{"id":1650,"date":"2019-07-24T11:34:38","date_gmt":"2019-07-24T15:34:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog3.canny.io\/wordpress\/?p=1650"},"modified":"2026-05-01T17:12:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T21:12:48","slug":"free-saas-tools-for-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/free-saas-tools-for-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Top free SaaS tools for startups (with a budgeting&nbsp;worksheet)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Not every SaaS company has endless spare money. Maybe you&#8217;re bootstrapped. Maybe your runway is tight. Either way, you need to be economical. That&#8217;s just smart&nbsp;business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we think about what SaaS companies spend on, we tend to consider the big&nbsp;things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Hiring and&nbsp;salaries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Equipment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Taxes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Office&nbsp;costs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Homebase created a great list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.joinhomebase.com\/blog\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-start-a-business\">common business startup&nbsp;costs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There&#8217;s one cost that often slips our minds. It&#8217;s the tools we use in our everyday&nbsp;work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SaaS tools don&#8217;t always seem like big expenditures. However, SaaS companies and startups use a lot of tools for their everyday operations. Most of them aren&#8217;t outrageously&nbsp;expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What&#8217;s another 20 bucks a month for a service that makes your life easier? But how many of these &#8220;only 20 bucks a month&#8221; tools do you already have? Do you&nbsp;know?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It adds up. Big&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We all want quality tools to run our business, even if we&#8217;re on a budget. That doesn&#8217;t mean you have to necessarily empty your pockets for&nbsp;it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/year-two-lessons-bootstrapping\/\">Canny is a fully bootstrapped SaaS company<\/a>. We know exactly what it&#8217;s like to be mindful of&nbsp;money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this post, we&#8217;ll&nbsp;explore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Main operating areas of a SaaS&nbsp;company<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Free SaaS tools to&nbsp;consider<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Affordable alternatives (when free SaaS tools aren&#8217;t&nbsp;available)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1nYOX38C4_MGpGJLlpP4WoFAHoRPbAbgdnaLE5qqgmD8\/edit#gid=60293539\">pre-formatted spreadsheet for easy&nbsp;calculations<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>You can make a copy of this spreadsheet&nbsp;to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Analyze your current tech stack costs and see where you can cut&nbsp;costs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Outline your desired tech stack and predict future&nbsp;costs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s&nbsp;roll!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>TL;DR<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You can run a real SaaS startup on free tiers across product, support, marketing, design, and&nbsp;engineering.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most tools below offer a true free plan, not a&nbsp;trial.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Watch the upgrade triggers. Higher contacts and seats are often where paid plans are&nbsp;needed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Grab the <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1nYOX38C4_MGpGJLlpP4WoFAHoRPbAbgdnaLE5qqgmD8\/\">free budgeting worksheet<\/a> to model your real monthly&nbsp;spend.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tools we use at Canny are marked with&nbsp;\u2665.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The SaaS tool categories<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;re going to be looking at the following big categories for SaaS&nbsp;tools:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Hopefully, you will find some new and cool tools to check out and save costs. Remember: only you know what is the right tool for your team. Use this article as a&nbsp;guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>PS: there&#8217;s a little \u2665 next to the tools we use or have used and\/or would recommend. If you have questions about our experience with them, reach out to&nbsp;us!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Product management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>These tools help you collect feedback, validate ideas, and ship the right thing. Your customers will tell you what to build if you give them a place to do it. For a deeper look, see our roundup of the <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/best-customer-feedback-management-tools\/\">best customer feedback management&nbsp;tools<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 Canny<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Canny gives you a feedback portal, public roadmap, and changelog in one place. It&#8217;s built for SaaS teams who want to close the loop with&nbsp;customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Free plan includes unlimited Autopilot Feedback Discovery. Autopilot pulls feedback automatically from Intercom, Zendesk, Gong, Zoom, and&nbsp;more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You also get unlimited posts, unlimited boards, and unlimited admin seats. Track up to 25 users on Free before upgrading. Paid plans start at $19\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"max-width: 650px; margin: 0 auto;\"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class=\"hs-cta-wrapper\" id=\"hs-cta-wrapper-e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\"> <span class=\"hs-cta-node hs-cta-e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\" id=\"hs-cta-e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\"> <!