Whether you spend your day writing on the web as a career or if it’s just a hobby in your spare time, chances are good that you are always looking for ways to save time and money. The following apps are sure to help you on both accounts. The list below offers suggestions for text editors, apps that focus specifically on writing and note taking, apps for web development, apps that will boost your productivity, connect you with clients, organize your ideas and projects, and even help you if you are a freelancer.
Text Editors
Text editors are a favorite of many web writers and all of the following offer plenty of great features and are absolutely free.
- Notepad++. Windows users will enjoy this popular replacement for Notepad.
- Bluefish. Specifically designed for programmers and web designers, Mac users will want to check out this text editor.
- DarkCopy. This text editor removes any distractions and lets you focus solely on writing with its full-screen mode.
- Q10. Another full-screen online text editor, this one also offers options such as spell check, an alarm, typing sound, and keeps a real-time account of word, page, and character count.
- Crimson Editor. Give this free app a try if you are looking for a replacement for Notepad.
- EditPlus. This text editor is also an HTML editor with plenty of features.
- Komodo. Choose this text editor for simplicity as well as the helpful project manager feature.
If you need a place to keep all your notes and ideas together or you need a bigger place for entire projects, the following apps are sure to provide what you seek.
- Zoho Notebook. With capabilities for integrating audio, video, HTML, URLs, files, and much more, you will love what you can do with Zoho Notebook. Tools include line, text, freehand, and shapes.
- Evernote. This popular note-taking app is an excellent way to keep track of your ideas and allows you to type in text, take a photo with your phone, and grab information from the Internet.
- Google Notebook. Google’s web-based document app also has access to Google searches, Google Bookmarks, a rich-text editor, and labels.
- WebAsyst Notes. Create notes and then organize them in folders, share with clients, or access other services such as photo storage, manage projects, and more.
- UberNote. UberNote allows you to email or IM notes and bookmark and also allows access from your desktop or your mobile phone.
- Jott. Call a number to leave yourself a note, add an appointment to your calendar, and even have your voice mail transcribed with this simple alternative to writing down notes.
- FruitNotes. This online notebook offers plenty of useful features including leaving voice notes from your phone, uploading photos and videos, and online sharing.
- Wridea. Write down what you need to remember with this app, then edit, categorize, and even share your notes with others.
- Notefish. An excellent way to save examples of promising websites, use this app to save web content, then organize and share your notes as you like.
- Notezz!. Keep all your notes in one place without any complicated features with this simple note-taking app.
If creating websites is part of your web writing, then you will love these apps that help you get sites created quickly and easily, manipulate images, find free photos, and more without needing a technical background.
- KompoZer. This WYSIWYG alternative to Dreamweaver allows you to easily design websites without knowing HTML.
- pForm. Create an HTML form quickly and easily with this app.
- WebGraphicsMaker. Easily create backgrounds, lines, and bullets for your websites with this app.
- Gimp. Try using this image manipulation software as a free replacement for Photoshop. It has layers, channels, paths, and plenty of painting tools.
- Picnik. Edit photos and get creative with all the tools available on this free app that works right in your browser.
- Splashup. Edit and manage your photos with this free browser-based app that is modeled after Photoshop.
- morgueFile. Get free stock photography here to use on your websites.
- Website Grader. Plug in the URL of the site you are developing to this tool to get an SEO report grading marketability and more and even find out how the site matches up to its competitors.
- FreeZip. Compress or decompress those large files with this free app.
- AnyClient. This file transfer app is free and supports most major transfer protocols.
- ValidChecker. This app checks the validation of your HTML, RSS, and CSS and sends the results to you via email or RSS feed.
Here are even more web development apps, this time for those who use Firefox.
- Server Switcher. Go between the site you are working on to a live one easily with this app.
- Firebug. Get tons of development tools that allow you to "edit, debug, monitor CSS, HTML, and JavaScript live."
- Pixel Perfect. Use this with Firebug to overlay your composition over HTML to discover how many pixels you may be off.
