Remote teams replace hallway conversations with written communication, so documentation and async tools carry more weight than in an office. Security also changes: there is no office network to protect, so identity, devices and access control matter most.
This stack is for technical, fast-moving teams of around fifteen people that expect to grow and want tools that scale without migration.
At a glance
- Tools: Slack, ClickUp, Notion, n8n, Rippling, 1Password Business, NordLayer, CrowdStrike Falcon Go.
- Indicative cost: ≈ $703 per month for 15 people on the cheapest paid plans, or from ≈ $315 using free plans where they fit.
- Start with: Identity first: SSO and enforced multi-factor for every app.
- Biggest pitfall: Too many overlapping tools — chat, docs and tasks in four places.
The stack
The default for async team chat, with the deepest integration ecosystem for developer and ops tools.
Price: Free with limited history; paid from around $7–9 / user / month (indicative) · Alternative: Notion · All collaboration & docs
Docs, tasks, sprints and goals in one tool — fewer apps for a small team.
Price: Free forever plan; paid from around $7–10 / user / month (indicative) · Alternative: Asana · All project management
Company handbook, specs and decisions in a searchable wiki.
Price: Free for individuals; paid from around $10–12 / seat / month (indicative) · Alternative: ClickUp · All collaboration & docs
Self-hostable, developer-friendly automation without per-task pricing surprises.
Price: Self-hosted community edition free; cloud from around $20–25 / month (indicative) · Alternative: Make · All workflow automation
Payroll, devices and app access in one system — onboarding and offboarding in a click.
Price: Modular, quote-based pricing per employee (indicative) · Alternative: Gusto · All payroll & HR
Strong admin controls, SSO integration and developer secrets management.
Price: Teams plans from around $20 / month for up to 10 users; Business around $8 / user / month (indicative) · Alternative: Bitwarden · All password managers
Managed business VPN with dedicated IPs for allow-listed services and simple per-user pricing.
Price: From around $8–10 / user / month (indicative) · Alternative: NordVPN · All business VPN & zero trust
Lightweight, cloud-managed protection for laptops spread across many locations.
Price: From around $60 / device / year (indicative) · Alternative: Bitdefender GravityZone · All endpoint security
What it costs for 15 people
| Tool | Cheapest paid plan | ≈ per month | Free plan fits? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slack | Pro | $109 | Yes |
| ClickUp | Unlimited | $105 | Yes |
| Notion | Plus | $150 | Yes |
| n8n | Starter (cloud) | $24 | Yes |
| Rippling | Custom quote | — | No |
| 1Password Business | Business | $120 | No |
| NordLayer | Lite | $120 | No |
| CrowdStrike Falcon Go | Falcon Go | $75 | No |
| Total | $703 | $315 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; 1 tool(s) priced on request are excluded. Run your own numbers in the SaaS TCO calculator.
Setup order
- Identity first: SSO and enforced multi-factor for every app.
- Password manager and device protection before the first hire.
- Chat and docs with clear norms for what goes where.
- Project tool with team templates.
- HR/payroll platform that can provision and revoke app access.
- Automations once the core processes are stable.
As you grow
From 15 to 50 people
Introduce SSO and automated provisioning (Rippling or your identity provider), move to Slack or Notion business tiers for admin controls and retention, and adopt device management for every laptop. Write down security policies before customers ask for them.
Preparing for security reviews
When enterprise customers send security questionnaires, add centralised logging, an endpoint detection product, documented backups and access reviews. Compliance automation tools can help with SOC 2 or ISO 27001.
Pitfalls to avoid
- Too many overlapping tools — chat, docs and tasks in four places.
- No written communication norms, leading to always-on chat.
- Offboarding by memory instead of a checklist or automated deprovisioning.
Frequently asked questions
Which tools should be in place before the first hire?
Identity (Google Workspace or Microsoft 365), a password manager, chat, documentation and device security. Payroll and HR come with the first employee.
How do we onboard remote employees quickly?
Use templates in your HR and project tools, automate app provisioning where possible and ship pre-configured laptops.
How do we keep documentation from sprawling?
Pick one home for docs, agree a structure and assign owners to key spaces. Archive stale pages quarterly.
Should a startup self-host automation?
Only if someone owns the server. n8n's cloud plan is a good middle ground; Make or Zapier are simpler if nobody wants to maintain infrastructure.
Do remote teams need a VPN?
Not always — but a business VPN or zero-trust tool helps when internal resources or allow-listed IPs are involved.