--[if lte IE 8]><div id=\"hs-cta-ie-element\"><\/div><![endif]--> <a href=\"https:\/\/cta-redirect.hubspot.com\/cta\/redirect\/5705808\/e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"hs-cta-img lazyload\" id=\"hs-cta-img-e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\" style=\"border-width:0px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/5705808\/e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa.png\" alt=\"New call-to-action\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/> <\/a> <\/span> <script charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/js.hscta.net\/cta\/current.js\"><\/script> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> hbspt.cta.load(5705808, 'e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa', {\"useNewLoader\":\"true\",\"region\":\"na1\"}); <\/script> <\/span> <!-- end HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maze<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Maze runs unmoderated usability tests on prototypes and live sites. It&#8217;s great for validating ideas before you ship. The free plan covers individual users with limited monthly testers. Paid plans start at $99\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/maze.co\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lyssna<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Lyssna handles surveys, five-second tests, first-click tests, and prototype testing. It was formerly known as UsabilityHub. The free plan includes their core methods with three seats. Paid plans start at $83\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lyssna.com\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Statsig<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Statsig combines feature flags, A\/B testing, and product analytics in one platform. The free Developer tier covers 2 million events per month and unlimited seats. Paid plans start at $150\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/statsig.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Internal communication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Pick one core chat tool and stick with it. Splitting messages across two apps is a recipe for missed&nbsp;context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 Slack<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Slack is the default chat tool for most SaaS teams. The free plan keeps 90 days of message history and connects up to 10 apps. Paid plans start at $7.25\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/slack.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Discord<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Discord works well for community-led products and informal teams. Voice channels and bots are strong. Nitro paid plans start at $9.99\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/discord.com\/nitro\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Twist<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Twist is async-first messaging from the Doist team. It suits remote teams that want fewer notifications. Paid plans start at $6\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/twist.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Google Chat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Google Chat ships with Google Workspace. Use it if you already live in Gmail and Drive. Workspace plans start at $7\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/workspace.google.com\/pricing.html\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Microsoft Teams (free)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Microsoft Teams free covers chat, calls, and basic meetings. It&#8217;s strong for teams already on Microsoft 365. Paid plans start at $4\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/microsoft-teams\/compare-microsoft-teams-options\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Video and async meetings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Live calls and recorded videos cover different jobs. Use both to cut down on long&nbsp;meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zoom<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Zoom remains the default for client calls and webinars. The free plan caps group meetings at 40 minutes. Paid plans start at $13.33\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/zoom.us\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Google Meet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Google Meet is included with Workspace and works well in-browser. It suits Google-first teams. Paid plans start at $7\/user\/month through Workspace. <a href=\"https:\/\/workspace.google.com\/pricing.html\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Loom<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Loom captures quick screen-and-camera videos. Async demos beat scheduling another sync. The free plan caps videos at 5 minutes. Paid plans start at $15\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.atlassian.com\/software\/loom\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Marketing and email<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Email is still the highest-ROI channel for most SaaS startups. Pick one shared inbox and one broadcast&nbsp;tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 Missive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Missive turns shared inboxes into a real collaboration tool. It suits founders and small support teams. Paid plans start at $14\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/missiveapp.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mailchimp<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Mailchimp is the household name in email marketing. The free plan now covers 250 contacts and 500 monthly sends. Paid plans start at $13\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/mailchimp.com\/pricing\/marketing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">EmailOctopus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>EmailOctopus is a budget-friendly newsletter tool. The free plan supports 2,500 subscribers. Paid plans start at $9\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/emailoctopus.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 HubSpot email marketing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>HubSpot&#8217;s free email tools work alongside its free CRM. The free tier sends up to 2,000 emails per month. Paid plans start at $20\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/pricing\/marketing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Brevo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) bundles email, SMS, and basic CRM. The free plan allows 300 sends per day. Paid plans start at $9\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brevo.com\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Loops<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Loops is built for SaaS lifecycle and product email. The clean editor and developer-friendly setup are highlights. Paid plans start at $15\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/loops.so\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Beehiiv<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Beehiiv is the go-to for newsletter creators who want monetization built in. The free plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers. Paid plans start at $49\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beehiiv.