Best Tools for Content Creators: A Comprehensive List (2023)
As a content creator, it’s crucial to have the best tools and resources at your disposal at any given moment. The tools you use can either make or break your workflow, so it’s crucial to find the right ones. In this blog post, we will cover the best tools for content creators. We will include both well-known and hidden gems 💎, so you can find the perfect tool for your needs!
(We’ll indicate the hidden gems with a simple 💎 next to the title of the tool)
The best content creation tools vary depending on your needs. If you’re a writer, you may need a different set of tools than someone who creates videos. Some tools are essential for creative work, while others are for handling those awful tedious administrative tasks. That’s why we’ve included various tools in this list so that you can find the right one for you.
Let’s jump into the best content creation tools for content creators like you without further ado.
Best Content Creation Tools for Creative Work
General Content Creation Tools:
Color Pickers: Picking the right colors is essential for any creative project. A color picker can help you find the perfect hue for your work, no matter what program you are sampling from.
Instant Eyedropper (PC Only) 💎
This color picker for the PC makes picking colors easy and fun. Hit the eyedropper keyboard shortcut, use the instant magnifying glass, select the color you want on screen, and copy the corresponding color values to your clipboard.
Digital Color Meter (Mac Only)
This hidden gem comes standard on every macOS — just look in the Utilities Folder. It has a built-in magnifier and color history so that you can find the perfect hue every time.
FREE Stock Photos Sources: Of all content creation tools, finding the right photo for your project while on a budget can be a pain. Luckily, there are several free stock photo sources that you can use.
Unsplash
Unsplash is arguably the most popular free stock photo source online. They have a massive library of high-resolution photos that you can use for your commercial projects — royalty-free.
StockSnap
StockSnap is an excellent alternative to Unsplash. They also have a vast library of high-resolution photos to help you find that perfect image for your project.
Pexels
Pexels is another excellent resource for finding free stock photos. They have an extensive library of photos and videos to choose from. All of their content is royalty-free, so you can use them for your projects without worrying about legal problems in the future.
Pixabay
Pixabay is an excellent resource for finding free stock photos. They have a wide variety of photos to choose from, and all of them are royalty-free.
PxHere 💎
PxHere is a newer site on my radar. They offer free stock photos, videos, vectors, AND music all in one place, which is a fantastic PLUS.
Premium Stock Photos: If you’re looking for higher-quality photos, you may want to consider paying for a premium stock photo source.
Envato Elements 💎
Envato Elements is a great resource (and one of my favorite content creation tools) for finding high-quality stock photos. They have a library of over one million images to choose from — not to mention videos, graphic templates, vectors, 3D objects, WordPress templates, and presentation slides.
Adobe Stock
Adobe Stock is the stock photo service offered by Adobe. Adobe Stock boasts of having “Millions of images, templates, 3D assets, music tracks, and HD videos” to choose from, making it one of the most extensive stock photo services available.
Shuttershock
Shuttershock is an “OG” of stock photo sites and is one of the most popular stock photo services available.
World Vector Logo 💎
If you need an authentic Nike, Tesla, or Apple logo, World Vector Logo is your site. They have a comprehensive library of vector logos from nearly all of the biggest brands in the world.
Downloadgram
Easily download any public image from Instagram. Just enter the URL of the Instagram photo you want, and DownloadGram will do the rest.
4K Video Downloader 💎
I use this tool several times a week… maybe even daily. It’s a lifesaver for downloading video content from the web. Just copy the video URL you want, paste it into the tool, and hit download.
GIPHY for Chrome 💎
GIPHY for Chrome is a must-have extension for anyone who loves GIFs in their creative work. It allows you to search and copy any GIF from the GIPHY library to your clipboard, making it super easy to find the perfect GIF for your project.
Not Always Right (Formally Clients From Hell)
If you’re in the business of content creation, you need to check out Not Always Right during your next break. It’s a website/blog that collects and shares real customer horror stories from creatives like you. It’s hilarious, informative, and best of all… free.
Essential Books for Creatives:
The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield 💎
The best-selling book, The War of Art, is a must-read for any creative professional. It discusses the inner battle that all creatives face when producing their best work.
Turning Pro: Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Life’s Work, by Steven Pressfield
If you enjoyed The War of Art, you’d love Turning Pro. It’s a follow-up book that discusses the next step for any creative professional… taking their work to the next level.
Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way, by Steven Pressfield
Do the Work is an excellent book for creatives struggling with procrastination or self-doubt. It provides a step-by-step guide for getting over those barriers and starting to create the work you’ve always wanted to do.
