Agencies live and die by three things: winning work, delivering it on time across many clients, and getting paid for every hour. The tools below are chosen so that a new brief can move from a CRM deal to a project board to an invoice without anyone re-typing it.
We have favoured tools that clients can be invited into cheaply (guest access matters), that handle many parallel projects without becoming cluttered, and that integrate with each other out of the box.
At a glance
- Tools: HubSpot CRM, monday.com, Slack, Xero, Claude, Fireflies.ai, 1Password Business, Backblaze.
- Indicative cost: ≈ $709 per month for 10 people on the cheapest paid plans, or from ≈ $136 using free plans where they fit.
- Start with: Password manager first — move client credentials out of spreadsheets and chat.
- Biggest pitfall: Paying for full seats for freelancers — use guest or limited access where possible.
The stack
Free CRM to track leads and proposals, with email tracking and forms that feed straight into the pipeline. Upgrade to Starter only when you need sequences.
Price: Free; paid seats from around $15–20 / month (indicative) · Alternative: Pipedrive · All CRM software
Visual boards suit creative workflows; client-facing views and approval automations save chasing. Strong templates for content calendars and campaigns.
Price: Free for individuals; paid from around $9–12 / seat / month (indicative) · Alternative: Asana · All project management
Slack Connect channels let you work with clients in shared channels instead of long email threads.
Price: Free with limited history; paid from around $7–9 / user / month (indicative) · Alternative: Microsoft Teams · All collaboration & docs
Project-friendly invoicing, multi-currency for international clients and a large app marketplace for time tracking.
Price: From around $20–29 / month (indicative) · Alternative: FreshBooks · All accounting software
Strong long-form drafting and editing with large context — useful for briefs, proposals and first drafts. Keep client data on a business plan.
Price: Free tier; team plans from around $25–30 / user / month (indicative) · Alternative: Jasper · All AI writing tools
Records and summarises client calls so decisions and feedback are searchable later.
Price: Free plan; paid from around $10–19 / seat / month (indicative) · Alternative: Otter.ai · All AI meeting assistants
Agencies hold many client logins. Shared vaults per client and instant offboarding when freelancers leave.
Price: Teams plans from around $20 / month for up to 10 users; Business around $8 / user / month (indicative) · Alternative: Bitwarden · All password managers
Unlimited computer backup per device covers large design files at a predictable price.
Price: Computer backup around $9 / computer / month (billed annually for less) (indicative) · Alternative: Acronis Cyber Protect · All backup & recovery
What it costs for 10 people
| Tool | Cheapest paid plan | ≈ per month | Free plan fits? |
|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot CRM | Starter | $150 | Yes |
| monday.com | Basic | $90 | No |
| Slack | Pro | $73 | Yes |
| Xero | Starter | $20 | No |
| Claude | Team | $250 | Yes |
| Fireflies.ai | Pro | $100 | Yes |
| 1Password Business | Teams Starter Pack | $20 | No |
| Backblaze | B2 Cloud Storage | $6 | No |
| Total | $709 | $136 starting free |
Computed from each tool's indicative price tiers (USD, usually annual billing). A tool appearing twice is counted twice. Excludes taxes, add-ons and discounts. Run your own numbers in the SaaS TCO calculator.
Setup order
- Password manager first — move client credentials out of spreadsheets and chat.
- CRM and a simple pipeline: lead → proposal → won.
- Project templates for your three most common job types.
- Accounting with invoice templates; connect your bank feed.
- Collaboration channels per client; set a naming convention.
- Meeting assistant and AI tools last, once data policies are agreed.
As you grow
From 10 to 25 people
Add resource and capacity planning — monday.com Pro or a dedicated tool — so account managers can see who is overbooked. Move from Xero's Standard to Premium if you invoice in several currencies, and introduce SSO through Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 so freelancer access can be granted and removed in one place.
Beyond 25 people
Consider HubSpot Sales Hub Professional for sequences and forecasting, a dedicated time-tracking and profitability tool, and an MDM solution for company laptops. Formalise client data retention and review which tools hold client credentials.
Pitfalls to avoid
- Paying for full seats for freelancers — use guest or limited access where possible.
- Letting each client choose a different tool; set your standard and stick to it.
- Using personal AI accounts with client material — use business plans that exclude training on your data.
- No retention plan for finished projects — agree how long you keep client files and where.
Frequently asked questions
How much does this stack cost for 10 people?
The page shows an indicative monthly total using the cheapest paid plan that fits 10 people for each tool. Free tiers for the CRM and some tools can lower it at the start.
What should we set up first?
Start with the password manager to secure client credentials, then the CRM and project templates. AI and meeting tools come last, after you agree how client data may be used.
Can clients access our project tool?
monday.com and Asana support guest access so clients can review and approve work without full seats. Check guest limits on your plan.
Can a small agency run on free plans?
For a few people, yes: HubSpot's free CRM, a free project tool and free chat get you started. Paid tiers become worth it when you need client portals, automation and admin controls.
Do I need a separate time-tracking tool?
If you bill hourly, yes — most project tools have basic time tracking, but a dedicated tracker that syncs to your accounting saves invoicing time.