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Small-business tech, compared and priced

The right tools for a small team, compared and priced

Plain-English guides to the software and gear a small team runs on - automation, payments, meetings, backups, Wi-Fi and hiring - sized to your headcount and priced to the month.

Your business
Backups Meetings Team apps Website Time tracking Automation Hiring & HR POS Payments AI at work
Head to head

The comparisons small teams ask for most

ZapierMake Which one is cheaper at your task count, and where each one breaks. Read the comparison SlackTeams Chat, calls and price per seat for a team of 5 to 50. Read the comparison WorkspaceMicrosoft 365 Email, storage and the plan each team size needs. Read the comparison SquareStripe In-person or online, and what the fees come to each month. Read the comparison TogglClockify Billable hours, timesheets and the free plan's limits. Read the comparison QuickBooksXero Invoicing, payroll add-ons and what your accountant expects. Read the comparison
Pick the job

Every guide, by the job in front of you

Backup & Security Backups, NAS boxes, encryption and recovery plans that a small office can actually keep running. 22 Meetings & Video Calls Cameras, speakerphones, headsets and transcription for meeting rooms and desks, sized to the room. 21 Team Apps Slack or Teams, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, Notion, ClickUp and the plan each team size… 21 Website & Online Website cost, builders, domains, business email, security and email lists for a small business online. 20 Time Tracking Time trackers, time clocks and employee monitoring, compared for billing, payroll and fairness. 19 Automation Zapier, Make, n8n and Power Automate compared and priced, and the jobs worth automating first. 19 Hiring & HR Applicant tracking, onboarding checklists, payroll and HR software for teams that hire a few a month. 17 POS & Card Readers Point-of-sale systems and card readers for shops, cafes and pop-ups, with the fees that come with… 14 Payments & Invoicing Card fees, payment processors, invoicing and accounting software, worked out for small volumes. 10 AI at Work The AI tools that save a small team real hours - writing, meeting notes, video -… 9 Office Wi-Fi & Network Routers, mesh Wi-Fi, PoE switches and VPNs for a small office, sized to the floor and… 8
In our guides

Tools our guides recommend, when they fit

Each one is recommended only where it solves the problem in that guide. They take turns at the front of this list.

Project ManagementStackby

Stackby is a no-code platform that allows users to transform spreadsheets into custom databases and applications with built-in automations.

  • Create and manage databases with various column types and views
  • Automate workflows without coding using Zapier-style integrations
  • Visualize data through customizable dashboards and reports
See how Stackby works

One-time payment, lifetime access

Productivity & AutomationPrismical

Prismical is a tool that records and transcribes speech into structured notes using AI, allowing users to capture conversations and extract key decisions and action items.

  • Record and transcribe meetings, voice notes, and lectures in real-time.
  • Auto-summarize conversations into structured notes with key decisions.
  • Share notes directly with team members without the need for exports.
See how Prismical works

One-time payment, lifetime access

Forms & App BuildersDeftform

Deftform is a form-building tool that allows users to create custom forms, automate workflows, and collect data efficiently.

  • Create unlimited forms and collect unlimited responses
  • Automate workflows based on form submissions
  • Manage data securely and ensure GDPR compliance
See how Deftform works

One-time payment, lifetime access

VideoFlexClip

FlexClip is an AI-powered online video editor that allows users to create, edit, and share professional videos using templates and stock assets.

  • Create and edit videos for various purposes including marketing and social media.
  • Access over 4 million royalty-free stock assets.
  • Utilize ready-made templates to streamline video production.
See how FlexClip works

One-time payment, lifetime access

VideoScreenToVideo

ScreenToVideo is a screen recording and video editing software that allows users to capture, edit, and share videos easily.

  • Record your screen with audio and webcam integration.
  • Edit videos using AI-powered features like silence removal and blur effects.
  • Export videos in multiple formats including MP4 and GIF.
See how ScreenToVideo works

One-time payment, lifetime access

Docs, Legal & HRUPDF

UPDF is a PDF editor that allows users to edit, annotate, convert, organize, and sign PDF documents across multiple platforms including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.

  • Edit and annotate PDF documents easily.
  • Convert PDFs to various formats including Word, Excel, and images.
  • Organize PDF pages by rearranging or deleting them.
See how UPDF works

One-time payment, lifetime access

Docs, Legal & HRXInterview AI

XInterview AI is a video interviewing platform that automates the hiring process using AI technology to evaluate candidates efficiently.

  • Automate candidate screening through AI-generated video interviews
  • Export candidate responses in CSV format
  • Utilize email automation for candidate communication
See how XInterview AI works

One-time payment, lifetime access

Docs, Legal & HRDocPro

DocPro is a platform that provides instant access to over 2,800 lawyer-approved legal templates for various business needs, allowing users to save time and reduce legal costs.

  • Access a wide range of customizable legal templates
  • Download documents in Word or PDF format
  • Request new documents at no extra cost
See how DocPro works

One-time payment, lifetime access

Some links on this site are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products where they genuinely fit the problem.

What it really costs

Prices worked out for a small team, not a sales page

Start here

The guides readers open first

Backup & Security

All 22

Meetings & Video Calls

All 21

Team Apps

All 21
How we size a tool

Your team size first, the feature list last

  1. 1Start from the headcount

    Every guide is sized to a real team - 3 desks, 12 staff, 40 laptops - because that decides the plan you need.

  2. 2Price it to the month

    Seats, tasks, card fees and add-ons from the vendor's own pricing page, added up for that team.

  3. 3Say what breaks

    Limits, lock-in and the point where a cheaper tool stops being enough, said plainly.

  4. 4Date every check

    Prices and plans change. Each guide says when it was last checked, and is updated when they move.

Jordan Ellis edits CircleBytes. Every guide is sized to a real team, priced from the vendor's own pricing page and dated, so you can see when it was last checked. About CircleBytes