The Artist’s Journey: The Wake of the Hero’s Journey and the Lifelong Pursuit of Meaning, by Steven Pressfield
The Artist’s Journey is a book about the creative process and how you can use it to find meaning in your life. It’s an excellent read for any artist or creative professional looking for more purpose in their work.
Show Your Work!: Ten Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered, by Austin Kleon 💎
In Show Your Work!, Austin Kleon provides a guide for creatives who want to share their work with the world. It’s an excellent read for anyone looking to get their work out there and build an audience.
Steal Like and Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative, by Austin Kleon
If you’re looking for some creative inspiration, Steal Like an Artist is a great place to start. It’s a book about being creative and resourceful in your career, and it provides tons of great advice for anyone who wants to be more creative in their work.
The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life, by Twyla Tharp
The Creative Habit is a book about developing a creative routine and how to make it work for you. It’s an excellent read for any creative professional looking for more structure in their work.
Essential Gear & Tech for Creatives:
Apple MacBook Pro — 16 inch
The best laptop for content creators is the Apple MacBook Pro. It’s an extremely powerful machine with unparalleled hardware and software support from Apple.
Cricut Maker 3
The Cricut Maker 3 is a cutting machine that is perfect for content creators. It can cut 300+ materials, including paper, vinyl, wood, and fabric, making it the perfect tool for crafting and DIY projects.
BONUS: Take your Cricut creations to another level by first printing your design with the best printer for Cricut projects and then cutting it with the Cricut Maker 3 — Sweet!
Not sure which laptop works best with your Cricut machine? I got you covered.
I also teach how to save money on buying new Cricut blades by sharpening them with this easy process.
Logitech Craft Keyboard
The Logitech Craft Keyboard is a phenomenal option for content creators who want a keyboard with many features. It has a built-in dial that you can use to control various functions in your creative software, and it also has a number pad and media keys.
Keychron K2 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard (Version 2)
The Keychron K2 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard is an excellent option for anyone who wants a quality mechanical keyboard. It’s backlit, takes up little space on your desktop, and it’s wireless.
TKO Limited Edition Keyboard
The TKO is a mechanical keyboard with a 60% standard layout, dual-zone RGB illumination, ergonomic tenting and adjusting hard-shell travel case, etc.
Logitech MX Master 3 💎
The Logitech MX Master is an excellent mouse for content creators who want a versatile and comfortable option. It has a high-tech, precise mouse built for creatives and coders, with a side wheel for extra comfort and a natural feel.
Sidiz T50 Home Office Desk Chair
The Sidiz T50 is an excellent choice for a stylish and ergonomic office chair. This chair comes with an S-Curve back and forward tilt to help you stay focused.
BONUS: The Sidiz T50 and these other office chairs greatly minimize back, leg, neck and hip pains caused lack of proper support while working long hours.
Design & Illustration
Design Software:
Adobe Photoshop
Some may be saying (duhhh), but I had to include it in this list because it’s one of the essential, “not up for debate” content creation tools.
Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard for design software, and it’s a must-have for any content creator. It’s used for everything from photo editing to web design, and it has tons of features that can help you create beautiful designs.
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is another essential piece of software for content creators. It’s used for vector illustrations, logos, and icon design, and it has a ton of features that can help you create stunning designs.
Photopea
Photopea is a Photoshop alternative that’s free and easy to use. It has all of the basic features you need for photo editing, a Photoshop-like interface, and it’s an excellent option for anyone who wants to save some money on design software.
GIMP
GIMP is a relatively popular open-source (free) image editing software available on Windows and macOS.
Wepik (Free)
Wepik is free graphic design software that’s great for anyone who wants to create illustrations, logos, and icons without touching your bank account.
Creative Cloud Express (Free)
Creative Cloud Express is a free version of Adobe’s Creative Cloud software. It has all of the basic features you need for photo editing, web design, and graphic design, and it’s an excellent option for anyone who wants to save some money on design software.
Canva Photo Editor (Free)
Canva is a free online photo editor that’s great for basic photo editing. It has all of the basic features you need, a massive template library, is easy to use, and is available online.
Topaz Labs — Image Enhancement Software 💎
Topaz Labs is an image enhancement software and plugin that photographers and graphic designers use to enhance their photos and designs. It has various features that can help you improve your images, and it’s an excellent option for anyone who wants to give that added pop their photos.
(Sidenote) This is my go-to plugin to finish off 95% of all graphics I create! You can access it directly from within the Filters menu in Photoshop.
