The zero-budget founders stack

Run a complete early-stage startup on $0/month. Every tool here has a generous free tier that won't embarrass you in front of investors.

You do not need a funded budget to run a serious early-stage company. This stack pairs the tools founders actually reach for first — docs, issue tracking, email, demos, scheduling, hosting, a database and design — and every one of them ships a free tier good enough to build a real product on.

The idea isn't to use free tools forever. It's to prove the business before you pay, then upgrade the two or three that matter once you have traction (or investors).

The 8 tools, and why they're in

01NotionDocs & wikiDocs, wiki and lightweight databases — the free plan covers a small team's knowledge base and specs.Visit↗

02LinearIssue trackingFast, opinionated issue tracking and project management that engineers actually enjoy using.Visit↗

03LoopsEmailSimple, modern email for startups — onboarding sequences and product updates without the bloat.Visit↗

04LoomAsync videoAsync video messages for demos, bug reports and updates — free plan covers everyday use.Visit↗

05Cal.comSchedulingOpen-source scheduling — share a link, take meetings, self-host if you want to.Visit↗

06VercelHostingDeploy your frontend in minutes with a generous free hobby tier and instant previews.Visit↗

07SupabaseDatabase & authPostgres database, auth and storage with a free tier — an open-source Firebase alternative.Visit↗

08FigmaDesignCollaborative design and prototyping, free for small teams and solo designers.Visit↗

0 of these tools have a verified deal on ChooseMyStack — and there are hundreds more across every category.

Other stacks