A smaller stack.
A clearer practice.

Three original stacked shapes representing making, sharing and billing

Freelance designers need tools for the work they actually sell: Figma for interface prototypes, Illustrator for vector artwork, Notion for shared project information and Harvest for time-to-invoice workflows. Pick the necessary roles before buying subscriptions.

Plan your software costs Compare the workflow roles

An editorial shortlist based on official feature documentation. No invented subscription prices, measured productivity gains or vendor testing claims.

Make, share, get paid

Make the deliverable

Figma: its documented prototyping workflow connects frames and interactions into a navigable experience. Consider it for interface work where a client needs to understand behavior.

Illustrator: artboards organize separate artwork areas within a document. Consider it for vector identity work and multiple artwork layouts.

Choose by deliverable and the client’s required source format. A prototype tool and a vector editor solve different jobs; neither automatically replaces the other.

Figma prototyping guide
Illustrator feature overview

Share the decisions

Notion: documented sharing permissions let you control who can access a page and their level of access. Consider it for a brief, project notes and organized links.

A shared workspace is useful only if clients can find the latest decision. Check guest access, permission settings and export requirements before migrating a project.

A page of links is not a formal approval record or a contract. Record approval rules and source-file delivery obligations separately.

Notion sharing and permissions

Connect time and billing

Harvest: the official feature overview describes time tracking, reports and invoicing. Consider it when you need a repeatable connection between recorded work and billing.

Check actual plan access, payment options and your accountant’s requirements. A time tracker is not a substitute for tax advice or an appropriate contract.

For fixed-fee projects, time records can inform your next estimate even when an invoice is not based on hours.

Harvest feature overview

Recommendations reflect workflow fit, not a ranked test. Current prices, tax treatment, regional availability and subscription entitlements have not been verified here. Enter your own actual figures below.

Know what your stack costs

Build a custom list of recurring tools. All demo costs are fictional placeholders, not vendor quotes. Decimal.js performs exact decimal arithmetic; a subscription can be monthly or annual, with seats and your own exchange rate. This is a software-overhead planner, not a profit or tax forecast.

Reporting currency labelBillable hours per monthBilling rate per hour

Restore exported JSON

Inputs stay in this tab, without server upload or automatic persistence. Export before closing. Client-paid tools stay in the stack but are excluded from your absorbed overhead; this assumes the client pays directly. If you pay first and recover costs later, cash flow needs a separate model.

Build around the handoff

Every subscription should solve a named part of your process.

Start with the output

List what the client receives: source artwork, prototype, production files, documentation and permitted asset licenses. Choose the creation tool that produces those deliverables without a fragile conversion step. If the client already works in a specific format, account for that constraint before buying another editor.

Keep one place for decisions

Pick a primary brief and feedback record. Link prototypes and exported assets from that record. Clearly name the current version, who approves it and what counts as a revision. More accounts can create more coordination work even when each app is individually capable.

Price the whole recurring commitment

Include seats, annual commitments and currency conversion. A yearly payment is divided by twelve here for planning; it is still an upfront cash payment. Include actual taxes in the entered price if appropriate. Avoid assuming an annual subscription is refundable or transferable without checking the vendor terms.

Read the calculation

Monthly equivalent = price × seats × exchange rate ÷ billing months (1 monthly, 12 annual). Total stack cost includes all active tools. Absorbed overhead excludes client-paid tools. Overhead per billable hour = absorbed overhead ÷ hours. Revenue proxy = hours × billing rate; software share = absorbed overhead ÷ revenue proxy. This leaves out labor, tax, equipment, insurance, payment fees, unbilled time and other operating costs. It does not calculate net margin.

Make the stack easy to leave

Can clients access the work?

Test a client invitation using the intended permission level. Check whether a client needs an account or paid seat. Do not assume that a published page, prototype link and editable project provide the same permissions.

What should I export?

Keep the final deliverable, source file where contracted, brief and approval evidence. Verify fonts, stock imagery and template licenses before transferring assets. Export this cost plan separately from private client files.

When should I add a tool?

Add one when a repeated task needs a capability your current stack lacks. Compare it against a real project workflow and its recurring commitment. Do not use this calculator’s arithmetic as proof that the tool improves revenue.

A stack you understand is easier to manage

Record actual prices, review annual renewal dates and keep the responsibilities of each tool clear.

Create your software budget brief