I spent forty-five minutes last week trying to convert a PDF to a PNG. Downloaded software. Created an account. Waited through a conversion queue. Got a watermarked result. Tried another service. Same story.
Then a friend sent me a link to a website I’d never heard of. No account. No download. Just drag, drop, convert, download. Five seconds total.
I felt like an idiot for not knowing it existed, and simultaneously like a genius for knowing it now.
The internet is full of these tiny tools. Single-purpose websites that solve one specific problem perfectly. No bloat. No feature creep. No “subscribe to our premium plan for unlimited conversions.” Just a tool that does exactly what you need and gets out of your way.
The problem is finding them. They don’t advertise. They don’t show up on the first page of Google unless you search for exactly the right thing. They exist quietly in the corners of the web, waiting for someone to stumble across them and think “where has this been all my life?”
I’ve been collecting these tools for years. The ones that make me feel competent and efficient. The ones I immediately want to share with anyone who’ll listen. The ones worth actually bookmarking instead of just leaving in a tab that’ll get closed during the next browser crash.
Here are thirty of them. Organized by the type of problem they solve, because that’s how you’ll actually need to find them later.
For File Conversion Without the Nonsense#
1. CloudConvert: Every File Format Known to Humans#
CloudConvert converts between hundreds of file formats. Video, audio, images, documents, ebooks, archives. If you have file type A and need file type B, CloudConvert probably handles it.
The free tier is generous. The interface is clean. The conversions are fast. It’s what file conversion should be: straightforward and functional.
The wizard moment: Converting obscure file formats without googling “how to open .dwg files” and downloading sketchy software.
2. TinyPNG: Image Compression That Actually Works#
TinyPNG compresses PNG and JPG images without visible quality loss. Drag in your files, wait a few seconds, download images that are 50-70% smaller.
It uses smart lossy compression that preserves what your eye actually sees while discarding redundant data. The results are genuinely impressive.
The wizard moment: Making your website load faster without learning anything about image optimization algorithms.
3. PDF24 Tools: Everything PDF-Related in One Place#
Merge PDFs. Split PDFs. Compress PDFs. Convert to and from PDFs. Remove pages. Rotate pages. Add page numbers. PDF24 does it all without making you create an account or download software.
The wizard moment: Handling PDF manipulation that would normally require Adobe Acrobat and a subscription you don’t want.
4. Online Audio Converter: Sound Files Made Simple#
Convert audio files between formats, adjust quality, trim clips, change sample rates. It handles MP3, WAV, OGG, FLAC, and dozens of other formats.
The interface is no-nonsense. Upload, select format, convert, download. That’s it.
The wizard moment: Converting that WAV file to MP3 for a presentation without wondering if iTunes can still do this.
For Text Manipulation and Generation#
5. Lorem Ipsum Generator: Placeholder Text That Looks Real#
Need dummy text for a design mockup? Lorem Ipsum generators produce realistic-looking placeholder text in any length you need.
Some generators let you choose themes (corporate speak, legal jargon, pirate talk) for entertainment value, but the classic Latin gibberish still works best for design purposes.
The wizard moment: Filling a layout with text that doesn’t distract from evaluating the design itself.
6. Hemingway App: Making Your Writing Readable#
Paste your writing into Hemingway App and it highlights complex sentences, passive voice, and words that could be simpler. The free web version does everything you need.
It’s not about dumbing down your writing. It’s about clarity. Most writing improves when simplified.
The wizard moment: Turning meandering business prose into something humans will actually read.
7. Character Counter: Knowing Your Limits#
How many characters in this tweet? This meta description? This text message? Character Counter tells you instantly, including or excluding spaces based on what you need.
It also shows word count, sentence count, and reading time. Simple utility, perfectly executed.
The wizard moment: Never going over Twitter’s character limit again, or knowing exactly how much to cut from that too-long Instagram caption.
8. Text Case Converter: FIXING CAPS LOCK DISASTERS#
Accidentally wrote a paragraph in all caps? Need to convert something to title case? Text Case Converter handles sentence case, title case, uppercase, lowercase, and alternating case.
Paste, click, copy. Problem solved.
The wizard moment: Fixing that email you wrote with caps lock on without retyping the entire thing.
