85 Essential Startup Resources
These are the tools that we know, love, and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend—many of them we
use ourselves. Use them to propel your startup into success and growth.
Listen to COO of Palo Alto Software, Noah Parsons, share his favorite online tools on the fourth
episode of The Bcast, Bplan’s official podcast (at 13:17):
Table of contents:
o Accounting software
o Choosing a name
o Domain names and hosting
o Elevator pitches and pitch decks
o Logos and branding
o Stock photos and libraries
o Market research
o Survey tools
o Social media tools
o Project management software
o Launching and PR
o Help desk and customer service
o Payment systems
o Invoicing software
o Website building and shopping carts
o Funding platforms and solutions
o Human resources
o Legal help
o Content resources management
o Analytics tools
o Financial forecasting and dashboard
o Design tools
o Outsourcing work
o Landing pages and A/B testing
o Email marketing platforms
Accounting software
QuickBooks: In the U.S., QuickBooks is hands-down the most popular
accounting software out there. If you’re working with an accountant,
chances are that they’ll ask you to use QuickBooks. We recommend the
online version, but you can still buy the desktop version if that’s what you
prefer.
Xero: Xero is an online-only accounting solution. While relatively
popular in Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K., they are less popular in
the U.S. They’re still worth a look though, if QuickBooks isn’t right for
you.
Freshbooks: If you’re a small, service-based business such as a
photographer, consultant, or wedding coordinator, Freshbooks might be
right for you. Freshbooks focuses on invoicing and you can easily allow
your customers to pay you online. Technically, they’re not a full-fledged
accounting solution, but they cover the basics if you don’t have to handle
things like inventory.
Choosing a name
NameCheckr: What’s great about NameCheckr is that in addition to
automatically looking up available domain names associated with your
chosen business name, it checks a ton of relevant social platforms, from
Facebook to Youtube to see if the name is available there. That way you
can get right on to your social media strategy!
Naminum: Enter a word and Naminum uses prefixes, suffixes, and
replaces letters within your keyword to generate a (huge) list of name
suggestions. Didn’t find a satisfactory name? Try with a new word,
transform the current one or generate random names for additional
inspiration.
DockName: If you want real people to help you find a business name, check out DockName to
have your name and domain name crowdsourced.
Domain names and hosting
NameMesh: Part domain name suggestion tool and part domain name
finder, NameMesh searches endless variants of your domain to find one
that works for you.
Domainr: Search across endless domain extensions, way beyond your
standard .com. You’ll find good suggestions, but Domainr is more for
finding a domain that will work for you once you’ve already settled on a
company name.
BlueHost: Simple and affordable hosting that’s ideal for anything from
WordPress to full-fledged web apps. Bluehost is an easy place to get online on a
budget.
HostGator: If BlueHost isn’t right for you, check out HostGator. The services
and prices are fairly similar and they do have a visual website builder if that’s
something you need.
NameCheap: You’ll find some of the lowest domain name registration prices
here. Despite being cheap, the services are solid and reliable.
Elevator pitches and pitch decks
LivePlan: Full disclosure, we’re the makers of LivePlan—but that just makes us more certain
that it’s an essential startup tool. In this case, it’s the pitch feature that allows you to get all of
your most important points down in one place, either as a one-page format or as a pitch deck that
you can export to Powerpoint if you need a slide deck for a presentation.
Pitchenvy: If you want to see how others have done it, check out
Pitchenvy. They have a great gallery of real pitch decks so you can see
what’s worked, and what hasn’t.
Haiku Deck: If a highly visual look is right for your pitch deck, check out
Haiku Deck. Their tool will help you create a beautiful pitch deck that’s
sure to inspire.
Prezi: If you’re looking to put a literal spin on your presentation and get
away from PowerPoint, give Prezi a look.
Logos and branding
Brand Genie: Brand Genie is a great tool if you’re starting a new brand
or looking to rebrand and want some inspiration. You take a quiz answering questions about your
business, and based off of your answers, a logo, color palette, brand guide, and more are
suggested to you.
LogoGarden: Logo Garden is a great free option for creating your own
logo. If you’re looking for something quick, DIY, and no-cost, this is for you.