PlaceIt
PlaceIt is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to create beautiful product mockups. It has a library of templates, fonts, and images that you can use to create professional-looking mockups in minutes, and it’s an excellent option for anyone who wants to save time on their design process.
Keynote
Keynote is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to create beautiful presentations — but it’s also a great tool to create graphics period. It has a library of templates, fonts, and images that you can use to create professional-looking graphics in minutes.
Design Templates:
Freepik (Free)
Freepik is a website that offers free vector files, illustrations, and PSD mockups for anyone who wants to use them in their designs.
SlidesGo (Free)
SlidesGo is a free online presentation software that’s great for anyone who wants to create beautiful presentations without spending a lot of money.
You Work For Them
You Work For Them is a website that offers premium design templates for anyone who wants to use them in their designs. Their site claims to be used by creatives at Time Magazine, Mercedes Benz, Apple, Warner Bros, Coca Cola, and more…
Envato Elements 💎
Envato Elements is a monthly subscription service that gives you access to countless professional-grade design templates, fonts, graphics, and more.
(You’ll see Envato Elements appear several times more in this list because it’s soooo versatile)
Vectors:
Flaticon (Free)
Flaticon is a website that offers over 6.9 million vector icons & stickers for anyone who wants to use them in their designs. The free version of Flaticon’s icons will suit most creative needs.
Black Illustrations
Black Illustrations is a website that offers free vector illustrations for anyone who wants to use them in their designs.
unDraw (Free)
unDraw is a website that provides free vector illustrations for anyone who wants to use them in their designs. It also has a handy feature to adjust the entire library to match any color you need.
The Noun Project (Free and Paid Versions)
The Noun Project is a website that offers over three million vector icons for anyone who wants to use them in their designs. It has a library of icons that you can use with the free version, and it also has a library of premium options that creators can purchase.
Canva Color Wheel
Canva’s Color Wheel is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to create beautiful color palettes. It makes it quick to build color palettes that are pleasing to the eye with options for complimentary 2-color palettes, triadic palettes, and more.
Font Pairing Guide
Font Pairing Guide is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to create beautiful typography. It has a library of fonts that are curated to pair well together, and it makes it easy to create beautiful typography combinations in minutes.
Color Palette Generator
Color Palette Generator is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to create beautiful color palettes. It offers a variety of options for creating color palettes, and it makes it easy to export your palettes for use in your designs.
Design Size Guide
Design Size Guide is an excellent tool for anyone who needs quick access to graphic dimensions for almost any situation.
Find My Font
If you have a sample of a particular font, Find My Font will either identify the exact font type or offer close alternatives.
Pantone Studio (iOS)
Pantone Studio is an excellent tool for anyone who needs to ensure their colors are accurate. It has a library of Pantone colors, and it allows you to create color palettes that you can export for use in your designs.
Golden Ratio Calculator
The Golden Ratio is a mathematical ratio often used in design because it is said to be aesthetically pleasing. The Golden Ratio Calculator is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to create designs that follow the principles of the golden ratio.
Video Production
Adobe Premiere
Adobe Premiere Pro is the standard tool for anyone who wants to create beautiful videos. Of all video content creation tools, Premiere probably offers the most comprehensive array of tools and is used by professionals worldwide.
Davinci Resolve (Free)
What’s most impressive is that Davinci Resolve is FREE. So even as a beginner with zero budget, you can begin editing on professional-grade editing software that offers a wide variety of features for any production need.
Stock Video (Free):
Pexels
Pexels is a little-known resource for finding free stock videos. They have an extensive library of photos and videos to choose from. All of their content is royalty-free, so you can use them for your projects without worrying about legal problems in the future.
Public Domain Movies 💎
Public Domain Movies is a website that offers free previously copyrighted footage for anyone who wants to use it in their productions.
Stock Video (Premium):
Envato Elements
Envato Elements is a subscription-based service that offers access to an ever-growing library of premium stock videos, graphics, templates, etc.
Artgrid
Artgrid is a subscription-based service that offers access to an ever-growing library of themed premium stock videos.
Filmpac
Filmpac is THE way to go with stock footage if your budget allows it. They have a massive library of premium cinematic stock footage constantly updated with new content.
Pro Video Factory
Pro Video Factory is an excellent option if you’re looking for high-quality royalty-free stock footage. They have an extensive library of videos perfect for any production need.
Storyblocks
Storyblocks is an excellent resource for anyone who needs stock photos, graphics, and videos. They have a library of content that is constantly updated, and all of their content is royalty-free.
