If we want our small business to succeed, we cannot be a stickler for the traditional. Now is the time to embrace every technological resource available to us, especially when our business is starting. The good news is that many of these resources don’t cost an arm and a leg—many of these apps, software, and platforms are free. Here are some helpful apps to make your entrepreneurial operations easier this 2022.

Bookkeeping

If financials and bookkeeping are not your strongest suit, then the app FreshBooks is right up your alley. The app’s developers specifically designed and developed FreshBooks for small business owners. This cloud-based platform provides you with the option to sync and look at all your financials all from one place—whether it’s through a desktop computer or the app from your mobile phone.

The app’s other helpful features include:

• responding to client feedback as swiftly as possible;
• checking the current status of payments;
• taking screenshots or photos of receipts, which business owners can then immediately incorporate into the list of expenses; and
• carrying accurate time-tracking capabilities.

This app can help small business owners manage every aspect of their cash flow. It has never been this easy or convenient.

Investment

The other types of apps you can look into this 2022 are investment apps—ones that can help you do the following:

• Tons of educational content so users can arm themselves with information on how to invest wisely.
• For those wanting to purchase or rent commercial real estate for their businesses, some apps have information on the most affordable mortgage rates in their area.
• Some apps, like Tradestation, allow users to monitor their cryptocurrency investments.
• The most common features of investment apps include market data, streaming quotes, and analyses on users’ investment portfolios. Many of them also let users trade options and stocks.

Every app will also cater to specific types of investors, so which app you go with will largely depend on the investment you’re interested in. Here are some of the best apps, according to Bankrate:

• Betterment is the best overall app, and it charges a smaller fee compared to a traditional financial advisor.
• Invstr is the perfect app for those who want to learn more and how real-life investing works, especially for newbie investors.
• If you want to focus on saving this year, the Acorns app is your best bet.
• Wealthbase is on the newer side, but it caters to those who want to dip their toes into the world of stock market games and contests.
• If you need help managing your portfolio, then Wealthfront is for you. For a small fee, you would have access to independent robo-advisors that can help take into account the risks and when you will need the money.
• What sets the Stockpile app from the rest of this list is that it helps users buy fractional shares of companies. It also allows users to send a gift card that users can redeem in a stock of their choice.
• Charles Schwab is the most ideal app for beginner investors.
• If you are passionate about socially responsible investing, then the app Ellevest is for you.

Graphic Design

If you cannot afford to hire a social media team just yet, it doesn’t mean you need to forego excellent graphic design. In a time like 2022, you cannot underestimate just how important it is to have a competitive social media presence. Canva is an app that provides users with access to excellently designed templates. The best part? Even its free version already offers good designs—you just need to choose ones that look like your brand’s visual identity. It will help give your brand excellently designed content, at least while you cannot afford to hire graphic designers and content creators.

Inventory

If having an inventory constantly has to contend with and manage, Shopventory is a simple and useful solution that provides excellent inventory management features. Some of those capabilities include:

• comparing how each location is doing,
• showing sales trends and how they ebb and flow,
• checking your business’s profit margins,
• seeing which products or services are not selling well so you can skip a restock and/or put them at discount, and
• staying up-to-the-minute on managing your inventory and everything else that has to do with it.

With the help of these apps, you don’t need to stress out on your small business this year. Use every resource available to you to make your day-to-day operations much smoother and more accurate and to help you and your employees increase your productivity, too.