Best Apps for Content Creators & Side Hustles
Table Of Contents
- Best Apps for Content Creators & Side Hustles
- AI Video Generators & Video Editing Tools
- Automation and Integration Tools for Streamlining Work
- Design and Creative Tools for Content Creation
- Email Marketing Software for Growing Your Audience
- SEO & Marketing Analytics for Visibility & Growth
- Social Media Management Tools for Scheduling and Growth
- Workflow and Collaboration Tools for Productivity
- YouTube Growth & Analytics for Deeper Insights
Looking to grow your side hustle or creative business without wasting time searching for the right apps?
This curated list of best software for side hustles and content creator directory brings together the most popular and beginner-friendly tools used by entrepreneurs, freelancers, and content creators to save time, boost productivity, and scale income streams.
From AI video generators and design software to email marketing platforms, social media schedulers, and workflow automation tools, you’ll find everything you need to create content faster, smarter, and better.
Each tool includes ease-of-use ratings, pros and cons, and notes on free trials to help you choose the right fit for your business.
AI Video Generators & Video Editing Tools
Turn ideas into professional videos with tools like InVideo, Runway, and Veed.io.
| Category | Name | Ease of Use (1-10) | What is it? | Pros | Cons | Free Plan/Trial Available | Best for… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI Video Generator | VideoGen | 9 | An AI-driven video creation tool that enables users to generate professional-quality videos in seconds by transforming text, images, or scripts into engaging videos with voiceovers and stock footage. | Designed for users with no prior video editing experience. Produces professional-grade videos with minimal effort. | No mobile app, only available via web browser. | Yes, a free trial is available. | Best for content creators, marketers & educators looking to produce videos quickly without extensive editing |
| AI Video Generator | Synthesia | 8 | A corporate-focused AI video platform that turns scripts into talking-head videos via lifelike avatars. It’s very easy to use (type in text, pick an avatar/language). | Creates realistic videos from text using AI avatars, easy to use with no video editing skills required, great for training and educational content. | Creative campaigns may find its customization options too limiting compared to traditional video editing. | No free trial is available. | Best for creating professional explainer videos and repurposing text-based content into video presentations. |
| AI Video Generator | HeyGen | 8 | An AI video generation platform that allows you to create realistic talking avatar videos from text or audio input, making professional video creation fast and scalable without needing on-camera talent. | Highly realistic AI avatars and voiceovers, multilingual, wide range of templates for marketing, training, and presentations. | Custom avatars require higher-tier plans. Limited creative control compared to manual editing. | Yes, a free plan is available with limited video credits. | Best for entrepreneurs, educators, marketers, and businesses that need professional-looking videos quickly without being on camera. |
| AI Video Generator | Lumen5 | 8 | A text-to-video tool that makes video creation fast and almost one-click for non-designers. | AI-assisted storyboard, ready-made templates, brand kits and voiceover generation. | Free videos have watermarks, rendering can be slow, and automation may sometimes mismatch visuals | Yes (free tier with watermark) | Best for small teams or bloggers who need to turn written content into engaging videos (e.g. blog-to-video) quickly |
| AI Video Generator | Pictory | 9 | An AI video maker that converts text or long videos into short clips, aimed at repurposing content. Its interface is intuitive and beginner-friendly. | Automatically transforms written content (e.g., blog posts) into engaging videos by selecting visuals and soundtracks, great for creating faceless channels. | AI voices may not sound fully realistic for long-form content. | Yes, a free trial is available. | Best for creating short-form videos for social media and repurposing existing content. |
| AI Video Generator | InstaDoodle | 8 | An AI-driven whiteboard video maker with a drag-and-drop interface, “easy for anyone—regardless of technical expertise”. It generates unlimited doodle-style animations (cloud-rendered, no powerful PC needed) via text prompts. | Very beginner-friendly and budget-friendly (lifetime $37 one-time fee) with a huge built-in doodle library | Requires an Internet connection and has upsells for extra features | No (one-time payment, 30-day money-back guarantee) | Best for educators, marketers or small teams who want quick explainer-style videos without animation skills |
| AI Video Generator | invideo.ai | 8 | A user-friendly online video editor aimed at social and marketing content. | It offers an extensive template library, AI text-to-video tools, multi-scene editing, and built-in stock assets, enabling non-experts to produce polished videos. | Powerful collaboration tools, customizable templates, easy blog-to-video conversion and one-click repurposing for social networks | Free outputs include a watermark and are limited (10 min/week), download requires paid plan, and rendering of longer videos can be slow | Best for beginner-to-intermediate creators (YouTubers, social marketers) who need quick, professional videos without deep editing expertise |
