The Best Free (or Cheap) Tools Every Small Business Should Be Using in 2025
Running a small business means wearing all the hats, including marketing, customer service, logistics, sales… and sometimes even design. The good news? You don’t have to do it all from scratch (or spend a fortune while you’re at it).
We’ve pulled together some of the best free (or super affordable) tools that smart small business owners are using to save time, work smarter, and grow their sales in 2025.
1. For Content Creation
Canva – Your design bestie
Create flyers, social media posts, thank-you cards, product labels—you name it. Canva’s free plan is packed with templates that look amazing even if you’re not a designer.
CapCut – Easy video editing for Reels & TikTok
CapCut makes editing short-form video content so much easier. Add music, captions, transitions, and more—right from your phone.
Remove.bg – Clean product shots in seconds
Instantly remove the background of any image so your products pop. Great for catalogs, carousels, and ads.
2. For Planning & Productivity
Notion – Organize your brain (and business)
Plan your content, track customer orders, write captions, manage your goals—it’s all possible in Notion. Bonus: it’s free and super customizable.
Trello – Visual to-do lists
Trello is a great option if you love seeing your tasks laid out in columns like “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.” You can use it solo or with a small team.
3. For Inventory & Fulfillment
Google Sheets – Old-school but effective
Track what you’ve sold, what’s low in stock, and what needs reordering. Still one of the most powerful (and free) tools for running your backend.
4. For Marketing & Analytics
Meta Business Suite – Schedule & manage Instagram and Facebook
Plan your posts, reply to DMs and comments, and see how your content is performing—all in one place. And yes, it’s free.
Bitly – Shorten and track your links
Perfect for tracking how many people clicked the link in your Instagram bio, WhatsApp broadcast, or email.
MailerLite or Brevo – Affordable email marketing
If you want to start communicating with your buyers on a deeper level that goes past the initial sale, you need an email marketing platform. These can help you collect emails and send out updates, product drops, or special offers.
MailerLite has a free plan that works well for beginners, and Brevo is great for transactional emails too.
5. For Selling, Invoicing & Payments
Catlog – Your all-in-one social selling tool
Catlog gives you the full package: a sleek online storefront, secure payments (local & international), inventory tracking, payment links, and even invoicing—all in one place. Whether you're selling on Instagram, WhatsApp, or via DMs, Catlog helps you stay professional and organized without paying a fortune.
Instead of juggling multiple platforms, you can run your entire sales process from one dashboard. It’s genuinely the best deal that exists for small business owners looking to grow and scale efficiently.
Paystack or Flutterwave – Quick payment options
If you're not ready for a full storefront, these platforms help you create payment links, send invoices, and collect money easily. Great for one-off sales, services, or events.
Final Thoughts
The right tools can save you hours of work, help you avoid burnout, and make your business look way more professional—without blowing your budget.
And when you’re ready to start selling smarter, Catlog is here to make it ridiculously easy. From product listings to payments and tracking, we’ve got you covered.
👉 Ready to try Catlog? Sign up here and take your business to the next level.
