Running a small business as a handmade maker means juggling multiple tasks—marketing, order management, finances, and creativity—all at once! Thankfully, there are plenty of apps designed to make life easier. Whether you're looking for tools to streamline your workflow, boost social media engagement, or manage your finances, I've rounded up the best apps every handmade business owner should consider.
1. Canva – Graphic Design Made Simple
If you're creating social media posts, website banners, or marketing materials, Canva is a must-have. It offers easy-to-use templates, fonts, and design elements to make your brand stand out. You don’t need to be a designer—just drag, drop, and customize!
Best for: Instagram posts, Etsy banners, Pinterest pins, business cards.
Available on: iOS, Android, Desktop
Free & Paid Plans Available
2. Etsy – Sell Handmade & Vintage Items
Etsy is one of the most popular marketplaces for handmade and vintage items. It’s a great platform for makers to reach a global audience, manage orders, and grow their small business with built-in tools for marketing and analytics.
Best for: Selling handmade and vintage items.
Available on: iOS, Android, Desktop
Free to List, Transaction Fees Apply
3. Shopify – Sell Your Handmade Goods
If you want an online shop outside of Etsy, Shopify is a great choice. It’s user-friendly and lets you customize your store, track inventory, and integrate with social media shops. Plus, you can sync it with print-on-demand services if you sell sublimation designs or digital products!
Best for: Selling handmade goods online.
Available on: iOS, Android, Desktop
Paid Plans Only
3. Planoly – Schedule & Organize Instagram Posts
Instagram is a powerful marketing tool for small businesses, but keeping up with posting can be overwhelming. Planoly allows you to schedule Instagram posts, plan your feed visually, and auto-post content, saving you time.
Best for: Instagram planning & scheduling.
Available on: iOS, Android, Desktop
Free & Paid Plans Available
4. QuickBooks – Keep Your Finances in Check
Tracking expenses, sales, and taxes can be stressful, but QuickBooks makes it easy. This app helps small business owners manage bookkeeping, send invoices, and stay organized during tax season.
Best for: Accounting & expense tracking.
Available on: iOS, Android, Desktop
Paid Plans Only
5. Trello – Organize Your To-Do List
Juggling custom orders, product launches, and social media content? Trello helps you stay organized with boards, lists, and cards to manage different projects and deadlines.
Best for: Project management & organization.
Available on: iOS, Android, Desktop
Free & Paid Plans Available
6. Lightroom – Edit Product Photos Like a Pro
Your product photos can make or break a sale. Lightroom is a professional-grade photo editing app that allows you to enhance lighting, adjust colors, and make your handmade products pop!
Best for: Editing product photos.
Available on: iOS, Android, Desktop
Free & Paid Plans Available
7. Pirate Ship – Save on Shipping Costs
If you’re shipping orders regularly, Pirate Ship is a lifesaver! It offers discounted USPS and UPS rates, plus you can print labels at home and schedule pickups.
Best for: Affordable shipping labels.
Available on: Desktop
Free to Use!
8. Creative Fabrica – Unlimited Fonts & Graphics
If you’re looking for unique fonts, graphics, and design elements for your products or marketing materials, Creative Fabrica is a game-changer! It offers a vast collection of resources for crafters, including SVGs, fonts, and patterns.
Best for: Finding unique design assets for handmade products.
Available on: Desktop
Free & Paid Plans Available
9. PhotoRoom – Remove Backgrounds & Enhance Product Photos
PhotoRoom is perfect for creating professional-looking product photos. It quickly removes backgrounds, enhances lighting, and lets you add custom backdrops to make your handmade items stand out in listings and social media posts.
Best for: Removing backgrounds & improving product images.
Available on: iOS, Android, Desktop
Free & Paid Plans Available
10. Fiverr – Outsource Small Business Tasks
Need help with branding, SEO, or copywriting? Fiverr lets you hire freelancers for small tasks so you can focus on what you do best—creating!
Best for: Hiring freelancers for business tasks.
Available on: iOS, Android, Desktop
Free to Browse, Paid Services
Final Thoughts
Running a handmade business is rewarding but can get overwhelming without the right tools. These apps help streamline everything from marketing and sales to finances and organization, giving you more time to focus on creating!
Which apps do you use for your small business? Let me know in the comments! 😊