| AI Video Generator | Runway | 8 | A browser-based creative suite combining traditional editing and generative AI tools. Its interface is “simple and intuitive” for both novices and professionals. | Advanced AI features (text-to-video, green-screen, generative fill), collaborative editing, and time-saving automation. | Full feature access can be costly and some advanced functions have a learning curve; no free offline use | Yes (free tier available; paid from $15/mo) | Best for content teams and businesses wanting cutting-edge AI editing (e.g. marketers creating AI-enhanced videos) without high-end studio resources. |
| AI Video Generator | Veed.io | 7 | An online video editor with a clean, straightforward interface, suitable for novices. It excels at quick social media edits (adding subtitles, filters, and basic animations). | Easy interface, advanced subtitle and compression tools, and responsive support | Lacks some high-end editing features (only chat support, smaller asset library) and performance may lag on heavy edits | Yes (free tier with watermark and limited exports) | Best for casual creators and small businesses needing a simple online editor for social media videos or podcasts. |
| Video Editing & Creation | CapCut | 9 | Mobile-friendly video editor for TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube with effects, templates, auto-subtitles, and smart trimming. | Very easy for beginners; rich effects and templates; free with many features; AI-assisted editing for speed | Limited advanced desktop editing features; watermarks on some exports if not careful; mobile-first may feel restrictive for desktop users. | Yes, fully free with optional in-app purchases. | Best for social media creators looking for quick, polished mobile video edits without complex software. |
Automation and Integration Tools for Streamlining Work
Tools that let you connect your apps and automate repetitive tasks
| Category | Name | Ease of Use (1-10) | What is it? | Pros | Cons | Free Plan/Trial Available | Best for… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automation & Integrations | Zapier | 8 | The leading no-code automation tool for connecting web apps. Integrates over 6,000 apps to build automated workflows, great for connecting third-party programs that are not WordPress-specific. Its interface is very approachable for beginners | Connects thousands of services and supports complex multi-step “Zaps” without coding | Can become pricey at scale and advanced workflows require paid plans. The free version has a constraint that prevents multiple actions from a single trigger. | Yes (free tier up to 100 tasks/month with single-step Zaps) | Best for side hustlers and small teams who want to eliminate repetitive work by linking apps (e.g. CRM, email, e-commerce) without developer help. |
| Automation & Integrations | Make (Integromat) | 7 | A visual automation builder that lets you design complex flows with a drag-and-drop scenario editor | Extensive app integrations, conditional logic, and a generous free tier | Steeper initial learning curve and some documentation/supporT gaps | Yes (free tier with 1,000 operations/month) | Best for tech-savvy creators and growing businesses seeking a powerful yet cost-effective alternative to Zapier for advanced automations. |
| Automation & Integrations | n8n | 6 | An open-source workflow automation platform offering full flexibility at the cost of complexity | Completely free if self-hosted, supports unlimited automations, and allows custom scripting for total control | Has fewer ready-made templates/connectors, a steeper learning curve, and requires technical setup (self-hosting or cloud) | Yes (always-free self-hosted, cloud trial available) | Best for developers and tech-savvy teams that need full ownership of data and want to build highly customized automations without subscription fees |
| Automation & Integrations | IFTTT | 9 | A simple platform for creating “Applets” that automate tasks, particularly with smart devices and common apps. Its UI is intuitive for non-technical users. | Quick setup for basic automations and a huge ecosystem of supported services | Not suited for complex, multi-step workflows and can be slower on complicated tasks | Yes (free tier available) | Best for beginners and hobbyists who want to link personal apps or IoT devices (e.g. auto-save photos, smart home routines) with minimal effort |
| Automation & Integrations | Pabbly Connect | 7 | An affordable integration tool with both annual and lifetime payment options. It uses a visual workflow builder that is easy for beginners | Very generous task limits (including a free 100-tasks plan) and option to pay once for lifetime access | Only annual billing (no monthly), workflows are linear (no conditional branches), and the interface is less polished | Yes (free plan with 100 tasks/month) | Best for freelancers or startups on tight budgets who want basic but reliable app integrations without ongoing fees. |
| Automation & Integrations | Uncanny Automator | 8 | A WordPress-specific automation plugin that connects plugins and apps, enabling powerful workflows inside WordPress sites. | Strong focus on WordPress automation, compatible with a wider range of WordPress plugins than Zapier. | Less flexible for non-WordPress integrations. | Yes, a free plan is available. | Best for users who want to automate processes and workflows within WordPress. |
Design and Creative Tools for Content Creation
Canva, Figma, and Adobe Express make it easy to create professional graphics without advanced design skills.
