Being freelance is a blessing and a curse. On one hand, you’re the boss, and can probably justify the odd day off without too many obstacles. On the other hand, it’s a life of uncertainty and bereft of your own HR department, the admin can stack up. So, born of this infographic by Best Vendor, here are three off-radar apps designed to lighten the load of being freelance.

Harvest

A time-tracker app that’s as simple as it is effective, Harvest allows users to keep on top of project co-ordination and time allocation with a straightforward tap on, tap off function. Boasting an array of other features (such as a mileage tracker and expense log), Harvest also supports team-working, allowing team members to monitor one another’s time logs, see time allocations in real time and stay in sync on projects.

Platform and developer: Android, iOS (by Harvest)

Final word: One of the challenges of freelancing is time management, and this app addresses that well. Plus the team-sync function proves invaluable for project work where you suspect that others are not, ahem, pulling their weight.

Outright

Making accounting a breeze, Outright allows users to keep track of income, expenditure, expenses and profit, and links seamlessly to sales sites sites such as Etsy, PayPal and Amazon, as well as bank and credit accounts. Data syncs up nightly between the web and the app, producing clear reports on who’s buying and how the business is doing.

Platform and developer: iOS (by Outright)

Final word: It’s no substitute for a tax accountant, but for the scatter-brained it’s a useful tool for keeping track of the bottom line.

Capsule CRM

In a biz where networking and relationships are key? Capsule helps users keep track of their business contacts, manage their relationships, organize leads, track deals and proposals and link emails to indicate actions that need to be taken – and when. Everything is secured and backed up, the platform is wholly customizable and intuitive to use, and now it’s available via app freelancers can ‘do’ business on the move.

Platform and developer: Android, Blackberry, iPhone (by Zestia)

Final word: Charging a monthly subscription fee, it’s not the cheapest CRM app on the market, but it is arguably the most intuitive, fulfilling a need many freelancers don’t even know they have. Try it free for 30 days first.