Reviews
Fiverr Business
Fiverr Business exceeded my expectations as a solution for hiring vetted freelancers, managing outsourced talent, and collaborating on projects. Since it’s free and easy to use, it’s perfect for small- to medium-sized teams. Hire an expert now or dive into my review to learn how Fiverr Business can enhance your outsourcing efforts and boost productivity.
Upwork
Upwork is an excellent choice if you want to keep your hiring options open. Whether you’re looking to hire people quickly or establish long-term relationships with freelancers, Upwork’s the place to find them. Browse millions of profiles on Upwork now, or read on for my detailed review of the platform.
Flagship Merchant Services
Flagship’s easy online application form is ideal for business owners who want to painlessly set up a merchant account and accept credit card payments as soon as possible. Its month-to-month contracts also mean you can try this merchant services provider practically risk free. Flagship is only really held back by its lack of transparency – no one likes surprises on their...
Kimp
Think of Kimp as a non-stop graphic design production machine. The quality of work is high, the streamlined Trello boards are easy to use, and customer support is good. Do you need 8 blog images, 5 social media designs, and 3 infographics delivered every week? If you’re planning to make full use of your paid plan, Kimp offers great value.
Square Payments
Square is a big name in the world of payment processing. It’s easy to sign up and begin processing payments right away. However, while Square’s simple flat-fee pricing draws many merchants in, its poor customer support often drives them away. To find a credit card processor with great customer service, check out the 10 best credit card processors in .
National Processing
While it might not offer as many features as other top competitors, National Processing’s convenient plans and low rates make it an excellent option for cost-conscious businesses. Aside from a wide choice of hardware solutions, free hardware reprogramming, and complimentary gateway setup, merchants can also expect better-than-average customer support with this credit card...
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is an accessible, easy-to-use Email Marketing Service (EMS) designed to help marketers achieve their goals as painlessly as possible. The interface is beautiful, the menu makes sense, the platform simply feels good to use – and you can check it all out with the generous free plan. If you’re just starting out with email marketing, Mailchimp’s intuitive tools are worth...
OnlineJobs.ph
OnlineJobs.ph is a huge job board with thousands of Filipino professionals looking for long-term work. You can save quite a bit by outsourcing virtual assistants – and other team members. But if you’re willing to expand your search beyond the Philippines and aren’t interested in costly recruitment services, there might be better options available to you.
Bark
Bark is an online job board with thousands of professionals offering both local and digital services. It’s free to post your jobs, and you can use it as a complementary tool to other popular boards, such as Indeed and LinkedIn. The quotes I received on Bark were reasonable, but for digital services, I believe there are cheaper options available to you.
GrowTal
GrowTal is a new freelance platform designed to help businesses find vetted marketing experts via a simplified hiring process. The quality of work you can get through the platform is pretty high, but it does come at a price. If that doesn’t bother you and you’re tired of budget services that fail to deliver, you should definitely check out GrowTal.
EmailOctopus
EmailOctopus is a beginner-friendly Email Marketing Service (EMS) with one of the most generous free plans out there. It offers excellent customer support and pretty high deliverability rates. But for more experienced marketers, the platform’s shortcomings are bound to leave a bad taste in your mouth. The reporting tools aren't the strongest, and many advanced features are...
Designmodo Postcards
I tested Designmodo extensively, and I was impressed by the email template builder, Postcards. If you want a service that does a little more than email templates it might not be for you, but what it does do, it does really well. It provides a really strong design service to help you create bespoke, professional email templates.
Cakemail
Cakemail markets itself as an easy-to-use EMS designed to help small businesses grow. Different plans are available for email marketing and transactional emails (I used the basic Growth plan), but the platform feels a little incomplete. It’s beautiful to look at, but many must-have features are either missing altogether or have not (yet) been migrated over to the software’s...
Keap
Keap (formerly Infusionsoft) is a CRM platform with e-commerce and email marketing functionality – in theory, anyway. When I tested it, I was left exhausted and confused by its extremely limited email marketing tools. If your focus is on finding a decent CRM platform though, Keap does has some redeeming features. However, if you’re looking for a feature-packed email marketing...
SMASHINGLOGO
Smashinglogo is a popular logo generator with an easy-to-use interface and intuitive tools. Although you can use its extensive library of elements and assets to create a good-looking design, I wish there were more advanced customization options. There’s definitely room for improvement, but if you’re looking for a quick design that ticks most of the boxes, you might just find...
Blog Posts
Keap vs Mailchimp: Which Offers Better Value? [2023 Update]
Keap (Infusionsoft) and Mailchimp are two of the oldest email marketing platforms, but they’re structured and marketed differently. Whereas Mailchimp is a beginner-friendly, email marketing-focused service, Keap positions itself as a more advanced all-in-one marketing platform better suited for medium-sized businesses. In most cases, I’d recommend Mailchimp. It’s a...