For Quick Design and Visual Work#
9. Remove.bg: Background Removal in Seconds#
Upload any image and Remove.bg automatically removes the background. No manual selection. No carefully tracing around edges. Just instant background removal that’s shockingly accurate.
The free version gives you preview quality. The paid version gives you full resolution. For quick jobs, the free version is often enough.
The wizard moment: Removing photo backgrounds without spending twenty minutes with the pen tool in Photoshop.
10. Photopea: Photoshop in Your Browser#
Photopea is a full-featured image editor that runs entirely in your browser. It handles PSD files, has layers, supports advanced editing tools, and feels remarkably similar to Photoshop.
It’s free, works offline after initial load, and requires no installation. The only catch is ads in the interface, which disappear if you pay for premium.
The wizard moment: Making professional edits to PSD files on a computer that doesn’t have Photoshop installed.
11. Canva: Design for Non-Designers#
Yes, Canva is well-known, but it deserves inclusion because it genuinely makes design accessible. Templates for everything, drag-and-drop simplicity, and results that don’t look like they were made in PowerPoint.
The free tier is generous. The paid tier adds more templates and features, but you can accomplish most tasks without paying.
The wizard moment: Creating social media graphics that don’t embarrass you, even if you have zero design training.
12. ColorSpace: Color Palettes From a Single Color#
Enter any color and ColorSpace generates matching palettes, gradients, and color schemes. It’s faster than manually adjusting values and produces better results than just guessing.
The wizard moment: Going from “I like this blue” to “I have a complete color scheme” in thirty seconds.
For Code and Development Quick Fixes#
13. CodePen: Testing Code Without Setting Up a Project#
Need to quickly test HTML, CSS, or JavaScript? CodePen gives you a live editor where you can see results instantly. No file structure. No build process. Just code and immediate feedback.
It’s also a massive library of community-created examples you can fork and modify.
The wizard moment: Debugging a CSS issue without spinning up a local development environment.
14. JSON Formatter: Making Sense of API Responses#
Raw JSON is hard to read. JSON Formatter takes ugly, compressed JSON and formats it with proper indentation and syntax highlighting.
Some versions also validate JSON and highlight errors, which is helpful when you’re troubleshooting why your API call isn’t working.
The wizard moment: Understanding what that API is actually returning without manually counting brackets.
15. Regex101: Regular Expressions Without the Pain#
Regular expressions are powerful and confusing. Regex101 lets you test regex patterns, explains what each part does, and shows you matches in real-time.
It supports multiple regex flavors (JavaScript, Python, PHP, etc.) and saves your patterns for later reference.
The wizard moment: Writing a regex that actually works instead of copying something from Stack Overflow and hoping for the best.
16. Can I Use: Browser Support Lookups#
Wondering if that CSS property works in Safari? Can I Use shows browser support for web technologies across different versions and platforms.
It’s updated constantly and includes usage statistics showing what percentage of users will actually be able to use a feature.
The wizard moment: Knowing whether you can use that shiny new web API or need a fallback before you write the code.
For Productivity and Organization#
17. 10 Minute Mail: Disposable Email Addresses#
Need to sign up for something but don’t want spam forever? 10 Minute Mail gives you a temporary email address that self-destructs after ten minutes (extendable if needed).
Perfect for one-time signups, testing forms, or accessing content locked behind email gates.
The wizard moment: Never seeing spam from that one-time signup you needed three years ago.
18. Send Anywhere: File Transfer Without Cloud Storage#
Need to send a large file to someone quickly? Send Anywhere generates a six-digit code. They enter the code, they get the file. No accounts, no storage limits, no waiting for uploads to cloud services.
Files are deleted after download or after 48 hours. Simple peer-to-peer transfer done right.
The wizard moment: Sharing a 2GB video file without email attachment limits or Dropbox folder sharing.
19. PrintFriendly: Printing Web Pages Without the Garbage#
Web pages are designed for screens, not printers. PrintFriendly removes ads, navigation, and other junk before printing, leaving just the content you actually want.
You can preview, edit what’s included, and save as PDF instead of printing if you prefer.
The wizard moment: Printing a recipe without three pages of ads and someone’s life story before the ingredients.
20. Archive.is: Saving Snapshots of Web Pages#
Need to preserve a web page exactly as it exists right now? Archive.is saves a permanent snapshot that won’t change even if the original page is edited or deleted.