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Social media management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Schedule once, post everywhere. These tools save hours every&nbsp;week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Buffer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Buffer is the cleanest scheduler for small teams. The free plan covers 3 channels with 10 queued posts each. Paid plans start at $5\/channel\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/buffer.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Typefully<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Typefully is laser-focused on X and LinkedIn threads. Writers and founders love it. Paid plans start at $12.50\/month (billed annually). <a href=\"https:\/\/typefully.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Publer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Publer covers a long list of networks at a low price. It&#8217;s a strong Buffer alternative. Paid plans start at $12\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/publer.io\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Customer support, service, and success<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Pick one ticketing tool and one feedback channel. Layer on a survey tool when you need satisfaction&nbsp;scores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Freshdesk<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Freshdesk has one of the most generous free tiers in support software. The free program covers up to 2 agents. Paid plans start at $15\/agent\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freshworks.com\/freshdesk\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">HubSpot Service Hub free<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>HubSpot&#8217;s free service tools include tickets, live chat, and a shared inbox. They sit on top of the free CRM. Paid plans start at $20\/seat\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/pricing\/service\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 HubSpot CRM<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>HubSpot&#8217;s free CRM supports up to 1,000,000 contacts at no cost. It&#8217;s a strong starting point for sales tracking. Paid plans start at $15\/seat\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/products\/crm\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zoho CRM free<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Zoho CRM offers a free tier for up to 3 users. Pipeline tracking and lead capture are included. Paid plans start at $14\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoho.com\/crm\/zohocrm-pricing.html\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Delighted<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Delighted runs NPS, CSAT, and CES surveys with minimal setup. The free tier handles small monthly response volume. Paid plans start at $224\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/delighted.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Project and task management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Project management tools keep work organized and on track. Most have free plans that cover small teams&nbsp;well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 ClickUp<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>ClickUp packs tasks, docs, and dashboards into one tool. The free plan supports unlimited members. Paid plans start at $7\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Trello<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Trello is the simplest kanban board to learn. The free plan allows 10 boards per workspace. Paid plans start at $5\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/trello.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Asana<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Asana suits cross-functional teams running formal projects. The free plan covers up to 10 collaborators. Paid plans start at $10.99\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/asana.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Linear<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Linear is the modern issue tracker for product teams. The free plan caps at 250 issues across 2 teams. Paid plans start at $10\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/linear.app\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Height<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Height blends task tracking with AI-driven project workflows. The free plan covers small teams. Paid plans start at $6.99\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/height.app\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Documentation and knowledge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Write things down once. Future you will thank present&nbsp;you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 Notion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Notion handles wikis, project databases, and meeting notes in one place. The free plan is genuinely useful for small teams. Paid plans start at $10\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.notion.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 Google Workspace<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Google Workspace covers email, docs, sheets, and storage for the whole team. Most startups already use a chunk of it. Paid plans start at $7\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/workspace.google.com\/pricing.html\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Confluence Free<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Confluence pairs naturally with Jira for engineering teams. The free plan covers up to 10 users. Paid plans start at $5.42\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.atlassian.com\/software\/confluence\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Coda<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Coda mixes docs and databases with deep formula logic. The free plan supports unlimited Doc Makers with size limits. Paid plans start at $10\/Doc Maker\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/coda.io\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Analytics and metrics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Pick one source of truth per question. Don&#8217;t drown the team in&nbsp;dashboards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">ChartMogul<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>ChartMogul tracks SaaS metrics like MRR, churn, and LTV. The free plan covers up to $10K MRR. Paid plans start at $129\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/chartmogul.com\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 Airtable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Airtable is a spreadsheet-database hybrid for ops, content, and CRM workflows. The free plan covers small teams. Paid plans start at $20\/seat\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/airtable.