What Tech Tools Do You Actually Need to Start an Online Business?

Tech and SystemsTech That Actually WorksSolopreneur Resources

Mar 18

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If you've spent more than 20 minutes Googling "best tools for online business," you already know the problem. Every article has a different answer. Every YouTube video recommends something different. And by the end of it, you're more confused than when you started and now you have four browser tabs open for platforms you've never heard of.

Here's the truth: most of those recommendations are built for businesses that already exist. For people who have an audience, a proven offer, and revenue coming in. Not for someone who's pre-launch, working full-time, and trying to figure out where to even start.

The tools that work for a 7-figure course creator look nothing like what you need on day one. And buying the wrong tools for your stage doesn't just waste money, it wastes the limited time you have to actually build this thing.

This post breaks it down by phase so you know exactly what to set up, and what to skip, based on where you actually are right now.

Why Your Phase Matters More Than the Tool

Here's the thing nobody talks about in those "best tools" roundups: the right tool depends entirely on where your business is right now. Not where you want it to be. Not where the person writing the article is. Where YOU are.

Think of it in four phases:

Pre-Launch is where most of you reading this are right now. You have an idea, maybe a half-built product, and a tech setup that may or may not make sense. Your goal at this stage is simple: get something live. That's it. You don't need 12 tools. You need three.

Early Stage means you have something live, a product, an offer, a service, and you're starting to get traction. Maybe a small email list. A few customers. Now you can start adding the tools that make delivery smoother and follow-up more automated.

Growing means you're making consistent sales and starting to feel the limits of your current setup. Things are falling through the cracks. You're doing things manually that should be automated. This is when the more powerful (and more expensive) tools start to earn their place.

Scaling is when you have a proven offer, a real audience, and revenue that can support a more sophisticated tool stack. Congrats. You've earned Kajabi.

Most solopreneurs are building a Scaling-phase tool stack while they're still in Pre-Launch. That's the problem. Not the tools themselves, the sequence.

I see it all the time in my work as a Migrations Expert at Kit. Someone comes to me overwhelmed, paying for tools they don't use, half-set-up across three platforms. The fix isn't always switching tools. Sometimes it's just getting clear on where you actually are, and what that phase actually requires.

The Phase 1 Tech Stack: Pre-Launch to First Dollar

At the Pre-Launch stage, you need exactly three things. That's it. Here's what they are and what I actually recommend for each.

1. A Website (Or a Really Good Landing Page)

You don't need a 10-page website with a blog, a resources section, and a custom 404 page. You need somewhere for people to find you and understand what you do.

My top recommendation is Squarespace. It's clean, it looks professional out of the box, it has everything you need to grow into, a blog, e-commerce, scheduling, the works. It's where I send most of my clients who are starting fresh.

If budget is tight and you're not ready to commit to a monthly fee, look at Carrd. I'll be honest, I haven't used it extensively, but what I've seen looks clean and simple. And simple is exactly what you need in the beginning. One page. Clear message. One thing to click. You can always grow into Squarespace later when the business is generating income.

What I'd skip right now: a custom-built website, anything that costs more than $20/month, and any platform you need a developer to update.

2. An Email Platform

This is non-negotiable. Your email list is the only audience you actually own. Social media followers, TikTok views, Instagram reach, none of that is yours. One algorithm change and it's gone. Your email list goes with you everywhere.

My recommendation is Kit (formerly ConvertKit), and yes, I work there, but I was recommending it before I got the job. It's built specifically for creators and solopreneurs. The free plan lets you grow to 10,000 subscribers before you pay a cent. The landing page builder is solid enough that you can get started without a separate website tool. And the tagging and segmentation system is genuinely flexible without being overwhelming.

If you want to get your Kit account set up fast without building everything from scratch, I have a Kit-in-a-Box training that includes templates in my shop that helps you with the set up.

3. A Product Platform

Where your product actually lives and gets delivered. This one depends on what you're selling.

