Knowing where to find quality software tools can be difficult, especially when you’re on a budget. With so much competition in the enterprise space, finding great tools is both perplexing and risky. While many services offer free trials, some can lock you into contracts that can be hard to escape.

So what tools should you be using to get ahead in business? Take a look at these ideas for fempreneurs on a budget.

OkToPost

Services like Hootsuite made a big difference to companies’ capacity to update their social media accounts when they first came out several years ago. For the first time, they could time their posts, allowing them to create all the content they needed in bulk at a time of their choosing.

But there was a problem with these services: they didn’t integrate well with the rest of the company’s software stack, like CRM. Now though, OkToPost may have the solution. Not only does it provide the functionality of Hootsuite, but it also allows users to integrate other systems, including Salesforce and Marketo. OkToPost is also much cheaper than many imagine, making it all the more compelling.

Referral Snip

Most small companies get the majority of new business through referrals, rather than their direct marketing efforts. The creators of software like Referral Snip know this, which is why they created a platform they hoped would help entrepreneurs grow referral traffic. Sign up is quick and easy, and it provides customers with an incentive to send more paying clients in your direction.

TrenDemon

With the growth of managed IT services, businesses are getting more support than ever building great websites that convert. That’s partly because of the usefulness of tools like TrenDemon. The software helps to boost website effectiveness by providing users with personalised recommendations and calls-to-action. The software is smart and will scan your site looking for opportunities to help you sell more of your product. What’s more, if you’re using WordPress, the plugin is free.

Paymo

Invoicing software has come a long way in the last few years, but for some companies, it still doesn’t offer enough functionality. Some businesses need ways of not only invoicing after a project is complete but hosting multiple dynamic clients in a single application. They also need a tool which they can use to estimate final costs. Paymo can do this and more, and it’s cheap – $5 per month for a single user.

Wave

The majority of firms use either Quickbooks or Freshbooks for their accounting. But Wave, a lesser-known competitor, may be better. Not only is it cheaper than the big two, but it also connects with local accountants familiar with the software, allowing businesses who need it an easy way to get a human in the loop.

Just like the other popular accounting tools, Wave will automatically scan expenses and receipts, taking the hassle out of manual entry. And it can link to your bank account, allowing balance sheet updates in real time. All you need to do is confirm the type of transaction, and the program will do the rest.