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 Mixpanel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Mixpanel tracks product events, funnels, and retention. The free plan handles up to 1 million events per month. Paid Growth plans start around $28\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/mixpanel.com\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 Google Analytics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Google Analytics is the standard for free web analytics. GA4 is the current version. Most teams can use the free version&nbsp;indefinitely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PostHog<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>PostHog combines product analytics, session replay, and feature flags. The free tier is generous. Usage-based pricing kicks in after that. <a href=\"https:\/\/posthog.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plausible<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Plausible is a privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative. It offers a 30-day free trial. Paid plans start at $9\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/plausible.io\/#pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fathom<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Fathom is another privacy-first web analytics option. Paid plans start at $15\/month, but it offers a free trial. <a href=\"https:\/\/usefathom.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hotjar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Hotjar shows you heatmaps, recordings, and surveys. The free plan covers up to 35 daily sessions. Paid plans start at $32\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hotjar.com\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Free design tools have come a long way. These options cover most early-stage&nbsp;needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 Figma<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Figma is the industry default for product design. The Starter plan is free for up to 3 design files. Paid plans start at $12\/editor\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.figma.com\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 Canva<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Canva is the fast option for marketing graphics, decks, and social posts. The free plan is genuinely usable. Paid plans start at $15\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canva.com\/en\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Penpot<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Penpot is a free, open-source design and prototyping tool. Self-hosting is supported. Paid plans start at $7\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/penpot.app\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pixlr<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pixlr is a browser-based photo editor with AI tools. The free plan covers basic edits. Paid plans start at $7.99\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/pixlr.com\/plans\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Engineering<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Free credits and free tiers go a long way for early-stage teams. Many of these will carry you to product-market fit. We wrote about that journey in our <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/saas-startup-ramen-profitability\/\">ramen profitability&nbsp;post<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 AWS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>AWS offers a 12-month free tier plus always-free services. Activate startup credits if you qualify. Usage-based pricing applies after. <a href=\"https:\/\/aws.amazon.com\/free\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cloudflare<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Cloudflare&#8217;s free plan covers DNS, CDN, DDoS protection, and Workers. It&#8217;s hard to overstate the value. Paid Pro plans start at $25\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cloudflare.com\/plans\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Google Cloud Platform<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Google Cloud gives new accounts $300 in credits plus always-free tiers. Usage-based pricing applies after. <a href=\"https:\/\/cloud.google.com\/free\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vercel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Vercel hosts modern frontend apps with a generous Hobby tier. Pro plans start at $20\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/vercel.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Netlify<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Netlify offers fast frontend hosting and serverless functions. The free starter plan handles small projects. Paid plans start at $19\/member\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.netlify.com\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Supabase<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Supabase is the open-source Firebase alternative. The free plan supports two free projects. Pro plans start at $25\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/supabase.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Render<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Render hosts web services, databases, and cron jobs. The free tier covers small workloads. Paid services start at $7\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/render.