ClipStock
ClipStock is an excellent resource for anyone who needs high-quality stock footage.
Stock Audio:
Artlist
My favorite is Artlist, a subscription-based service that offers access to an ever-growing library of premium stock audio for any theme, mood, or genre.
Epidemic Sound
Epidemic Sound is an excellent resource for anyone who needs high-quality stock audio. They have a library of content that is constantly updated, and all of their content is royalty-free.
Sound Stripe
Sound Stripe is an excellent resource for anyone who needs high-quality stock audio. Their library is constantly updated, and all of their material is royalty-free.
Audiio
Discover outstanding music and obtain a license covering any video platform in the universe, including YouTube.
Envato Elements
Envato Elements is a subscription-based service that offers access to an ever-growing library of premium stock audio.
Move / TV Scene Sourcing:
PlayPhrase.me 💎
PlayPhrase.me is a resource for anyone who needs high-quality Movie and TV scene footage and wants to find them by a simple search! This site is sort of like a digital miracle.
Yarn
Yarn is an excellent resource for anyone who needs high-quality Movie and TV scene footage. With Yarn, you can easily find Clips in Fave Movies, TV, & Music Videos.
Veoh
Search millions of movies, TV shows, commercials, etc.
Clip Cafe
Clip Cafe’s algorithm extracts the best scenes from your favorite movies and makes them easily searchable.
Mobile Film Apps:
Filmic Pro 💎
My go-to app — Filmic Pro, is an app for iOS and Android Devices that gives filmmakers the ability to turn your iPhone into a professional cinema camera.
Moment App
The Moment App is an app for iOS and Android devices that allows users to capture the best photos and videos.
TubeBuddy
TubeBuddy is a chrome extension that allows content creators to optimize their videos for YouTube, research keywords and trends, and spy on other YouTube channels — If you deal with YouTube in any manner, Tubebuddy is a must-have for content creation tools.
Youtube Tag Extractor
Youtube Tag Extractor allows content creators to research the best tags for any public YouTube video.
Words per Minute Calculator
Did you ever have a script and wondered what the final length of a video be? This calculator will help you convert between the number of words and time.
Oh Bubble
Oh Bubble is an app for iOS and Android devices that helps content creators create social media videos with text, graphics, and more.
Film Grab 💎
Film Grab is a web app that allows users to capture the best screenshots from any movie or TV show.
Shot Deck
ShotDeck claims to be “the largest collection of fully searchable high-definition movie images in the world” — and I believe them.
Shot Cafe
Shot Cafe is a web app that allows users to search for the best screenshots from their favorite movies and TV shows.
Speechelo
Speechelo is a web app that helps content creators create professional videos with Artificial Intelligence text-to-speech.
Sound and Music Production
LMMS 💎
LMMS is a FREE cross-platform software that allows you to produce music with your computer.
Motion Graphics
Stock Motion Graphics Templates:
Envato Elements
My goto (if you haven’t noticed already) — Envato Elements is a subscription-based service that offers access to an ever-growing library of premium motion graphics templates.
Motion Array
“Everything you need to create stunning videos.” Start with a design, then complete it with unlimited royalty-free stock assets and an all-in-one marketplace for creatives.
Keynote 💎
With its powerful tools and one-of-a-king Magic Move effect, Keynote is a fantastic tool for creating beautiful and memorable motion graphics, and it’s standard on most Apple devices.
Animation in Adobe XD:
Ed Riwaldo
Animating using XD is pretty cool, actually… and Ed Riwaldo demonstrates this fact in the most remarkable ways!
Danksy
Auto-animate is a simple yet powerful feature in Adobe XD and Dansky shows you how it’s easy to use and creates stunning results.
Writing
Grammar, Spelling & Readability —
Grammarly
Grammarly is a tool that helps you write mistake-free and with more confidence.
Hemingway App
The Hemingway App is a tool that helps you write in a clear, concise way by highlighting long, complex sentences and common errors.
Web & UX Design
Jasper.ai 💎
My go-to — Jasper.ai leverages artificial intelligence to make it fast & easy to create content for your blog, social media, website, and more — When it comes to content creation tools, Jasper.ai is worth every penny.
SpinBot
SpinBot has become infamous as the “Intelligent, Free Text Rewriting Tool”. Paste the text into SpinBot, and it’ll “spin” out the exact meaning using different words…
801+ Power Words – (Smart Blogger)
Power words function as a “cheat code” to increase your content interest. Sprinkle in a few, and turn drab, lifeless text into compelling words that urge readers to act.