- ColorZilla. This app allows you to use an eye dropper to grab color from anywhere in your browser, then open a palette, and more.
- MeasureIt. Use this app to get the pixel height and width of any element on a web page.
- Web Developer. Add a toolbar and menu with this app that gives you access to several tools including ones that allow you to view and edit CSS.
- Font Finder. Select text and immediately get all the CSS styles for that font.
- CSS Sync. Use this app to automatically sync CSS from your server.
- CSS Refresh. Refresh your CSS without reloading the entire page with this app.
- SenSEO. This app analyzes your web pages and lets you know how well you are meeting SEO criteria.
Take advantage of these great apps to boost your productivity including to-do lists, calendars, reminders, sticky notes, bookmarkers, and RSS readers.
- HiTask. This free, web-based task management app allows easy scheduling, organizing, and sharing of tasks.
- bitBomb. Get text message reminders of tasks you need to complete with this app.
- orangoo. It’s unprofessional to have spelling errors in your finished product. Ensure this doesn’t happen to you by pasting your text into this site or give it a URL for a blog or website and find any spelling errors immediately.
- Remember the Milk. This popular to-do list keeps your tasks organized, reminds you of important due dates, integrates into Google Calendar, and also works on your iPhone.
- Toodledo. Not only can you keep important lists here, but Toodledo offers a feature that analyzes your dates, priorities, and time estimates to create an efficient time-management schedule for you.
- HassleMe. Get email reminders for anything you can’t afford to forget with this app.
- My 50. This tool will help you keep focused on where you are going by managing your list of goals.
- Google Calendar. This popular calendar allows you to track events, set reminders, share with others, and even easily import appointments straight from your Gmail.
- Jotlet. If you want a simple online calendar, Jotlet will keep you organized and even allow you to share with friends or colleagues.
- Joe’s Goals. This simple chart allows you to input your tasks and check them off as you complete them.
- Wired-Marker. Permanently highlight sections of websites so that each time you visit that site you know exactly to which section you want to refer. Your selection is automatically bookmarked for easy reference.
- Stickies. Create virtual sticky notes stay on your computer desktop until you remove them, but unlike the real thing, these can be iconified, remind you of tasks, and even emailed.
- Jotcloud. Similar to Stickies, but with fewer functions, you can keep your notes on virtual stickies with this app.
- PinNotes. Another sticky note app, this one also allows for adding pictures, time and date, and more.
- TelePixie. Get wake-up calls, reminders, alerts, and more on your mobile phone with this app.
- Del.icio.us. This popular bookmarking site allows you to save favorite sites, add notes to yourself, and share with others.
- Digg. Bookmark your favorite sites or read user votes and comments about sites.
- Google Reader. Get all your blogs in one place where you can organize them by categories, mark favorites, and share with other Google Reader users.
- Bloglines. Bloglines was one of the first readers available and offers easy-to-read blog posts from your list of subscriptions.
Writers love to have ways of organizing and managing their thoughts and ideas, so take advantage of these free mind mapping apps that you can use on your own or share with others.
- bubble.us. Brainstorm with this simple online app that creates bubbles to connect your ideas.
- FreeMind. This mind-mapping software helps you keep track of projects, organize research, brainstorm, or just keep up with ideas.
- WiseMapping. Create free mind maps with this tool that you can share with others.
- Cmap Tools. Create concept maps with this mind mapping app.
- Kayuda. Whether you want to record your own thoughts or are collaborating with others, Kayuda helps you get everything together.
- Mindomo. This web-based mind mapping tool will help you keep your thoughts and ideas organized.
- Mapul. Create organic-looking mind maps with this easy-to-use app.
- View Your Mind. This mind mapping tool allows you to illustrate your thoughts through maps that are easily manipulated.
- Gliffy. Create flowcharts for a project or use this tool to help organize your ideas and the necessary steps to complete your projects.
From email to IM to phone to faxing, these apps will help keep you communicating with those whom you work.
