# What Tool Should I Use?

> Curated small-business tool recommendations by Tanya Moushi (business consultant & designer, https://moushi.co). Each entry says who the tool is best for and why she recommends it. Updated monthly; some links are affiliate links.

## Build my website (Websites & Design)

- [Canva](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/canva/): Best for business owners making their own social graphics, decks, and docs. Gold standard of design tools. Start free and go Pro.
- [Carrd](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/carrd/): Best for testing an idea, a link-in-bio page, or a one-page site for under $20/year. Great landing page builder. Inexpensive and excellent for single-page websites.
- [Softr](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/softr/): Best for no-coders building a client portal or directory on top of Airtable or Google Sheets. My favorite tool for building web apps, including client portals, job boards, and marketplaces.
- [SquareKicker](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/squarekicker/): Best for squarespace designers who want custom effects without writing CSS. The best plugin for customizing Squarespace websites. Now with Compose, an AI design partner built right into Squarespace.
- [Squarespace](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/squarespace/): Best for service businesses and creators who want a beautiful site they can run themselves. My web platform of choice, for good reason: fully customizable if you want it, easy enough to self-manage if built right, and easy to add to as you grow.
- [Squarespace Web Design Checklist](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/squarespace-web-design-checklist/): Best for DIYers launching or refreshing a Squarespace site. My high-level checklist for your Squarespace website.

## Grow my email list (Email & Newsletters)

- [ActiveCampaign](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/activecampaign/): Best for businesses with a sales team or complex funnels who need CRM + email automation in one place. Excellent for fully automated marketing campaigns and email marketing.
- [beehiiv](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/beehiiv/): Best for newsletter-first creators who want growth tools, referrals, and ad monetization built in. This company is on a rocketship of growth. If you're building a high-growth newsletter with customizable dashboards, this is it.
- [Kit](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/kit/): Best for creators who sell through email and want automations that grow with them. The best for newsletter automation, lead magnets, and data-based decisions.
- [SparkLoop Proof](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/sparkloop-proof/): Best for newsletter creators pitching sponsors who want verified numbers. A free tool to verify your subscriber count. Great for social proof.

## Make videos & content (Video & Content)

- [Descript](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/descript/): Best for creators who want to edit podcasts and video by editing text, with studio-quality audio and captions built in. Edit audio like a doc, with captions built in.
- [Loom](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/loom/): Best for async walkthroughs for clients and teams instead of another meeting. One of the best screen recorders out there.
- [Peerspace](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/peerspace/): Best for shoots, workshops, and offsites that need a beautiful space for a few hours. Use a space as your studio. It's like Airbnb, but by the hour.
- [Screen Studio](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/screen-studio/): Best for mac users recording polished product demos and tutorials without editing. Follows your cursor and zooms in on clicks automatically. Awesome, underrated tool.
- [Splice](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/splice/): Best for editing short videos right on your phone. My favorite app for making videos on mobile.

## Collect info from clients (Forms & Data)

- [Airtable](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/airtable/): Best for no-coders building client portals, directories, or internal tools. A flexible database that doubles as a great backend for building web apps in Softr.
- [Tally](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/tally/): Best for intake forms, questionnaires, and surveys that look great on a free plan. The most generous free form builder there is, and it feels like writing a doc.
- [Typeform](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/typeform/): Best for beautiful, conversational forms for lead gen, quizzes, and feedback. Easy data collection and seamless visualization. One of my favorite tools for all kinds of information gathering.
- [VideoAsk](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/videoask/): Best for coaches and service providers who want async video intake or sales chats. Video-based surveys and sales conversations, made by Typeform. Awesome for a personalized experience.

## Automate my admin (Systems & Automation)

- [Content Snare](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/content-snare/): Best for service providers and agencies collecting content, files, and answers from clients. Gathering content from clients is so hard, but this really does make it easy. Spend up to 71% less time chasing information, with auto-reminders for anything incomplete.
- [Luma](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/luma/): Best for hosting workshops, meetups, and free virtual events. Better than Eventbrite, and easily integrates with Zoom.
- [Notion](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/notion/): Best for anyone who wants one home for SOPs, content calendars, and planning. The absolute best tool for process docs. It's as flexible as you are. I use it for content calendars, SOPs, project planning, blog posts, video schedules, even writing a book.
- [Squarespace Scheduling (Acuity)](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/squarespace-scheduling-acuity/): Best for coaches and consultants taking paid bookings. Great for paid scheduling like booking sessions or classes, and it syncs beautifully with your calendar.
- [Streak CRM](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/streak-crm/): Best for solopreneurs who live in Gmail and want a pipeline without leaving it. The ultimate tool for sales pipelines if you use Gmail. My favorite CRM for solopreneurs. The free version has been my sales tool for 9 years.
- [Text Blaze](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/text-blaze/): Best for anyone who types the same emails and answers over and over. Text snippets that save me HOURS each month. Also great for templated answers to recurring questions.

## Get paid & manage money (Money & Admin)

- [FreshBooks](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/freshbooks/): Best for service businesses who want invoicing, time tracking, and accounting in one place. Easy-to-use accounting, excellent for service-based businesses.
- [Gumroad](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/gumroad/): Best for selling your first ebook, template, or course this weekend. The easiest way to sell digital files and sell online without a website.
- [Gusto](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/gusto/): Best for solo founders running payroll for themselves as an S Corp, or small teams. The payroll tool I use to pay myself monthly. Especially useful if you're structured as an S Corp.
- [Mercury](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/mercury/): Best for online businesses that want fast, fee-free business banking. Clean, modern business banking.
- [Spiffy](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/spiffy/): Best for selling productized services with upsells, on any website. Excellent for productized services, upsells, and accepting payment on any website.