Power Thesaurus
Thesaurus for Power Thesaurus is a quick, simple, and all-encompassing online thesaurus.
Web & UX Design
Webflow University 💎
Webflow University is an informative and highly entertaining online school that teaches how to use Webflow and the mechanics of web design. Lessons range from the basics to more advanced concepts.
Lottieflow
Lottieflow is a web app that helps content creators downloadable Lottie files that work like magic on your Webflow site.
3D Animation & Game Design
Sketchup
Sketchup is a powerful yet easy-to-use software for quickly creating three-dimensional models and illustrations.
Blender
Blender is an extremely POWERFUL, free, and open-source software for creating animated films, visual effects, art, interactive applications, video games, etc.
Unreal Engine
Unreal Engine is a massive complete suite of 3D creation tools designed to meet the challenges of next-generation game development and real-time rendered info.
Game Dev Unlocked
The best way to learn game development is by doing. Game Dev Unlocked is a course that takes you through the entire process of starting, finishing, and marketing your indie game.
School of Game Design
The School of Game Design is an online school that offers high-quality video courses on game design and development.
Best Tools for Ideas & Inspiration
Idea Organization & Visual Content Creation Tools
Gingko Writer 💎
Gingko Writer is a tool that helps get you to the first draft fast — no matter how complex the project is.
Milanote
There aren’t many visual content creation tools on the market like Milanote. It is a simple-to-use tool for organizing your thoughts and projects into visual boards.
SimpleMind (Free and Paid Versions)
SimpleMind is a powerful yet simple tool for visualizing and organizing your thoughts.
Research and Bookmarking:
Pocket helps you find your own private corner of the web to spend quality time with excellent articles.
Liner
Liner is a powerful yet simple bookmarking and note-taking tool that helps you capture and organize your ideas by simply highlighting text directly on a web page — it even works for YouTube videos!
Paper by WeTransfer
Paper is a beautifully designed note-taking app by WeTransfer that helps you capture and organize your best ideas, thoughts, and inspirations.
Analog Note-taking / Journaling:
Moleskin
Moleskins are a classic, high-quality brand that offers a wide range of notebooks and journals.
Bullet Journal
The Bullet Journal is an analog system for organizing your thoughts, ideas, and to-dos that has taken the world by storm. Their slogan says it best — “The mindfulness practice disguised as a productivity system.
Digital Note-taking / Journaling:
iPad
The iPad Pro is the perfect device for taking notes and ideas on the go. With its large screen, powerful processor, and range of apps (like this one below👇🏾).
(Notability App)
Notability is used by students, teachers, artists, and professionals daily to add value to their lives. Notability is more than just a note-taking program. It can help you organize and inspire your ideas, then set them free with Notability.
Windows Surface
The Surface is a powerful tablet that comes with the full power of Windows and Office, making it the perfect device for taking notes and ideas on the go.
ReMarkable 2 Tablet 💎
My go-to — The ReMarkable 2 is “The only tablet that feels like paper.” It’s a digital tablet designed specifically for taking notes and ideas, reading and annotating docs. With its high-resolution screen, pen input, and lack of distractions, the ReMarkable 2 is perfect for anyone who wants to ditch their laptop and go paperless.
Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) Software
Obsidian 💎
My go-to — *A second brain, for you, forever.* Obsidian is a robust, fully extensible knowledge base on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files.
Notion
Notion is a powerful, all-in-one knowledge base and task manager that can help you and your team get your ideas organized, inspired, and completed.
Evernote
Evernote helps you tame your work, organize your life. With Evernote, you can practically “remember” everything and tackle any project with your notes, tasks, and schedule all in one place.
Sources of Inspiration
Ted Talks
TED Talks offer an unprecedented collection of talks from some of the best and brightest minds on various topics.
Wikiquote
Wikiquote is a wiki dedicated to collecting quotations from notable people in history. With Wikiquote, you’re bound to quickly find the words to get your ideas flowing.
Answer The Public 💎
Answer The Public is a wonderful resource for finding questions people ask around the web. With Answer The Public, you can quickly gather ideas and data to help inform your content strategy.
Best Educational Resources for Content Creators
Tuts+
Tuts+ is a fantastic resource for artists, designers, and developers. With Tuts+, you can learn new skills, improve your current abilities and expand your knowledge base.
Audible
Audible is a service that provides you with access to a massive library of audiobooks, allowing you to learn and grow while you’re on the go.
