Tools we recommend for clients
The tools Chykalophia recommends for security, design, marketing, scheduling, AI, and everything else you need to run your business online.
You don't need a huge toolkit to run your business online, but a small set of the right tools makes everything easier, safer, and faster. Below is a curated list of what we recommend, organized by what you need to do. All are widely trusted, most are free or low-cost, and every one of them is one we'd happily hand a client.
This page is about tools for your business. For the software our own team works in, see The tools we use & why.
If we need to work in one of these with you
Some of these tools are ones we'll eventually need access to. Don't send us a password: invite us instead. The step-by-step guides live in Giving Chykalophia access, and the Access directory (A to Z) lists every tool alphabetically. If you'd rather share credentials through your password manager, see Using a password manager with us.
Help me choose
What do you need to do?
Quick pick: what to use for what
| If you need to… | Use… |
|---|---|
| Store passwords safely | 1Password or Bitwarden |
| Generate 2-factor codes | Authy (or Microsoft Authenticator) |
| Compress an image before upload | Squoosh |
| Create a quick social-media graphic | Canva |
| Share a large file | Google Drive or Dropbox |
| Send us a quick screen-recorded explanation | Loom |
| Record a step-by-step how-to guide | Scribe |
| Take a fast meeting note | Otter (auto-transcribes) |
| Let someone book time with you | Calendly or Cal.com |
| Run a survey or simple form | Tally or Google Forms |
| Run a contact form on your website | Fluent Forms, Gravity Forms, or Webflow forms |
| Send a newsletter | Mailchimp, Beehiiv, or Kit (formerly ConvertKit) |
| Sell digital products via email | Kit or Beehiiv |
| Run e-commerce email flows | Klaviyo |
| Brainstorm copy, summarize, or research | ChatGPT or Claude |
| Quickly look something up online | Perplexity |
| Generate a quick image for a draft | ChatGPT (built-in) or Adobe Firefly |
| Track website performance | Google PageSpeed Insights |
| Watch your SEO health | Google Search Console |
| Manage social posts | Buffer or Later |
| Reply to customer messages from one place | Help Scout or Crisp |
| Take notes / build an internal wiki | Notion or Obsidian |
| Sign or send a document for signature | DocuSign or PandaDoc |
| Manage your business' phone line | Google Voice or Quo (formerly OpenPhone) |
Security & passwords
1Password
What it is: A premium password manager that stores logins, generates strong passwords, and autofills them across every device.
Why we recommend it: Strong, unique passwords are the single most effective security improvement you can make. 1Password makes it effortless and also supports passkeys, two-factor authentication, and secure sharing.
Cost: Paid (individual, family, and team plans). Family plan is excellent value.
Link: 1password.com
Bitwarden
What it is: A free, open-source password manager with excellent apps on every platform.
Why we recommend it: If 1Password's cost is a barrier, Bitwarden is a genuinely great free alternative. The free tier is generous, the app is well-designed, and the code is open-source so the security can be audited.
Cost: Free for personal use. Paid plans add extras for individuals, families, and teams.
Link: bitwarden.com
Authy
What it is: A free authenticator app for generating two-factor codes.
Why we recommend it: Authy backs up your codes to the cloud, so changing phones doesn't lock you out of every account. Google Authenticator now syncs codes the same way once you sign in to your Google Account, so either is a sensible choice. What matters is picking an authenticator app that backs your codes up somewhere.
Cost: Free.
Link: authy.com
Microsoft Authenticator
What it is: Microsoft's authenticator app.
Why we recommend it: Excellent if you use Microsoft 365. It integrates seamlessly with sign-in flows. Also works as a general-purpose authenticator.
Cost: Free.
AI assistants & writing tools
ChatGPT
What it is: OpenAI's conversational AI assistant, great for drafting, brainstorming, summarizing, and generating quick images.
Why we recommend it: A useful first draft for almost any kind of writing, service descriptions, social posts, email replies, FAQ answers. Always review and edit before publishing.
Cost: Free tier available. Paid plans (ChatGPT Plus and up) raise the usage limits and add more capable models. Check chatgpt.com for current plans.
Link: chatgpt.com
Claude
What it is: Anthropic's AI assistant. Particularly strong at long-form writing, careful reasoning, and document analysis.
Why we recommend it: Our go-to for serious long-form writing tasks. Strong at editing, summarizing long documents, and following style guidance.
Cost: Free tier available. Paid plans add more usage and advanced features.
Link: claude.ai
Perplexity
What it is: An AI-powered search engine that answers questions with cited sources.
