Apps for freelancers can mean two things. A ready-made app that makes your own work easier, such as an app for your bookkeeping or scheduling. Or your own app for your clients, where they book, order or view their details. For most freelancers (zzp'ers in Dutch) the first is enough. The second only makes sense if clients work with you often and repeatedly.
In this article you'll learn which types of app most self-employed people use, how to combine them smartly and how to decide whether your own app or web app is worth the investment.
Which apps do freelancers use most?
You don't have to build everything yourself. Good standard apps exist for the basics of your business. The main types:
- Bookkeeping and invoices: creating invoices, photographing receipts and preparing your VAT return.
- Time tracking: keeping track of your hours per client or project, also on the go.
- Calendar and appointments: letting clients pick a time themselves, with automatic reminders.
- Business banking: your business account, payment requests and payment links.
- Mileage tracking: recording business trips for your bookkeeping.
- Storage and documents: storing and sharing contracts, quotes and files securely.
- Communication: WhatsApp Business or a similar app to keep client contact separate from personal chats.
Choose apps that can talk to each other. A time-tracking app that sends your hours straight to your invoices saves work every month. Also check where your data is stored, especially when it comes to client data.
What to look for when choosing a freelancer app
- Does the app work on your phone and your laptop, so you can carry on anywhere?
- Can you connect it to your bookkeeping or calendar?
- Can you export your data if you want to switch later?
- What does it cost per month, and what's in the cheapest plan? Prices change, so always check the current price.
- Is there a trial period, so you can first test whether it suits your work?
- Where is your data stored, and does the provider comply with the GDPR (AVG in Dutch)?
A handy rule: start with as few apps as possible. Every extra app is an extra subscription and an extra place where information lives. If you notice you're entering things twice, an integration is the next step. Read how that works in our article on automating processes in SMEs.
Does a freelancer need their own app?
Usually not. For most self-employed people, a good website with a booking button or contact form is enough. Clients don't readily install an app for one business. Your own app only makes sense if:
- Clients come back often, for example weekly or monthly.
- They do something in the app that's cumbersome on a website, such as tracking their progress or quickly rebooking.
- Notifications genuinely add value, such as an appointment reminder or an update on their job.
- You sell a service that lives inside the app, such as a training plan or a course.
Think of a personal trainer with regular clients, a coach with a programme lasting a few months or a driving instructor with students who want to follow their lessons. For a one-off job, such as a painting job, an app adds little.
A web app as a smart middle step for freelancers
Want to give clients their own environment, but a full app is too much? Then a web app or client portal is often a good choice. Clients open it in the browser, or add it to their home screen with one tap. No app store, no updates through Apple or Google, and one version for iPhone, Android and laptop.
Rijschool Benz in Den Helder is an example. Besides the website with a 30-second trial lesson request and lesson packages, there's a student portal where students can log in. See more projects in our work. Torn between the options? Read native app or web app.
What does your own app cost as a freelancer?
A custom app is a significant investment for a self-employed person. The costs depend on the number of features, whether you build for iPhone and Android at the same time, and which integrations are needed. After that there are ongoing costs for hosting, maintenance and the Apple and Google developer accounts.
How to keep it affordable:
- Start with one core feature your clients really miss.
- Choose a web app first and only move to the app stores when clients ask for it.
- Use standard components for things like payments and login.
- Combine it where possible with the website you need anyway. Also read our article on a website for freelancers.
Common mistakes with apps as a freelancer
- Too many separate apps side by side, so your data is in five places and you no longer know what's current.
- Choosing an app on the lowest price, then finding out later you can't get your data out.
- Business and personal conversations in the same chat app, so client agreements get lost among your personal messages.
- Having your own app built before you know whether clients will use it. Ask a few regular clients first.
- No backup of your bookkeeping, or a backup you've never tested.
- Forgetting that your own app needs maintenance too. New versions of iOS and Android occasionally require updates.
Most of these mistakes cost nothing to avoid, just a moment's thought. Plan a short check once a year: which apps do you really use, which can you cancel and where are you still retyping things?
Having your app or web app built by Violexa
At Violexa we work with lots of small business owners. We first check whether a standard app will do. If custom work does make sense, we build a web app or app that fits your work. Read more about having websites and apps built. A custom website, app or web application starts from €1,799 excl. VAT (€2,177 incl. VAT) per project, including design, build, a design that works on every screen and guidance on managing it.
Not sure yet whether you need your own app? Book a free quickscan. In 30 minutes, online or at your location, we look at your business and your clients. Afterwards you get short written advice with a price indication, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best app for freelancers?
There's no single best app for everyone. Most freelancers mainly need an app for bookkeeping and invoices, plus time tracking and a calendar. Choose apps that can be connected to each other and that you can try for free first.
Should I have my own app built as a freelancer?
Usually not. A good website with a booking button or contact form is enough for most self-employed people. Your own app only pays off if clients come back often and do something in the app that's awkward on a website.
Is a web app cheaper than an app in the App Store?
Often, yes. You build one version that works on every device, and you don't need approval from Apple or Google. For features deep inside the phone, an app from the store may still be needed.
Which app should a freelancer use for bookkeeping?
Use an accounting app that lets you create invoices, photograph receipts and prepare your VAT return. Make sure you can connect it to your bank and export your data. Compare a few providers using a trial period.