99designs: While much more than just a logo company, 99designs is a great
resource where designers pitch you several ideas before you pay. If you know that you need
someone from outside your company to design your logo, and you want a lot of options to
choose from, this is a good option.
Fiverr: Like 99designs, Fiverr is a marketplace of designers, copywriters,
programmers, and more. As their name suggests, there are plenty of people willing to do work
for just five dollars. You will find more expensive options on the service, but this is a great place
to start if you’re on a budget.
Stock photo libraries
Pixabay: Every content producer will need stock photography at some
point, it’s just the nature of the game. Pixabay’s free, high quality images are royalty free so if
you’re working on a tight budget, this is a great place to start. Be prepared to see your favorite
image on other sites, though.
StockSnap.io: Another free photo site. Images are high quality, but as with
all image sites, the catalog can be a bit shallow.
Shutterstock: If you’re ready to step up to a paid image library, we like
Shutterstock. The catalog is big and grows every day. Prices are reasonable as well.
Market research
CensusViewer: This free tool gives you access to U.S. Census data in an
easy-to-use format that you can explore both visually on a map or in data reports for cities,
counties, and entire states.
Consumer Expenditure Survey: If you want to know what people spend
their money on, this is your source.
MyBestSegments: This tool, from Nielsen, helps you understand an area’s
demographic and lifestyle habits.
SizeUp: If you need help finding a business location or want to see where
your competition is, check out SizeUp. You can also compare your forecasted marketing and
advertising budget against the competition.
Google Trends: Use Google Trends to discover what people are searching
on and how search volume on important topics is changing over time.
Survey tools
SurveyMonkey: Should you need to poll a group for business purposes,
SurveyMonkey is free and reliable. Simply build the survey and send it out to your audience.
Google Consumer Surveys: You don’t need to have a contact list to send
out a survey. With Google Surveys, you can target users from around the web and get instant
feedback on your business idea.
TypeForm: Whether you need a simple form or a survey, TypeForm does it
beautifully. It’s especially good on mobile.
Social media tools
Buffer: Buffer makes social sharing an easy one-stop shop: you can plan
your social posts ahead, and post to multiple accounts from Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin,
Google+ and more, all at once. Plus, you can give multiple employees access so everyone
doesn’t have to deal with signing in to each platform individually.
Hootsuite: Hootsuite is perfect for people who are really active on social
media and managing multiple accounts. It puts everything in one place with an easy to follow
user interface, works with Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, YouTube, Tumblr, and
WordPress, and has incorporated analytics so you can stay on top of your metrics.
AddThis: Add social sharing to your site quickly and easily.
SumoMe: From social sharing, to exit intent pop-ups, to email collectors,
SumoMe has a very useful toolset.
Project management software
Trello: Trello works well for workflows that have a clear process, so you
can organize tasks into different boards, create lists on the boards, and assign cards describing
each task to the appropriate colleague. It’s also suitable to an environment where you need to
create and maintain lists of ideas.
Basecamp: If you don’t need giant charts, but want a dead-simple interface
that anyone can use with no training, then Basecamp is for you. Simplicity, unlimited users, and
centralization of all your project assets are winners for Basecamp.
Asana: If you need more power than Basecamp, and are willing to pay
more, Asana is worth a look. It’s not nearly as affordable as Basecamp, but there is a free plan
for small teams that might be all you need as you get your business off the ground. The folks
over at Sticker Mule have a great guide on how they use Asana if you need some help getting
started.
Launching and PR
HARO: Otherwise known as “Help a Reporter Out,” HARO is a great
resource to find reporters who are covering every topic you can think of. If a reporter needs a
source, they’ll post here. Simply respond and you could get yourself some free press.
pr.co: Outsource creating a press room for your web site. Write your press
release, distribute them via email, and create an easy-to-update press room for your company.
Pressfarm: Find journalists to write about your startup.
Help desk and customer service
FreshDesk: Start for free and add features and support for additional agents
as you grow. You get a knowledge base, multiple support channels, and reporting.
Desk.com: If you’re a Salesforce customer, using Desk.com is a no-brainer
since it’s a Salesforce company. You can try for free, but there’s no perpetually free plan as of
this writing.
ZenDesk: You can start for as little as one dollar per agent a month, but
you’ll almost certainly upgrade for added functionality. ZenDesk has a deep feature set and
offers integrations into many other systems.
