Top 10 Free Tools Coaches & Solopreneurs Should Use in 2025 (And When to Upgrade)
1. ChatGPT (Free / Plus $20 a month)
Website: https://chat.openai.com
What it does:
Brainstorm content ideas
Draft social posts, emails, or coaching worksheets
Write blog outlines or proposals fast
Why it’s better:
ChatGPT is intuitive and simple. The free plan works well for starters, and the paid version gives access to more advanced reasoning, file uploads, and custom GPTs.
Paid alternative: Jasper AI (starts at $39/month). Jasper has niche templates, but ChatGPT is more flexible for multi-tasking.
2. Claude AI (Free / Pro $20 a month)
Website: https://claude.ai
What it does:
Summarize coaching call transcripts or long PDFs
Create clear outlines for courses and blogs
Write content with a more natural, conversational tone
Why it’s better:
Claude handles very long documents better than ChatGPT (think entire ebooks or long Zoom transcripts).
Paid alternative: ChatGPT Pro if you prefer everything in one place.
3. Otter.ai (Free / Pro $10 a month)
Website: https://otter.ai
What it does:
Live transcriptions during coaching sessions
Automatically creates searchable notes
Summaries of meetings or group calls
Why it’s better:
Perfect for coaches running group programs. The free plan includes 300 monthly transcription minutes.
Paid alternative: Descript (starts at $15/month), which adds audio/video editing.
4. Google Drive (Free / Paid storage from $1.99/month)
Website: https://drive.google.com
What it does:
Store, organize, and share coaching materials, client notes, and worksheets.
Collaborate on Docs, Sheets, Slides—no extra cost.
Why it’s better:
The easiest all-in-one hub to share resources.
Paid alternative: Dropbox ($11/month). Great for bigger file management, but Google Drive is the easiest starting point.
5. Canva (Free / Pro $14.99 a month)
Website: https://canva.com
What it does:
Create social posts, workbooks, presentations, and lead magnets
Built-in templates make non-designers look professional
Why it’s better:
You don’t need to know design. Canva’s free version is powerful.
Paid alternative: Adobe Creative Cloud (from $59.99/month). More advanced, but Canva Pro is plenty for 90% of small business needs.
6. Trello (Free / Paid $5 per user)
Website: https://trello.com
What it does:
Visual boards for content planning, launches, client projects
Easy drag-and-drop system
Why it’s better:
Clean and easy. You can get started in minutes.
Paid alternative: Asana ($10.99/month) for advanced timelines and reporting.
7. Notion (Free / Plus $8 per user)
Website: https://notion.so
What it does:
Organize everything in one place: content, clients, tasks, dashboards
Templates for planning your year or managing programs
Why it’s better:
Customizable all-in-one workspace.
Paid alternative: ClickUp (starts at $10/month), which has more robust automations.
8. Zoom (Free / Paid $15.99 a month)
Website: https://zoom.us
What it does:
Client calls, group coaching sessions, workshops
Recording and chat built-in
Why it’s better:
The free version covers 40-minute calls (and one-on-one is unlimited).
Paid alternative: Google Meet (free with Gmail). Zoom has better features for hosting.
9. MailerLite (Free / Paid $10 a month)
Website: https://www.mailerlite.com
What it does:
Build email lists
Send newsletters
Create simple automations and lead magnet delivery
Why it’s better:
The free plan is generous: up to 1,000 subscribers.
Paid alternative: ConvertKit (starts at $15/month). More advanced, but MailerLite is perfect for beginners.
10. Loom (Free / Paid $12.50 a month)
Website: https://www.loom.com
What it does:
Record your screen and voice for quick feedback, tutorials, or client updates
Share video links instantly
Why it’s better:
Saves time on calls and written explanations.
Paid alternative: Vimeo Record (paid plan $12/month). Loom is simpler and faster.
Final Thoughts: Tools Are Step One. Systems Are Step Two.
Tools can only take you so far.
Connecting these tools into a clean, organized backend is what turns them into real time-savers.
If you’re tired of managing all these pieces on your own, that’s literally where I step in.
Ready to make these tools work together?
I help coaches, solopreneurs, and small-town businesses build backend systems that run smoothly so you can spend more time coaching and less time fixing.
Book a Fit Call here to start simplifying your backend.
