Best Tools & Apps for Managing Freelance Artist Finances

Best Tools & Apps for Managing Freelance Artist Finances

As a freelance artist, I’ve learned that managing money is just as much a skill as drawing, painting, or illustrating. And honestly? It’s one of the hardest parts of the creative life.

We juggle irregular income, unpredictable clients, seasonal gaps, sudden expenses, and the constant pressure to stay profitable while still making meaningful work.

Over the years, I’ve tested dozens of apps, systems, spreadsheets, and tools in an attempt to make my finances less chaotic and more empowering. Some worked beautifully. Some… not so much.

But the good news is that there are tools designed specifically for freelancers, small creative businesses, and solo entrepreneurs like us.

Today, I want to break down the best tools and apps that can help you track income, send invoices, stay tax-ready, budget for slow months, and ultimately run your art career like the thriving business it is.

But first, let’s talk about why these tools matter.

Why Creative Freelancers Need a Financial System (Even a Simple One)

When you’re an employee, money is predictable. Taxes are taken out automatically. Paychecks arrive on schedule. Benefits are built in.

But as a freelancer?

It’s the wild west. One month might bring in thousands… and the next might bring in nothing.

A client might pay in two days… or ghost for eight weeks. You might need to buy supplies, fund travel, upgrade equipment, or cover slow months entirely out of pocket.

All of that becomes infinitely easier when you have tools working for you instead of against you.

A good system helps you:

• Track where your money is coming from

• See where your money is going

• Separate business and personal finances

• Save aggressively for taxes

• Prepare for slow seasons

• Get paid faster

• Organize receipts and deductions

• Understand which projects are actually profitable

One piece of advice that really stuck with me came from a seasoned freelancer who said:

“Separate business and personal finances. Having a dedicated bank or wallet just for freelance income made everything easier to track.”

It’s such a simple shift—but it fundamentally changes how you see your art career.

It becomes a business, not a hobby. And once you begin treating it like a business, the financial side stops feeling overwhelming and starts feeling empowering.

What I Look For in Financial Tools

Before diving into specific apps, here’s what I personally look for as a creative professional:

• Ease of use — I don’t want complicated accounting software that requires a degree to operate.

• Automation — the fewer manual steps, the better.

• Invoicing with payment options — because clients pay faster when it’s easy for them.

• Expense tracking — especially art supplies, subscriptions, and travel.

• Receipt storage — tax season becomes so much easier.

• Tax planning — estimates, reports, reminders.

• Budgeting for irregular income — huge in the creative field.

• Affordability — tools should help your business, not drain it.

With those criteria in mind, here are the best tools I’ve found for freelance artists.

Top Tools & Apps for Managing Freelance Artist Finances

1. Wave — Best Free Accounting for Freelancers

Wave is hands-down one of the best free tools out there, especially if you’re still growing your freelance income or prefer to keep overhead low.

What I love:

• Completely free for accounting and invoicing

• Unlimited invoices and clients

• Easy expense tracking

• Receipt scanning through the mobile app

• Straightforward financial reports

• Intuitive interface—no accounting background needed

Wave gives you everything you need to get started with a clean, organized system without spending a dollar. For many years, this was the backbone of my financial setup.

Best for:

New freelancers, part-time artists, or anyone needing a free solution that still looks professional.

2. QuickBooks Self-Employed — Best for Automated Tax & Expense Management

When I started taking on more clients and income became more complex, I upgraded to QuickBooks Self-Employed. It changed everything about how I track finances.

What stands out:

• Automatically imports and categorizes transactions

• Tracks mileage (super helpful if you travel for shows or deliveries)

• Helps estimate quarterly taxes

• Syncs with payment platforms

• Provides Year-End Tax Reports

• Offers simple invoicing and payment acceptance

QuickBooks is especially good if your finances run through multiple accounts or platforms and you don’t want to categorize everything manually.

Best for:

Artists with several income streams, unpredictable income, and a desire to stay tax-ready year-round.

3. FreshBooks — Best for Client Work & Professional Invoicing

If you do a lot of client-based work—like commissions, illustration contracts, design services, or freelance writing—FreshBooks is exceptional.

Why I recommend it:

• Beautiful, brandable invoices that make you look polished

• Automatic payment reminders

• Time-tracking for hourly or project-based work

• Expense categorization and receipt uploads

• Mobile access

• Built-in project and client organization

FreshBooks gives your freelance business a level of professionalism that clients really appreciate. Their invoices look clean, modern, and trustworthy—which helps you get paid faster.

Best for:

Illustrators, designers, writers, and any artist whose revenue comes from contracts and commissioned work.