| Category | Name | Ease of Use (1-10) | What is it? | Pros | Cons | Free Plan/Trial Available | Best for… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design & Creative Tools | Canva | 9 | A ubiquitous graphic design platform with drag-and-drop simplicity, making design “fast and easy—even if you’ve never touched a design tool before”. It offers hundreds of thousands of templates and a large asset library for social posts, presentations, printables, etc. | Extremely beginner-friendly, real-time team collaboration, and a huge free template and graphics library | Advanced graphic design is limited (lacks depth of tools like Illustrator) and some premium content requires a Pro subscription | Yes (robust free tier; Pro plan unlocks more assets) | Best for entrepreneurs, social media managers and hobbyists who want professional-looking designs without design training |
| Design & Creative Tools | Figma | 8 | A powerful, browser-based interface and UX design tool with an intuitive workflow | Vector editing, prototyping, real-time multi-user collaboration and design system management | Can slow down with very large files or complex projects, and offline use is limited | Yes (free starter tier; paid team plans) | Best for UI/UX designers and teams creating website/app interfaces or detailed vector graphics who need built-in collaboration |
| Design & Creative Tools | Adobe Express | 8 | dobe’s streamlined design app (formerly Spark) for quick graphics and videos. It has an intuitive interface and many templates, making it easy for beginners | Integrates with Adobe ecosystem, easy-to-use UX and a broad free asset library | Fewer customization options than full Adobe tools, performance can lag on large projects, and the free tier is somewhat limited. | Yes (free tier available; Premium unlocks more) | Best for small teams or influencers who want fast, template-driven design for social media posts, logos, and marketing graphics |
| Design & Creative Tools | Placeit | 9 | A highly user-friendly tool (part of Envato) for mockups, logos, video templates and more | Enormous library of realistic mockup and design templates, easy customization, and unlimited downloads on subscription | The logo creator is basic and the video editor is minimal; no free plan (subscription required) | No (templates and mockups are paid or via subscription) | Best for product businesses, marketers, and creators needing quick, professional mockups or branded content without hiring a designer. |
| Design & Creative Tools | Visme | 7 | A content creation tool focusing on infographics, charts, and presentations. Users find it fairly intuitive for building data visuals and slide decks. | Rich infographic and interactive content features | Paid plans can be expensive and some users report missing features or bugs | Yes (free version with limited projects). | Best for educators and marketers needing professional infographics or branded presentations without advanced design skills |
Email Marketing Software for Growing Your Audience
Platforms like MailerLite, Brevo, and ActiveCampaign help you connect with your subscribers and grow your list.
| Category | Name | Ease of Use (1-10) | What is it? | Pros | Cons | Free Plan/Trial Available | Best for… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Email Marketing | MailerLite | 9 | A beginner-friendly email marketing platform with automation, landing pages, and newsletters for small businesses and creators. | Very attractive pricing, user-friendly drag-and-drop editor, solid automation for small businesses, includes forms and landing pages. | Automation features may be less advanced for complex funnels. | Yes, a generous free plan is available. | Best for beginners and those prioritizing ease of use. |
| Email Marketing | Brevo | 8 | An all-in-one marketing tool offering email, SMS, CRM, and automation, great for small to medium-sized businesses. | Excellent free plan with a generous contact limit and 300 daily emails, multi-channel capabilities (email, SMS, WhatsApp), integrated CRM and live chat.7 | Landing pages are only available on higher-tier plans. | Yes, a free marketing platform plan is available. | Best for budget-conscious users and businesses needing multi-channel communication. |
| Email Marketing | ActiveCampaign | 7 | A powerful email marketing and CRM platform with advanced automation, personalization, and sales tracking features. | Advanced marketing automations with over 900 workflow templates, integrated CRM, AI predictive analytics, and high deliverability rates. | Can be complex for absolute beginners. | No free plan, but a free trial is available. | Best for scaling a business and serious marketing automation. |
| Email Marketing | HubSpot | 8 | A full CRM and inbound marketing platform that covers email, sales, customer service, and automation in one ecosystem. | All-in-one CRM with integrated marketing, sales, and service hubs, powerful automation, and over 1,500 third-party integrations. | Can be more expensive as you scale beyond the free tier. | Yes, a generous free CRM is available. | Best for ambitious solopreneurs who want a complete marketing hub from the start. |
| Email Marketing | Moosend | 8 | An affordable email marketing and automation tool with drag-and-drop editing, templates, and detailed analytics. | Simple, visual automation builder, AI-powered product recommendations for e-commerce, competitive pricing. | Some users may find the single pricing tier restrictive. | Yes, a free plan and a 30-day free trial are available. | Best for e-commerce businesses and those who want an intuitive automation builder. |
SEO & Marketing Analytics for Visibility & Growth
Growing your online presence requires more than posting content—it requires understanding what drives traffic and engagement. These tools help creators and side hustlers discover the right keywords, analyze competitors, track rankings, and optimize their websites for maximum visibility and growth.