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">VS Code<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Visual Studio Code is the default code editor for most developers. Open-source and&nbsp;free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 GitHub<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>GitHub hosts code, runs CI, and ships built-in security tools. The free plan covers unlimited public and private repos. Paid Team plans start at $4\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">GitLab<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>GitLab bundles Git hosting, CI\/CD, and DevOps tools. The free tier is robust. Paid plans start at $29\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/about.gitlab.com\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 Sentry<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sentry catches errors and performance issues in production. The free Developer plan covers 5,000 errors per month. Paid plans start at $26\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/sentry.io\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">AI and automation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Free AI plans handle a real chunk of daily work now. Pair them with a no-code automation tool to wire workflows&nbsp;together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 ChatGPT<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>ChatGPT&#8217;s free tier handles writing, research, code, and more. Paid Plus plans start at $20\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/openai.com\/chatgpt\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2665 Claude<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Claude is Anthropic&#8217;s assistant with strong long-context reading. The free tier is useful for everyday tasks and similar to ChatGPT&#8217;s capabilities. Paid Pro plans start at $20\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/claude.ai\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Perplexity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Perplexity is an answer engine that cites its sources. Great for thorough, fast research. Paid Pro plans start at $20\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.perplexity.ai\/pro\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zapier<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Zapier connects 8,000+ apps without code. The free plan covers 100 tasks per month. Paid Professional plans start at $19.99\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/zapier.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Make is a more visual, often cheaper Zapier alternative. The free plan covers 1,000 operations. Paid plans start at $9\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.make.com\/en\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Forms, scheduling, and passwords<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Three small categories that bite when you ignore&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tally<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tally builds forms with a Notion-style editor. The free plan offers unlimited forms and submissions. Paid plans start at $29\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/tally.so\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cal.com<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Cal.com is open-source scheduling. The free plan covers individuals well. Paid Teams plans start at $15\/user\/month. <a href=\"https:\/\/cal.com\/pricing\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bitwarden<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Bitwarden is an open-source password manager. The free plan supports unlimited personal vault items. Paid Premium starts at $10\/year. <a href=\"https:\/\/bitwarden.com\/pricing\/\">See&nbsp;pricing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quick reference: every tool at a glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Quick legend. \u2713\u2713 means a generous free plan. \u2713 means a free plan. \u26a0 means free trial&nbsp;only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Tool<\/th><th>Category<\/th><th>Free plan<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>\u2665 Canny<\/td><td>Customer feedback<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Maze<\/td><td>User testing<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Lyssna<\/td><td>User research<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Statsig<\/td><td>Experimentation<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 Slack<\/td><td>Internal comms<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Discord<\/td><td>Internal comms<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Twist<\/td><td>Internal comms<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Google Chat<\/td><td>Internal comms<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Microsoft Teams (free)<\/td><td>Internal comms<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Zoom<\/td><td>Video meetings<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Google Meet<\/td><td>Video meetings<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Loom<\/td><td>Async video<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 Missive<\/td><td>Team email<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Mailchimp<\/td><td>Email marketing<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>EmailOctopus<\/td><td>Email marketing<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 HubSpot email<\/td><td>Email marketing<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Brevo<\/td><td>Email marketing<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Loops<\/td><td>Email marketing<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Beehiiv<\/td><td>Newsletter<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Buffer<\/td><td>Social media<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Typefully<\/td><td>Social media<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Publer<\/td><td>Social media<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Freshdesk<\/td><td>Support tickets<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>HubSpot Service Hub<\/td><td>Support tickets<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Delighted<\/td><td>NPS &amp; CSAT<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 HubSpot CRM<\/td><td>CRM<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Zoho CRM<\/td><td>CRM<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 ClickUp<\/td><td>Project management<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Trello<\/td><td>Project management<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Asana<\/td><td>Project management<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Linear<\/td><td>Project management<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Height<\/td><td>Project management<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 Notion<\/td><td>Docs &amp; wiki<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 Google Workspace<\/td><td>Docs &amp; storage<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Confluence<\/td><td>Docs &amp; wiki<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Coda<\/td><td>Docs &amp; wiki<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>ChartMogul<\/td><td>Analytics<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 Airtable<\/td><td>Analytics &amp; ops<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 Mixpanel<\/td><td>Product analytics<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 Google Analytics<\/td><td>Web analytics<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>PostHog<\/td><td>Product analytics<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Plausible<\/td><td>Web analytics<\/td><td>\u26a0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fathom<\/td><td>Web analytics<\/td><td>\u26a0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Hotjar<\/td><td>Web analytics<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 Figma<\/td><td>Design<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 Canva<\/td><td>Design<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Penpot<\/td><td>Design<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Pixlr<\/td><td>Design<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 AWS<\/td><td>Cloud<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cloudflare<\/td><td>Cloud<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Google Cloud<\/td><td>Cloud<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Vercel<\/td><td>Cloud<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Netlify<\/td><td>Cloud<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Supabase<\/td><td>Cloud<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Render<\/td><td>Cloud<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>VS Code<\/td><td>Engineering<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 GitHub<\/td><td>Engineering<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>GitLab<\/td><td>Engineering<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 Sentry<\/td><td>Engineering<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 ChatGPT<\/td><td>AI<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2665 Claude<\/td><td>AI<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Perplexity<\/td><td>AI<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Zapier<\/td><td>Automation<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Make<\/td><td>Automation<\/td><td>\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Tally<\/td><td>Forms<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cal.com<\/td><td>Scheduling<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Bitwarden<\/td><td>Passwords<\/td><td>\u2713\u2713<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Happy budgeting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;re now armed with a long list of free tools. Grab the <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1nYOX38C4_MGpGJLlpP4WoFAHoRPbAbgdnaLE5qqgmD8\/\">free budgeting spreadsheet<\/a> and start mapping your real stack today. Pair it with our <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/lessons-learned-bootstrapping-saas\/\">bootstrapping lessons<\/a> for context. Trim what you don&#8217;t use. Keep what earns its&nbsp;keep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div data-schema-only=\"false\" class=\"wp-block-aioseo-faq\"><h3 class=\"aioseo-faq-block-question\">What are SaaS tools?<\/h3><div class=\"aioseo-faq-block-answer\">\n<p>SaaS stands for software as a service. SaaS tools are cloud apps you access through a browser or login. You pay a recurring fee instead of buying software outright. Examples include Slack, Notion, and&nbsp;Mailchimp.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-schema-only=\"false\" class=\"wp-block-aioseo-faq\"><h3 class=\"aioseo-faq-block-question\">Are free SaaS tools good enough for startups?<\/h3><div class=\"aioseo-faq-block-answer\">\n<p>Yes, for most early-stage work. Free tiers from tools like Slack, Notion, GitHub, and HubSpot cover the core jobs. The trade-off is usually around limits on users, storage, or features. Most teams hit upgrade triggers after product-market&nbsp;fit.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-schema-only=\"false\" class=\"wp-block-aioseo-faq\"><h3 class=\"aioseo-faq-block-question\">What&#8217;s the difference between free, freemium, and free trial?<\/h3><div class=\"aioseo-faq-block-answer\">\n<p>Free means no cost ever, with no card required. Freemium means a permanent free tier with optional paid upgrades. A free trial gives full access for a set period, then expires. Always check which model a tool uses before you&nbsp;commit.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-schema-only=\"false\" class=\"wp-block-aioseo-faq\"><h3 class=\"aioseo-faq-block-question\">How many SaaS tools does the average startup use?<\/h3><div class=\"aioseo-faq-block-answer\">\n<p>Most early-stage SaaS startups use between 20 and 40 tools. Mid-market companies often pass 100 across all departments. Industry reports from Vendr and Productiv put the average company-wide SaaS count near 130. Audit your stack twice a year to keep waste&nbsp;low.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-schema-only=\"false\" class=\"wp-block-aioseo-faq\"><h3 class=\"aioseo-faq-block-question\">How much should a startup spend on SaaS tools?<\/h3><div class=\"aioseo-faq-block-answer\">\n<p>Bootstrapped startups often run on under $500 a month for the first year. Funded startups typically spend $500 to $2,500 per employee per year on SaaS. Use the budgeting worksheet linked below to model your real&nbsp;number.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-schema-only=\"false\" class=\"wp-block-aioseo-faq\"><h3 class=\"aioseo-faq-block-question\">What are the best free SaaS tools for startups?<\/h3><div class=\"aioseo-faq-block-answer\">\n<p>Strong free picks span every category. Canny covers feedback, Slack handles chat, Notion runs docs, GitHub stores code, and HubSpot&#8217;s free CRM tracks deals. Layer on Figma for design, Mixpanel for analytics, and Buffer for social posting. Together they get a startup from idea to launch at near-zero&nbsp;cost.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Not every SaaS company has endless spare money. One of the biggest piggy bank breakers are the tools we use\u2014and it adds up fast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":5660,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1650","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-building-saas"],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Top free SaaS tools for startups (with a budgeting worksheet) - Canny Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Not every company has endless spare money. One of the biggest piggy bank breakers are the tools we use. 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