, 11. scale your business, what are the best states to start a business, bottom line, frequently asked questions (faqs).

Starting a business is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences you can have. But where do you begin? There are several ways to approach creating a business, along with many important considerations. To help take the guesswork out of the process and improve your chances of success, follow our comprehensive guide on how to start a business. We’ll walk you through each step of the process, from defining your business idea to registering, launching and growing your business.

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The public often hears about overnight successes because they make for a great headline. However, it’s rarely that simple—they don’t see the years of dreaming, building and positioning before a big public launch. For this reason, remember to focus on your business journey and don’t measure your success against someone else’s.

Consistency Is Key

New business owners tend to feed off their motivation initially but get frustrated when that motivation wanes. This is why it’s essential to create habits and follow routines that power you through when motivation goes away.

Take the Next Step

Some business owners dive in headfirst without looking and make things up as they go along. Then, there are business owners who stay stuck in analysis paralysis and never start. Perhaps you’re a mixture of the two—and that’s right where you need to be. The best way to accomplish any business or personal goal is to write out every possible step it takes to achieve the goal. Then, order those steps by what needs to happen first. Some steps may take minutes while others take a long time. The point is to always take the next step.

Most business advice tells you to monetize what you love, but it misses two other very important elements: it needs to be profitable and something you’re good at. For example, you may love music, but how viable is your business idea if you’re not a great singer or songwriter? Maybe you love making soap and want to open a soap shop in your small town that already has three close by—it won’t be easy to corner the market when you’re creating the same product as other nearby stores.

If you don’t have a firm idea of what your business will entail, ask yourself the following questions:

• What do you love to do?
• What do you hate to do?
• Can you think of something that would make those things easier?
• What are you good at?
• What do others come to you for advice about?
• If you were given ten minutes to give a five-minute speech on any topic, what would it be?
• What’s something you’ve always wanted to do, but lacked resources for?

These questions can lead you to an idea for your business. If you already have an idea, they might help you expand it. Once you have your idea, measure it against whether you’re good at it and if it’s profitable.

Your business idea also doesn’t have to be the next Scrub Daddy or Squatty Potty. Instead, you can take an existing product and improve upon it. You can also sell a digital product so there’s little overhead.

What Kind of Business Should You Start?

Before you choose the type of business to start, there are some key things to consider:

• What type of funding do you have?
• How much time do you have to invest in your business?
• Do you prefer to work from home or at an office or workshop?
• What interests and passions do you have?
• Can you sell information (such as a course), rather than a product?
• What skills or expertise do you have?
• How fast do you need to scale your business?
• What kind of support do you have to start your business?
• Are you partnering with someone else?
• Does the franchise model make more sense to you?

Consider Popular Business Ideas

Not sure what business to start? Consider one of these popular business ideas:

• Start a Franchise
• Start a Blog
• Start an Online Store
• Start a Dropshipping Business
• Start a Cleaning Business
• Start a Bookkeeping Business
• Start a Clothing Business
• Start a Landscaping Business
• Start a Consulting Business
• Start a Photography Business
• Start a Vending Machine Business

Most entrepreneurs spend more time on their products than they do getting to know the competition. If you ever apply for outside funding, the potential lender or partner wants to know: what sets you (or your business idea) apart? If market analysis indicates your product or service is saturated in your area, see if you can think of a different approach. Take housekeeping, for example—rather than general cleaning services, you might specialize in homes with pets or focus on garage cleanups.

Primary Research

The first stage of any competition study is primary research, which entails obtaining data directly from potential customers rather than basing your conclusions on past data. You can use questionnaires, surveys and interviews to learn what consumers want. Surveying friends and family isn’t recommended unless they’re your target market. People who say they’d buy something and people who do are very different. The last thing you want is to take so much stock in what they say, create the product and flop when you try to sell it because all of the people who said they’d buy it don’t because the product isn’t something they’d buy.

Secondary Research

Utilize existing sources of information, such as census data, to gather information when you do secondary research. The current data may be studied, compiled and analyzed in various ways that are appropriate for your needs but it may not be as detailed as primary research.

Conduct a SWOT Analysis

SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Conducting a SWOT analysis allows you to look at the facts about how your product or idea might perform if taken to market, and it can also help you make decisions about the direction of your idea. Your business idea might have some weaknesses that you hadn’t considered or there may be some opportunities to improve on a competitor’s product.

Asking pertinent questions during a SWOT analysis can help you identify and address weaknesses before they tank your new business.

A business plan is a dynamic document that serves as a roadmap for establishing a new business. This document makes it simple for potential investors, financial institutions and company management to understand and absorb. Even if you intend to self-finance, a business plan can help you flesh out your idea and spot potential problems. When writing a well-rounded business plan, include the following sections:

• Executive summary: The executive summary should be the first item in the business plan, but it should be written last. It describes the proposed new business and highlights the goals of the company and the methods to achieve them.
• Company description: The company description covers what problems your product or service solves and why your business or idea is best. For example, maybe your background is in molecular engineering, and you’ve used that background to create a new type of athletic wear—you have the proper credentials to make the best material.
• Market analysis: This section of the business plan analyzes how well a company is positioned against its competitors. The market analysis should include target market, segmentation analysis, market size, growth rate, trends and a competitive environment assessment.
• Organization and structure: Write about the type of business organization you expect, what risk management strategies you propose and who will staff the management team. What are their qualifications? Will your business be a single-member limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation ?
• Mission and goals: This section should contain a brief mission statement and detail what the business wishes to accomplish and the steps to get there. These goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, action-orientated, realistic and time-bound).
• Products or services: This section describes how your business will operate. It includes what products you’ll offer to consumers at the beginning of the business, how they compare to existing competitors, how much your products cost, who will be responsible for creating the products, how you’ll source materials and how much they cost to make.
• Background summary: This portion of the business plan is the most time-consuming to write. Compile and summarize any data, articles and research studies on trends that could positively and negatively affect your business or industry.
• Marketing plan: The marketing plan identifies the characteristics of your product or service, summarizes the SWOT analysis and analyzes competitors. It also discusses how you’ll promote your business, how much money will be spent on marketing and how long the campaign is expected to last.
• Financial plan: The financial plan is perhaps the core of the business plan because, without money, the business will not move forward. Include a proposed budget in your financial plan along with projected financial statements, such as an income statement, a balance sheet and a statement of cash flows. Usually, five years of projected financial statements are acceptable. This section is also where you should include your funding request if you’re looking for outside funding.

Learn more: Download our free simple business plan template .

Come Up With an Exit Strategy

An exit strategy is important for any business that is seeking funding because it outlines how you’ll sell the company or transfer ownership if you decide to retire or move on to other projects. An exit strategy also allows you to get the most value out of your business when it’s time to sell. There are a few different options for exiting a business, and the best option for you depends on your goals and circumstances.