- Gmail. Gmail is popular for a reason. Emails are easy to organize, archived mail is searched with no problems, labels and stars keep important mail identifiable, has excellent spam control, and is seamlessly integrated with Google Calendar and iGoogle.
- Yahoo! Mail. If you aren’t a fan of Google, give Yahoo! Mail a try as another web-based email account that is also free.
- 10 Minute Mail. Use this app to get a disposable email address that is good for 10 minutes, then expires. This is a great way to register with sites that require an email validation without getting their spam.
- FaxZero. If you only need to send a fax or two a day and they are three pages or less, this app lets you do it for free.
- Faxaway. While technically this isn’t free, you can send and receive faxes via your email for only $1 per month–that’s almost free.
- FreeFAX. Send faxes for free here or become a member and receive faxes as well.
- GrandCentral. Consolidate all your phones with this app that gives you one voice mailbox and one number for all your phones.
- flurry. This app for your mobile phone will send emails, allow you to read RSS feeds, and participate in group messaging.
- Mobyko. Back up the names, numbers, and information from your mobile phone with this app so if something happens to your phone, you won’t lose your information.
- Pidgin. If you communicate on IM, download this tool so you can connect with anyone on 16 different IM providers.
- Trillian. Combine your IM accounts from Yahoo!, MSN, AIM, ICQ, and IRC into one place with this free app.
Working on a project with others is much easier and will save you time with these apps.
- Diigo. A great way to find out what your client may be wanting, use this app to highlight passages on web pages, add sticky notes, and share with clients.
- Backpack. Backpack allows for easy collaboration with both clients and colleagues with features such as shared to-do lists, announcements, calendars, files, and even centralized discussions.
- Springnote. This note-taking and collaboration tool allows you to take notes for yourself or work with others to create a group notebook.
- Writeboard. Create shareable online text documents to keep ideas and progress notes between yourself and colleagues or clients.
- WebNotes. With this app, attach notes to web pages, create notes in folders, and share your notes with others.
- 30 Boxes. This easy-to-use online calendar keeps you organized and its sharing feature is a great way to share timelines with clients.
- Thinkature. Collaborate, organize your thoughts and research, and prepare your project together with this tool.
- Thinkfree. The free services with this app include document creation and sharing, file access and sharing, collaboration, blogging, and iPhone access.
- LooseStitch. Create outlines, share with others, and keep your changes together with this app that helps facilitate brainstorming and collaboration.
- writewith. Great for collaborative writing projects, this app keeps everyone together with features such as shared documents and tasks and discussions.
Freelance writers will surely find helpful options with these apps that offer places for online resumes, ways to manage and invoice clients, task managers, money managers, and more.
- Emurse. Create, store, and share your resume with this free service that also allows printing in a variety of formats.
- FreshBooks. If you only need to invoice a few clients, use FreshBooks for free, professional invoices online. Bigger packages are available for a fee.
- Zoho Invoice. Manage invoices, quotes, and customer payments online with ease using this app.
- SlimTimer. Freelancers working from home will appreciate this tool that tracks your hours, create tasks, and run reports for free.
- Toggl. This time management tool also creates invoices, offers desktop widgets, and an iGoogle gadget.
- Tasks Jr.. This web-based task manager allows you to organize and prioritize your personal and professional projects.
- Tabber. Manage your contacts with Tabber, where you can combine all your online accounts and contacts.
- Plaxo. This web-based service helps you stay in touch with your clients and contacts as well as keep them organized.
- LinkedIn. Network, find contacts, and give your web identity a home with this popular social networking site for professionals.
- mint. Manage your money with this free app that connects your bank, credit cards, and mutual funds so you can effortlessly gain control over your finances.
- wesabe. This free app helps you track spending and create goals towards saving money or getting out of debt.
- BillMonk. Keep track of your money with this app that also tracks items you’ve loaned to people or that you have borrowed.
- Agrata. Never worry about forgetting a password again with this encrypted tool that securely stores all your passwords so that you don’t have to remember them.
