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I hate spending time researching the best (free) tools to use…

So I compiled an updated list of the best free tools I use in my business:

• For content creation

• For monetization

• Gear (camera, mic)

• Paid tools

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Content creation

Notion: documentation, ideas, website

I made $20k+ from a Notion landing page.

CapCut: video editing

I edit shorts on mobile and long-form videos on desktop.

Pro tip: use keyboard shortcuts:

• Cmd/control B for cutting clips

• Press L twice for speeding through video playback (it doesn’t increase speed of the actual video, just speeds up while you’re editing)

You’ll need to pay for the pro version if you want extra features like auto-captioning (but you can also just edit on TikTok for free).

OBS Studio: long video recordings

I hook this up to my iPhone camera + mic.

It allows me to livestream to YouTube too.

When I have podcast guests, I actually use Riverside, which is similar but paid.

Metricool: scheduling + analytics

I’ll mass film in 1 day when I get inspiration, then schedule it across all social platforms.

Free plan allows you to schedule 50 posts per month.

At the end of every month, I check my analytics (free plan allows 3 month analytics history).

Get Link In Chat: DM and comment automation for Instagram

Free, so you don’t have to pay a ton for ManyChat.

But you have to tag them in the caption.

I love using this because I schedule my posts and ManyChat didn’t let me schedule more than 1 automation ahead of time.

When writing my captions for scheduled posts, I write “comment ‘link’ to get the template or use this URL: [insert URL here]. DM automation by @getlinkinchat.”

Open In App: open directly in app instead of embedded browser

When I promote my YouTube I link this (mainly on IG stories using link sticker) because otherwise it’s a hassle for people to subscribe/comment.

Opening in app = opens natively in YouTube app.

Monetization

Lemon Squeezy: selling templates

I chose Lemon Squeezy because they’re a merchant of record so I don’t have to worry about tax stuff/setting up legal entities in specific countries where I’m making many sales.

Also the fees are less than Gumroad. If you’re selling lower ticket stuff (under $50), email the support team a bunch and they’ll lower fees for you. Tell them they did it for other creators (me).

Wise: invoicing and payments

I’m Canadian, so I use Wise to take payments for my high ticket coaching services and some sponsor payments that require USD bank transfer.

Stripe: payments (integrates with other apps)

I connect Stripe with any apps that require payment (i.e. my Lemon Squeezy storefront or Beehiiv premium newsletter subscription).

Stripe sends the funds to my bank account. For USD payments I put it in my Wise bank account.

Wave: accounting

It has invoicing (although I use Wise invoices - it’s easier).

This helps you track expenses, etc. if you have a separate business bank account (tbh I’d only do this when incorporated when you make over $100k-$200k per year).

I use it for bookkeeping before I hired a bookkeeper/accountant.

You can technically just use a simple finance tracker spreadsheet for now.

Gear

• iPhone camera

• $20 mic from Facebook Marketplace (until my friend gifted me a RODE mic - but I heard DJI mini is good too)

Email

For free newsletters: Substack

For cheap email funnels + newsletter: Flodesk

For monetization (what I use): beehiiv

• beehiiv isn’t free after 2.5k subscribers though

Paid (but worth it)

Stan Store: all in one (email, sell products, website, DM automation, analytics)

Disclaimer: I partnered up with them so I don’t pay for the monthly plan. It’s cheap af and I LOVED using it though. Made everything so much easier.

I just went with Lemon Squeezy for selling templates because I don’t pay anything if I sell 0 templates, whereas Stan is monthly subscription.

And I went with Xperiencify for course creation because it had fancy gamification features that Stan didn’t have. But I know someone who’s made $1 million from her Stan Store course.

Xperiencify: gamified course + community

The course platform is super fun, this is what I use to host my life tracking course.

It has leaderboards, points for checking off action items, videos, and a community.

Hope this was helpful 🫶

Til next week,

Jennifer