The most common exit strategies are:

• Selling the business to another party
• Passing the business down to family members
• Liquidating the business assets
• Closing the doors and walking away

Develop a Scalable Business Model

As your small business grows, it’s important to have a scalable business model so that you can accommodate additional customers without incurring additional costs. A scalable business model is one that can be replicated easily to serve more customers without a significant increase in expenses.

Some common scalable business models are:

• Subscription-based businesses
• Businesses that sell digital products
• Franchise businesses
• Network marketing businesses

Start Planning for Taxes

One of the most important things to do when starting a small business is to start planning for taxes. Taxes can be complex, and there are several different types of taxes you may be liable for, including income tax, self-employment tax, sales tax and property tax. Depending on the type of business you’re operating, you may also be required to pay other taxes, such as payroll tax or unemployment tax.

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When structuring your business, it’s essential to consider how each structure impacts the amount of taxes you owe, daily operations and whether your personal assets are at risk.

An LLC limits your personal liability for business debts. LLCs can be owned by one or more people or companies and must include a registered agent . These owners are referred to as members.

• LLCs offer liability protection for the owners
• They’re one of the easiest business entities to set up
• You can have a single-member LLC
• You may be required to file additional paperwork with your state on a regular basis
• LLCs can’t issue stock
• You’ll need to pay annual filing fees to your state

Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)

An LLP is similar to an LLC but is typically used for licensed business professionals such as an attorney or accountant. These arrangements require a partnership agreement.

• Partners have limited liability for the debts and actions of the LLP
• LLPs are easy to form and don’t require much paperwork
• There’s no limit to the number of partners in an LLP
• Partners are required to actively take part in the business
• LLPs can’t issue stock
• All partners are personally liable for any malpractice claims against the business

Sole Proprietorship

If you start a solo business, you might consider a sole proprietorship . The company and the owner, for legal and tax purposes, are considered the same. The business owner assumes liability for the business. So, if the business fails, the owner is personally and financially responsible for all business debts.

• Sole proprietorships are easy to form
• There’s no need to file additional paperwork with your state
• You’re in complete control of the business
• You’re personally liable for all business debts
• It can be difficult to raise money for a sole proprietorship
• The business may have a limited lifespan

Corporation

A corporation limits your personal liability for business debts just as an LLC does. A corporation can be taxed as a C corporation (C-corp) or an S corporation (S-corp). S-corp status offers pass-through taxation to small corporations that meet certain IRS requirements. Larger companies and startups hoping to attract venture capital are usually taxed as C-corps.

• Corporations offer liability protection for the owners
• The life span of a corporation is not limited
• A corporation can have an unlimited number of shareholders
• Corporations are subject to double taxation
• They’re more expensive and complicated to set up than other business structures
• The shareholders may have limited liability

Before you decide on a business structure, discuss your situation with a small business accountant and possibly an attorney, as each business type has different tax treatments that could affect your bottom line.

Helpful Resources

• How To Set Up an LLC in 7 Steps
• How To Start a Sole Proprietorship
• How To Start a Corporation
• How To Start a Nonprofit
• How To Start a 501(c)(3)

There are several legal issues to address when starting a business after choosing the business structure. The following is a good checklist of items to consider when establishing your business:

Choose Your Business Name

Make it memorable but not too difficult. Choose the same domain name, if available, to establish your internet presence. A business name cannot be the same as another registered company in your state, nor can it infringe on another trademark or service mark that is already registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Business Name vs. DBA

There are business names, and then there are fictitious business names known as “Doing Business As” or DBA. You may need to file a DBA if you’re operating under a name that’s different from the legal name of your business. For example, “Mike’s Bike Shop” is doing business as “Mike’s Bikes.” The legal name of the business is “Mike’s Bike Shop,” and “Mike’s Bikes” is the DBA.

You may need to file a DBA with your state, county or city government offices. The benefits of a DBA include:

• It can help you open a business bank account under your business name
• A DBA can be used as a “trade name” to brand your products or services
• A DBA can be used to get a business license

Register Your Business and Obtain an EIN

You’ll officially create a corporation, LLC or other business entity by filing forms with your state’s business agency―usually the Secretary of State. As part of this process, you’ll need to choose a registered agent to accept legal documents on behalf of your business. You’ll also pay a filing fee. The state will send you a certificate that you can use to apply for licenses, a tax identification number (TIN) and business bank accounts.

Next, apply for an employer identification number (EIN) . All businesses, other than sole proprietorships with no employees, must have a federal employer identification number. Submit your application to the IRS and you’ll typically receive your number in minutes.

Get Appropriate Licenses and Permits

Legal requirements are determined by your industry and jurisdiction. Most businesses need a mixture of local, state and federal licenses to operate. Check with your local government office (and even an attorney) for licensing information tailored to your area.

• Best LLC Services
• How To Register a Business Name
• How To Register a DBA
• How To Get an EIN for an LLC
• How To Get a Business License

Start an LLC Online Today With ZenBusiness

Click on the state below to get started.

Open a Business Bank Account

Keep your business and personal finances separate. Here’s how to choose a business checking account —and why separate business accounts are essential. When you open a business bank account, you’ll need to provide your business name and your business tax identification number (EIN). This business bank account can be used for your business transactions, such as paying suppliers or invoicing customers. Most times, a bank will require a separate business bank account to issue a business loan or line of credit.

Hire a Bookkeeper or Get Accounting Software

If you sell a product, you need an inventory function in your accounting software to manage and track inventory. The software should have ledger and journal entries and the ability to generate financial statements.

Some software programs double as bookkeeping tools. These often include features such as check writing and managing receivables and payables. You can also use this software to track your income and expenses, generate invoices, run reports and calculate taxes.

There are many bookkeeping services available that can do all of this for you, and more. These services can be accessed online from any computer or mobile device and often include features such as bank reconciliation and invoicing. Check out the best accounting software for small business, or see if you want to handle the bookkeeping yourself.

Determine Your Break-Even Point

Before you fund your business, you must get an idea of your startup costs. To determine these, make a list of all the physical supplies you need, estimate the cost of any professional services you will require, determine the price of any licenses or permits required to operate and calculate the cost of office space or other real estate. Add in the costs of payroll and benefits, if applicable.

Businesses can take years to turn a profit, so it’s better to overestimate the startup costs and have too much money than too little. Many experts recommend having enough cash on hand to cover six months of operating expenses.

When you know how much you need to get started with your business, you need to know the point at which your business makes money. This figure is your break-even point.

In contrast, the contribution margin = total sales revenue – cost to make product

For example, let’s say you’re starting a small business that sells miniature birdhouses for fairy gardens. You have determined that it will cost you $500 in startup costs. Your variable costs are $0.40 per birdhouse produced, and you sell them for $1.50 each.

