Free Resources

For self-taught freelancers, virtual assistants, creatives, and entrepreneurs

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This page is a collection of free or open-source software, tools, tutorials, and courses that I’ve used or bookmarked for future reference.

I started this list to catch up on new skills and technology. It then developed into a little project to help those who are just starting out or want to expand their knowledge without spending too much.

All information is categorized by skill group, such as “Writing” and “Art, Design, & Multimedia”.

Keep in mind:

  • Some of these tools let you experience free trials of their Pro/Premium version when you sign up. I suggest that you learn everything you can about the product within this trial period.
  • This page is a work in progress and will be updated when new resources are spotted. For recommendations and suggestions, please email me at julienne@studioaracir.com.

[Affiliate Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means that I will receive a commission if you choose to purchase using one of these links, at no extra cost to you.]

Table of Contents

Getting Started

Management & Productivity

Free Office Suites

Unless Microsoft Office is mandatory for your job, several alternatives work just as well for documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc. But remember that there may be compatibility issues when collaborating between different platforms.

  1. Google Workspace – This is the great for business use and collaboration. The free Google account offers the same tools as the business version: Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, Meet, Chat, and Forms, but with limited storage.
  2. LibreOffice is an open-source office software suite that you can install on your computer. This is what I use for offline work as it can open Microsoft Office files.
  3. Canva is an online graphic design platform. Use it to create beautiful presentations and various document types with their predesigned templates or document editor.

Free Project Management Courses

  1. Google Project Management Certificate on YouTube – This YouTube playlist by Google Career Certificates is an introduction to project management fundamentals. If you want to proceed with a certificate program, check out its accompanying Professional Certification on Coursera.
  2. PMI Kickoff – a free, short, interactive course on project management basics by the Project Management Institute.
  3. Project Management Course by Engineer4Free – 45 video tutorials that cover introductory project management.

Project/Task Management & Note-taking Tools

  1. Notion is an all-in-one productivity app designed for note-taking, project management, databases, and collaboration. This is my go-to app to organize my personal projects — from brainstorming ideas, to organizing website pages and tasks, to collaborating with a colleague. The free plan is perfect for individual use. If you want to learn more:
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