Useful for citing sources, preserving evidence, or just keeping a copy of something important.
The wizard moment: Having proof of what a website said before they edited or removed it.
For Learning and Reference#
21. Explainshell: Understanding Command Line Arguments#
Type any shell command and Explainshell breaks down what each part does. It’s like having a patient teacher explain command line syntax without making you feel stupid for asking.
The wizard moment: Finally understanding what all those flags in that bash command actually mean.
22. Desmos: Graphing Calculator That’s Actually Good#
Desmos is a full-featured graphing calculator that runs in your browser. It handles complex equations, multiple functions simultaneously, and produces beautiful visualizations.
Teachers love it. Students use it for homework. Engineers use it for quick calculations. It’s universally useful.
The wizard moment: Visualizing mathematical concepts without buying a TI-84 or remembering how to use one.
23. Periodic Table: The Best One Online#
There are many periodic table websites. Ptable.com is the best. Click any element for detailed information. Switch between different views (electronegativity, atomic radius, etc.). Adjust temperature to see what state elements are in.
It’s educational and beautifully designed.
The wizard moment: Looking up element properties without digging through your old chemistry textbook.
For Communication and Collaboration#
24. Loom: Recording Your Screen in Seconds#
Loom records your screen, camera, or both simultaneously. Share the link, and people can watch your explanation instead of reading a long email.
The free tier is generous. The recording interface is simple. Sharing is instant.
The wizard moment: Explaining something complex in two minutes of video instead of fifteen minutes of typing.
25. Doodle: Scheduling Meetings Without Email Tennis#
Finding a time that works for multiple people is painful. Doodle lets you propose multiple times and people vote on what works for them.
No accounts required for participants. Results are clear. The painful back-and-forth of “does Tuesday work?” is eliminated.
The wizard moment: Scheduling a meeting with six people in one round instead of seventeen emails.
26. TempMail: Another Disposable Email Option#
Similar to 10 Minute Mail but with a different interface and slightly different features. Some people prefer one over the other. Having both bookmarked gives you options.
The wizard moment: Having a backup when one temporary email service is blocked by a signup form.
For Data and Analysis#
27. WolframAlpha: The Internet’s Calculator That Understands Questions#
WolframAlpha is part calculator, part search engine, part database. Ask it to compare nutritional information between foods, solve complex equations, or compute travel time between cities accounting for time zones.
It understands natural language questions and provides computational answers, not links to other websites.
The wizard moment: Getting actual answers to mathematical or scientific questions instead of search results about the question.
28. Calculate.io: Unit Conversions Done Right#
How many tablespoons in a cup? How many kilometers in a mile? What’s 350 Fahrenheit in Celsius? Calculate.io handles every unit conversion you might need.
The interface is clean. The conversions are accurate. It’s faster than googling and more reliable than trying to remember conversion factors.
The wizard moment: Converting units without wondering if your mental math is correct.
29. Time.is: What Time Is It Actually?#
Your computer’s clock might be slightly wrong. Time.is shows you the precise current time, synced to atomic clocks. It also shows times in other cities and calculates time differences.
More useful than it sounds, especially when time precision matters.
The wizard moment: Knowing whether you’re about to miss a deadline because your clock is three minutes fast.
For Just Making Life Easier#
30. TinyCam: Checking if Your Webcam Actually Works#
About to join a video call? TinyCam lets you check if your webcam is working and what you look like before joining the meeting.
It’s a simple utility, but it prevents the awkward “can you see me?” moments at the start of every video call.
The wizard moment: Fixing your camera angle and lighting before the client sees you, not during the first minute of the meeting.
How to Actually Remember These Exist#
Here’s the problem with lists like this: you read them, think “wow, useful,” and then never remember they exist when you actually need them.
I’ve done this dozens of times. Bookmarked tools I never used because I forgot they existed at the moment I needed them. Saved links that disappeared into browser folders I never looked at.
The solution isn’t better memory. It’s better organization.
You need these tools grouped by purpose in a way that makes sense when you’re actually trying to solve a problem. Not alphabetically. Not chronologically. By the question you’re asking when you need them.
This is why I built stashed.in with visual collections in mind. Create a stash called “Quick Web Tools” with a header image that looks like a toolbox. Add these thirty tools organized by category. Make it your “oh crap I need to do X right now” emergency kit.