| Category | Name | Ease of Use (1-10) | What is it? | Pros | Cons | Free Plan/Trial Available | Best for… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEO & Marketing Analytics Tools | SEMrush | 7 | A comprehensive all-in-one SEO and marketing platform that helps creators, marketers, and businesses with keyword research, site audits, backlink tracking, and competitive analysis. | Very powerful analytics and competitor insights; all-in-one platform covering SEO, content, and paid search; excellent reporting features. | Steeper learning curve for beginners; full features require paid subscription; can be expensive for solopreneurs. | Free trial available; limited functionality in free version | Best for creators or small businesses who want detailed SEO insights and competitor analysis to drive organic traffic. |
| SEO & Marketing Analytics Tools | Ahrefs | 7 | Industry-leading SEO suite known for backlink analysis, keyword research, content gap discovery, and rank tracking. | Excellent backlink and competitor data; powerful keyword explorer; reliable and accurate metrics. | Expensive for beginners; interface may feel overwhelming; some features more suited for advanced users. | No full free plan; 7-day trial available for a small fee. | Best for serious content creators and marketers focused on organic search and link-building strategy |
| SEO & Marketing Analytics Tools | Moz | 8 | Beginner-friendly SEO platform providing keyword research, link analysis, and site auditing tools to improve organic search performance. | Clean and intuitive interface; good beginner resources; actionable recommendations. | Less robust backlink database than Ahrefs; some advanced features are limited; slower updates on SERP data. | Free limited version; 30-day free trial for paid plans. | Best for beginners or solopreneurs who want simplified SEO guidance without a steep learning curve. |
| SEO & Marketing Analytics Tools | Ubersuggest | 9 | Budget-friendly SEO tool providing keyword suggestions, site audits, and competitor insights with an easy-to-use interface. | Very beginner-friendly; affordable; provides clear keyword metrics and content ideas. | Data can be less comprehensive than Ahrefs or SEMrush; some advanced features behind paid plans; limited backlink data. | Yes, limited free plan; paid plans unlock full features | Beginners or small content creators looking for easy, actionable SEO insights on a budget. |
Social Media Management Tools for Scheduling and Growth
Automate and plan your posts with Buffer, SocialBee, and Later to save time and grow your audience.
| Category | Name | Ease of Use (1-10) | What is it? | Pros | Cons | Free Plan/Trial Available | Best for… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Media Management | SocialBee | 8 | A content scheduling tool with a unique category-based workflow. It’s good for organizing posts by type (e.g. evergreen, promo, etc.) and automating recycling. | Efficient multi-platform scheduling, content recycling and built-in analytics. | Fewer third-party integrations, no full-featured mobile app, and basic analytics | Free trial available (no permanent free tier) | Best for small businesses and marketers who want automated, balanced content calendars (e.g. mixing evergreen and promotional posts) without manual upkeep. |
| Social Media Management | Buffer | 9 | A simple, clean scheduling app that has even become a verb for social posting. The UI is “uncluttered, easy to use” and you can set up posting queues in minutes | Very straightforward scheduling across multiple social accounts and link tracking | Limited to basic scheduling and analytics (no native inbox or listening) | Yes (free tier: 3 social accounts, 10 scheduled posts each) | Best for individuals, solopreneurs or small teams who need to plan posts ahead on a few social channels without a steep learning curve |
| Social Media Management | Hootsuite | 5 | An all-in-one platform with broad capabilities (scheduling, social listening, team management) but a more complex interface | Supports many networks and detailed analytics | Steep learning curve, higher cost, and it no longer offers a free plan | No (free plan discontinued; only paid tiers with trial) | Best for larger teams and agencies that need an enterprise-grade tool with comprehensive features and don’t mind spending time learning it. |
| Social Media Management | Later | 9 | A visual-first scheduler, especially strong on Instagram planning. It features a drag-and-drop calendar and feed preview, making it easy to maintain a consistent grid | user-friendly visual scheduling, hashtag suggestions and multi-platform support | basic analytics, limited video uploading and fewer collaboration roles | Yes (free plan for 1 social set, limited posts) | Best for visual brands and influencers (especially on Instagram/Pinterest) who rely on a cohesive look and scheduling ease |