6 Cheapest Credit Card Processing: Stick to Your Budget [2023]
Credit card processing companies aren’t always transparent about their pricing structure. Admittedly, calculating fees and producing rough estimates can be difficult when there are many variables to consider. Picture this: You choose a monthly subscription and agree on a transaction rate, but things don’t add up once the invoice arrives. You might notice hidden fees or...
AWeber vs GetResponse: Close Match but Only One Winner
If you’re new to email marketing, chances are you’ve considered AWeber’s – fairly limited – free plan. But did you know that GetResponse also offers a trial where you can test the platform without restrictions for 30 days? Both AWeber and GetResponse will indeed serve you well – they get the job done. But for marketers who’ve been experimenting with email campaigns for a...
7 Best Freelance Websites to Hire Video Editors [2023 Update]
If you’re on a budget like me, finding good freelance video editors can be tricky. I learned the hard way that most websites offering video editing services at low rates tend to deliver low-quality videos. Essentially, you’re forced to spend extra time and money bringing the work up to par. That said, there are exceptions. A handful of websites combine great prices with...
6 Best Merchant Services for Dentists in 2023 (Safe & Reliable)
Dentists – like all health practitioners – need a reliable credit card processor that can offer competitive pricing, quick onboarding, and other value-added features like free hardware, virtual gateways, and funding options. You’ll also need to be able to accept all payment types and easily set up payment plans for clients. Unfortunately, long-term contracts, high...
Benchmark vs Mailchimp: There’s One Clear Winner [2023]
Mailchimp is the first email marketing service (EMS) most marketers use as they take their first steps into the world of email marketing. It’s easy to use and packs tons of features – no one can argue with that. But Mailchimp charges slightly more than its competitors, which can become problematic once your contact list grows. Benchmark is a cheaper alternative, but is the...
Keap vs ActiveCampaign: One of the Two Struggles in 2023
The ActiveCampaign vs Keap debate isn’t news. We’re talking about two powerful platforms that combine email marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), and e-commerce in one neat package. As they fulfill a similar purpose, it’s no surprise they’ve been competing against each other for more than two decades. I tested both platforms to see which one has better...
6 Best Retail Credit Card Processing Companies in 2023
Choosing the perfect credit card processing company for your retail business used to be easy. Before, you would just look at subscription and transaction fees, check out the available equipment, and you’d be good to go. Well, not anymore. Even if most of your transactions happen in-store, you now have to think about virtual terminals, online storefronts, payment gateways,...
HubSpot vs Mailchimp: Only One Option is Affordable [2023]
Hubspot and Mailchimp are both major players in the marketing world and both get many things right – but they each offer something different. Where Mailchimp zeros in on email marketing, HubSpot is primarily a CRM tool that also offers email and CMS among other things. Over the years, I’ve used Mailchimp to build hundreds of beautiful, highly personalized emails – and it...
ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp – A Surprising Winner [2023]
Mailchimp is one of the most popular email marketing platforms around. ActiveCampaign isn’t as well-known, and it doesn’t come with a free plan – but when I tested both, I was surprised by which one came out on top. Both ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp are great options for basic email marketing features. But for those who are looking to make the most of their email campaigns,...
9 Best YouTube Promotion Services – Video Marketing in 2023
YouTube marketing can be pretty daunting, especially if you’re new to the platform. And there’s nothing worse than spending hours shooting footage, editing, and bringing a video together, only to end up with a low number of views and shares. But that’s because creating a great video is only part of the story. You also need to deliver your content to the right audience. But...
7 Best Websites for Creative Writing Services [2023 Update]
Is it possible to hire skilled creative writers online? Absolutely! There are plenty of hard-working writers on some of the most popular freelance platforms. Now, will you get Shakespeare-level content for $0.01/word? Probably not. Most platforms that advertise super-low rates don’t tend to attract the most talented writers. However, a low price isn’t always indicative of...
10 Best Email Marketing Services with Free Trials in 2023
Email marketing software can get quite expensive. And most of us can’t afford to spend money on monthly – or worse, annual – subscriptions, only to realize that we’ve made a mistake. But how can you know whether you’re getting a good deal or not without trying out the service? And do you really need all the advanced features that come with the more expensive...
6 Best Websites for Freelance Architects: Hire Pros in 2023
You want to hire a professional architect to make sure your home is in safe hands, but you don't want the price tag that normally comes with it. Thankfully, there are alternatives. But how can you be sure a freelancer will deliver high-quality blueprints and designs? And what happens if you’re not satisfied with the result? Take a deep breath – these are reasonable...
How to Cancel ActiveCampaign & Get a Refund in 2023
ActiveCampaign is an excellent email marketing platform, but its plans can get quite pricey. If you’re currently paying more than you can afford, I recommend downgrading to ActiveCampaign’s Lite plan – there’s still so much you can do with the platform’s cheapest option. Or it’s easy to cancel your plan altogether, too. Read on to learn more. ActiveCampaign tops many of the...