Whether you spend your day writing on the web as a career or if it’s just a hobby in your spare time, chances are good that you are always looking for ways to save time and money. The following apps are sure to help you on both accounts. The list below offers suggestions for text editors, apps that focus specifically on writing and note taking, apps for web development, apps that will boost your productivity, connect you with clients, organize your ideas and projects, and even help you if you are a freelancer.
Text Editors
Text editors are a favorite of many web writers and all of the following offer plenty of great features and are absolutely free.
- Notepad++. Windows users will enjoy this popular replacement for Notepad.
- Bluefish. Specifically designed for programmers and web designers, Mac users will want to check out this text editor.
- DarkCopy. This text editor removes any distractions and lets you focus solely on writing with its full-screen mode.
- Q10. Another full-screen online text editor, this one also offers options such as spell check, an alarm, typing sound, and keeps a real-time account of word, page, and character count.
- Crimson Editor. Give this free app a try if you are looking for a replacement for Notepad.
- EditPlus. This text editor is also an HTML editor with plenty of features.
- Komodo. Choose this text editor for simplicity as well as the helpful project manager feature.
If you need a place to keep all your notes and ideas together or you need a bigger place for entire projects, the following apps are sure to provide what you seek.
- Zoho Notebook. With capabilities for integrating audio, video, HTML, URLs, files, and much more, you will love what you can do with Zoho Notebook. Tools include line, text, freehand, and shapes.
- Evernote. This popular note-taking app is an excellent way to keep track of your ideas and allows you to type in text, take a photo with your phone, and grab information from the Internet.
- Google Notebook. Google’s web-based document app also has access to Google searches, Google Bookmarks, a rich-text editor, and labels.
- WebAsyst Notes. Create notes and then organize them in folders, share with clients, or access other services such as photo storage, manage projects, and more.
- UberNote. UberNote allows you to email or IM notes and bookmark and also allows access from your desktop or your mobile phone.
- Jott. Call a number to leave yourself a note, add an appointment to your calendar, and even have your voice mail transcribed with this simple alternative to writing down notes.
- FruitNotes. This online notebook offers plenty of useful features including leaving voice notes from your phone, uploading photos and videos, and online sharing.
- Wridea. Write down what you need to remember with this app, then edit, categorize, and even share your notes with others.
- Notefish. An excellent way to save examples of promising websites, use this app to save web content, then organize and share your notes as you like.
- Notezz!. Keep all your notes in one place without any complicated features with this simple note-taking app.
If creating websites is part of your web writing, then you will love these apps that help you get sites created quickly and easily, manipulate images, find free photos, and more without needing a technical background.
- KompoZer. This WYSIWYG alternative to Dreamweaver allows you to easily design websites without knowing HTML.
- pForm. Create an HTML form quickly and easily with this app.
- WebGraphicsMaker. Easily create backgrounds, lines, and bullets for your websites with this app.
- Gimp. Try using this image manipulation software as a free replacement for Photoshop. It has layers, channels, paths, and plenty of painting tools.
- Picnik. Edit photos and get creative with all the tools available on this free app that works right in your browser.
- Splashup. Edit and manage your photos with this free browser-based app that is modeled after Photoshop.
- morgueFile. Get free stock photography here to use on your websites.
- Website Grader. Plug in the URL of the site you are developing to this tool to get an SEO report grading marketability and more and even find out how the site matches up to its competitors.
- FreeZip. Compress or decompress those large files with this free app.
- AnyClient. This file transfer app is free and supports most major transfer protocols.
- ValidChecker. This app checks the validation of your HTML, RSS, and CSS and sends the results to you via email or RSS feed.
Here are even more web development apps, this time for those who use Firefox.
- Server Switcher. Go between the site you are working on to a live one easily with this app.
- Firebug. Get tons of development tools that allow you to "edit, debug, monitor CSS, HTML, and JavaScript live."
- Pixel Perfect. Use this with Firebug to overlay your composition over HTML to discover how many pixels you may be off.