Let’s write these out so it’s easy to follow:

This means that you need to sell at least 456 units just to cover your costs. If you can sell more than 456 units in your first month, you will make a profit.

• The Best Business Checking Accounts
• The Best Accounting Software for Small Business
• How To Open a Bank Account

There are many different ways to fund your business—some require considerable effort, while others are easier to obtain. Two categories of funding exist: internal and external.

Internal funding includes:

• Personal savings
• Credit cards
• Funds from friends and family

If you finance the business with your own funds or with credit cards, you have to pay the debt on the credit cards and you’ve lost a chunk of your wealth if the business fails. By allowing your family members or friends to invest in your business, you are risking hard feelings and strained relationships if the company goes under. Business owners who want to minimize these risks may consider external funding.

External funding includes:

• Small business loans
• Small business grants
• Angel investors
• Venture capital
• Crowdfunding

Small businesses may have to use a combination of several sources of capital. Consider how much money is needed, how long it will take before the company can repay it and how risk-tolerant you are. No matter which source you use, plan for profit. It’s far better to take home six figures than make seven figures and only keep $80,000 of it.

Funding ideas include:

• Invoice factoring: With invoice factoring , you can sell your unpaid invoices to a third party at a discount.
• Business lines of credit: Apply for a business line of credit , which is similar to a personal line of credit. The credit limit and interest rate will be based on your business’s revenue, credit score and financial history.
• Equipment financing: If you need to purchase expensive equipment for your business, you can finance it with a loan or lease.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) microloans: Microloans are up to $50,000 loans that can be used for working capital, inventory or supplies and machinery or equipment.
• Grants: The federal government offers grants for businesses that promote innovation, export growth or are located in historically disadvantaged areas. You can also find grants through local and regional organizations.
• Crowdfunding: With crowdfunding , you can raise money from a large group of people by soliciting donations or selling equity in your company.

Choose the right funding source for your business by considering the amount of money you need, the time frame for repayment and your tolerance for risk.

• Best Small Business Loans
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You need to have insurance for your business , even if it’s a home-based business or you don’t have any employees. The type of insurance you need depends on your business model and what risks you face. You might need more than one type of policy, and you might need additional coverage as your business grows. In most states, workers’ compensation insurance is required by law if you have employees.

Work With an Agent To Get Insured

An insurance agent can help determine what coverages are appropriate for your business and find policies from insurers that offer the best rates. An independent insurance agent represents several different insurers, so they can shop around for the best rates and coverage options.

Basic Types of Business Insurance Coverage

• Liability insurance protects your business against third-party claims of bodily injury, property damage and personal injury such as defamation or false advertising.
• Property insurance covers the physical assets of your business, including your office space, equipment and inventory.
• Business interruption insurance pays for the loss of income if your business is forced to close temporarily due to a covered event such as a natural disaster.
• Product liability insurance protects against claims that your products caused bodily injury or property damage.
• Employee practices liability insurance covers claims from employees alleging discrimination, sexual harassment or other wrongful termination.
• Workers’ compensation insurance covers medical expenses and income replacement for employees who are injured on the job.
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Business tools can help make your life easier and make your business run more smoothly. The right tools can help you save time, automate tasks and make better decisions.

Consider the following tools in your arsenal:

• Accounting software : Track your business income and expenses, prepare financial statements and file taxes. Examples include QuickBooks and FreshBooks.
• Customer relationship management (CRM) software : This will help you manage your customer relationships, track sales and marketing data and automate tasks like customer service and follow-ups. Examples include Zoho CRM and monday.com.
• Project management software : Plan, execute and track projects. It can also be used to manage employee tasks and allocate resources. Examples include Airtable and ClickUp.
• Credit card processor : This will allow you to accept credit card payments from customers. Examples include Stripe and PayPal.
• Point of sale (POS) : A system that allows you to process customer payments. Some accounting software and CRM software have POS features built-in. Examples include Clover and Lightspeed.
• Virtual private network (VPN) : Provides a secure, private connection between your computer and the internet. This is important for businesses that handle sensitive data. Examples include NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
• Merchant services : When customers make a purchase, the money is deposited into your business account. You can also use merchant services to set up recurring billing or subscription payments. Examples include Square and Stripe.
• Email hosting : This allows you to create a professional email address with your own domain name. Examples include G Suite and Microsoft Office 365.

Many business owners spend so much money creating their products that there isn’t a marketing budget by the time they’ve launched. Alternatively, they’ve spent so much time developing the product that marketing is an afterthought.

Create a Website

Even if you’re a brick-and-mortar business, a web presence is essential. Creating a website doesn’t take long, either—you can have one done in as little as a weekend. You can make a standard informational website or an e-commerce site where you sell products online. If you sell products or services offline, include a page on your site where customers can find your locations and hours. Other pages to add include an “About Us” page, product or service pages, frequently asked questions (FAQs), a blog and contact information.

Optimize Your Site for SEO

After getting a website or e-commerce store, focus on optimizing it for search engines (SEO). This way, when a potential customer searches for specific keywords for your products, the search engine can point them to your site. SEO is a long-term strategy, so don’t expect a ton of traffic from search engines initially—even if you’re using all the right keywords.

Create Relevant Content

Provide quality digital content on your site that makes it easy for customers to find the correct answers to their questions. Content marketing ideas include videos, customer testimonials, blog posts and demos. Consider content marketing one of the most critical tasks on your daily to-do list. This is used in conjunction with posting on social media.

Get Listed in Online Directories

Customers use online directories like Yelp, Google My Business and Facebook to find local businesses. Some city halls and chambers of commerce have business directories too. Include your business in as many relevant directories as possible. You can also create listings for your business on specific directories that focus on your industry.

Develop a Social Media Strategy

Your potential customers are using social media every day—you need to be there too. Post content that’s interesting and relevant to your audience. Use social media to drive traffic back to your website where customers can learn more about what you do and buy your products or services.

You don’t necessarily need to be on every social media platform available. However, you should have a presence on Facebook and Instagram because they offer e-commerce features that allow you to sell directly from your social media accounts. Both of these platforms have free ad training to help you market your business.

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To scale your business, you need to grow your customer base and revenue. This can be done by expanding your marketing efforts, improving your product or service, collaborating with other creators or adding new products or services that complement what you already offer.

Think about ways you can automate or outsource certain tasks so you can focus on scaling the business. For example, if social media marketing is taking up too much of your time, consider using a platform such as Hootsuite to help you manage your accounts more efficiently. You can also consider outsourcing the time-consumer completely.

You can also use technology to automate certain business processes, including accounting, email marketing and lead generation. Doing this will give you more time to focus on other aspects of your business.

When scaling your business, it’s important to keep an eye on your finances and make sure you’re still profitable. If you’re not making enough money to cover your costs, you need to either reduce your expenses or find ways to increase your revenue.