Library Genesis 💎
The site enables free access to content that is otherwise paywalled or not digitized elsewhere. Library Genesis is a library of +20 million books, making it the perfect resource for expanding your knowledge base on any topic.
Google Tools:
Applied Digital Skills (Free) 💎
Google’s Applied Digital Skills program offers a wealth of online courses on various soon-to-be-mandatory digital skills.
Primer (By Google) 💎
A content creator’s secret sauce — Primer is a free mobile app from Google that offers quick, easy-to-understand lessons for anyone looking to grow their business and digital marketing skills.
Marketing Frameworks
Manifesto: Empathy Driven Marketing (Free) 💎
My go-to — The Manifesto for Empathy Driven Marketing- is a wonderful, mind-altering framework for content creators who want to produce genuinely beneficial, valuable, and meaningful content for their audience.
An Unconventional Approach to Email List Building (Free) 💎
The Unconventional Approach to Email List Building is a fantastic framework for content creators who want to build an email list with raving fans rather than lukewarm/cold subscribers.
Email Marketing Course (Free) 💎
This 10-Day powerhouse course teaches in-depth how to earn customers & make superfans — two things ANY content creator desires!
Podcasts
The Futur Podcast
The Futur is a weekly podcast covering everything from marketing and business to design and lifestyle. With over 180 episodes, the Futur Podcast is going where no other content creation podcast is daring to go.
The Nathan Barry Show
The Nathan Barry Show is a weekly podcast covering everything from design to business to software development. With over 50 episodes, the Nathan Barry Show zeroes in on the art of newsletters and how email is probably the most powerful marketing tool known to man.
The Crazy One
The Crazy One is a weekly podcast covering everything from advertising to business to creativity. With +100 episodes, the Crazy One has something for everyone needing actionable insights to be more creative, become a better leader, create more innovative work.
eLearning & Courses
The Durable Business Course (Free) 💎
Essential Learning — The Durable Business Course is an online course that gives you the tools, systems, and mindset to build a business that lasts.
YouTube
YouTube is probably the best (and first stop) for any form of learning. With billions (with a “b”) of videos on any given topic, YouTube has something for every creative on any part of their creative journey.
The Futur
The Futur’s YouTube channel alone is a wealth of knowledge for anyone looking to up their creative game. Add that to their blog and paid course material, and you have nearly EVERYTHING you need to be successful as a content creator.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn is often overlooked as a resource for content creators, but it’s an absolute powerhouse when it comes to finding jobs and growing your network — but learning.
Skillshare
Skillshare is a platform for online learning that offers classes in nearly every form of content creation. “Explore new skills, deepen existing passions, and get lost in creativity.”
Udemy
Udemy is another platform for online learning that offers creative classes. Choose from 183,000 online video courses with new additions published every month.
Masterclass
Masterclass is a platform for online learning that offers classes from the best in their respective fields. Learn one-on-one from some of the most creative minds on the planet.
Best Productivity Tools for Content Creators
Google Workspace
Google Workspace is it if you’re looking for an all-in-one platform to create content and better manage your time, energy, and projects. From email to document creation and even your calendar, Google Workspace has you covered.
Shift
“Tired of switching between accounts, and logging in and out?” Shift is an app that brings all your apps and accounts into one concise place — this is perfect for anyone looking to be more productive (and who isn’t?).
Tasks Management
Teuduex
“A beautifully simple way to keep track of the little (MAJOR) things.”
Time Management
Bullet Journal
The Bullet Journal is a time-management system that you can use for any form of creative work. It’s simple, customizable, and perfect for anyone looking to get more done in less time.
Pomotroid
“A simple, configurable and visually pleasing Pomodoro timer.” — perfect for anyone looking to increase their productivity by breaking up their time into set intervals with short breaks in between.
Nap Chart
Get a jump on your days with this 24H Time visualizer — Plan out your daily routine — The software is a time planning tool that allows you to visualize time in a 24-hour cycle.
Temp-Mail 💎
If you’re ever in a situation where you need to create an email address for one-time use, Temp-Mail is the perfect solution. It’s a free and easy-to-use service that allows you to create disposable email addresses.
Best Administrative & Business Tools for Content Creators
Marketing and Sales
Email Marketing & Automation:
ConvertKit
Famous for its visual content creation tools such as visual automation, Convertkit is “The best email marketing service for creators.” Grow your audience, foster your community, create lasting connections, and earn a living online.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is the world’s largest email marketing service. It’s simple, easy to use, and perfect for anyone just starting with email marketing.