Why we recommend it: When you need a quick, sourced answer to a question, not a general drafting partner. Great for research with links.
Cost: Free tier. Paid plans raise the limits and add more capable models. Check perplexity.ai for current plans.
Link: perplexity.ai
A note on AI
AI is a great drafting partner, not a final author. Always read, edit, and fact-check anything an AI writes before it represents your brand. AI can sound confident while being wrong.
Image, video & design
Squoosh
What it is: A free, browser-based image compression tool by Google.
Why we recommend it: Large, uncompressed images are one of the most common causes of slow websites. Drag in any image, choose a format (WebP recommended), adjust quality, and download, in seconds. No signup.
Cost: Free.
Link: squoosh.app
TinyPNG / TinyJPG
What it is: A simple online image compression service for batches.
Why we recommend it: If you have a folder of images to compress and just want a quick batch run without changing formats, TinyPNG is faster than Squoosh.
Cost: Free up to 20 images per batch.
Link: tinypng.com
Canva
What it is: A browser-based graphic design tool with thousands of templates.
Why we recommend it: For non-designers who need quick graphics, social posts, simple banners, presentation decks. Not a replacement for professional design, but highly capable for everyday needs. Brand Kits help maintain visual consistency.
Cost: Free plan available. Canva Pro adds premium templates plus extra brand and editing tools. Check canva.com/pricing for what's in each plan.
Link: canva.com · Sharing it with us: Give us access to your Canva account
Adobe Express
What it is: Adobe's simplified design tool, Canva's main competitor.
Why we recommend it: Good if you already use Adobe Creative Cloud, or if you prefer Adobe's design language.
Cost: Free tier available. Paid plans unlock full features.
Link: express.adobe.com
Adobe Firefly
What it is: Adobe's AI image, video and audio generator.
Why we recommend it: Adobe calls its own Firefly models commercially safe: they're trained on licensed Adobe Stock content and public-domain content whose copyright has expired. That makes Firefly a safer bet for client work than tools that won't say what they trained on. Note that the Firefly app also offers models from other companies, and those don't carry Adobe's promise.
Cost: Free plan with a limited number of generations. Paid Firefly plans add a much larger allowance: Adobe's Firefly plans page lists the current limits.
Link: firefly.adobe.com
Recording, screenshots & explainers
Loom
What it is: A tool for recording quick screen-share videos with narration.
Why we recommend it: When showing us a problem visually is faster than writing it out. Record a quick Loom and share the link in your support ticket or email.
Cost: Free tier (up to 5-minute videos). Paid plans for longer videos and team features.
Link: loom.com
Scribe
What it is: Automatically captures clicks and keystrokes to generate step-by-step how-to guides with screenshots.
Why we recommend it: When you need to document a process (not just show it once). Scribe creates the step-by-step guide for you as you click through.
Cost: Free tier. Paid plans add team features.
Link: scribe.com
Tella
What it is: A polished alternative to Loom with more design control.
Why we recommend it: If you want screen recordings that look more professional than the default Loom format. Good for marketing or sales use.
Cost: Paid. Every account starts with a 7-day free trial of the Pro plan, no card required.
Link: tella.com
Otter
What it is: Records and transcribes meetings in real time.
Why we recommend it: Sit through a call without taking notes, Otter captures everything and gives you a searchable transcript. Integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.
Cost: Free tier. Paid plans for longer recordings.
Link: otter.ai
Forms, surveys & scheduling
Calendly
What it is: Booking-link tool, share a link and let people pick a time that works.
Why we recommend it: The fastest way to stop email back-and-forth about scheduling. Connects to Google Calendar, Outlook, and other calendars.
Cost: Free tier (one event type). Paid plans for multiple types and team features.
Link: calendly.com
Cal.com
What it is: An open-source alternative to Calendly.
Why we recommend it: Strong free tier, modern interface, and open-source. Excellent if you value flexibility or are privacy-conscious.
Cost: Free for individuals. Paid plans for teams.
Link: cal.com
Tally
What it is: A simple, modern form builder.
Why we recommend it: Free tier covers most form needs. Cleaner-looking than Google Forms. Good for surveys, intake forms, and lead capture when you don't need a full form plugin.
Cost: Free for unlimited forms and submissions within Tally's fair-use guidelines, including conditional logic and calculations. Paid plans remove Tally's branding and add custom domains and team workspaces.
Link: tally.so
Typeform
What it is: A polished, conversational form builder, questions appear one at a time.
Why we recommend it: Best-in-class experience for forms that need to feel designed and engaging. More expensive than alternatives.