Payment systems
Stripe: If you’re building a web site or mobile app and plan to accept
payments, Stripe is a great place to start. They’re built from the ground up to be developer-
friendly and simple. Stripe is used by companies big and small, so you’ll be in good company.
Braintree: A PayPal company, Braintree was built with an extreme focus
on customer service. They’ll help you every step of the way and enable your company to accept
different forms of payment from all over the world.
Square: If accepting credit cards in person is what you need for your
business, check out Square’s line of mobile phone card readers and POS systems.
Invoicing software
Freshbooks: For companies that focus on offering services to their
customers and need a robust invoicing solution, Freshbooks is a great choice. Not only can you
issue professional invoices, but you can accept payment online, capture expenses, and track your
time.
Ballpark: An alternative to Freshbooks, Ballpark offers a similar set of
features. One stand-out feature is their “projects” tool that allows you to track time and set
budgets for, well, projects.
Website building and shopping carts
Wix: With a huge template gallery and simple online editor, Wix is a great
place to start if all you need is a simple, static web site. The upper price tiers also offer shopping
cart functionality for an all-in-one solution.
Shopify: Shopify sets itself apart from other site builders in that it’s focused
on selling online. If you don’t need to sell online and just need a “brochure” site, Shopify isn’t
for you.
Squarespace: Squarespace’s focus is on beautiful design. Your subscription
includes access to a huge image gallery, a logo creator, and much more. Like others, you can sell
online with Squarespace as well.
Chargify: If you’re setting up a subscription business and don’t want the
hassle of building a billing tool, check out Chargify. They’ll handle the recurring payments and
allow you to offer all kinds of subscription options to your customers.
Funding platforms and solutions
Gust: Entrepreneurs can post a free business profile on Gust and share it
with investors around the world. Gust is great for startups that are looking for angel investment
and potentially a venture capital investment.
AngelList: Similar to Gust, startups can post their company on AngelList
and solicit investment from potential investors. AngelList also offers job boards and other tools
to help startups get up and running.
Bplans Loan Finder: If a loan is the right choice to launch your business,
check out the Bplans Loan Finder. Fill out a short questionnaire and the loan finder will present
you with multiple loan options.
Human resources
Zenefits: You really can’t go wrong with Zenefits’ free HR software
platform. That’s right, it’s free. They make their money by administering your benefits and
payroll, should you choose to do that—it’s not required.
Kin: If you need to simplify all of the employee paperwork and files, then
check out Kin. Kin helps you onboard new hires, centralizes all of their files, and tracks time off
and working hours.
Workable: Workable has all the tools you need to post new job openings
and manage your candidates. If you need to streamline your hiring process, then check them out.
Legal help
RocketLawyer: From incorporating your business to getting contracts and
other legal documents, RocketLawyer has all of the basics covered. RocketLawyer encourages
you to subscribe to their service, so if you don’t have ongoing legal needs, be sure to cancel your
subscription when you’re done.
LegalZoom: Unlike RocketLawyer, LegalZoom focuses on offering their
services a-la-carte. Find the legal form or service you need, and get straight-forward pricing for
that document. They serve all common business legal needs, so you can’t go too far wrong with
LegalZoom.
Avvo: Avvo’s has a great Q&A forum where you can ask any legal question and get answers
from attorneys for free, pages and pages of legal guides written by lawyers, a lawyer directory
with ratings, consumer reviews, and profiles for 97% of the attorneys in the U.S.
Nolo: Nolo is a fantastic, trusted resource for their free and informative
legal information; their website is chock full of accurate and helpful information on everything
from bankruptcy to divorce to patents. In addition, they sell products such as books, kits, and
forms for things like making your will, starting a nonprofit, and making the right tax deductions.
Content resource management (CRM)
Highrise: From the makers of Basecamp, Highrise is a simple and
straightforward CRM that will keep all of your customer information organized. You can track
business deals and share all of the details with your team.
Infusionsoft: In addition to all of the standard CRM features, Infusionsoft
brings marketing and sales automation to small businesses, to help automate communications
and standardize tasks. Infusionsoft also integrates on online shopping cart so you can manage
your business from one software suite.
