Best PayPal Account Type for Freelancers (Complete Overview)
Looking for the best PayPal account type for freelancers? You may find that either the personal or business account might be worth it. Learn more here!
Independent contractor software and apps are incredibly helpful. Freelancers and entrepreneurs are collaborating better than ever. These apps help contractors better organize their work, manage contracts, track expenses, and even find new clients. No matter what you need, there’s an app for contract work out there!
In this article, we’ll discuss the best independent contractor app options. Whether you’re looking for an app for subcontractors or independent contractors, we have something for you.
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Independent contractors can often lose out on larger earnings, especially on international payments, due to fees and markups. For this reason, Wise Business could be a great low-cost account and app for independent contractors and small businesses to save money.
Wise Business offers a variety of financial solutions for freelancers looking to manage their existing businesses and grow. With Wise, freelancers gain access to a range of features to make running a freelance business smooth and efficient.
Wise Business includes features such as cash flow management, bulk payments, invoice management, and more to make freelance finance easy. Plus, with Wise Business, there are no monthly fees or no minimum account balances to keep up, and there's a few clear steps to get start.
Fee Type | Wise Fees |
---|---|
Opening cost on US account | None (Price in other locales may vary) |
Monthly fees | None |
Opening balance requirement | None |
Sending money across currencies | From 0.43% |
Receiving money in 9+ currencies Receive EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, USD, and more (non-wire) | None (To unlock this feature, you have to pay a one-time fee of 31 USD) |
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👆 Free account opening for US business accounts
👆No minimum balance required and no monthly fees
Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
Some of the most beneficial independent contractor apps help users find new jobs. With these platforms, freelancers and entrepreneurs can get to work faster than ever. Here are our top three job-finding apps for contract work with a wide range of opportunities.
Looking for a job that fits your schedule instead of the other way around? Wonolo helps users “find steady, flexible work” based on their schedule and location. Simply scroll through their list of open positions and choose a job that works for you and your skill set. You’ll also be able to track your earnings in the app.
Drawbacks: This is more tailored to temp positions. It may not offer the positions an independent contractor is looking for. Also, some reviews mention cancellations from employers and “terrible customer service”.
Remote workers will love FlexJobs. It's a platform designed to find “remote, work from home, and flexible job opportunities”. They offer a wide variety of jobs in different career paths. They also give the ability to enable notifications for new positions. Plus, FlexJobs comes with added protection. They check every job they post to make sure they’re of the highest quality.
Drawbacks: This platform is only for remote or hybrid work. This means it won’t be much help for fully in-person positions. Reviews also state that the app may need payment and it may not be helpful for all online positions.
Freelancer is known for its huge pool of freelancers and employers. The employers on the app post projects that independent contractors bid on. These can either come at fixed or hourly rates, depending on what the employer is looking for. The more jobs you do (and do well), the better your profile and the more likely employers are to reach out to you.
Drawbacks: The high volume of freelancers can make it more difficult to find work. A review mentions that this is also worsened by the presence of bots. Another review complains of the customer satisfaction policy. This says that employers “only have to pay for the work once you are satisfied”.
Taxes can be a major headache for independent contractors. Fortunately, there are tax apps specifically designed to make the process easier. These apps help keep track of expenses, calculate estimated taxes, and generate accurate invoices. Here are three of our favorite independent contractor tax-tracking options.
Intuit’s classic tax service, TurboTax, now has a free app to help you “file with complete confidence”. You’ll be matched with a local tax expert through TurboTax Live Full Service. They will help you get the best refund by doing your taxes “start to finish”. You’ll also have access to the same tax expert each year, keeping things consistent for you and your business.
Drawbacks: Even though the app is free, you do have to be prepared to pay for the services they offer. One customer review mentions being double charged. It also may not be a good option if you would like to file your taxes yourself.
For the independent contractor who needs some help to file their taxes themselves, TaxSlayer is a great option. They’ll give you step-by-step instructions and IRS inquiry help. Then, they’ll take out their fees from your tax return automatically. TaxSlayer also has special features that make it one of the best apps for 1099 employees. This includes 1099 and Schedule C support, payment reminders, and self-employment Tax Pros.
Drawbacks: This app for 1099 workers has a “100% accuracy guarantee”. But one customer review states that the app made a costly error on their tax return. TaxSlayer is also one of the 1099 apps better suited to those who know something about taxes. If you’d prefer start-to-finish help, look above at TurboTax’s services.
From the popular in-person solution comes the H&R Block Tax Prep app. It walks users through the tax filing process with easy prompts. Using your responses, they’ll automatically fill in your information on your forms. And if you need more help, you’ll also have access to tax experts both online and in person.
Drawbacks: Like the other entries in this section, H&R Block is well-reviewed. If you’re more tax-savvy, you may want to use TaxSlayer instead, but all three options are great.
Delivery apps are popular for contractors who specialize in the transportation of goods. These platforms allow users to find and accept delivery jobs and get paid fast. Here are our top three delivery apps that will help you manage your workload with ease.
As a flexible and widely-used option, it’s easy to see why DoorDash has become so popular. Simply set your schedule to whatever times and days work for you, then find work wherever you’d like to drive. Many restaurants and food stores support DoorDash and you’ll get paid with every order. So it’s very easy to start making money.
Drawbacks: Customers have complained about the app's map being difficult to use. This could pose significant issues for deliveries. They have also said glitches prevented them from completing orders or getting paid. It’s also only used for food and drink orders, which may not be what every delivery driver wants to do.
You’ll get to help deliver anything and everything by partnering with Amazon Flex. It’s easy to get started as they walk you through every step of the process. Like DoorDash, you can set your hours and work as much or as little as you’d like. Your earnings depend on your location, tips, speed, etc.
Drawbacks: Users report that it can be difficult to get steady work due to bots and a high volume of workers. One review also warns that the app's brightness can be damaging when driving at night.
Runners for Favor are like DoorDash drivers. But they have the added option of doing favors, like picking up laundry or other chores. You can get set up quickly and set your own hours like other apps. You’ll get paid weekly, but you can also use Instant Pay to get paid anytime. Plus, you’ll “access exclusive perks”, like discounts and more.
Drawbacks: The main drawback is that Favor is only available to residents of the state of Texas. Users have said it also isn’t worth it unless you have a good bit of offers due to gas prices, driving distance, and more.
As an independent contractor, it’s important to make the most of your limited budget. There are plenty of free apps for contractors that can help in many ways. Here are our top three recommendations for free apps for self-employed contractors.
Whether you have a lot of jobs or are trying to get more, it’s important to make sure you're organized. Fantastical Calendar is a great, clean option for keeping all your appointments. They also give a 3-day weather forecast. This makes it perfect for outdoor independent contractors.
Drawbacks: This app is accessible completely free. But it does have paid options that make it even better. Users have also reported that the app tends to crash. It also has some automatic features that aren’t always helpful. These include updating appointments and shifting time zones.
Having a hard time keeping track of how long you’ve worked? Toggl Track’s easy-to-use time-tracker is a great option to help you log your hours. They track calendar events automatically and even report on what you’ve spent your time on.
Drawbacks: While Toggl Track does have a paid option, it’s for teams. The free version is a great piece of software for independent contractors.
If calendar apps aren’t for you, Trello might be the answer. A task management app, Trello helps you make to-do lists and checklists. They help you get jobs done and make sure you don’t forget anything. You can also share them with other people to keep everyone in the loop.
Drawbacks: Trello is completely free for individuals. Users do say that the app could be improved in functionality and user-friendliness.
Sources used:
Sources last checked on 14 December 2023
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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