Aweber
Aweber is another excellent email marketing service that’s perfect for those with a little more experience in email marketing. Aweber’s FREE plan is ideal for any content creator beginning to build an audience.
Keap
Keap is an email marketing service perfect for small businesses and entrepreneurs. With Keap, you can create automated sequences, manage subscribers, and track your results.
Contentful
Launch faster with a modern content platform. It’s the easiest, fastest content creation tool for managing content.
SEO & Keyword Research:
Ahrefs
Know what the internet is thinking — Ahrefs is a suite of online tools that help you with keyword searches and competitor research to SEO audits.
Semrush
Semrush is another great tool for competitor research and SEO audits.
KWFinder
KWFinder is a tool for finding long-tail keywords and possible content gaps you can enter and explore.
Website Builders:
Webflow
My go-to — Create the site you want — without the dev time. Webflow is a web design platform that allows you to create and host your world-class website without any coding knowledge.
Wix
“Wix is the best website builder in the world.” With Wix, you can create a professional website in minutes without learning web design or code.
Square Space
Square Space is a popular website builder perfect for anyone looking to create a high-quality, professional website.
Kadence Theme (WordPress) (Free)
Kadence is a popular WordPress theme perfect for anyone looking to create a high-quality website on a budget at lightning speed.
Kadence Blocks
Kadence Blocks is an extension for the Kadence WordPress theme 👆🏾 that allows you to create custom page layouts or start from their many premade site templates.
Landing Pages and Webforms:
ConvertKit
Convertkit’s landing page feature is perfect for creating high-converting landing pages with ease. Once subscribers subscribe through a convertkit landing page, they enter a world you create for them with Convertkit’s extensive suite of email marketing tools.
Mailchimp
Making landing pages with Mailchimp is a breeze with their easy-to-use landing page builder.
Aweber
Aweber’s landing page builder is another great option for creating high-converting landing pages.
Keap
Keap’s landing page builder is perfect for businesses and entrepreneurs who want to create high-converting landing pages quickly and easily.
Hello Bar
Hello Bar is a tool that allows you to add lead undeniable capture forms and buttons to your website with ease.
InstaPage
InstaPage lets you quickly and easily create high-converting landing pages without coding knowledge.
Online Course Management and Membership Sites:
ConvertKit
“ConvertKit offers an easy path for creators to experiment with earning a living online—without needing to invest in another platform.”
Podia
With Podia, you can create a beautiful online store to sell your courses and digital products — even create subscription-based memberships to turn your passion into income.
Thinkific
Thinkific is a robust platform that allows you to create, manage, and sell your own online courses.
Teachable
One of the more popular online course management platforms, Teachable, allows you to create and sell your online courses easily.
Xperiencify 💎
Coined “The Simple (And Fun) Way to Get More People to Complete Your Online Course,” — Xperiencify is a gamified course completion and engagement platform that turns learning into a fun experience your customers will look forward to.
Learnworlds
Learnworlds is a powerful online course platform that lets you create and sell your online courses easily.
Vimeo OTT
“Vimeo OTT is a complete video streaming platform for creating and delivering live or on-demand video experiences to your audience.”
Etsy
Etsy is a global marketplace for one-of-a-kind and creative items. It is a haven for one-of-a-kind, uncommon, and vintage objects.
Gumroad
Thanks to its easy-to-use platform and built-in tools, anyone may make their first dollar online with Gumroad. It’s that simple. Start with what you know, see what sticks, and get rewarded. It’s that simple.
Kajabi
Kajabi is a powerful online course platform that allows you to create, market, and sell your own online courses with ease.
Everwebinar
“Deliver The Perfect Webinar Presentation Over And Over Without Ever Being Present” — Everwebinar is a powerful webinar platform that allows you to “record” your webinar and replay it over and over while maintaining a “live” feel for those viewing the webinar.
Social Media Management:
Later
With Later, you can plan and publish your posts ahead of time, save time creating engaging content, and get more out of every post.
Creator Studio (Facebook and Instagram)
The Creator Studio is a robust set of tools from Facebook and Instagram that allow you to manage your social media accounts effectively.
Networking, Leads & Gigs
Fiverr
Fiverr is a global online marketplace for creative and professional services. You can offer your creative services to the world and get paid!
Upwork
Upwork is a global online workplace that connects your freelancing services to businesses.
QR Code Generator (Free)
QR Code Generator is a free online tool that allows you to create and print QR codes easily.