HubSpot CRM: You can get started with HubSpot’s CRM for free. It’s
easy to use, yet has all of the powerful CRM features you expect. Its Sidekick add-on for email is
excellent and you can easily track deals and an entire sales process.
See Also: How to Choose the Best CRM for Your Business
Analytics tools
Google Analytics: The de-facto standard for web analytics is Google
Analytics. It’s free, powerful, and more than enough for even a seasoned online marketing team.
CrazyEgg: If you want to understand how people interact with your web
site, check out CrazyEgg. You’ll get heatmaps, scrollmaps, and access to key engagement
metrics for your site.
SumoMe: If you’re looking to save a few dollars and get similar
functionality to CrazyEgg, check out SumoMe. They also offer a suite of engagement tools that
can help you collect emails and promote content via social media.
Mixpanel: If you need more than pageview data, use a tool like Mixpanel to
track the actions people take on your site, or in your app.
See Also: The Top 10 Tools for Tracking Your Web Metrics
Financial forecasting and financial
dashboard
LivePlan: If you need to write a business plan, build a budget, or forecast
your sales and cash flow, look no further than LivePlan. Once you’ve set your financial goals,
you can connect QuickBooks or Xero and track your progress toward your goals.
Design tools
Canva: Canva is one of our favorite online image editors. You can edit
photographs easily, but you can also create all kinds of visuals from posters to business cards to
book covers. The basic version is free and you can upgrade to the “work” edition if you need
more.
Piktochart: Create infographics the easy way. What we love about
Piktochart is that it’s easy to use, free, and looks professional—kind of the best of all worlds in
terms of creating your own infographics.
Pablo: If you need an easy way to create images for social media, check out
Pablo. It’s simple and can create images that will work on all social networks.
Outsourcing work
Upwork: Formerly known as Elance and Odesk, Upwork is a marketplace
of freelancers from around the world that will do nearly anything you need, from sales and
marketing, to design and web development. Use their powerful filters to find a freelancer and
Upwork will facilitate payment and all the other details of managing a contract freelancer.
TaskRabbit: TaskRabbit is unusual but really useful when you it need
people quickly to do a task that isn’t really freelancing per se; more like a handyman or Jack or
Jill- of-all-trades. For example, if your business is throwing an event, you can hire a group of
highly rated people on TaskRabbit to set up, serve, and clean up without having to deal with a
full-scale catering company.
99designs: If you have a design task, from a book cover, to product
packaging, to a logo, 99designs can get designers to compete for your work. You’ll get multiple
designs and then you pick the ones you like.
Fiverr: Similar to 99designs, but with a focus on cost savings, Fiverr can
connect you with designers, developers, and more to get your outsourced work done—cheap.
Landing pages and A/B testing
LeadPages: If you need a landing page quickly, check out LeadPages.
You can quickly build landing pages and pop-ups with no coding required.
Unbounce: Part page builder and part A/B testing tool, Unbounce lets
you design landing pages and then easily test one version against another
to find the best combination.
Visual Website Optimizer: With no coding required, Visual Website
Optimizer makes it easy to test changes to your website and figure out
which version does the best. Reporting is easy and you’ll get the majority
of the features you need at a reasonable price.
Optimizely: Optimizely offers a similar feature set to Visual Website
Optimizer, but recently their price has gone up substantially. It’s a great
tool—if you can afford it.
Email marketing platforms
MailChimp: MailChimp is the easy choice here. Unless you have a very
sophisticated marketing automation campaign that you need to run,
MailChimp does a great job helping you build and send newsletters and
virtually any other kind of campaign. The automation tools are solid, too,
and will be more than enough for most businesses.
Sendy: If saving money is your number one objective, check out Sendy.
Sendy uses Amazon’s Simple Email Service platform to send emails on
the cheap. It’s not the most full-featured tool, but it does the trick if you
want to send email as inexpensively as possible.
HubSpot: For more enterprise-level functionality but with small business
ease-of-use, check out HubSpot. It’s an all-in-one marketing automation and inbound marketing
platform, but you can use just their email service if you want.
Aweber: As an alternative to MailChimp, check out Aweber. It offers great pricing and a
deep feature set. A major difference from MailChimp is their customer support; while
MailChimp only supports you via email, Aweber will pick up the phone.
