13+ Tools Every Student Freelancer Needs: The Ultimate Freelancer Starter Pack
Heyyyy you… So I heard you’ve decided to start freelancing in college?
First of all—slay. Second of all—welcome to the hustle.
Freelancing as a student is basically doing side quests for cash while surviving midterms, ramen dinners, and emotionally questionable group projects.
And while talent and ambition are great, you’re gonna need more than caffeine and dreams of clients crediting you on time to stay afloat.
Let’s talk freelancer tools.
Not the boring old Excel your uncle thinks is peak tech. (cue eye roll)
No, we’re talking about the digital sidekick apps, platforms, and websites that make you look professional, organized, and not like you’re finishing client work on the floor of your dorm room (even though you totally are).
Here’s your student freelancer toolkit, aka the essentials you need to crush projects, get paid, and keep your sanity intact.
1. Portfolio & Resume Builder: Canva
What it does:
Makes you look like a professional creative genius—even if you’re still using Comic Sans in your class notes.
Why you need it:
Whether you’re designing logos, writing blog posts, or editing videos, Canva helps you throw together stunning portfolios, resumes, client pitch decks, social media posts, logos, AND websites—basically anything you want to not look like it was made in Microsoft Word 2003.
2. Freelance Platforms: Fiverr, Upwork, or Contra
What it does:
Connects you with clients who are literally out here looking to pay you.
Why you need it:
You need a place to find gigs. These platforms let you post services, respond to offers, and build a lil’ online rep. Contra is especially cool for creatives who want to ditch commission fees.
Comparison:
- Upwork has higher-paying gigs, but it takes some time to master it.
- Fiverr is easier for new freelancers, but jobs are lower paying.
- Contra has no commission fees, but isn’t as popular as the other two.
3. Time Tracker: Toggl
What it does:
Tracks how much time you spend working (and how much time you spend scrolling TikTok in between).
Why you need it:
Helps with setting rates, knowing your productivity patterns, and showing clients you’re serious business—even if you’re still wearing pajama pants at 2 PM.
4. Invoicing Tools: Wave, Wise, or PayPal
What it does:
Sends invoices that look legit, not like something you threw together in Notes.
Why you need it:
You need to get paid. Like, properly. These tools make invoicing easy, track payments, and help you stay organized come tax season (gross, I know, but necessary).
Comparison:
- Wave is free and clean, but only works in the US and Canada.
- PayPal is widely trusted (and you can casually say “I accept PayPal” like a boss), but their fees are higher in some countries.
- Wise is available for freelancers in several countries, but is not as widely known as the other two.
5. Payment Tools: Wise
What it does:
Allows you to get paid in different currencies and set up foreign bank accounts.
Why you need it:
Wise is a payment platform that allows you to create bank accounts in almost any country. Australia, Britain, Germany, you name it.
So you could be in your little dorm room in Arkansas and getting paid in pounds and euros and then convert that to dollars and withdraw to your local bank account.
Wise has low fees compared to other payment platforms. The transaction speed is also pretty impressive.
Wise has low transaction fees, but it has a time limit on exchange rates. Meaning if you don’t convert your pounds to dollars within 48 hours of initiating the conversion, you might have to convert at a higher rate and end up losing money.
6. Research Tools: Glassdoor or Reddit
What it does:
Allows you to confirm job listings, get information about hiring processes and company problems, find out how much you should actually charge clients, and rant to fellow freelancers.
Why you need it:
Nearly half the job postings online are fakes or scams. Even real jobs can come with tricky problems that will frustrate you more than college does. Asking questions on Glassdoor’s bowls or a Reddit thread will save you the pain and tears. Trust me.
Comparison:
- Glassdoor is dedicated to job seekers, so you’ll find company reviews from employees, salary ranges, and more. But it isn’t committed to freelancers, so you may not find information specific to your situation.
- Reddit has several freelancer communities, so you’ll find someone going through the exact same thing as you. However, information on Reddit can be false or misleading.