Build a Team

As your business grows, you’ll need to delegate tasks and put together a team of people who can help you run the day-to-day operations. This might include hiring additional staff, contractors or freelancers.

Resources for building a team include:

• Hiring platforms: To find the right candidates, hiring platforms, such as Indeed and Glassdoor, can help you post job descriptions, screen résumés and conduct video interviews.
• Job boards: Job boards such as Craigslist and Indeed allow you to post open positions for free.
• Social media: You can also use social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook to find potential employees.
• Freelance platforms: Using Upwork, Freelancer and Fiverr can help you find talented freelancers for one-time or short-term projects. You can also outsource certain tasks, such as customer service, social media marketing or bookkeeping.

You might also consider partnering with other businesses in your industry. For example, if you’re a wedding planner, you could partner with a florist, photographer, catering company or venue. This way, you can offer your customers a one-stop shop for all their wedding needs. Another example is an e-commerce store that partners with a fulfillment center. This type of partnership can help you save money on shipping and storage costs, and it can also help you get your products to your customers faster.

To find potential partnerships, search for businesses in your industry that complement what you do. For example, if you’re a web designer, you could partner with a digital marketing agency.

You can also search for businesses that serve the same target market as you but offer different products or services. For example, if you sell women’s clothing, you could partner with a jewelry store or a hair salon.

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To rank the best states to start a business in 2024, Forbes Advisor analyzed 18 key metrics across five categories to determine which states are the best and worst to start a business in. Our ranking takes into consideration factors that impact businesses and their ability to succeed, such as business costs, business climate, economy, workforce and financial accessibility in each state. Check out the full report .

Starting a small business takes time, effort and perseverance. But if you’re willing to put in the work, it can be a great way to achieve your dreams and goals. Be sure to do your research, create a solid business plan and pivot along the way. Once you’re operational, don’t forget to stay focused and organized so you can continue to grow your business.

How do I start a small business with no money?

There are several funding sources for brand-new businesses and most require a business plan to secure it. These include the SBA , private grants, angel investors, crowdfunding and venture capital.

What is the best business structure?

The best business structure for your business will depend entirely on what kind of company you form, your industry and what you want to accomplish. But any successful business structure will be one that will help your company set realistic goals and follow through on set tasks.

Do I need a business credit card?

You don’t need one, but a business credit card can be helpful for new small businesses. It allows you to start building business credit, which can help you down the road when you need to take out a loan or line of credit. Additionally, business credit cards often come with rewards and perks that can save you money on business expenses.

Do I need a special license or permit to start a small business?

The answer to this question will depend on the type of business you want to start and where you’re located. Some businesses, such as restaurants, will require a special permit or license to operate. Others, such as home daycare providers, may need to register with the state.

How much does it cost to create a business?

The cost of starting a business will vary depending on the size and type of company you want to create. For example, a home-based business will be less expensive to start than a brick-and-mortar store. Additionally, the cost of starting a business will increase if you need to rent or buy commercial space, hire employees or purchase inventory. You could potentially get started for free by dropshipping or selling digital goods.

How do I get a loan for a new business?

The best way to get a loan for a new business is to approach banks or other financial institutions and provide them with a business plan and your financial history. You can also look into government-backed loans, such as those offered by the SBA. Startups may also be able to get loans from alternative lenders, including online platforms such as Kiva.

Do I need a business degree to start a business?

No, you don’t need a business degree to start a business. However, acquiring a degree in business or a related field can provide you with the understanding and ability to run an effective company. Additionally, you may want to consider taking some business courses if you don’t have a degree to learn more about starting and running a business. You can find these online and at your local Small Business Administration office.

What are some easy businesses to start?

One of the easiest businesses to start also has the lowest overhead: selling digital goods. This can include items such as e-books, online courses, audio files or software. If you have expertise in a particular area or niche, this is a great option for you. Dropshipping is also a great option because you don’t have to keep inventory. You could also buy wholesale products or create your own. Once you create your product, you can sell it through your own website or third-party platforms such as Amazon or Etsy.

What is the most profitable type of business?

There is no one answer to this question because the most profitable type of business will vary depending on a number of factors, such as your industry, location, target market and business model. However, some businesses tend to be more profitable than others, such as luxury goods, high-end services, business-to-business companies and subscription-based businesses. If you’re not sure what type of business to start, consider your strengths and interests, as well as the needs of your target market, to help you choose a profitable business idea.

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Katherine Haan is a small business owner with nearly two decades of experience helping other business owners increase their incomes.

24 of the best free alternatives to the most popular paid software

You don't have to pay for professional software to complete simple tasks. Here are our favorite free software programs for getting work done.

It feels like everything is a subscription these days, from the movies and TV shows we watch to the software that we run on our computers. That's fine if you only use a few specialist programs, but the snowball effect adds up as you add more software-as-a-service (SaaS) subscriptions. Whether you do your work on the latest iPad Pro , one of the best laptops , or a custom PC , you still need software to get those tasks done. The good news is that most paid software packages have alternative options, with many of them being free to use. These free versions of paid software might be a little rough around the edges or not come with the full depth of features, but they will help you get your tasks done without spending more cash, which is a win.

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Photo editing, photoshop isn't necessary for most tasks.

One of the things I've learned over the years is that the number of people who actually need the full functionality of tools like Adobe Photoshop is pretty small. For the rest of us, there are plenty of single-task websites that will help with simple tasks, like remove.bg for background removal or the free version of Pixlr for basic image manipulation. The benefit of web apps is that they work on any device with a browser, and you might find that's all you need.

If you prefer to have an installed program on your computer to retouch photos or manipulate images, Krita is great for digital painters, while GIMP and Paint.NET are more fully-featured image manipulation tools that can replace most of the features you'd think about reaching for paid software to do.

GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)

GIMP is a great replacement for Photoshop, with powerful tools for retouching, editing, painting, and almost any other function you would want to do with a digital image. It works on Windows, Linux, and macOS and has a thriving community for plug-ins and scripts to extend the program's usefulness.

Krita is one of the best tools for digital artists, whether the medium is cartoons, concept art, illustrations, or animation. It's aimed at creating from scratch, and as such, it doesn't have some of the features that you might want in an image editor, like stitching together photos. What it does have is a deep, layer-based painting canvas for your imagination to run wild.

Paint.NET was originally intended to be a direct replacement for MS Paint, but has grown over two decades into a fully-featured image and photo editor for Windows PCs. It's layer-based, has unlimited undo memory, and supports pens and drawing tablets, and in addition to the in-built tools, there's a thriving community of plug-in makers.

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Video editing, you can get a pro editor for free.

Video editing is another software category that's dominated by a few big players who charge large sums of money for licenses. The thing is, if you're only just starting out on your creative journey, you don't want to be paying for the software while you're learning. Whether you're creating for social media, work, or as a hobby, you can get professional results from many video editors that are free to use. The biggest of these is Black Magic Design's Davinci Resolve, which is used by Hollywood studios. That means you can learn with the pro tools and decide if you need the additional paid features at the end of the day. That sounds like a win to us.

