Unikist
Focus: design resources, ui kits and icons. Shares directory and curation with Cool Tools. Same 4.5 rating.
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.5Visit
Website
Cool Tools
A long-running site of reader-written reviews of genuinely useful tools.
Rating
4.5 / 5
Pricing
Free
Difficulty
Beginner
Works on
Web
Built with love by Shushant Lakhyani. Building bestproductivityresources.com
What is Cool Tools?
Cool Tools, started by Kevin Kelly, recommends one useful tool every weekday, from hand tools and gadgets to books, software and websites. Every review is a positive rave written by a real user, so it works as a curated directory of things worth knowing about. Reading it is free.
Pros: what Cool Tools does well
- Honest picks from real users
- Huge archive across many topics
- Free to read
Cons: where it falls short
- Some links earn Amazon fees
- Shows Google ads
Who Cool Tools is for
Curious people who like discovering tools that really work.
Who can skip it
Anyone looking only for software reviews.
Cool Tools alternatives
Not sold on Cool Tools? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.
Kombai Selects
Focus: design inspiration, ui design and motion design. Shares curation with Cool Tools. Same 4.5 rating.
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.5Visit
uses.tech
Focus: uses pages, developer setup and tools. Shares directory with Cool Tools. Same 4.5 rating.
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.5Visit
Best Free Fonts
Focus: fonts, typography and design. Shares curation with Cool Tools. Rated 4.4 (Cool Tools: 4.5).
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.4Visit
Privacy Guides
Focus: privacy, security and guides. Shares recommendations and directory with Cool Tools. Rated 4.7 (Cool Tools: 4.5).
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.7Visit
Deck.gallery
Focus: presentations, decks and slides. Also in Learning and Research, like Cool Tools. Rated 4.6 (Cool Tools: 4.5).
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.6Visit
Free alternatives to Cool Tools
Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.
before.click
Focus: app store, screenshots and design inspiration. Also in Learning and Research, like Cool Tools. Same 4.5 rating.
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.5Visit
Ossium
Focus: open source, contributions and good first issue. Also in Learning and Research, like Cool Tools. Same 4.5 rating.
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.5Visit
Design.md
Focus: design education, principles and tips. Also in Learning and Research, like Cool Tools. Rated 4.3 (Cool Tools: 4.5).
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.3Visit
Looogos
Focus: logo, branding and identity. Also in Learning and Research, like Cool Tools. Rated 4.3 (Cool Tools: 4.5).
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.3Visit
Cybersecurity Projects
Focus: cybersecurity, projects and portfolio. Also in Learning and Research, like Cool Tools. A course, not a website. Rated 4.8 (Cool Tools: 4.5).
CourseFreeWeb
4.8Visit
Public APIs
Focus: apis, developer resources and open data. Shares directory with Cool Tools. Rated 4.7 (Cool Tools: 4.5).
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.7Visit
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