Contact Hunting:
Hunter.io 💎
Hunter.io is a tool that allows you to find email addresses, track, and contact the right people at the right companies with ease.
LinkedIn is a powerful tool that allows you to find and connect with potential customers and partners on LinkedIn — just find the company and search through the “people” employed there — simple.
Fast People Search
Fast People Search is a tool that allows you to quickly and easily find people’s contact information.
Social Blade
Social Blade is a powerful online tool that allows you to track social media statistics and measure a brand’s performance, even your competitors’.
Facebook Debugger
Have you ever made changes to a page’s main image or title only to see it doesn’t update on Facebook? The Facebook Debugger is a tool that lets you tell Facebook to update the main information it has about any URL.
Empathy Map
Essential content creation tool — Empathy maps are a great way to help you deeply understand your audiences and develop ideas for content and products.
Bookkeeping
Kaikebo 💎
Practice the Japanese Art Of Saving and managing money. This is THE EASIEST way to manage your finances, rather for personal finances or small business.
Freshbooks
Freshbooks is the king of bookkeeping for creatives. FreshBooks is cloud-based accounting software that makes billing, invoicing, and tracking expenses easy.
Wave Financial (Free)
Wave Financial is a full-featured cloud-based accounting software that makes billing, invoicing, and tracking expenses easy.
Honeybook
Honeybook is a cloud-based software that helps you manage your business finances, projects, and client relationships.
Quickbooks
The juggernaut of bookkeeping — Quickbooks, a cloud-based program that assists you in keeping track of your company’s finances, projects, and client interactions.
Collaboration
Google Workspace
Google Workspace is an excellent choice if you’re looking for an all-in-one platform to manage your work, teams, and clients.
BaseCamp
BaseCamp is the all-in-one toolkit that helps you manage projects and, collaborate with team members clients and keep projects moving effortlessly.
Monday.com
Monday.com is a cloud-based project management tool that helps you and your team stay organized and sync.
File Management / Digital Asset Management
Eagle App 💎
The Eagle App is a comprehensive tool that allows you to manage your digital assets and files easily.
Lingo
Lingo is a powerful, cloud-based digital asset management tool that helps you keep your files and team organized and in sync.
Project Management
BaseCamp
BaseCamp is the gold standard of project management tools and is perfect for managing projects with teams and clients.
Asana
Asana is a powerful, cloud-based project management tool that helps you keep your team organized and in sync.
Trello
Trello is a simple, Kanban-style cloud-based project management tool that helps you keep your team organized and in sync.
Agile CRM (Free)
Agile CRM is a powerful, cloud-based CRM software that helps you manage your customer relationships.
Monday.com
Monday.com is a cloud-based project management tool that helps you and your team stay organized and sync.
ClickUp (Free)
Most free tools aren’t this feature-rich — Everything you need is all in one place: Tasks, Documents, Chat, Goals, and more.
Client / Customer Support Tools
Fresh Desks (Free)
Fresh Desk is a cloud-based customer support software that helps manage your customer interactions. “Delight your customers with effortless customer service.”
Help Scout
“An easier, more powerful way to support your customers” — It’s simple to get started, powerful at scale, and proven to create stronger client connections with Help Scout.
Customer Relationship Management
MixMax (Gmail CRM)
“The #1 Sales Engagement Platform for Gmail” — MixMax is a powerful Gmail extension that helps you manage your customer relationships.
Agile CRM (Free)
As their website states — Agile CRM will help you “Sell & Market Like the Fortune 500.”
FreeAgent CRM
FreeAgent CRM claims to “help teams get everything in one place, work more collaboratively to get more done, and track and improve performance.”
White Label Creative Services
VidChops
“In Just A Few Clicks And You’ll Never Have To Edit Again” — VidChops is a white-label video editing service that helps you create high-quality videos quickly and easily. Just send them the footage, and they’ll take care of the editing for you.
All Time Designs
A game-changing content creation tool/service — All-Time Designs is a white label graphic design service that can help you create high-quality designs for your brand (and your client’s brand). “Affordable and faster than any design team. Vetted designers. Insanely faster turnaround. Robust and intuitive platform.”
No Limit Creatives
“The Unlimited Design Solution That Gets You Results” — No Limit Creatives is a white label creative services agency that can help you with everything from logos and branding to graphic design and video production.
Summary
So there you have it! The best tools for content creators, in no particular order. These are just a few of the best tools out there, but there are countless other great options available depending on your specific needs.
With so many great choices, there’s no excuse not to find the perfect toolkit to help you create amazing content!
Peace and Love