DaVinci Resolve

This is a fully-featured professional-level non-linear editor focusing on color grading tools. It's free to download and use by anybody, and the only features locked behind the licensing fee are ones that the majority of home users won't need. Use the free version to learn, and pay for the license if or when you actually need the other features.

CapCut is a powerful video editor for vertical video formats, like the ones you'd use on social media apps. It's owned and developed by ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, and has a huge library of free templates, tutorials, and everything you need to make snappy, catchy vertical flicks for your social shares.

Shotcut is a multi-track video editor that can handle 4K or 8K footage for professional-level results. It supports the latest audio and video formats like ProRes and DNxHD, and can work with HDR content. It works on Linux, Windows, and Mac, so you can use it wherever you are, and has a customizable UI to make your workflow easier.

Audio Editor

Pick the complexity you need.

Audio editing is the other half of producing polished videos. There is a wide variety of free software packages out there, depending on your needs. Some are simple recording tools to get basic recording tracks on your computer, while others come with advanced tools to make your voice sound its best. Whether it's for a podcast or for video, getting your audio right is crucial for audience retention. You don't need to pick up the paid software packages to get a pro sound, though, and one of these free options will get you going in the right direction.

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Audacity has been the best free audio editor for years, and it's not even close. It's not a DAW if you need to create multi-instrument songs, but the two-track editor is enough for most needs. It now has non-destructive editing so that your original files are untouched, and it has a huge library of plug-ins for additional features.

For Windows users, the powerful Cakewalk is a free DAW with unlimited tracks, plug-ins, and MIDI capabilities for advanced audio creation. It's a one-stop software package for composing, recording, editing, mixing, and mastering, so the entire audio chain can be handled without learning multiple programs. Oh, and the interface has won awards for its design, so it's easy to learn and use.

Apple users have one of the best free DAWs already installed on their devices, in the form of GarageBand. This pro-level audio studio can handle multiple tracks, instruments, and vocals and comes with a sound library to use in your own creations, including session drummers and percussionists to jam out with.

3D graphics alternatives

If you need to do any 3D graphics work, you know that, along with the steep learning curve, comes a steep purchase price. Or it would, if you didn't pick one of the free alternatives that are used by professionals in many industries. Whether you want 3D models to 3D print, or to animate, or for static images for promotional use, you can find a free alternative that will work for you. The only thing is that most of these tools have a steep learning curve, but they're also widely used, so a quick search will find a host of tutorials to help.

Blender is free and open source software, and will be forever. It's an incredibly powerful 3D CG program that rivals the paid options out there. That's because not only does it support the full 3D pipeline from modeling through to motion tracking, it has a huge community making improvements and tutorials in case you get lost.

Creating 3D assets doesn't have to be hard, and you don't even need to install a program on your computer anymore. Spline runs on your web browser, so you can create from any device, and has generative AI, so you can build from text prompts - or learn the ropes of 3D design the hard way.

Rumba is completely free for enthusiasts to learn 3D animation with a fully-featured pro-grade program. It's more geared towards the animating part of 3D, so you will need to find or make 3D models elsewhere, and bring them into the program to make your masterpiece. And it's compatible with (most) Autodesk Maya rigs, so you don't have to start from scratch if that's what you're used to.

Office software

Even microsoft has a free version.

Office software is an essential part of modern computing, and paid programs keep adding advanced features every year so that they stay ahead of the competition. That's good to know, but think about the last time you used a pivot table, or any of the other advanced tools you paid for. For most users, all they need is the ability to create and edit office documents or spreadsheets, and that basic functionality is baked into every free alternative to office software.

LibreOffice

The big feature for LibreOffice isn't compatibility with every Microsoft 365 document format. That's nice to know, but it's also free to use commercially, which is something that free software often has a proviso about. The suite has a word processor, a spreadsheet tool, and a presentation maker, and also ones for vector diagrams, math functions, and even a database which is something most free office suites leave out.

Microsoft 365 Free Apps

Even Microsoft has a free version of Office, that lives on the web in much the way Google Docs does. The versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint included here might not feature advanced tools like pivot tables, but the basic functionality is and that's all most users care about. And with full compatibility with Microsoft 365, it's a direct replacement.

WPS Office covers all the bases for replacing your paid office suite, with a word processor, spreadsheet, and presention tool in one app. It's a slick interface, and also includes a free PDF reader. The paid version of the software adds PDF editing powers, but if you don't need that this is a great office suite for free.

Antivirus software

With online threats getting more and more sophisticated, you should be running some form of antivirus even if you think you're not a target. That's because everyone on the internet is a target, so every time you browse around, you're at risk. That sounds a little gloomy, but the good news is that even the free antivirus software packages can keep you safe from threats. Some free options even beat the paid packages, and our favorite free antivirus programs are below.

Windows Security

For most users, the best free antivirus is the one that their computer already has. That's Windows Security, which is the new name for Windows Defender, and it does a good job of protecting against most attacks. While it does protect against malicious websites, it only does so in the Edge browser.

Avast Free Antivirus

For a more comprehensive free solution, Avast has you covered. The always-on antivirus is free, and you also get ransomware protection, a firewall, and a VPN with bandwidth limits. That's a lot of features for free, and you might find that you don't need the paid package which adds advanced things like keeping your apps automatically updated.

Malwarebytes

While Windows does a decent job of antivirus, sometimes you need malware removal as well. That's the job of dedicated programs like Malwarebytes Free, to clean up the malware once it's already on your computer. It even clears out tracking cookies or other potentially unwanted visitors to your PC, and is a recommended second line of defense against attack.

Productivity tools

Be more efficient, for less.

The best productivity apps make you better at whatever task you are doing, but that means there isn't really a one-size-fits-all solution. From password managers that keep your secrets safe to grammar checkers and coding environments, productivity apps come in all sorts of flavors. We've picked a few of our favorite free productivity tools below, but this is a tiny cross-section of the apps available. The only thing you need to know is that if you have a specific task to do, there's likely a free software alternative to the paid programs.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, should be using a password manager by now, with unique passwords for every service. Your bank might have good security practices, but what about those tiny websites you buy things from? If one of those gets breached, every site you have an account on can be breached with a credential stuffing attack. Stay safe, use a password manager.

VSCodium is a fully-featured code editor with all the features of Microsoft's VS Code except without the tracking and telemetry that some users find objectionable. That makes it a no-brainer replacement, as it's the same core product. Oh, and it's free, to use, modify, copy, or even use for commercial use, providing the MIT License is mentioned.

PDF-XChange Editor

Most users don't need the complexity of Acrobat for PDF use, and PDF-XChange Editor is perfect as a replacement. It allows for many common editing functions like digital signatures to be added, while retaining compatibility. If you find you require the advanced features, it's a one-time fee to upgrade to the paid version.

