Why Freelancers Don’t Need Big CRMs (and What to Use Instead)
A few months ago, I found myself staring at yet another overcomplicated CRM dashboard. Charts, reports, pipelines, automations — all designed for big sales teams. Meanwhile, all I wanted to do was keep track of a few clients, remember who to follow up with, and send invoices on time.
That’s when it hit me: most CRMs aren’t built for freelancers at all. They’re built for companies. Teams. Managers. Layers of approval and reporting. Not for someone like me — or you — trying to balance doing the work, finding new clients, and keeping everything organized.
The Problem With Big CRMs
If you’ve ever tried tools like HubSpot, Salesforce, or Pipedrive, you know the feeling. At first, they seem powerful. Then reality hits: • You spend hours setting things up before adding your first client. • Half the features are designed for departments you don’t have. • You’re paying for seats you’ll never use. • You end up back in a spreadsheet because it’s just… simpler.
Freelancers don’t need AI forecasting or 10-stage deal pipelines. You just need to know who your clients are, what’s next, and what’s been paid.
What Freelancers Actually Need
Every freelancer I know struggles with the same three things: 1. Remembering to follow up with leads. 2. Keeping notes and context organized. 3. Managing payments and invoices cleanly.
That’s it. No integrations, no admin bloat, no dashboards you need a manual for. Just a calm workspace that helps you stay on top of your work — and your clients.
Why I Built FreelanceOS
After trying every CRM I could find, I finally stopped looking. I realized I didn’t want less of a big CRM — I wanted something completely different.
So I started building FreelanceOS: A simple CRM made for freelancers and small teams. Something that took minutes to set up, not weeks. That felt clean, fast, and obvious — like an extension of your workflow, not another tool to manage.
What Makes It Different
FreelanceOS focuses on just what you need: • Clients: Keep details and notes in one clean view. • Pipeline: Track deals visually without 10 unnecessary stages. • Reminders: Follow up automatically, never miss an opportunity. • Invoices: Send and track payments right from the dashboard. • Pricing: €9/month — transparent, simple, no extra seats or modules.
Everything you need. Nothing you don’t.
A Better Way to Work
Freelancers don’t need “enterprise” software. You need clarity, not complexity. You need tools that disappear into your day, not ones that demand a full-time setup.
That’s what I’ve tried to create with FreelanceOS — a CRM that finally makes sense for the way freelancers actually work.
If that sounds familiar, you can try it free.
Because sometimes, the best tool isn’t the biggest — it’s the one that fits you.