4. You Need A Budget (YNAB) — Best for Budgeting & Cash Flow Stability

Now let’s talk about budgeting—because irregular income is one of the biggest challenges for artists.

YNAB (You Need A Budget) doesn’t just track your spending; it teaches you how to plan for it.

Why creatives love it:

• It assigns every dollar a job

• Helps you build savings buffers

• Encourages you to age your money

• Makes unpredictable income manageable

• Helps save for taxes, slow months, and upcoming purchases

• Encourages intentional spending instead of reacting

This app truly changed the way I see money. Instead of reacting to chaos, I started planning around it.

Best for:

Any freelance artist who struggles with inconsistent income (which is almost all of us).

5. Bonsai — Best All-In-One Freelancer Toolkit

If you want invoicing, contracts, workflow management, time tracking, task lists, and financial organization all in one system—Bonsai is fantastic.

What it brings to the table:

• Invoicing

• Proposals

• Contracts

• Time tracking

• Project management

• Expense tracking

• Client CRM

Bonsai basically acts as your virtual assistant, organizing both your finances and your client relationships.

Best for:

Artists doing high-volume freelance work or those who want everything in one place.

6. Zoho Books — Best Affordable Upgrade for Growing Businesses

If you’re scaling past solo freelance work—selling prints, teaching workshops, or expanding into product-based art—Zoho Books is a reliable step up.

Features I appreciate:

• Inventory tracking

• Banking and reconciliation

• Automated workflows

• Sales reporting

• Multiple user access

• Customizable invoices

It’s a strong alternative to larger accounting platforms, but more affordable and beginner-friendly.

Best for:

Artists growing into small business territory.

7. Xero — Best for Creatives Who Want Room to Grow

If your art business becomes a full-time operation (or you plan to expand into a multi-service studio), Xero is incredibly powerful.

Highlights:

• Robust accounting

• Payroll options

• Advanced reporting

• Inventory

• Expense tracking

• Integrates with banks and payment platforms

Xero is the closest thing to “corporate accounting made creative-friendly.”

Best for:

Artists who treat their studio as a full-fledged business with multiple revenue streams.

How I Recommend Combining These Tools

You don’t have to use everything at once. In fact, the best financial system is often a combination of simple, complementary tools.

Here’s a setup I highly recommend for freelance artists:

Starter Stack (Free or Low Cost):

• Wave — bookkeeping + invoices

• Spreadsheet or YNAB — budgeting and cash flow

• Dedicated bank account — separates income and expenses

Intermediate Stack (Most Freelancers):

• QuickBooks Self-Employed — bookkeeping + tax tracking

• FreshBooks — client invoicing + time tracking

• YNAB — budgeting + long-term planning

Pro/Scaling Stack:

• Xero or Zoho Books — full accounting

• Bonsai — client management + contracts

• YNAB — personal and business budgeting

Practical Tips I Use to Stay Financially Organized

Tools are only part of the equation. Here are the habits that changed everything for me:

1. Weekly money check-ins

Every Sunday evening, I spend 10–15 minutes reviewing expenses, logging receipts, and sending invoices.

2. Set aside tax money immediately

I personally transfer 20–30% of every payment into a tax savings account.

3. Track every expense

Ink pens, brushes, apps, mileage, subscriptions—everything counts.

4. Save for slow months

I always try to keep at least one month of expenses tucked away.

5. Reevaluate your prices regularly

As your expenses grow, your rates should too.

6. Use invoicing software instead of manual invoices

Clients pay faster when payments are seamless.

7. Treat your art like a business

Because that’s exactly what it is.

One financial expert put it perfectly:

“The IRS requires entrepreneurs to maintain complete and accurate books and records.”

Even if you’re just starting out, building that habit early makes everything smoother later.

Which Tools Are Best Depending on the Type of Artist You Are

If you do commissions or client work

FreshBooks + QuickBooks Self-Employed

If you sell physical products (prints, merch, originals)

Zoho Books or Xero

If you have multiple income streams

QuickBooks Self-Employed + YNAB

If you’re early in your journey or on a tight budget

Wave + simple budgeting system

If you need contracts, proposals, and administrative help

Bonsai

Final Thoughts: Manage Your Money So Your Art Can Thrive

Best tools and apps for managing freelance artist finances may not feel glamorous, but they create stability, clarity, and freedom—three things every artist needs.

When you know where your money is going, when payments are coming in, how much to save for taxes, and how far your budget can stretch, everything becomes easier.

You stop panicking over slow months. You stop avoiding your bank account.

You stop feeling like money is in control.

Instead, you take ownership. You plan ahead.

Treat your art like the thriving business it deserves to be. The right tools won’t magically solve every challenge—but they will make the path clearer, smoother, and far more sustainable.