While the ZIP function baked into Windows works, it's slow and can't handle quite as many file types as more complete solutions like 7-Zip. This free archiving program integrates into the right-click menu of Windows so it's easy to use and can open pretty much any archive file you can get.

OBS Studio is the best game recording and streaming app for anyone, even above the paid options. It's more user-friendly than ever, with a simple configurator that gets you going, but has the depth you need once your skill level improves to add plugins, effects, and more advanced tools to your streams.

LanguageTool

There's no excuse for incorrect grammar these days, with useful and free software packages like LanguageTool. It lives in your browser as an extension and proofreads your words so that you can be the best you can be, without worrying about pesky rules. The basic checking is some of the best, and it supports over 30 languages, when most checkers only support a few.

There are many, many more options out there for free software

We've only scratched the surface when it comes to alternatives for the best paid software programs. If you didn't see the category you're trying to replace, we found some sites whose purpose is to find you alternatives to the programs you use, paid or otherwise.

• AlternativeTo: Search through the crowdsourced recommendations for a huge number of Windows, Mac, web app, and Linux software packages to find alternatives to well-known programs.
• Osalt: Similar to AlternativeTo, this site only shows Open Source alternatives to the programs you want to find.

With the variety of free software packages out there (many of which are in web app form, so they can be used from almost any device) there's really no need to pay for expensive software when you're only going to be using a few of the features. That's doubly true for any subscription-based package, as the fees for those add up faster than you think.

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BIGContacts is the #1 contact management software & CRM to close more sales.

7 Best Free CRM Software in 2024: Enhance Sales & Customer Relationships

Customer relationship management experts

The BIGContacts Editorial Team is a diverse group of professionals passionate about customer relationship management. We update you on the latest trends, dive into technical topics, and offer insights to elevate your business.

Managing customer relationships shouldn’t drain your budget.

You’re in the right place if you’re a small business or startup looking for powerful, free CRM software to elevate your customer interactions and sales processes.

In this listicle, I explore the top 7 free CRM solutions combining robust functionality and cost-effectiveness. Based on personal use and feedback from industry peers, these tools have proven invaluable in managing customer relationships effectively.

Before we jump into the list of CRM systems, here’s a bird’s-eye view comparison of the tools:

Comparison Table of 7 Best Free CRM System

List of the top 7 free crm tools, 1. bigcontacts – best for contact management & email marketing for startups & smbs.

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BIGContacts is a straightforward and efficient CRM platform, ideal for startups and small to medium-sized businesses looking to improve their contact management and email marketing initiatives.

My use of this free cloud CRM demonstrated its capacity to streamline communication efforts through automated email campaigns and coordinated team activities. The customization capabilities and seamless integration with other apps significantly enhanced my productivity.

A particularly useful feature is the calendar, which helps ensure no critical meetings or opportunities are missed. This calendar can also be customized to align with specific operational requirements, making it one of the best CRM software for managing your business schedule.

What You’ll Like:

• Organize contact data efficiently with custom fields, tags, and lists.
• Manage your sales pipeline visually with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
• Automate your email outreach with tailored campaigns that trigger based on specific actions, aiding in lead nurturing and engagement.
• Generate detailed reports to gauge performance or craft bespoke reports to meet unique business requirements.
• Automate workflows and set up task reminders to reduce manual handling and maintain momentum.
• Easily capture lead data through webforms linked directly to the CRM database.

What You May Not Like:

• Navigating through numerous email templates can be slow if your library is extensive.
• Constant internet connectivity is required to ensure proper data synchronization.
• A forever FREE plan is available for startups with 100 contacts. The paid plan starts at $9.99/month , and there is a 15-day free trial.

2. Insightly – Best for Project-Oriented Businesses

Image Source: Insightly

In my experience with Insightly, it proved to be a robust CRM platform that integrates seamlessly with project management tools. It is especially suitable for businesses managing multiple projects and needing efficient task organization.

The platform facilitates handling all aspects of customer relationships and project execution within a single system, simplifying processes and enhancing efficiency.

Businesses that require detailed oversight of multiple projects will appreciate Insightly. It supports tracking every stage of a project, from the initial contact to completion. Its features enhance collaboration, enabling team members to update tasks, share files, and communicate changes effectively.

• Unified management of customer relations and project details, eliminating the need to switch between different systems and reducing the chance of errors.
• Customizable workflows that can be adapted to specific project requirements, providing better control over timelines and resources.
• Visual mapping of relationships between contacts, tasks, and projects, improving understanding and management of customer interactions.
• Advanced task management features that help set priorities, assign responsibilities, and monitor deadlines, ensuring projects stay on track.
• Insightly’s project tools might be excessive for users seeking a basic CRM.
• For smaller businesses, accessing advanced features through upgrades can become expensive.
• Forever free for up to 2 users. Paid plan starts at $29/user/month.

3. Zoho CRM – Best CRM for Zoho Suite Users

Image Source: Zoho

Zoho CRM helps interact with customers across multiple platforms, such as email, social media, phone, and live chat. This CRM tool ensures reliable and effective communication, which is essential for businesses looking to engage customers through their preferred channels.

While assessing various CRM options to boost our customer engagement, Zoho CRM impressed me with its capability to manage and synchronize client interactions across multiple platforms.

The CRM’s integration with the wider Zoho suite enriches its utility, creating a comprehensive system for handling customer data and improving interaction outcomes.

• Integrated communication tools enable consistent interactions across various customer touchpoints.
• Detailed analytics provide insights into customer preferences and behaviors, helping tailor engagement strategies.
• Integrates seamlessly with other applications in the Zoho ecosystem.
• Zia, the AI assistant, offers predictive analytics and automation suggestions, aiding decision-making and efficiency.
• Startups might find Zoho too complex, slowing down their setup process.
• Third-party integrations can bring extra costs that affect budgets.
• Free for 3 users. Paid options start at $14/user/month.

4. HubSpot – Best for Centralizing Sales, Marketing & Support Operations

Image Source: HubSpot

HubSpot CRM offers a unified solution for managing sales, marketing, and support processes. This platform stands out for its intuitive interface and comprehensive tools that simplify complex operations, making it easier to maintain a holistic approach to customer management.

As I evaluated tools that could bring cohesion to various operational areas of my business, HubSpot’s CRM impressed me with its capability to integrate these functions smoothly.

Its features facilitate better team alignment, ensuring that customer data flows seamlessly from one department to another.

• Streamlined integration of sales, marketing, and support functions within a single platform, enhancing team collaboration and data accessibility.
• Intuitive user interface that reduces the learning curve and increases adoption rates across departments.
• Extensive customization options allow businesses to tailor the system to their specific needs.
• A rich ecosystem of integrations with other software, expanding its functionality and utility.
• While the basic features are free, scaling up with advanced tools and capabilities can become costly.
• Some users may find the array of settings overwhelming, particularly small businesses with simpler needs.
• Free for up to 5 users. Paid plan starts at $15/month/seat (billed annually).

