Aug 272012
 

Freelancing in web design and development is often a balancing act. You must carefully divide your time between doing work, getting more work, and ensuring you’re getting paid for said work. For each of these tasks, a huge range of tools exists – but it’s tough to know whether you’re using the best ones available.

We asked a number of leading designers to provide us with their favourites, so you can ensure your survival toolkit is the equivalent of a super-powered laser-armed jetpack, rather than a digital abacus.

In terms of approach, two distinct methodologies are clear. Some people, such as freelance web designer John Alex Jacob, favour a pared-down toolkit: “The way I do business has changed a lot this past year,” he tells .net. “I’ve been trying to keep things as simple as possible for my clients and me, improve efficiency and avoid unnecessary distractions while working.” He therefore advocates minimising what’s installed on your computer.

Others, however, advise exploring the diverse range of single-task indie apps and online services now available, in order to potentially boost productivity. Regardless of your own approach, we hope you find inspiration and exciting new tools in the selections provided by those we spoke to.

MORE:  The ultimate freelance web design tools | Feature | .net magazine.

 


Aug 212012
 

It’s no surprise that freelancers tend to rely on cloud-based apps, which allow flexibility in storing and grabbing files on the go. Among the top 25 apps on the list include Dropbox, Google Analytics, Gmail, Evernote and Hootsuite.

Meanwhile, some emerging favorites include expense report app Expensify, to-do list app Remember the Milk and Jing, which captures and shares anything you see on a computer screen as an image or short video.

For a full look at which tools are top of mind among freelancers, check out the list below.

MORE:  The Most Popular Freelancer Apps for Work-Life Balance [INFOGRAPHIC].