Or create multiple stashes: “File Conversion Tools,” “Design Utilities,” “Developer Quick Fixes.” Whatever matches how you actually work and what you actually need.
The visual header isn’t decoration. It’s a memory trigger. When you’re frantically trying to convert a PDF and can’t remember what that tool was called, you’re looking for your “File Tools” stash with the document icon, not scrolling through browser bookmarks trying to remember folder names.
You can keep it private for personal use, or make it public and share the collection with colleagues who keep asking “how do I convert this file?” Now you just send them one link to a curated collection instead of explaining the same tools repeatedly.
Why These Tools Matter More Than You Think#
Single-purpose tools feel small. They solve tiny problems. They save you maybe five or ten minutes here and there.
But those tiny friction points add up. Every time you spend fifteen minutes figuring out how to do something that should take thirty seconds, that’s cognitive load you’re carrying. Mental energy spent on logistics instead of actual work.
These tools remove friction. They make technology feel like it’s working for you instead of against you. And that psychological shift matters more than the time savings alone.
When you can solve a problem in five seconds, you stop avoiding the problem. That presentation you’ve been putting off because dealing with the images feels annoying? Suddenly less annoying when you have the right tools.
That’s the real value. Not the time saved, but the reduction in psychological resistance to doing things.
Building Your Personal Toolkit#
You don’t need all thirty of these tools. You need the ones that solve problems you actually encounter.
Here’s how to build a useful collection instead of just hoarding links:
Start with pain points. What tasks do you regularly do that feel more difficult than they should be? Find tools that specifically address those problems.
Test before saving. Don’t bookmark something just because it sounds useful. Actually try it. See if it works the way you need. Many tools sound great but have interfaces that make you want to throw your computer.
Group by purpose. When you’re stressed and need to solve a problem quickly, you’re thinking “I need to convert a file” not “I need CloudConvert specifically.” Organize by the question, not the tool.
Review quarterly. Web tools come and go. Features change. Better options emerge. Set a reminder to review your collection every few months and update what’s no longer useful.
Share what works. When you find a tool that genuinely helps, share it. Create a public stash on stashed.in. Write about it. Tell colleagues. Contributing to collective knowledge is how we all find these tools in the first place.
The Tools You Haven’t Found Yet#
These thirty tools are useful, but they’re just scratching the surface. The internet has thousands of single-purpose utilities solving incredibly specific problems.
The best tool for your specific workflow might not be on this list. It might be something obscure that only ten people know about. But it exists, and finding it will make some aspect of your work dramatically easier.
So keep looking. When you hit friction in your workflow, google the specific problem with words like “online tool” or “web utility.” You’ll find things that didn’t show up in general searches.
Follow creators who build these tools. Many solo developers maintain multiple utilities and share them freely. Supporting them (financially if possible, or just by sharing their work) helps ensure these tools keep existing.
And most importantly, when you find something useful, save it properly. Not in a browser bookmark folder you’ll forget about. In a visual collection you’ll actually remember exists.
Start With One Stash#
Don’t try to organize all thirty of these tools right now. That’s how you end up procrastinating by organizing instead of actually working.
Pick five tools from this list that solve problems you encounter regularly. Create one stash for them. Add a header image that makes sense to you. Give it a name you’ll remember.
Use those five tools when you need them. When you find yourself reaching for them repeatedly, add more tools to the collection. Let it grow organically based on actual use, not hypothetical usefulness.
Over time, you’ll build a personal toolkit that genuinely makes your work easier. Not because you have every tool ever created, but because you have the right tools for your specific needs, organized in a way that makes them accessible when you need them.
That’s the actual goal. Not collecting tools. Using them.
These thirty utilities are a starting point. Your toolkit will be different. That’s exactly how it should be.
The internet is full of tiny solutions to specific problems. Go find the ones that make your work feel a little less like wrestling with technology and a little more like magic.
Save them somewhere you’ll actually remember they exist. Use them when you need them. Share them when someone else hits the same friction.
That’s how we all become tech wizards. Not by knowing everything, but by knowing where to find the right tool when we need it.
Start building that collection today. Future you, frantically trying to convert a file five minutes before a deadline, will be grateful you did.