5. EngageBay – Best for Marketing & Workflow Automation

Image Source: EngageBay

I found EngageBay to be an excellent choice for automating marketing efforts and streamlining everyday tasks.

This platform merges CRM functionalities with advanced automation tools, making it easy to manage customer relationships and operational workflows from one central hub.

In my search for a CRM that could simplify complex processes without sacrificing functionality, EngageBay impressed me with its intuitive design and comprehensive feature set. It’s particularly good at handling repetitive tasks and fine-tuning marketing efforts to target specific customer segments effectively.

• The marketing tools are targeted and effective, which is great for reaching the right audience.
• Automation takes care of the repetitive tasks so your team can focus on bigger projects.
• It integrates easily with other tools you might already be using, keeping everything connected.
• It’s all-in-one, managing marketing, sales, and support in one place, simplifying things considerably.
• The free version allows you to manage only a limited number of contacts.
• While there are many help resources, customer support can sometimes be slow to respond.
• Free for 15 users. Paid options start at $13.79/user/month.

6. Bitrix24 – Best for Online Team Workspace

Image Source: Bitrix24

I consider Bitrix24 a powerhouse for teams aiming to consolidate their operational tools into one comprehensive platform. It effectively merges CRM, project management, and communication tools, catering to the varied demands of a modern workspace.

The CRM component is particularly robust, offering advanced lead management, sales tracking, and customer support features that help optimize customer interactions and drive sales.

The platform’s robust customization options and mobile capabilities allow it to adapt seamlessly to diverse business requirements, making it an indispensable tool for enhancing efficiency and maintaining strong, effective team collaboration.

• Unified management of tasks, communication, and customer data reduces the need for multiple platforms.
• Comprehensive CRM tools cover all aspects of customer interaction, from lead management to post-sale support.
• Customizable workflows allow for tailored automation, enhancing team productivity and efficiency.
• A robust mobile app ensures team members can stay connected and productive from anywhere.
• Setting up and customizing the platform can be time-consuming.
• Occasional slow performance and delays have been noted by some users, which may affect productivity.
• Free plan available with limited storage and features. Paid options start at $49/month for 5 users.

7. Capsule – Best for Automated Data Entry

Image Source: Capsule

Capsule CRM consolidates essential information—emails, notes, files, and calls—into one intuitive interface, a feature I found particularly valuable for cutting through the clutter.

Its synchronization capability is a game-changer. It automatically integrates with various applications to provide real-time updates on contact activities. This function spared me the constant back-and-forth typically required to stay informed.

The quick search option is another highlight, offering targeted, scenario-based searches that deliver results swiftly and accurately.

And, with the customizable, searchable tags for organizing contacts, maintaining an organized database became significantly easier, enhancing overall efficiency without the usual hassle.

• Efficient data entry processes that streamline capturing and updating contact information.
• User-friendly interface that facilitates easy navigation and adoption even for CRM novices.
• Customizable fields that allow you to adapt the CRM to your business’s specific requirements.
• Seamless integration with tools like Google Workspace and major accounting software enhances its utility without complicating existing systems.
• The free plan offers space for up to 250 contacts and has limited storage, which may be restrictive for some users.
• The customization options, especially for forms and fields, could be expanded to offer greater flexibility.
• Free for 2 users. Paid options start at $14/user/month.

Which Is the Best Free CRM System ?

To simplify things, I’ve listed my top three picks right here. Check them out!

Option A: BIGContacts

BIGContacts is ideal for startups and SMBs looking for free customer relationship management and aiming to boost customer relationships by enhancing contact management and email marketing. Its user-friendly interface supports easy customization and integration, facilitating efficient communication through automated email campaigns and streamlined team activities.

Option B: Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is tailored for businesses looking to interact seamlessly with customers across multiple platforms, such as email, social media, phone, and live chat. It ensures consistent and effective communication, integral for businesses aiming to reach customers through their preferred contact methods.

Option C: Insightly

Insightly is a robust CRM platform that integrates seamlessly with project management tools. It is especially suitable for businesses managing multiple projects and needing efficient task organization. The platform facilitates handling all aspects of customer relationships and project execution within a single system, simplifying processes and enhancing efficiency.

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation of tools chosen for the list above follows an unbiased, systematic approach that ensures a fair, insightful, and well-rounded review. This method employs six key factors:

• User Reviews / Ratings: Direct experiences from users, including ratings and feedback from reputable sites, provide a ground-level perspective. This feedback is critical in understanding overall satisfaction and potential problems.
• Essential Features & Functionality: The value of a product is ascertained by its core features and overall functionality. Through an in-depth exploration of these aspects, the practical usefulness and effectiveness of the tools are carefully evaluated.
• Ease of Use: The user-friendliness of a product or service is assessed, focusing on the design, interface, and navigation. This ensures a positive experience for users of all levels of expertise.
• Customer Support: The quality of customer support is examined, taking into account its efficiency and how well it supports users in different phases – setting up, addressing concerns, and resolving operational issues.
• Value for Money: Value for money is evaluated by comparing the quality, performance, and features. The goal is to help the reader understand whether they would be getting their money’s worth.
• Personal Experience / Experts’ Opinions: This part of the evaluation criteria draws insightful observations from the writer’s personal experience and the opinions of industry experts.

Choose the Right CRM for Your Small Business

When searching for the right CRM solution, it’s best to consider economical and efficient options. Free CRM systems cater to the basic needs of small businesses and individuals, providing essential tools for contact management and communication without overspending your budget.

However, to ensure that your CRM can grow along with your business, you need to invest in a low-cost and scalable CRM solution from the beginning. This approach can help you avoid the disruption of switching systems as your business requirements increase.

Before making any commitments, take advantage of the free trials available, such as the 15-day trial offered by BIGContacts. This will allow you to test the CRM’s features and determine its suitability for your business operations, ensuring that it can meet your current demands and accommodate future growth.

Learn More About Free CRM Software

What is crm software.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software is a tool that helps businesses manage interactions with current and potential customers. It centralizes customer information, streamlines various customer engagement processes, and enables data-driven strategies to improve business relationships.

A CRM system assists in managing sales, marketing, customer support, and more, all aimed at enhancing customer service and achieving business growth.

What are the features available in free CRM software?

Free CRM software often includes core CRM functionalities such as contact management, deal tracking, task and event tracking, email integration and tracking, basic reporting, and lead management.

Some free versions also offer limited customization options, integration capabilities with other tools, and user access controls to manage team activities.

What are the benefits of a CRM system?

