Below is a list of 114 tools and services that I think will be useful to people selling software products. I have either used these tools myself or know of them by reputation. I haven’t included:
- common tools you will probably have already (e.g. web browser, email client, word processor)
- programming related tools which are specific to a particular development stack (e.g. IDEs)
- categories where there are too many options (e.g. web hosting)
Last updated: 11-May-2018
Category | Name | URL | Platform | Price |
A/B testing | Google content experiments | google.com | web | free |
Optimizely | optimizely.com | web | $19/mo to $399/mo | |
Visual Website Optimizer | visualwebsiteoptimizer.com | web | $49/mo to $129/mo | |
Advertising | BuySellAds | buysellads.com | web | varies |
Google Adwords | adwords.google.com | web | varies | |
Alerts | Google alerts | google.com | web | free |
mention.net | mention.net | web | free to $64.99/user/mo | |
Analytics | Google analytics | google.com | web | free |
Authenticode certificates | KSoftware | ksoftware.net | web | $73/yr to $95/yr |
Blog research | Technorati | technorati.com | web | free |
Blogging platform | WordPress.com | wordpress.com | web | free + optional extras |
Bookkeeping | FreeAgent | freeagent.com | web | from $15/mo |
QuickBooks Pro | quickbooks.intuit.com | Windows | from $249.95/user | |
Bug tracker | FogBugz | fogcreek.com | web | $25/user/mo |
Jira | atlassian.com | web | from $10/mo | |
OnTime | ontimenow.com | web | $7/user/mo | |
Build automation | Bamboo | atlassian.com | web | from $10/mo |
Final Builder | finalbuilder.com | Windows | from $359/user | |
Button creator | Da Button Factory | dabuttonfactory.com | web | free |
Calendar | Google calendar | google.com | web | free |
Code Metrics | Source Monitor | campwoodsw.com | Windows | free |
Cross browser testing |
BrowseEmAll | browseemall.com | Windows | from $69/user |
BrowserStack | browserstack.com | web | from $19/mo | |
Design competitions |
99 Designs | 99designs.com | web | from $199/job |
Documentation | Help and Manual | helpandmanual.com | Windows | $398/user to $1295/user |
Manula | manula.com | web | free to $99.95/mo | |
DMG creator | DropDMG | c-command.com | Mac | $24/user |
Encryption (file) | Axcrypt | axantum.com | Windows | donation |
Encryption (harddisk) | TrueCrypt | truecrypt.org | Windows, Mac, Linux | donation |
Favicon creator | realfavicongenerator.net | realfavicongenerator.net | web | free |
Feed reader | Feedly | feedly.com | web | free |
File comparison | Beyond Compare | scootersoftware.com | Windows, Mac, Linux | from $30/user |
DiffMerge | sourcegear.com | Windows, Mac, Linux | free | |
File sync | DropBox | dropbox.com | Windows, Mac, Linux | from free |
Form builder | Google forms | google.com | web | free |
Wufoo | wufoo.com | web | from $14.95/mo | |
File transfer | Filezilla | filezilla-project.org | Windows, Mac, Linux | free |
WinSCP | winscp.net | Windows | free | |
Gif maker | ezgif.com | ezgif.com | web | free |
Group chat | HipChat | hipchat.com | web | from free |
Harddisk space vizualization |
WinDirStat | windirstat.info | Windows | free |
DaisyDisk | daisydiskapp.com | Mac | $9.99 | |
Help desk | Desk.com | desk.com | web | from $3/mo |
Freshdesk | freshdesk.com | web | from free | |
HelpSpot | helpspot.com | web | link | |
Image editing | Paint.net | getpaint.net | Windows | free |
Photoshop Elements | adobe.com | Windows, Mac | $59.99/user | |
Image editing (batch) | BatchPhoto | batchphoto.com | Windows, Mac | $29.95/user to $129.95/user |
Image editing (icon) | Axialis | axialis.com | Windows | €48.95/user |
IMAP management | IMAPSize | broobles.com | Windows | donation |
ISO burner | Active ISO burner | ntfs.com | Windows | free |
Keyword research | Google keyword tool | adwords.google.com | web | free |
Ubersuggest | ubersuggest.org | web | free | |
