Affordable tools that actually fit a small founder.

A conversational AI assistant that writes, edits, brainstorms, summarizes, codes, and analyzes documents and images from natural-language prompts.

Claude is a conversational AI assistant that can write, edit, summarize, analyze documents, code, and reason through problems. It works via chat, and Claude Code brings the same model into a developer terminal.

FreshBooks is cloud accounting and invoicing software aimed at freelancers and service-based small businesses, with strong time tracking, expenses, and client billing.

Cloud accounting software for tracking income and expenses, invoicing, and preparing for taxes.

Wave is accounting and invoicing software for very small businesses, letting you send invoices, track income and expenses, and keep basic books.

Cloud accounting software for invoicing, bank reconciliation, expenses, and financial reporting.

Google Analytics (GA4) is a free web and app analytics platform that tracks visitors, traffic sources, events, and conversions. It reports where your users come from and what they do on your site.

A visual, no-code/low-code automation platform where you build multi-step workflows ('scenarios') on a drag-and-drop canvas connecting your apps and APIs.

A no-code automation tool that connects thousands of apps so an action in one (a new form entry) automatically triggers actions in others (add a row, send an email).

HubSpot's free CRM helps you store contacts and companies, track deals in a sales pipeline, log emails and calls, and manage basic marketing and support in one place.

A sales-focused CRM built around a visual, drag-and-drop deal pipeline that tracks leads and contacts from first touch to close.

A team messaging platform organized into channels, with direct messages, huddles (audio/video), file sharing, and thousands of app integrations.

Video conferencing for meetings, webinars, and screen sharing, plus recording and AI note-taking.

Canva is a drag-and-drop graphic design tool for creating social posts, logos, presentations, ads, documents, and marketing materials from templates.

Figma is a collaborative, browser-based design tool for UI/UX design, wireframes, prototypes, and diagramming (via FigJam), used heavily for app and website design.

beehiiv is a newsletter and audience platform (started by former Morning Brew team members) combining email sending, a website/landing pages, subscriber growth tools, and monetization.

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is an email marketing platform built specifically for creators, newsletter writers, and solo founders, with forms, landing pages, and automations.

Mailchimp is an email marketing and automation platform for building email lists, sending campaigns and newsletters, and running basic marketing automations.

DocuSign lets you send documents for legally binding electronic signature and track their status. It handles contracts, NDAs, offer letters, and other agreements with an audit trail.

Google Forms is a free form and survey builder that collects responses into a spreadsheet. It supports multiple question types, basic logic, quizzes, and auto-close by date or response count.

Typeform builds conversational, one-question-at-a-time forms, surveys, and quizzes with a polished, on-brand look. It includes logic jumps, integrations, and response analytics.

Clerky handles startup incorporation and legal paperwork specifically for founders raising venture capital, generating Delaware C-corp filings, founder stock, and fundraising documents. It focuses on getting the legal details right for future investment.

LegalZoom helps you form an LLC or corporation and access legal documents, registered agent service, and attorney consultations. It walks non-lawyers through business formation filings.

A widely trusted online payment service that lets businesses accept payments from customers' PayPal balances and cards.

A payments and point-of-sale platform for taking card payments in person and online, with a free card reader.

A payment processing platform for accepting card and online payments in apps, websites, and subscriptions.

Gusto runs full-service payroll for US businesses, handling paychecks, tax filing, and direct deposit, plus benefits, onboarding, and contractor payments. It automates federal, state, and local payroll tax compliance.

A spreadsheet-database hybrid that looks like a familiar grid but works like a database, with linked tables and multiple views (grid, calendar, kanban, gallery).

A business suite bundling professional email on your own domain plus Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Drive, Meet, and Calendar.

An all-in-one workspace combining docs, notes, wikis, and flexible databases in a single connected tool.

A visual task and project manager based on Kanban boards, lists, and cards you drag between columns.

Acuity Scheduling (a Squarespace product) is an online appointment-booking tool geared toward service businesses, handling bookings, intake forms, payments, and packages.

Calendly is a scheduling tool that lets people book meetings with you by picking an open slot, syncing to your calendar and avoiding back-and-forth emails.

Buffer schedules and publishes social media posts across platforms like Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X from one dashboard. It includes a content queue, basic analytics, and an AI assistant.

Later is a social media scheduler with a strong focus on visual planning for Instagram and other image-first platforms, including a drag-and-drop content calendar and link-in-bio tool. It supports scheduling, a media library, and analytics.

A dead-simple builder for single-page sites — landing pages, link-in-bio pages, and simple portfolios.

A hosted ecommerce platform for building and running an online store, from a single product to a full catalog.

An all-in-one website builder known for polished, designer-quality templates for sites, portfolios, and stores.

A drag-and-drop website builder for creating business sites, portfolios, and online stores without code.

A hosted version of WordPress for building blogs and content-driven websites without managing your own server.