7 Free Tools Every UGC Creator Should Be Using

We share seven tools that can help you streamline your content creation, from scripting to scheduling – all without spending a penny.

Being a UGC creator means juggling endless tasks. You have to script, record, edit, email clients, manage invoices… the list goes on – and you’re probably doing most of it alone. But doing it alone doesn’t mean you have to do it without any help.

There are lots of tools that can help you streamline various aspects of content creation and running your UGC business – and many of them are free to use!

Below, we’re sharing our favourite free tools for UGC creators. So read on if you want to manage your workflow more efficiently, improve your content, and even boost your income!

7 Free Tools Every UGC Creator Should Be Using

1. Teleprompter Pro (free version)
2. Notion
3. CapCut
4. Canva
5. Frame.io
6. Influee
7. Metricool

Teleprompter Pro (free version)

Tired of having to record the same script again and again because you keep making mistakes? A teleprompter app like Teleprompter Pro will not only save you time – it will level up your whole content creation game.

You’ll go from recording one line at a time to seamlessly delivering your entire script in one take. Just think about how much time you’ll save, and how much more natural your delivery will be.

Although the app’s paid version offers more professional features, the free plan has everything you need as a UGC creator. Here are some of the features you’ll love:

• Fully customisable: Adjust the font, text size, and margins of your script for easier reading. You can even change the colour of the text, or sections of it, which is perfect for cueing another person’s lines if you’re filming with someone else.
• Adjustable scroll speed: Test out different scroll speeds to read at a pace that feels and sounds most natural to you.
• Built-in selfie camera: The app overlays your script on top of the selfie recording mode, so you can read from your script while looking at the audience (and yourself!).
• Edit scripts in-app: Rewrite your lines without leaving the app – you don’t even have to leave the camera mode!
• Import documents: Import Word, PDF, .txt and .rtf documents straight into the app – perfect if you have multiple clients sending scripts across in different formats.
• Unlimited video recording: Record unlimited videos through the app with no length limit or added watermarks!
• Virtual backgrounds and effects: Blur your background with portrait mode, use a virtual background, or use the Studio Light feature to help illuminate your face like a ring light.

Notion

From organising briefs to creating scripts and keeping tabs on client outreach, UGC creators have a lot to manage. Notion is an all-in-one productivity tool that can help you take care of everything from a single hub. And best of all? It’s completely free to use.

There are thousands of premade Notion templates to choose from that are made specifically for certain use cases, like UGC. The templates are plug-and-play and fully customisable, so you can change them to suit your style of working.

Here are some of the ways you can use Notion as a UGC creator:

Content planning:

• Create a content calendar to plan and track your projects.
• Store your briefs and use tags to organise them based on things like client and deadline.
• Create a swipe file board with links to videos that inspire you or UGC styles you want to recreate.
• Create a task list for upcoming and current projects.

Scripts and shot lists:

• Draft video scripts and shot lists directly within Notion, or use it to keep track of your Google Drive folders and files using links.
• Collaborate with your clients and invite them to share feedback on your scripts or videos by giving them access to your shared workspace.

Project workflow:

• Use Notion’s Kanban boards to track and manage your UGC projects at all stage, i.e outreach, ideation, scripting, filming, editing, delivered.
• Create templates for repetitive tasks or content, such as a checklist for filming.

Portfolio:

• Upload previous videos and use tags to organise them into a portfolio based on things like industry and filming style.

Client management:

• Create a database for potential clients.
• Track who you’ve contacted, inbound requests, current clients, and project payments.
• Create and store brand pitches, contracts, and invoice templates.
• Create, send, and track invoices directly within Notion.
• Create a rate calculator for quicker quoting.

Check out these Notion templates for UGC creators (some of them are free!).

CapCut

CapCut is the go-to editing app for UGC creators, offering all the editing functions you need to create engaging social media videos. You can trim clips, add transitions, overlay text, add trending music and sounds, and even generate captions automatically. Plus, it’s available on both desktop and mobile, so you can edit your projects how you like.

Here are some of the most popular CapCut features for UGC creators:

• Auto-captions: Generate subtitles for your video automatically with auto-captions. These can be taken from the original video, voiceover, or a mix of both, and will save you a ton of time. Auto-captions are a paid feature, but the app offers 5 auto-caption generations a month on the free version. This is usually enough to cover you if you’re just getting started in UGC and do 5 or fewer UGC videos a month.

• Templates: Discover CapCut templates to create content quickly, hop on new trends, and increase your chances of going viral.

• Built-in effects and filters: Smooth your skin, add motion effects, or create cinematic transitions quickly without editing experience.

• Green screen, overlay, and split screen: Perfect for reaction videos, tutorials, or product demos.

CapCut’s free plan has everything you need to put a great video together. However, at just £10.99 a month, we think upgrading to CapCut Standard Pro is definitely worth the upgrade for established UGC creators.

