It’s a new year and you’ve decided to take the plunge into freelance designing (full or part-time). You’ve got your site, your name, and your skills, but what else? Have you found an efficient way to invoice clients? Looking for a way to transfer files easily? Need a way to have clients review work and make live updates?

Well, just hit the jump for 11 great resources that have been tested and reviewed with flying colors! I’m currently using a few of these apps myself through Mobo Media, Inc. and can vouch for their awesomeness! If you know something that should have made this list but didn’t feel free to leave us a comment and tell us why you love that product!

1) Freshbooks

Freshbooks is invoicing made simple. Featuring client log-ins, professional invoice templates, and custom branding, as well as a ton of ways to track expenses, time, and more, Freshbooks really is a top contender when it comes to tracking your money. In addition to all of these great features, there are a number of other resources that integrate seemlessly into Freshbooks! The free account is a great trial account that limits your number of clients, but to take full advantage of the services, step on up and get a regular account. You won’t be disappointed.

Pricing: The option of a free account. Paid plans begin at $19/month.

2) Zoho Suite

Zoho features a suite of services from invoicing, to CRM, to planners, to project management. With all of these services to choose from, Zoho really does become a one stop shop for all of your business needs.

Pricing: The option of a free account. Paid plans begin at $8/month (this is for their invoicing services only. Check the site for all of their additional services and pricing)

3) Batchbooks

Need help keeping track of communication? Wish you could find out what you said or when you said something to a client? Wish no more. Batchbooks provides a fantastic solution to all of your CRM needs! Contact list? Check. Project list? Check. Seamless integration into Mailchimp by categorizing contacts into lists? Check. Don’t waste time searching through old emails when Batchbooks takes care of everything. In fact, Batchbooks allows you to track all communications via email simply by CC’ing them (through a unique address provided when you sign up). You can take down your wall of Post-its now.

Pricing: 30-day free trial with plans starting at $10/month

4) Basecamp

Basecamp, a go to for anybody looking for project management capabilities. Assign projects, allocate tasks, oversee production stages, file sharing, message boards and more that can be done from the dashboard (that can be customized btw). Straight foward, integrates across multiple platforms and tons of support make this one of the top resources for any designer!

Pricing: Basic plans begin at $24/month.

5) Conceptshare

Looking for a better way to proof work with clients? Tired of driving all across town to get a client to approve a design? Looking for a more reliable way to obtain approvals and track projects? Conceptshare is a great solution for all of the above. Clients can log-in, view artwork, make live notes, and even chat directly with you. A great tool that is definitely a time saver, just be sure to teach your clients how to use it first!

Pricing: Solo packages begin at $24/month.

6) ProofHQ

Similar to Conceptshare, ProofHQ allows for many of the same features but also allows for seemless Basecamp integration, embedding on blogs, and sharing across multiple platforms, making ProofHQ an extremely useful and accessible proofing platform!

Pricing: Micro package begins at $17/month.

7) Dropbox

Dropbox is a fantastically simple, yet very effective way to store and transfer files. Simply create an account and your ready to begin uploading, storing, and sharing files galore! Send unique links to clients, allowing them to upload to their own private folder, send files directly and with 2 GB of storage on the FREE account, it’s a great solution for sharing and storing files!

Pricing: The option of a free account. Pricing plans begin at $10/month

Mailchimp

Do you have time to send massive emails out by typing in individual email addresses or compiling long contact lists that cap off at 50 contacts? Allow the monkey on a mission to do it all for you and make those bulk emails look fabulous! Mailchimp is a powerful tool that allows you to customize and create professional email templates that can be used repeatedly on future email campaigns, but the best part of Mailchimp are the metric it provides you. Track who has opened the email, how many have been bounced back, how many are dead addresses and more through it’s easy to read graphs and charts it provides. Give the free trial account a spin and say goodbye to your boring old emails!

Pricing: The option of a free account. Pricing plans begin at $30/month

9) Xpenser

Have you ever been driving to a meeting and thought to yourself, “Geez I wish there was a way to be tracking all of these business miles aside from on a pen and paper.” Well, Xpenser has your back! Track all sorts of expenses from money to mileage from your mobile device, laptop, or desktop. No more writing down miles, or tracking and calculating those receipts. Make your purchase, log it into xpenser wherever you are, and be on your way!

Pricing: Absolutely FREE!

10) Graphic Artists Guild

The purpose of the Graphic Artists Guild is to promote and protect the social, economic and professional interests of its members.

The Guild is committed to improving conditions for all graphic artists (including, but not limited to: animators, cartoonists, designers, illustrators, and digital artists) and raising standards for the entire industry. The Guild embraces graphic artists at all skill levels.

No real need to elaborate any further, they said it pretty good. Join up and reap the benefits including a discount on the annual edition of “graphic artists guild handbook pricing & ethical guidelines”.

Pricing: $30 initiation fee for all levels. $200 annual professional fee.

11) AIGA

AIGA’s mission is to advance designing as a professional craft, strategic tool and vital cultural force.

With chapter’s all over the US (and 3 in the Southern California area: San Diego, Los Angeles, and Orange County) being a member of AIGA allows for plenty of opportunity to grow, learn, and associate with other designers.

Pricing: $315 annual professional fee. Save $20 by registering online!