7. Client Communication Tools: Notion, Google Docs, or Slack
What it does:
Keeps your chaos in check and lets clients feel like they’re working with an organized professional (even if your actual desktop looks like digital spaghetti).
Why you need it:
Clear deliverables, shared folders, timelines, and editable docs = smooth workflow and no “I thought you said Thursday, not Tuesday” drama.
Comparison:
- Slack is basically WhatsApp for work. You can chat with coworkers and share links, but that’s all.
- Notion allows you to share workflows, plan and brainstorm with colleagues, and organize ideas. It can quickly get overwhelming if you don’t know how to navigate it.
- Google Docs is just that. Docs on Google. Teammates can comment on your docs, have access to folders, and more. It’s free to use, but not as organized as Notion.
8. Project Management: Trello or ClickUp
What it does:
Helps you stop forgetting deadlines and juggling three clients with the memory of a goldfish.
Why you need it:
Drag-and-drop task boards, to-do lists, timelines—it’s like a planner, but cuter and digital. You can even color-code tasks and pretend you have your life together.
Comparison:
- Most people find Trello’s interface more attractive and easier to work with, but it has fewer customisation options.
- ClickUp allows you to customize your workflows and offers advanced features, but it takes time to really get the hang of it.
9. Contracts & Legal Stuff: HelloSign
What it does:
Lets you sign and share contracts so no one ghosts you after getting free work (yes, it happens, sadly).
Why you need it:
Even if you’re just doing a $100 logo job, a contract protects your time and your brain cells.
You can create simple contracts with templates from Bonsai.
10. Relaxation Tools: Brain.fm or Spotify’s Study Vibes Playlist
What it does:
Helps you stay focused when you’re working in a dorm filled with chaos, roomies, and existential dread.
Why you need it:
Because you will get distracted. Often. Background music can keep your brain in “get-it-done” mode long enough to crank out that client work (or at least look busy while procrastinating).
Comparison:
- Brain.fm provides AI-generated music that helps you stay calm and get into the focus zone. It doesn’t have actual music, and not everyone finds soothing sounds all that effective.
- Spotify allows you to curate your own playlist. If you find loud rap songs or pounding rock music relaxing, you do you. If you want some Beethoven or whale noises, they’ve got that too.
11. Cloud Storage: Google Drive or Dropbox
What it does:
Saves your work so you don’t lose it when your laptop crashes mid-project (or mid-nap).
Why you need it:
Easily share files with clients, organize your projects by folder, and avoid the “oops, I sent the wrong draft” panic spiral.
12. Focus & Productivity Tool: Forest
What it does:
Forest uses your addiction to games and your love of nature to get you to focus and complete your work on time. It’s a time management/productivity tool that changes the game.
Why you need it:
To avoid getting stuck in a doomscroll when you take five minutes off work to “relax”. Slack off work for too long and your tree dies.
13. Career Growth Tool: LinkedIn
What it does:
Shows off your professional persona and lets you build a professional network that will help grow your career after college.
Why you need it:
Clients do stalk your LinkedIn. Besides your actual portfolio and resume, LinkedIn is the next tool you have to show potential clients that you’re the real deal.
Bonus: You’re the Real Tool (In a Good Way)
No app, fancy software, or aesthetic productivity timer can replace the main character of your freelancing story: you.
Your hustle.
Your consistency.
Your “I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m doing it anyway” energy.
That’s what lands the clients, builds your portfolio, and makes you the baddest student freelancer on campus.
All The Best, Babe!
If freelancing in college feels overwhelming, don’t panic. Start with the basics:
- A portfolio (Canva)
- A place to find work (Fiverr/Upwork)
- A way to get paid (Wave/PayPal/Wise)
- A system to stay sane (Notion/Toggl)
You don’t need to be perfect—you just need to be persistent.
Now grab your laptop, your iced latte, and your emotional support plushie.
You’ve got work to do.
Wishing you peace and funds,
Dee