Cost: Free tier (limited responses). Paid plans add more responses and features.
Link: typeform.com
Google Forms
What it is: Google's free form-building tool.
Why we recommend it: Free, integrated with Google Workspace, and good enough for internal forms or simple surveys.
Cost: Free.
Email marketing & newsletters
Mailchimp
What it is: A long-established email marketing platform.
Why we recommend it: Mature and broadly featured, with a free tier for very small lists. Good first-time newsletter platform.
Cost: Free plan limited to 250 contacts. Paid plans scale up from there.
Link: mailchimp.com · Sharing it with us: Give us access to your Mailchimp account
Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
What it is: An email marketing platform aimed at creators, coaches, and solopreneurs.
Why we recommend it: Excellent at email automation, paid subscriptions, and selling digital products via email.
Cost: Free tier for up to 10,000 subscribers (basic features). Paid plans add automations.
Link: kit.com
Beehiiv
What it is: A modern newsletter platform that's grown rapidly.
Why we recommend it: Clean editor, built-in audience-growth tools, and strong free tier. Great for newsletter-first businesses.
Cost: Free up to 2,500 subscribers. Paid plans add automations and ads.
Link: beehiiv.com
Klaviyo
What it is: An email and SMS platform built for e-commerce.
Why we recommend it: If you run an e-commerce store, Klaviyo's purchase-event integration is far more powerful than general newsletter tools.
Cost: Free up to 250 contacts. Paid plans scale with your list.
Link: klaviyo.com · Sharing it with us: Give us access to your Klaviyo account
Customer support & messaging
Help Scout
What it is: A help-desk and shared-inbox tool that feels like email.
Why we recommend it: Far less complex than Zendesk. Your team gets a shared inbox; customers see normal emails. Excellent for small teams.
Cost: Mainly paid, priced per user. There's also a free plan with 5 users, 1 inbox and 1 docs site, and a free trial of the paid plans.
Link: helpscout.com
Crisp
What it is: A modern customer-support tool with chat, email, and a help center.
Why we recommend it: Generous free tier, good chat widget, simple to deploy. A solid first support platform for small businesses.
Cost: Free tier covers basics. Paid plans for more channels and features.
Link: crisp.chat
Intercom
What it is: A comprehensive support and marketing platform for larger SaaS and e-commerce businesses.
Why we recommend it: Best-in-class once you outgrow Help Scout or Crisp. Powerful, but pricier. Only consider once you have real volume.
Cost: Paid plans only.
Link: intercom.com
Social media
Buffer
What it is: Schedule posts across multiple social networks from one interface.
Why we recommend it: Simple, reliable, and the free tier is enough for many small businesses.
Cost: Free tier. Paid plans for more channels and analytics.
Link: buffer.com
Later
What it is: A social scheduler built around visual planning, especially strong for Instagram.
Why we recommend it: If Instagram is a primary channel for you, Later's visual grid preview is genuinely useful.
Cost: Paid plans only, each with a 14-day free trial.
Link: later.com
Hootsuite
What it is: Long-established social scheduling and analytics platform.
Why we recommend it: More features than Buffer; worth it for larger teams or agencies. Pricier for individuals.
Cost: Paid only.
Link: hootsuite.com
Documents, signatures & file storage
Google Drive
What it is: Cloud storage with Docs, Sheets, and Slides built in.
Why we recommend it: Free, accessible from any device, and excellent for sharing files with collaborators. We use it to share briefs and copy documents with you.
Cost: Free, with 15GB shared across Drive, Gmail and Google Photos. Google Workspace plans add storage and business features.
Dropbox
What it is: Cloud file storage and sharing.
Why we recommend it: Great for sharing large files (video, raw photos, brand asset folders) that are too large for email.
Cost: The free Basic plan gives you 2GB, so large files need a paid plan. Paid plans also add team features.
Link: dropbox.com
DocuSign
What it is: The standard tool for sending and signing legal documents.
Why we recommend it: Reliable, widely accepted, and easy for clients to sign from any device.
Cost: Paid. Trial available.
Link: docusign.com
PandaDoc
What it is: A more modern alternative to DocuSign with proposal-builder features.
Why we recommend it: Useful if you also need to build sales proposals with embedded e-signatures.
Cost: Check pandadoc.com/pricing, PandaDoc changes its plan line-up often.
Link: pandadoc.com
Adobe Acrobat Reader
What it is: The standard tool for viewing and signing PDFs.
Why we recommend it: For viewing or filling complex multi-page PDFs.
