A one-person business needs software that replaces employees: automation, design, scheduling, and communication. Here is the essential stack.
Website
WordPress
$150/year
Mailchimp
Free tier
Design
Canva
$120/year
CRM
HubSpot
Free tier
The Essential One-Person Stack
1. Website: WordPress or Carrd
- WordPress: $150/year (hosting + domain). Full control, SEO-friendly.
- Carrd: $19/year. Simple one-page sites. Perfect for landing pages.
- Shopify: $39/month. If you're selling products, not services.
2. Email Marketing: Mailchimp or ConvertKit
- Mailchimp: Free up to 500 contacts. Automation included.
- ConvertKit: Free up to 1,000 subscribers. Better for creators.
3. Design: Canva Pro
- Canva Pro: $120/year. Social media graphics, flyers, logos, presentations.
- Replaces a graphic designer for 90% of small business needs.
4. Scheduling: Calendly
- Calendly: Free tier available. $12/month for custom branding and team features.
- Eliminates back-and-forth emails for appointment booking.
5. CRM: HubSpot Free
- HubSpot: Free CRM with contact management, deal tracking, and email integration.
- Paid tiers start at $20/month for automation.
6. Communication: Google Workspace
- Google Workspace: $6/month. Professional email (@yourdomain), Drive, Docs, Calendar.
7. Project Management: Trello or Notion
- Trello: Free. Kanban boards for task management.
- Notion: Free. All-in-one workspace for notes, tasks, and databases.
| Tool | Cost | Free Tier | Replaces |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress | $150/yr | No | Web developer |
| Mailchimp | $0–$300/yr | 500 contacts | Marketing assistant |
| Canva Pro | $120/yr | Limited | Graphic designer |
| Calendly | $0–$144/yr | Basic | Scheduler |
| HubSpot | $0–$240/yr | Full CRM | Sales assistant |
| Google Workspace | $72/yr | No | IT admin |
Total Stack Cost
The essential one-person business stack costs $350–$600/year. That's less than one day of a full-time employee.
⚠️ Tool Overload
Don't subscribe to every tool at once. Start with website + email + accounting. Add tools only when you have a specific problem they solve. Tool fatigue is real — and expensive.