Contents
Top 5 Free Tools to Automate Daily Online Tasks
✍️ Introduction
Every day, we repeat the same online routines — checking emails, posting on social media, copying files, writing notes, or organizing to-do lists. What if these tasks could be done automatically, without you lifting a finger?
Whether you’re a student, freelancer, blogger, or small business owner, automation tools can help you save time and boost productivity.
In this guide, we’ll explore the top 5 free tools to automate daily tasks that are beginner-friendly, reliable, and powerful. No coding needed.
🧰 1. Zapier – The King of Online Automation
Alt text: zapier dashboard for task automation
Why it stands out:
Zapier connects over 5,000+ apps and allows you to build powerful workflows using “Zaps” – trigger-based automations.
🔹 What you can automate:
New Gmail email → Save attachment to Google Drive
New blog post on WordPress → Auto-post on Twitter
New Stripe payment → Send invoice via Gmail
💡 Beginner Use Case:
“When I receive a new contact form entry → Send me a Slack notification.”
Free Plan:
100 tasks/month
5 Zaps (automations)
🧰 2. IFTTT – If This Then That
Alt text: ifttt automation dashboard
IFTTT is the best tool for simple “if-then” automations across your apps, social accounts, smart devices, and web services.
Popular integrations:
Instagram → Google Drive
YouTube → Twitter
Google Calendar → Email reminders
🔹 Why it’s perfect for beginners:
Pre-built applets
Visual interface
Smart Home + Web support
Free Plan Includes:
Unlimited applets
2-step workflows
Works on mobile + browser
✅ Use Case:
Automatically save every photo you’re tagged in on Facebook to Dropbox.
🧰 3. Buffer – Social Media Automation
Alt text: buffer social media automation dashboard
Want to automate your social media posting without juggling 5 tabs? Buffer lets you schedule posts in advance across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
🔹 Key Features:
Post scheduling with calendar view
Auto-share blog links
Built-in image editor
Team management (even on free plan!)
Free Plan:
3 social channels
10 scheduled posts per channel
Mobile app available
✅ Use Case:
Schedule a week of Instagram posts in 30 minutes on Monday.
🧰 4. Notion + Notion Automations
Alt: Notion workspace automation setup
Notion is more than just a note-taking app — it’s an all-in-one workspace to manage blogs, social content, projects, and even client databases.
When combined with Notion Automations (via tools like Zapier, Make, or Pipedream), you can automate:
🔹 What you can automate:
Blog writing → auto-publish to WordPress
Save tweet threads → auto-store in Notion
Task completion → trigger Slack message
Free Plan Includes:
Unlimited pages
5 guests
Web clipper
Full Notion API access
✅ Use Case:
Use Notion to plan your blog content and set up a zap that publishes the draft directly to your WordPress blog when moved to “Published”.
🧰 5. Make.com (formerly Integromat)
Alt: make.com automation dashboard with workflows
Make.com is a super-flexible, visual automation builder — and often a better free alternative to Automate.io or Zapier for complex workflows.
🔹 What you can automate:
Facebook → CRM data entry
eCommerce → Auto-email buyer
YouTube → Save new videos to Airtable
Free Plan:
1,000 operations/month
Unlimited scenarios
Scheduling & error handling
✅ Use Case:
Every time you get a Shopify order, send a WhatsApp message + add buyer to a Notion CRM.
🔗 Resources
📋 Quick Comparison Table
Tool | Best For | Free Limit | Difficulty |
---|---|---|---|
Zapier | Workflow triggers | 100 tasks/month | Easy |
IFTTT | Applets & devices | Unlimited | Very Easy |
Buffer | Social scheduling | 10 posts/channel | Easy |
Notion | Notes + API use | Unlimited pages | Medium |
Make.com | Visual builder | 1,000 ops/month | Medium |
❓ FAQ Section
Q: Are these tools really free?
Yes! All 5 tools offer free forever plans with limited usage — perfect for individuals or startups.
Q: Do I need to install anything?
Nope. All are web-based and work on browsers. Some have mobile apps too.
Q: What’s the easiest tool to begin with?
IFTTT is easiest. You can automate with one click using ready-made templates.
Q: Can I automate WordPress using these?
Yes. Use Zapier, Make, or Notion integrations to post, update, or draft automatically.