For courses: I like Podia. It's clean, it's reasonably priced, it handles courses and digital products, and it's not overwhelming to set up. You can grow with it without needing to migrate everything later.

For templates, PDFs, or simple digital downloads: honestly, you might not need a separate platform at all. Kit can send a download link automatically after someone opts in or purchases. If you want a dedicated storefront, Payhip is a solid free option, and Stan Store works well if you want something that feels more like a link-in-bio shop.

That's the Phase 1 stack. Website. Email. Product platform. Three things. Everything else comes after you've made your first dollar.

What You Don't Need Yet (And Why People Buy It Anyway)

This is the section I wish someone had handed me when I was starting out. Because I did all of these things. I have receipts.

Kajabi (or any all-in-one platform) before you have an audience

Kajabi is genuinely great. It handles your website, email, courses, memberships, and checkout all in one place. When you're running a real, established business, it's incredible. When you're pre-launch with no audience and one unfinished product? It's $149/month of mostly unused features.

The argument for buying it early is that you won't have to migrate your courses later when you grow. And that's fair. But "avoiding a future migration" is not a good enough reason to spend $1,800/year before you've made a dollar. Start smaller. Build revenue. Then upgrade.

ActiveCampaign (or any enterprise-level email platform)

ActiveCampaign is powerful. It's also complex in a way that is completely unnecessary when you're starting an email list from zero. The learning curve alone will eat hours you don't have. Start with Kit's free plan, learn how email marketing actually works for your audience, and upgrade your tools when your needs actually require it.

Dubsado or HoneyBook before you have clients to manage

I have to tell you a personal story here because I need you to learn from my mistake.

I have a Dubsado account. I got in early when it was $10/month and I locked in that rate. It is now $35-40/month for new subscribers. I still don't use it. I can't bring myself to cancel because I got a deal. This is not a flex. This is a cautionary tale. Do not be me.

Dubsado and HoneyBook are great CRM tools for service providers managing multiple clients, contracts, and invoices. If you have a handful of clients and you're tracking everything in a Notes app right now, a spreadsheet will serve you better than a full CRM until your client load genuinely requires one. Don't buy the tool for the business you're planning to have. Buy it for the business you currently have.

The Free Tool That Figures This Out For You

If you're reading this and thinking "okay but what do I actually need for MY specific situation” I built something for exactly that.

The Find Your Tech Stack Tool is a free interactive tool that asks you four questions about your stage, your offer type, your timeline, and your budget — and gives you a personalized tech stack recommendation with a setup order. No guessing. No Googling. No rabbit holes.

It takes about two minutes. And it's free.

I built it because the question "what tools do I need?" has a different answer for literally everyone, and most blog posts (including the ones I was writing before this one) try to give one answer that works for all situations. It doesn't. Your situation has context that a general article can't account for.

When You're Ready for More

Once your Phase 1 stack is set up and you're starting to get traction, you're making sales, growing your list, getting questions from your audience, the next step is usually getting the rest of your backend built out properly.

That's what Weekend Empire is for. It's a $67/month membership with all the templates, mini-courses, and monthly support you need to set up your business backend, built specifically for solopreneurs who are doing this while working a full-time job.

No 40-hour course to finish. No generic advice built for someone with unlimited time. Just the actual systems, templates, and support for the reality you're actually living. Learn more here.

Start Small. Set It Up Right. Then Grow.

Building a business while working full-time means your time and money are both limited. Every tool you're paying for that isn't earning its spot is money that could go toward something that actually moves you forward, and hours you'll never get back.

The three-tool stack isn't a compromise. It's the right starting point. Build on a solid foundation, get your first sales, and let your revenue earn you the upgrades.

Ready to figure out your specific starting point?

→ Grab the free tech stack tool here

→ Join Weekend Empire

P.S. Hey solopreneur! If you're ready to stop Googling and just get the thing set up, my shop has templates and mini-courses for exactly that. No fluff, no 40-hour course, just the done-for-you tools to get your business backend actually working. Check it out here! ✨