| Social Media Management | Metricool | 9 | An all-in-one social media and blog analytics plus scheduling tool. It’s noted for being “extremely easy-to-use” and handles posting and performance tracking for multiple channels. | Straightforward scheduling, multi-platform analytics and link-in-bio tools | Some users cite expensive upgrades and sporadic support issues | Yes (free tier: 1 brand account, up to 50 posts/month) | Best for small businesses and bloggers who want integrated scheduling and analytics in one dashboard with minimal fuss |
| Social Media Management | SocialPilot | 8 | A cost-effective scheduler/analytics platform with a clean dashboard. Users praise its “straightforward dashboard” and robust scheduling | Bulk scheduling, team collaboration and solid analytics | Lacks some advanced features (e.g. no Twitter thread scheduling, no hashtag groups) | Yes (14-day trial, limited free tier) | Best for agencies and small teams needing affordable cross-platform scheduling and reporting with a gentle learning curve. |
Workflow and Collaboration Tools for Productivity
Stay organized with Trello, ClickUp, and Miro to manage projects and tasks more efficiently.
| Category | Name | Ease of Use (1-10) | What is it? | Pros | Cons | Free Plan/Trial Available | Best for… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workflow | Trello | 9 | A visual project management tool that uses boards, lists, and cards to help teams and individuals organize tasks and workflows. | Kanban-style visual platform, simple to use, excellent for managing complex projects with many moving parts, supports automations via “power-ups”. | The free plan limits power-ups per board, which can restrict functionality. | Yes, a very robust free plan is available. | Best for visual thinkers and beginners who want a simple, effective way to manage tasks. |
| Workflow | ClickUp | 8 | An all-in-one productivity platform combining task management, docs, goals, and time tracking, designed to replace multiple work apps. | A feature-packed tool that simplifies project management, powerful automations and workflow templates, highly customizable dashboards and views. | The extensive functionality can be overwhelming for some users. | Yes, a robust free plan is available. | Best for solopreneurs who need a flexible, all-in-one tool that can scale with their business. |
| Workflow | Miro | 8 | An online collaborative whiteboard platform for brainstorming, planning, and visual collaboration with distributed teams | An intuitive, drag-and-drop digital whiteboard for brainstorming and project planning, vast library of templates, and seamless real-time collaboration. | Can experience performance issues with very large boards, limited offline functionality. | Yes, a free plan with 3 editable boards is available. | Best for creative and visual project planning or collaborative brainstorming sessions. |
YouTube Growth & Analytics for Deeper Insights
If you want to grow on YouTube, understanding what works (and why) is just as important as creating great videos. These tools help creators uncover keyword opportunities, track competitors, analyze performance, and optimize content for better reach and engagement. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling your channel, they provide the data and insights to guide smarter decisions and faster growth.
| Category | Name | Ease of Use (1-10) | What is it? | Pros | Cons | Free Plan/Trial Available | Best for… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Growth & Analytics | vidIQ | 8 | A powerful YouTube growth tool that helps creators research keywords, optimize videos, and track performance with AI-driven recommendations. | Strong keyword research, trending video alerts, AI title/description suggestions, detailed analytics. | Can feel overwhelming for beginners; some of the most useful features are locked behind paid plans. | Yes, a limited free plan is available | Best for creators who want data-driven growth strategies and insights for scaling their YouTube channel. |
| YouTube Growth & Analytics | TubeBuddy | 9 | A browser extension and mobile app that simplifies YouTube SEO, publishing, and channel management with practical tools. | Easy to use, bulk processing features, thumbnail testing, video SEO optimization, trusted by many creators. | Interface can feel a bit dated; fewer advanced AI features compared to vidIQ. | Yes, a free version with limited tools is available | Best for beginners who want a simple, all-in-one YouTube assistant without a steep learning curve |
| YouTube Growth & Analytics | Morningfame | 7 | A YouTube analytics and keyword research tool focused on growth tracking and actionable recommendations. | Unique invite-only system creates community feel, clear visual insights, great for tracking long-term growth. | Invite-only signup (slower access), smaller feature set compared to vidIQ or TubeBuddy, no browser extension | Yes, a 1-month free trial (invite code required) | Best for creators who want simple, long-term growth insights without being buried in complex data. |
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