Canva

Canva is an amazing graphic design tool that lets you create everything from IG story covers to brand pitches and aesthetic invoices. The platform is intuitive, easy to use, and offers thousands of customisable templates and graphics, so that you can create professional-looking visuals without design experience.

You can create almost any kind of graphic or document with Canva, but these are the most popular ways to use it for UGC creators:

Branding and pitches:

• Portfolio website: Use Canva’s free website builder to create a custom, professional-looking website that showcases your past work – all without having to pay for a web designer or hosting!
• Custom brand kits: Create a custom brand kit with fonts, logos, and colours for quicker editing and more consistent content.
• Rate cards: Share your services and pricing in a branded document.
• Proposals and pitches: Design professional-looking branded proposal desks to send to potential clients.

Social media content:

• IG and TikTok covers: Create aesthetic, eye-catching, and on-brand thumbnail images for your posts.
• Pre-sized templates: Quickly create animated posts, videos, and stories.
• Content planner: Map out upcoming content and see how it will appear on your feed. Design and editing:
• Edit photos: Retouch photos quickly, remove backgrounds, or apply aesthetic filters to your photos.
• Mockups: Drag and drop images and screenshots into phone, laptop, or product mockups.
• Collages and lookbooks: Showcase product recommendations, styling tips, or before-and-after shots.
• Animation tools: Use Canva’s video editor to trim clips and or add animated text and graphics.

Canva is largely free to use, with thousands of templates and graphics available without a Pro membership. However, upgrading to Canva Pro may be worth it if you want to gain access to premium features like background remover, brand kits, and social media scheduling. For £13 a month or £100 a year, the upgrade is potentially worth it for established UGC creators or if you work in another creative space.

Frame.io

One of the biggest stumbling blocks for UGC creators is vague feedback and lots of back and forth with clients. Frame.io makes things more straightforward, allowing clients to leave comments directly on specific time-stamped parts of your video. Just upload your work to the platform, share it with your client, and get precise feedback to save both of you time.

Here are some of the ways UGC creators can make the most of Frame.io

• Upload and organise files: Share your completed videos and raw footage with clients by organising your work into separate folders. You can even upload multiple versions of a video – say with different hooks – so that clients can compare and provide feedback without confusion.
• Time-stamped comments: Clients can leave time-stamped comments on your videos, making feedback clearer and easier to action.
• Drawing tools for feedback: Clients can annotate your video directly to show what needs changing e.g. remove text, change a logo etc.

Frame.io’s free plan allows for up to 2 members and 2 projects, which is great if you’re handling just a couple of UGC jobs a month. For anything more, you might want to consider their Pro plan, which supports unlimited projects for $15 a month.

Influee

Influee is a UGC platform that helps you connect with brands that run UGC campaigns. It’s used by companies all over the world and streamlines the process of landing paid work and submitting content. Plus, as a third party, it gives both creators and brands an extra level of insurance compared to working directly.

Here’s what UGC creators love about Influee:

• Built-in briefing and submission: Easily view, manage, and deliver your projects from one place. Within each brief, you’ll find clear content guidelines within a PDF, so you don’t have to dig through email chains.
• Chat function: Chat directly with your clients with Influee’s in-app messaging system. This chat function removes the need for cumbersome emails and makes communicating with clients quicker and easier.
• Pre-paid content model: Brands fund UGC projects upfront on Influee, so you don’t have to chase invoices or wonder when you’ll get paid.
• Portfolio: You can build a portfolio to show off your best work directly within Influee, which brands can browse when selecting creators for their campaigns. It’s great for UGC creators that want to land more work without having to send out cold pitches!

Influee is completely free to sign up for, and you don’t need followers to sign up as a UGC creator. While some larger campaigns may be invite-only or more competitive, the platform is still great for both newbies and established UGC creators.

Metricool

Plan, post, and track your social media content all from one place with Metricool. This platform is one of the best when it comes to scheduling and analytics, and it’s a favourite amongst UGC creators.

Compatible with TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, it’s useful for almost every social platform.

Here’s how UGC creators use Metricool:

• Post scheduling: Queue up TikToks, Reels, and IG posts from one place. You can also plan your content calendar visually, so you can see how your profile will look after publishing.
• Analytics and reports: Metricool’s analytics are one of the most in-depth of any social media management platform. You can track how your posts are performing in terms of reach, engagement, and follower growth. You’ll also gain insights into which kinds of content perform best, and when your audience is most active. These insights are particularly valuable for UGC creators, as you can easily download reports and show off your engagement rates when pitching to new clients.
• Link in bio tool: The free version of Metricool includes a link-in-bio feature, which allows you to create a custom landing page for your content, brand collabs, and affiliate links. It’s great for UGC creators who want a central hub to refer clients and followers to.

Metricool’s generous free plan offers all the functionality a solo UGC creator needs. It allows you to schedule up to 50 posts per month, manage one account, and access 3 months of historical data and reports.