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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
Website Meetings Automation Team apps Backups Time tracking 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

Website & Online Website cost, builders, domains, business email, security and email lists for a small business online. 27 Meetings & Video Calls Cameras, speakerphones, headsets and transcription for meeting rooms and desks, sized to the room. 27 Automation Zapier, Make, n8n and Power Automate compared and priced, and the jobs worth automating first. 26 Team Apps Slack or Teams, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, Notion, ClickUp and the plan each team size… 26 Backup & Security Backups, NAS boxes, encryption and recovery plans that a small office can actually keep running. 25 Time Tracking Time trackers, time clocks and employee monitoring, compared for billing, payroll and fairness. 25 Hiring & HR Applicant tracking, onboarding checklists, payroll and HR software for teams that hire a few a month. 22 POS & Card Readers Point-of-sale systems and card readers for shops, cafes and pop-ups, with the fees that come with… 18 Payments & Invoicing Card fees, payment processors, invoicing and accounting software, worked out for small volumes. 17 AI at Work The AI tools that save a small team real hours - writing, meeting notes, video -… 16 Office Wi-Fi & Network Routers, mesh Wi-Fi, PoE switches and VPNs for a small office, sized to the floor and… 14 Small Business IT Hardware Setup Helps small business buyers decide on computers, servers, printers, and peripherals optimized for their team size,… 1
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.

VPN serviceIceVPN

IceVPN is a privacy-focused VPN that provides fast and secure internet connections with strong encryption.

  • securely access the internet without worrying about data breaches
  • encrypt sensitive business communications
  • connect to a global network of servers for better performance
See how IceVPN works
Digital software licensesMacrosoft Store

Macrosoft Store is an online retailer that sells digital software licenses for products like Microsoft Office, Windows, and Adobe software, delivering licenses via email quickly.

  • Receive software licenses via email within minutes
  • Access a range of popular software products for business and design
  • Get dedicated support for installation and usage issues
See how Macrosoft Store works
Email validation toolZeroBounce

ZeroBounce is an email validation and list cleaning tool that helps businesses improve their email deliverability and maintain valid account data.

  • Validate and clean email lists to reduce bounces.
  • Build and maintain a positive sender reputation.
  • Monitor inbox health and track deliverability metrics.
See how ZeroBounce works

Flexible pricing: pay-as-you-go or subscription

Video editing toolInVideo AI

InVideo AI is a video editing tool that uses AI to help users create and edit videos efficiently without needing extensive technical skills.

  • Easily edit multiple shots at once with AI assistance.
  • Quickly find specific moments in footage by describing them.
  • Collaborate with team members in real-time.
See how InVideo AI works

Monthly or annual subscription plans available.

Domain registration serviceEuroDNS

EuroDNS is a European domain registrar that offers domain registration, web hosting, email, SSL, DNS, and security services to help businesses and individuals establish a secure online presence.

  • Register a domain name with a wide range of extensions.
  • Access web hosting and email services with added security features.
  • Join an affiliate program to earn commissions by referring new customers.
See how EuroDNS works
Software marketplaceAppSumo

AppSumo is a software marketplace that offers high-value, low-cost deals on various productivity, marketing, and content tools for entrepreneurs.

  • Discover the latest productivity and marketing tools.
  • Access exclusive deals and discounts on software.
  • Benefit from a 60-day money-back promise.
See how AppSumo works

not stated

Email & SMS MarketingReoon Email Verifier

Reoon Email Verifier is an email validation service that cleans invalid, temporary, and unsafe email addresses to protect email server reputation.

  • Clean and validate email lists with over 99% accuracy
  • Detect fake, temporary, or spam-trap addresses
  • Reduce bounce rates and protect sender reputation
See how Reoon Email Verifier works

One-time payment, lifetime access

Finance & AccountingInvoiless

Invoiless is an all-in-one invoicing solution that helps users create, send, manage, and track invoices from one platform.

  • Create and send invoices quickly and easily
  • Manage multiple businesses and clients in one place
  • Track income and expenses effectively
See how Invoiless 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

Website & Online

All 27

Meetings & Video Calls

All 27

Automation

All 26
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