Top 10 Tools I Use Daily as a Freelance Web Developer
Freelancing as a web developer means wearing many hats: you’re the project manager, designer, engineer, marketer, and client communicator—often all in the same hour.
Over the past few years, I’ve narrowed down a core stack of 10 tools that power almost everything I do. These aren’t flashy gimmicks. They’re practical, proven, and used daily—whether I’m coding client sites, writing blog posts on umar.press, or managing my agency work over at sindhusolutions.com.
Let’s dive in 👇
🧠 1. Notion – For Planning Everything
I use Notion as my second brain. Whether it’s drafting client proposals, keeping project checklists, or outlining blog posts like this one, Notion keeps my workflow organized.
Why I Love It:
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Kanban boards for project tracking
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Embedded code blocks for documenting snippets
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Shareable docs with clients
“If you’re juggling multiple clients, Notion can save your sanity.”
Tip: Create a “Today” dashboard that pulls only tasks due today using filters. Instant focus.
🛠️ 2. Visual Studio Code – My Dev Hub
🔗 https://code.visualstudio.com
VS Code is where 90% of my technical work happens—React, Next.js, WordPress REST API integration, Tailwind—you name it.
Favorite Extensions:
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Prettier – Automatic formatting
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ESLint – Keep code clean
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GitLens – Better Git tracking
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Tailwind CSS IntelliSense – Speed up styling
Bonus: VS Code + GitHub Copilot is game-changing for boilerplate-heavy tasks.
🌐 3. Vercel – Lightning-Fast Deploys
All of my Next.js sites—including sindhusolutions.com—are deployed via Vercel. Push to main, and it’s live in seconds.
Why It Works:
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Zero-config deploys
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Automatic previews for every PR
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Easy custom domain setup
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GitHub integration
Tip: Use Vercel’s preview links to let clients review work without deploying to production.
🧱 4. WordPress + REST API – Flexible Content Backend
Even though I build the frontend of umar.press in React, I rely on WordPress as a headless CMS. The REST API lets me pull structured content while keeping full control over the presentation layer.
Use Cases:
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Blog content with categories and tags
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SEO metadata management
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Easy content editing without code
Resource: REST API Handbook
✏️ 5. Figma – Design with Direction
I don’t do “dribbble shots”—I design for function. Figma is where I sketch out wireframes, mock components, or collaborate with clients visually.
What I Use It For:
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Quick section layout ideas
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Design tokens like color palettes
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Handoff-ready mockups
Tip: Create a reusable components library for repeat projects—it saves hours.
🔎 6. RankMath – SEO, Simplified
While most of my frontend is custom, I still use WordPress for content and rely on RankMath for clean SEO management.
Features I Use:
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Meta title + description for every post
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Sitemap generation
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Schema markup for rich results
“SEO isn’t magic—it’s structure. RankMath gives you that structure.”
🖼️ 7. Unsplash & Pexels – Quality Free Images
Every blog post, mockup, or demo site needs strong visuals. I rely on these two for high-resolution, royalty-free images that don’t look like stock photos.
Pro Tip:
Always credit the photographer, even when it’s optional. It’s good karma and good practice.
🔐 8. Bitwarden – Passwords, Secured
Managing multiple client logins, dev accounts, and API keys? Bitwarden is my go-to for zero-stress password storage.
Features I Use:
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Secure sharing with clients
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Encrypted vault
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Browser autofill
Tip: Set up folders by client/project for fast access.
💬 9. Grammarly – Cleaner Communication
Whether it’s an email, proposal, or blog post, clear writing builds trust. Grammarly helps me communicate like a pro—even when I’m in a rush.
Why I Use It:
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Fixes tone, not just typos
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Integrates into Chrome and VS Code
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Helps polish blog drafts like this one
📅 10. Calendly – Book Me, No Back-and-Forth
Scheduling calls used to be a nightmare. Calendly changed that.
Features That Matter:
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Syncs with Google Calendar
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Custom time slots
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Embed on your portfolio/contact page
“Your time is valuable. Let clients book it without 5 email exchanges.”
🧭 Final Thoughts
These tools don’t make me a better developer—but they make me a more efficient, organized, and professional one.
If you’re freelancing or thinking about it, don’t get lost in tool overload. Start with a few essentials, master them, and add more only when you hit real friction.
👉 Which tool from this list do you already use? Which one will you try next?
Let me know in the comments or reachout at hello@sindhusolutions.com, hello@umar.press