- ColorZilla. This app allows you to use an eye dropper to grab color from anywhere in your browser, then open a palette, and more.
- MeasureIt. Use this app to get the pixel height and width of any element on a web page.
- Web Developer. Add a toolbar and menu with this app that gives you access to several tools including ones that allow you to view and edit CSS.
- Font Finder. Select text and immediately get all the CSS styles for that font.
- CSS Sync. Use this app to automatically sync CSS from your server.
- CSS Refresh. Refresh your CSS without reloading the entire page with this app.
- SenSEO. This app analyzes your web pages and lets you know how well you are meeting SEO criteria.
Take advantage of these great apps to boost your productivity including to-do lists, calendars, reminders, sticky notes, bookmarkers, and RSS readers.
- HiTask. This free, web-based task management app allows easy scheduling, organizing, and sharing of tasks.
- bitBomb. Get text message reminders of tasks you need to complete with this app.
- orangoo. It’s unprofessional to have spelling errors in your finished product. Ensure this doesn’t happen to you by pasting your text into this site or give it a URL for a blog or website and find any spelling errors immediately.
- Remember the Milk. This popular to-do list keeps your tasks organized, reminds you of important due dates, integrates into Google Calendar, and also works on your iPhone.
- Toodledo. Not only can you keep important lists here, but Toodledo offers a feature that analyzes your dates, priorities, and time estimates to create an efficient time-management schedule for you.
- HassleMe. Get email reminders for anything you can’t afford to forget with this app.
- My 50. This tool will help you keep focused on where you are going by managing your list of goals.
- Google Calendar. This popular calendar allows you to track events, set reminders, share with others, and even easily import appointments straight from your Gmail.
- Jotlet. If you want a simple online calendar, Jotlet will keep you organized and even allow you to share with friends or colleagues.
- Joe’s Goals. This simple chart allows you to input your tasks and check them off as you complete them.
- Wired-Marker. Permanently highlight sections of websites so that each time you visit that site you know exactly to which section you want to refer. Your selection is automatically bookmarked for easy reference.
- Stickies. Create virtual sticky notes stay on your computer desktop until you remove them, but unlike the real thing, these can be iconified, remind you of tasks, and even emailed.
- Jotcloud. Similar to Stickies, but with fewer functions, you can keep your notes on virtual stickies with this app.
- PinNotes. Another sticky note app, this one also allows for adding pictures, time and date, and more.
- TelePixie. Get wake-up calls, reminders, alerts, and more on your mobile phone with this app.
- Del.icio.us. This popular bookmarking site allows you to save favorite sites, add notes to yourself, and share with others.
- Digg. Bookmark your favorite sites or read user votes and comments about sites.
- Google Reader. Get all your blogs in one place where you can organize them by categories, mark favorites, and share with other Google Reader users.
- Bloglines. Bloglines was one of the first readers available and offers easy-to-read blog posts from your list of subscriptions.
Writers love to have ways of organizing and managing their thoughts and ideas, so take advantage of these free mind mapping apps that you can use on your own or share with others.
- bubble.us. Brainstorm with this simple online app that creates bubbles to connect your ideas.
- FreeMind. This mind-mapping software helps you keep track of projects, organize research, brainstorm, or just keep up with ideas.
- WiseMapping. Create free mind maps with this tool that you can share with others.
- Cmap Tools. Create concept maps with this mind mapping app.
- Kayuda. Whether you want to record your own thoughts or are collaborating with others, Kayuda helps you get everything together.
- Mindomo. This web-based mind mapping tool will help you keep your thoughts and ideas organized.
- Mapul. Create organic-looking mind maps with this easy-to-use app.
- View Your Mind. This mind mapping tool allows you to illustrate your thoughts through maps that are easily manipulated.
- Gliffy. Create flowcharts for a project or use this tool to help organize your ideas and the necessary steps to complete your projects.
From email to IM to phone to faxing, these apps will help keep you communicating with those whom you work.
