Build smart, not hard. These tools are your free startup co-founders.
Starting a business in 2025 doesn’t require a fat wallet—just the right tools and the right mindset. In fact, if you’re bootstrapping or just hustling on a side idea, there’s a massive stack of completely free tools waiting to make your journey smoother, faster, and smarter.
But with so many options floating around, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. So, I’ve done the heavy lifting for you. Here are 50 insanely useful free tools every early-stage founder should have bookmarked yesterday.
Whether you’re building an MVP, pitching to investors, creating content, or just trying to stay sane—this list has your back.
🔧 For Building MVPs Without Code
1. Tally – Create beautiful, flexible forms without code
Perfect for collecting leads, feedback, or even job applications. Super clean UI and customizable.
2. Glide – Build apps from Google Sheets
Turn a spreadsheet into a real app in under an hour. Great for MVPs and internal tools.
3. Softr – Turn Airtable into a website or app
Create client portals, marketplaces, or internal dashboards. Zero code. Zero stress.
4. Bubble – The OG no-code platform
More advanced. Let’s you build complex web apps visually. Great if you want to build a “real” product without hiring devs.
5. Thunkable – Build native mobile apps
Drag-and-drop interface for iOS & Android apps. Ideal for testing mobile ideas.
🎨 For Design & Branding
6. Canva – All-in-one graphic design platform
From pitch decks to IG posts, this is a must-have. Use templates or get creative.
7. Figma – Collaborative UI/UX design
If you’re working with devs or freelancers, this is your go-to tool for wireframing and prototypes.
8. Looka – AI-powered logo generator
Create a brand identity in minutes. Surprisingly good logos.
9. Coolors – Color palette generator
Struggling with branding colors? This makes it fun and fast.
10. LottieFiles – Free animations for your app
Make your website or app pop with smooth animations (JSON format).
🌐 For Websites & Landing Pages
11. Carrd – Build beautiful one-page sites
Great for idea validation, portfolios, or quick launches. Simple and elegant.
12. Framer – Visual website builder with insane animations
Framer’s free tier is powerful and comes with built-in hosting.
13. Dorik – Another no-code website builder
More affordable and lean than Webflow. Clean templates.
14. Ucraft – Free custom domain websites
Yep, a free custom domain on the free plan. Great for MVPs.
15. Typedream – “Notion for websites”
Build beautiful pages super fast. Great Notion-like UX.
📈 For Marketing & SEO
16. AnswerThePublic – Discover what people search for
Super useful for blog and content ideas that actually get searched.
17. Ubersuggest – Free SEO tool by Neil Patel
Track keywords, analyze competitors, and optimize your blog or site.
18. Mailchimp – Email marketing starter
Free plan lets you build and send emails to your audience like a pro.
19. Beehiiv – Build a newsletter, Substack-style
Built by ex-Morning Brew folks. Great interface and built-in monetization.
20. Buffer – Schedule social media posts
Simple tool to manage your startup’s social presence.
💰 For Finance & Payments
21. Wave – Free accounting for small businesses
Invoice, track income/expenses, and manage payroll (U.S./Canada only).
22. Payoneer – Global payment solution
Accept payments internationally without hassle.
23. Stripe Atlas Resources – Free guides & docs
Even if you’re not using Stripe Atlas, their startup playbooks are gold.
24. Zoho Invoice – Free invoicing and quotes
Looks professional and easy to use.
25. Google Sheets Startup Finance Templates
Tons of free pre-made templates for financial modeling, burn rate, etc.
🤝 For Team & Communication
26. Slack (Free Tier) – Team chat with integrations
Still the best option for managing internal communication.
27. Notion – All-in-one workspace
Your wiki, task manager, content planner, CRM, and everything else.
28. Trello – Visual project management
Use cards and boards to track tasks and projects. Simple and effective.
29. ClickUp (Free) – Advanced project management
More features than Trello, great for growing teams.
30. Calendly – Schedule meetings without the back-and-forth
Just share your link and let people book. Saves tons of time.
🧠 For Learning & Strategy
31. Y Combinator Library – Goldmine of startup advice
Hundreds of videos and essays from the world’s top accelerator.
32. First Round Review – Founder stories and lessons
In-depth, actionable startup knowledge.
33. OpenVC – See what VCs actually invest in
Searchable list of investors, sorted by thesis. No guessing games.
34. MindMeister – Free mind mapping
Visualize your ideas, strategies, and roadmaps.
35. Harvard Online (Free Courses) – Learn from the best
Entrepreneurship, marketing, finance—all at $0.
🧰 For Development & Tech (Even if You’re Non-Tech)
36. GitHub (Free Repos) – Host code, collaborate, version control
Every dev’s essential. Even non-tech founders should know the basics.
37. Replit – Run code in your browser
Build prototypes fast with no setup. Great for coding beginners too.
38. Netlify – Free web hosting for static sites
Perfect for landing pages and JAMstack apps.
39. Firebase – Backend-as-a-service
Realtime database, hosting, auth, and more—free tier is generous.
40. Pinecone – Vector database for AI products
If you’re building anything AI-related, this is a hidden gem.
🧪 For Testing, Feedback, & Analytics
41. Hotjar (Free Plan) – See how users interact
Heatmaps, session recordings, surveys—know what’s working.
42. Google Analytics 4 – Track user behavior
Still a gold standard in analytics, especially for early growth.
43. Clarity by Microsoft – Free heatmaps & user insights
Like Hotjar, but 100% free with unlimited traffic.
44. Typeform (Free Tier) – Gorgeous surveys and quizzes
Create interactive forms that people actually enjoy using.
45. TryMyUI – Free user testing videos
Watch real people use your website and struggle (or succeed!).
🎁 Bonus Tools You Shouldn’t Miss
46. ChatGPT Free (OpenAI) – Your AI co-founder
Ask it anything—copy, strategy, code, content ideas. It’s magic.
47. TinyWow – Free tools for PDFs, images, videos
Compress, convert, merge, edit—all in one place.
48. Namechk – Check domain + social handle availability
Don’t launch a brand until you check this.
49. Remove.bg – Instantly remove image backgrounds
Perfect for product shots, thumbnails, and design.
50. Startup Stash – Curated directory of tools for startups
One link. Hundreds of tools, templates, and inspiration.
💡 Final Thoughts
Starting a company is hard. But staying broke while doing it doesn’t have to be part of the deal. These tools are like having a secret army of assistants, developers, marketers, and designers… all working for free.
Use them wisely. Stack them smartly. And build like a beast in 2025.