Licensing | tl;drLegal | tldrlegal.com | web | free |
Mobile in-app messaging | Uberdeck | uberdeck.com | iOS, Android | from $10/campaign |
Money transfer | Transferwise | transferwise.com | web | varies |
Newsletters | AWeber | aweber.com | web | link |
Campaign Monitor | campaignmonitor.com | web | link | |
Mailchimp | mailchimp.com | web | from free | |
Outsourcing | Elance | elance.com | web | takes 8.75% from freelancer |
ODesk | odesk.com | web | takes 10% from freelancer | |
Passwords | 1Password | agilebits.com | Window, Mac, iOS, Android | from $49.99/user |
KeePass | keepass.info | Windows, Mac, Linux | free | |
LastPass | lastpass.com | web | free | |
Payment processing | Avangate | avangate.com | web | link |
e-junkie | e-junkie.com | web | link | |
Fastspring | fastspring.com | web | link | |
Stripe | stripe.com | web | link | |
Phrase expander | Breevy | 16software.com | Windows | $34.95/user |
Phrase Expander | phraseexpander.com | Windows | $55.95/user to $139.95/user | |
TypeIt4Me | typeit4me.com | Mac | $19.99/user | |
Planning | Hyper Plan* | hyperplan.com | Windows, Mac | $40/user |
PNG compression | PNG Gauntlet | pnggauntlet.com | Windows | free |
Press releases | DP Directory | dpdirectory.com | web | from $129/job |
PRMac | prmac.com | web | from free | |
PRWeb | prweb.com | web | link | |
Remote access (own computers) | Logmein | secure.logmein.com | Windows, Mac | from free |
Remote access (support) |
CoPilot | copilot.com | Windows, Mac | from free |
UltraVNC | uvnc.com | Windows | donate | |
Screen capture | SnagIt | techsmith.com | Windows, Mac | £36.95/user |
Screen hue | flux.io | justgetflux.com | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS | free |
Screencast videos | Camtasia | techsmith.com | Windows, Mac | £220/user |
SEO | sanitycheck.io | sanitycheck.io | web | from $10/mo |
SSH/Telnet | PuTTY | chiark.greenend.org.uk | Windows | free |
Support chat | PureChat | purechat.com | web | free |
Testing | TestLab2 | testlab2.com | web | $20/hr |
Time tracking | timeEdition | timeedition.com | Windows, Mac, Linux | free |
Time zone converter | timeanddate.com | timeanddate.com | web | free |
Translations | ProZ | proz.com | web | varies |
Virtual assistants | Pepper | peppervirtualassistant.com | web | varies |
Virus checker | Virustotal | virustotal.com | web | free |
VM | VirtualBox | virtualbox.org | Windows, Mac, Linux | free |
Website buying/selling | Flippa | flippa.com | web | link |
Website checker | Deeptrawl | deeptrawl.com | Windows, Mac | from $149/user/mo |
Website heatmaps | Crazy Egg | crazyegg.com | web | from $9/mo |
inspectlet | inspectlet.com | web | from free | |
Website log analysis |
Sawmill | sawmill.net | Windows, Mac, Linux | from $99/user |
Web Log Storming | weblogstorming.com | Windows | from $99/user | |
Website plagiarism checker | Copyscape | copyscape.com | web | from free |
Website monitoring | Pingdom | pingdom.com | web | from free |
Siteuptime | siteuptime.com | web | from free | |
Website rank checker | SERPs | serps.com | web | from $75/mo |
Website speed checker | webpagetest | webpagetest.org | web | free |
Website research | Alexa | alexa.com | web | from free |
Open Site Explorer | opensiteexplorer.org | web | from free | |
Quantcast | quantcast.com | web | free | |
Similar Site search | similarsitesearch.com | web | free | |
Website/Wordpress templates |
Template Monster | templatemonster.com | web | varies |
themeforest | themeforest.net | web | from $3 | |
WooThemes | woothemes.com | web | from free | |
Whois | Whois Source | whois.sc | web | free |
Wiki | Scribbleton | scribbleton.com | Windows, Mac | donation |
Windows installer | Inno Setup | jrsoftware.org | Windows | donation |
Wireframing | Balsamiq | balsamiq.com | Windows, Mac, Linux | $79/user |
WireframeSketcher | wireframesketcher.com | Windows, Mac, Linux | $99/user |
More lists here:
*Disclaimer: Hyper Plan is my own software.