- Gmail. Gmail is popular for a reason. Emails are easy to organize, archived mail is searched with no problems, labels and stars keep important mail identifiable, has excellent spam control, and is seamlessly integrated with Google Calendar and iGoogle.
- Yahoo! Mail. If you aren’t a fan of Google, give Yahoo! Mail a try as another web-based email account that is also free.
- 10 Minute Mail. Use this app to get a disposable email address that is good for 10 minutes, then expires. This is a great way to register with sites that require an email validation without getting their spam.
- FaxZero. If you only need to send a fax or two a day and they are three pages or less, this app lets you do it for free.
- Faxaway. While technically this isn’t free, you can send and receive faxes via your email for only $1 per month–that’s almost free.
- FreeFAX. Send faxes for free here or become a member and receive faxes as well.
- GrandCentral. Consolidate all your phones with this app that gives you one voice mailbox and one number for all your phones.
- flurry. This app for your mobile phone will send emails, allow you to read RSS feeds, and participate in group messaging.
- Mobyko. Back up the names, numbers, and information from your mobile phone with this app so if something happens to your phone, you won’t lose your information.
- Pidgin. If you communicate on IM, download this tool so you can connect with anyone on 16 different IM providers.
- Trillian. Combine your IM accounts from Yahoo!, MSN, AIM, ICQ, and IRC into one place with this free app.
Working on a project with others is much easier and will save you time with these apps.
- Diigo. A great way to find out what your client may be wanting, use this app to highlight passages on web pages, add sticky notes, and share with clients.
- Backpack. Backpack allows for easy collaboration with both clients and colleagues with features such as shared to-do lists, announcements, calendars, files, and even centralized discussions.
- Springnote. This note-taking and collaboration tool allows you to take notes for yourself or work with others to create a group notebook.
- Writeboard. Create shareable online text documents to keep ideas and progress notes between yourself and colleagues or clients.
- WebNotes. With this app, attach notes to web pages, create notes in folders, and share your notes with others.
- 30 Boxes. This easy-to-use online calendar keeps you organized and its sharing feature is a great way to share timelines with clients.
- Thinkature. Collaborate, organize your thoughts and research, and prepare your project together with this tool.
- Thinkfree. The free services with this app include document creation and sharing, file access and sharing, collaboration, blogging, and iPhone access.
- LooseStitch. Create outlines, share with others, and keep your changes together with this app that helps facilitate brainstorming and collaboration.
- writewith. Great for collaborative writing projects, this app keeps everyone together with features such as shared documents and tasks and discussions.
Freelance writers will surely find helpful options with these apps that offer places for online resumes, ways to manage and invoice clients, task managers, money managers, and more.
- Emurse. Create, store, and share your resume with this free service that also allows printing in a variety of formats.
- FreshBooks. If you only need to invoice a few clients, use FreshBooks for free, professional invoices online. Bigger packages are available for a fee.
- Zoho Invoice. Manage invoices, quotes, and customer payments online with ease using this app.
- SlimTimer. Freelancers working from home will appreciate this tool that tracks your hours, create tasks, and run reports for free.
- Toggl. This time management tool also creates invoices, offers desktop widgets, and an iGoogle gadget.
- Tasks Jr.. This web-based task manager allows you to organize and prioritize your personal and professional projects.
- Tabber. Manage your contacts with Tabber, where you can combine all your online accounts and contacts.
- Plaxo. This web-based service helps you stay in touch with your clients and contacts as well as keep them organized.
- LinkedIn. Network, find contacts, and give your web identity a home with this popular social networking site for professionals.
- mint. Manage your money with this free app that connects your bank, credit cards, and mutual funds so you can effortlessly gain control over your finances.
- wesabe. This free app helps you track spending and create goals towards saving money or getting out of debt.
- BillMonk. Keep track of your money with this app that also tracks items you’ve loaned to people or that you have borrowed.
- Agrata. Never worry about forgetting a password again with this encrypted tool that securely stores all your passwords so that you don’t have to remember them.
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