Cost: Free (Reader). Paid plans for editing.
Note-taking & internal wikis
Notion
What it is: A flexible all-in-one workspace for notes, docs, wikis, and lightweight project management.
Why we recommend it: If you want a single place for company SOPs, meeting notes, and reference docs, Notion is the best default. Generous free tier.
Cost: Free for personal use. Paid plans for teams.
Link: notion.so
Obsidian
What it is: A local-first, markdown-based note-taking app.
Why we recommend it: For people who want full control over their notes (files live on your computer, not a server). A great choice for personal knowledge management.
Cost: Free for any use, personal or commercial. Paid Sync and Publish add-ons, and optional supporter licenses.
Link: obsidian.md
Phone & meetings
Zoom
What it is: Video conferencing for meetings and webinars.
Why we recommend it: Reliable and widely used. The free Basic plan caps every meeting at 40 minutes and 100 participants.
Cost: Free tier. Paid plans raise the limit a long way: Zoom Pro allows meetings of up to 30 hours.
Link: zoom.us
Google Meet
What it is: Google's video conferencing tool, integrated with Workspace.
Why we recommend it: If you're on Google Workspace already, Meet is built in, no separate tool to manage.
Cost: Free with Google account. Workspace plans add business features.
Microsoft Teams
What it is: Microsoft's video and team-chat platform.
Why we recommend it: If you use Microsoft 365, Teams is included and deeply integrated.
Cost: Included with many Microsoft 365 business plans, but not all of them. Check which plan you're on.
Google Voice
What it is: A separate business phone number that rings on your real phone.
Why we recommend it: A second business number, without buying a second phone. Works for solo businesses and consultants.
Cost: The personal "just for me" tier is free and is available in the US. Business use needs a paid Google Voice license, and a Google Workspace plan billed separately.
Quo (formerly OpenPhone)
What it is: A modern business phone system with a shared inbox, shared numbers, voicemail transcripts, and call routing.
Why we recommend it: A great upgrade once you outgrow Google Voice or need shared team numbers.
Cost: Paid, priced per user. Free trial available.
Link: quo.com
Website monitoring & SEO
Google Search Console
What it is: Google's free tool for monitoring how your site appears in Google Search.
Why we recommend it: Shows you what searches bring people to your site, plus indexing problems, security issues and Core Web Vitals. Free, essential, and every site should have it.
Cost: Free.
Link: search.google.com/search-console · Sharing it with us: Give us access to Google Search Console
Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
What it is: Google's free website analytics platform.
Why we recommend it: Understand who visits, where they come from, what they read, and whether they convert. Essential for informed decisions.
Cost: Free.
Link: analytics.google.com · Sharing it with us: Give us access to Google Analytics
Google PageSpeed Insights
What it is: Google's free tool for measuring loading speed and Core Web Vitals.
Why we recommend it: Shows exactly what's slowing your site, with scores for both mobile and desktop, plus specific suggestions.
Cost: Free.
Link: pagespeed.web.dev
Dr. Link Check / Screaming Frog
What it is: Tools that scan your site for broken links.
Why we recommend it: Broken links frustrate visitors and hurt SEO. Running a check a few times a year is good hygiene. Screaming Frog is free up to 500 URLs.
What to avoid
Habits that quietly cause problems
- Storing passwords in browser autofill: less secure than a dedicated password manager.
- Uploading uncompressed images to your website: kills page speed.
- Sending sensitive credentials in plain-text email or chat. Use the secure sharing guide instead. See sharing passwords safely.
- Publishing AI text without editing it. AI sounds confident even when wrong. Always review before it represents your brand.
- Free email addresses for business (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail). See why not free email.
- Putting all your eggs in one basket: your domain registrar, web host, email provider, and DNS shouldn't all be the same single account at the same single provider.
Common questions
Do I need to use these tools?
No, these are recommendations, not requirements. A password manager is the only one we feel strongly about from a security standpoint. The rest depend on your needs and budget.
Why do you recommend free tools alongside paid ones?
We want you to make informed choices. For many small businesses, free tools cover most of what they need. We recommend paid tools when they meaningfully save time or solve real problems, not just because they exist.
Are there tools you actively recommend avoiding?
See "What to avoid" above. Generally though: most popular, established tools are fine. We'd steer you away from obscure, off-brand alternatives where security or longevity is uncertain.
What tools does Chykalophia itself use internally?
Can you set up any of these for us?
Yes, most setup work is in scope as part of a project or care plan. Talk to your project lead about what you'd like configured.
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