The benefits of a CRM system include improved customer relationship management through better communication tracking and historical data access, increased sales efficiency through streamlined sales processes, enhanced customer service, and retention.

Additionally, CRM systems provide valuable insights into customer behavior and business operations, helping in strategic decision-making and growth planning.

Watch: How CRM Software Helps in Improving Sales

How do you choose the best CRM software?

To choose the best CRM software, you need to assess your specific needs, including the size of your customer base, process complexity, and integration requirements. You should also consider scalability, ease of use, mobile access, and customer support.

Also, read reviews and try a free version or demo to ensure the software meets your needs and is user-friendly. To learn more, watch the quick video tutorial below:

Who should opt for a free CRM option?

Free CRM options are ideal for small businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs who need basic CRM functionalities without a significant initial investment. These options are also suitable for businesses with limited customer interaction or those just beginning to structure their customer management processes.

Companies testing CRM systems to find the right fit before committing financially might also start with a free option.

About the author

Bigcontacts editorial team.

The BIGContacts Editorial Team is a passionate group of CRM experts dedicated to improving your customer relationships with top-notch content. We stay ahead of the curve on trends, tackle technical hurdles, and provide practical tips to boost your business. With our commitment to quality and integrity, you can be confident you're getting the most reliable resources to enhance your contact management and business process automation initiatives.

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Best Free Accounting Software 2024 

Meaghan Senn is a writer from North Carolina with experience in B2B, technology and digital marketing topics. Throughout her career, Meaghan has worked with B2B, software and digital marketing businesses.

Katie Gray is a Chicago-based editor. She started her career writing and editing content about home services before transitioning to home improvement products. She has spent the last year and a half working at a software company, managing content about CRM, project management and other business topics.

Accounting software is a useful investment for any business, as it helps manage finances and stay organized. However, for solopreneurs, startups, small businesses and others with limited budgets, investing in paid accounting software may not be feasible. Luckily, there are a number of accounting software providers that offer free plans. These free plans have basic features and limited users, but they can hold you over until you can afford to invest in something more advanced.

We at the MarketWatch Guides team have compiled some of the best free accounting software plans on the market. Below, we explain who each one is best for based on our experience researching, testing and rating them.

Why Trust Us?

Top free accounting software.

• Best In-House Integration: Zoho Books
• Best for Freelancers: Wave
• Best for Simplicity: NCH

We recommend Zoho Books for its seamless integration capability with other products within the Zoho ecosystem. Many of these products also have free plans, so you can build a comprehensive business management system at no cost.

Zoho Books’ free plan is equipped with the basics, including expense management, bank reconciliation and financial reporting. However, it also comes with some other features that other providers have as add-ons or as part of paid plans. These features include multilingual invoicing, mileage tracking and a customer portal.

Wave stands out for its user-friendly interface. Much of this ease of use comes from the fact that it has just foundational capabilities, so there is less to navigate on the platform. The free plan, specifically, handles bookkeeping, reporting and expense management. Bringing basic functionality and ease of use together makes for a platform that freelancers, contractors and other self-employed individuals who have limited accounting experience can use to keep track of their finances.

NCH is a software provider with tons of software solutions from video editing to invoicing. Its accounting software in particular has both desktop and online versions. The desktop version is free to download and works with Mac and PC computers.

The desktop software focuses on four capabilities: invoicing, accounts payable, reporting and general ledger. Given how basic these bookkeeping tasks are, the software works for small business owners who want to keep their finances organized.

How To Choose Free Accounting Software

Choosing accounting software can take some time and research, as you want to choose the right one for your business needs. We conducted a survey with 200 current or past users of business accounting solutions, and they rated features, customer support, ease of use and customer reviews as the most important factors to consider. We then tested and rated the free solutions in this review against those factors.

Here are the features that our free accounting software solutions offer:

Bookkeeping is the process of logging incoming and outgoing funds. In some cases, you have to log each action manually. With cloud-based accounting software, though, you can usually sync your bank account so that actions log automatically. Bookkeeping is a basic function of accounting, so you should expect to see it with all software — even free versions.

Invoicing is the process of creating and sending invoices to clients and customers. There may be a limit on the number of invoices you can create, especially in a free plan. Or, it may be unlimited. In some cases, the provider may also partner with a payment processor, such as Stripe, so that your clients and customers can pay you online.

Reporting tells you the current state of your finances. At the very least, there’s a dashboard with some charts and numbers to summarize the highlights. However, you can usually create specific financial documents, such as profit and loss statements, as well.

Customer Support

With any kind of software, access to customer support is important in case you have trouble with the platform. Most free accounting plans have online resources, such as user forums and help centers. You may also get email support during business hours. However, live chat and phone support is uncommon unless you upgrade to one of the provider’s paid plans.

Ease of Use

A user-friendly interface reduces the learning curve, ensuring smooth implementation from day one. Especially when most free plans come with limited live customer support, you want a platform that is easy to set up and navigate.

The benefit of shopping for free accounting plans is that you can try all of them to test ease of use before committing to one. As you conduct hands-on testing of the software’s interface, pay attention to the learning curve of basic tasks.

Customer Reviews

Look at the provider’s profiles on Trustpilot, Better Business Bureau (BBB), Capterra and G2 to see what customers have to say about them. These customer reviews can provide you with valuable insights into usability and customer support, guiding your decision on who to choose. Keep in mind, though, that not every customer who leaves a review is using the free version like you’re looking to do.

The Bottom Line

Free accounting software can help freelancers and small business owners on tight budgets keep their finances organized. Zoho Books’ free plan is an ideal choice if you want to integrate with Zoho’s other products for all-in-one business management. Wave’s free plan handles bookkeeping and invoicing for independent contractors, and NCH is a downloadable desktop app that helps small businesses with bookkeeping and reporting.

Frequently Asked Questions About Free Accounting Software

Who is free accounting software best for.

Free accounting software is best for small business owners and independent contractors who are on a budget. Maybe they use the free plan until they reach a certain level of growth and can afford a more robust paid plan.

What are the most important features in free accounting software?

The most important features in free accounting software are bookkeeping, reporting and invoicing.

Is free accounting software actually free?

Yes, free accounting software is free. However it has limited users and features. The provider is trying to get your foot in the door with the free plan in the hopes that you upgrade to a paid plan once your needs grow.

Methodology

We at the MarketWatch Guides team spent over 100 hours researching and testing 15 accounting software providers. We looked at all-in-one tools, such as QuickBooks, as well as specific tools for mileage tracking and expense management. 

We conducted a survey in 2024 of 200 professionals who were currently using accounting software or had used accounting software within the past year. We analyzed the results of this survey to determine the following rating criteria:

• Reputation and Reviews (15%)
• Features (63%)
• Pricing (10%)
• User Experience (7%)
• Customer Support (5%)

Visit the full accounting methodology page for more details on our rating system.

If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at  editors@marketwatchguides. com .

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