## Get found online (Marketing & SEO)

- [Ahrefs](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/ahrefs/): Best for content-led businesses ready to invest seriously in SEO research. Expensive but priceless if you're serious about building a blog or content-based business.
- [Fathom Analytics](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/fathom-analytics/): Best for consultants and agencies who want simple, cookie-free analytics for client sites. Privacy-friendly website analytics you can use across multiple sites (up to 50).
- [Hypefury](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/hypefury/): Best for creators who sell digital products and want posts that promote them automatically. Growth tool for X/Twitter and LinkedIn. Best known for auto-plugs and its Gumroad integration.
- [ManyChat](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/manychat/): Best for creators who want “comment KEYWORD to get the link” automations on Instagram. Automates Instagram and Facebook DMs, so comments turn into conversations and leads.
- [SE Ranking](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/se-ranking/): Best for small businesses who want serious keyword data without Ahrefs pricing. Advanced keyword research for optimizing your SEO, at a friendlier price than the big names.
- [SEOSpace](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/seospace/): Best for squarespace site owners and designers who want SEO done inside the editor. An excellent tool for improving your SEO, built only for Squarespace.
- [Shoutout](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/shoutout/): Best for service businesses who need social proof on their site, fast. Collect and show off testimonials on any website.
- [Typeshare](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/typeshare/): Best for writers who want templates for social posts and essays. The writing tool behind Ship 30 for 30. Templates take the blank page away.

## Work smarter with AI (AI Tools)

- [Every AI Bundle](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/every-ai-bundle/): Best for people who want AI to tame their inbox, plus sharp writing on how to use AI at work. I grabbed this for Cora to manage my inbox, which works extremely well, and the other tools are wildly exciting too.
- [LogoAI](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/logoai/): Best for side projects and early-stage ideas that need a decent logo today, not a full brand. Make a logo in 10 minutes. Honestly much better than I expected. I tested it on a side company. Logos under $100.
- [Tactiq](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/tactiq/): Best for consultants who want meeting notes and transcripts without a bot taking over the call. Automated transcripts of your meetings, with 10 free a month. Need I say more?

## Learn from the best (Learning & Community)

- [A Letter to Yourself](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/a-letter-to-yourself/): Best for anyone who needs a five-minute pep talk from their future self. A fun mad-lib I made for positive self-talk.
- [Beatriz Caraballo](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/beatriz-caraballo/): Best for squarespace DIYers and designers who want to go past the built-in settings. Squarespace tutorials and advanced CSS for customizing your website.
- [Creator Science Courses](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/creator-science-courses/): Best for creators who want a thoughtful, sustainable approach to building an audience. Courses by Jay Clouse. Super genuine and bright.
- [Creator Science: The Lab](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/creator-science-the-lab/): Best for creators who want peers, accountability, and real-world benchmarks. A top-tier community of professional (and aspiring professional) creators.
- [Everyone Can Build a Twitter Audience](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/everyone-can-build-a-twitter-audience/): Best for anyone starting from zero on X/Twitter who wants a simple, proven approach. Daniel Vassallo went from a $400K/year Amazon engineer to indie hacker. His course on X/Twitter growth is about 45 minutes, and it works.
- [Love is the Business Plan](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/love-is-the-business-plan/): Best for founders who want to build a business that feels like them. A short, powerful book for those who believe in Good Business.
- [Products by Steph Smith](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/products-by-steph-smith/): Best for creators who want a playbook for content and SEO from someone who's done it. Doing Content Right, Unlocking Hours, and Doing SEO Right. Practical and well-researched.
- [Repurposing for Profit](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/repurposing-for-profit/): Best for experts sitting on a pile of content they could turn into products. How to reuse existing content for profit, by Hassan Osman.
- [Small Bets](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/small-bets/): Best for indie builders who want to make their first $1,000 from a side project. Daniel Vassallo's community, with an awesome, active chat and live workshops.
- [The Hustle](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/the-hustle/): Best for A daily five-minute catch-up on business and tech. A fun, easy-to-read business and tech newsletter.

## Life on the road (Life & Travel)

- [Aeropress](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/aeropress/): Best for coffee people who travel or work from anywhere. My travel coffee maker. Packs small and makes a great cup anywhere.
- [BetterHelp](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/betterhelp/): Best for anyone who wants therapy that fits around a busy schedule. Virtual therapy with an excellent matching system. Highly recommend.
- [ClassPass](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/classpass/): Best for people who get bored of one gym and want variety. Great for mixing up fitness options and trying new things.
- [Creative Entrepreneur Home Office Kit](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/creative-entrepreneur-home-office-kit/): Best for setting up a home office or recording setup that just works. The hardware I actually use.
- [GoPuff](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/gopuff/): Best for late-night essentials delivered fast. For when you need snacks or medicine after 9pm.
- [Skiplagged](https://whattoolshouldiuse.netlify.app/tools/skiplagged/): Best for flexible travelers hunting for cheap one-way flights. The best for researching flights and finding “hidden city” tickets in a pinch.