Free Resource — Updated Regularly

The Chicagoland Small Business Tech Stack Index.

60 tools every local business asks me about — payments, books, booking, reviews, marketing, automation — each with a one-line verdict — tap any name to go straight to it. No affiliate links, no pay-to-play. Search it, use it, share it.

Websites & Hosting

Cloudflare PagesFree, fast static hosting — where I deploy most client sites
NetlifyDrag-and-drop deploys with forms — great starter host
PorkbunDomains at honest prices, free WHOIS privacy
Google Search ConsoleFree — see exactly how Google reads your site; non-negotiable
PageSpeed InsightsFree speed report card; run it on your site today
FormspreeContact forms without a backend — one line of HTML

Payments & Point of Sale

SquareBest all-around POS for shops and service counters
StripeThe standard for taking cards on a website
PayPal BusinessCustomers trust it; invoicing + checkout in one
CloverFull register systems for restaurants and retail
Zelle for BusinessFree instant transfers — great for trades and invoices
QuickBooks PaymentsPayments that auto-reconcile into your books

Bookkeeping & Payroll

QuickBooks OnlineThe default small-business ledger; accountants speak it
WaveFree bookkeeping + invoicing for very small operations
GustoPayroll that runs itself — W-2s, 1099s, filings
DextSnap receipts, auto-categorize — kills the shoebox
RelayFree business banking with sub-accounts for taxes
Keeper TaxFinds deductions in your transactions automatically

CRM & Sales

HubSpot FreeReal CRM, genuinely free tier — start here
PipedriveVisual deal pipeline, built for closing
JobberCRM + quoting + scheduling for home-service trades
Housecall ProField-service favorite — booking to invoice
NotionLightweight client tracker when a CRM is overkill
Google Contacts + SheetsThe honest $0 CRM more businesses should admit to using

Email & SMS Marketing

MailerLiteBest value email platform for small lists
KlaviyoThe e-commerce email standard — flows that sell
MailchimpFamiliar and fine; watch pricing as lists grow
BrevoEmail + SMS in one at fair prices
SimpleTextingStraightforward SMS campaigns and keywords
BeehiivNewsletters that grow — if content is your engine

Scheduling & Booking

CalendlyThe booking-link standard; free tier covers most
Cal.comOpen-source Calendly — more control, self-hostable
Square AppointmentsBooking + payments + reminders in one for salons/studios
AcuityDeep customization: intake forms, packages, gift cards
Google Business Profile BookingBook straight from your Google listing — free
SetmoreFree tier with staff calendars for small teams

Reviews & Reputation

Google Business ProfileTHE local search lever — claim it, feed it weekly
NiceJobAutomated review-asks that actually get answered
PodiumReviews + webchat + payments by text; premium price
Grade.usReview funnels for multi-location businesses
Yelp for BusinessMatters in food/retail; claim, don't chase
QR review cardsPhysical card → review link; ask me, I make these

Social & Content

CapCutFree editor + auto-captions — 80% of the polish
CanvaDesign for non-designers; templates for everything
BufferSchedule everywhere from one calendar, honest free tier
MetricoolScheduling + analytics with a generous free plan
OpenArtAI images and avatars — what powers my UGC ads
ChatGPT / ClaudeDraft captions, ideas and outlines — edit like an owner

Automation & Glue

ZapierConnects 6,000+ apps, no code — automation gateway drug
MakeCheaper, more powerful Zapier for complex flows
n8nSelf-hosted automation — my pick for serious pipelines
Google Apps ScriptFree automation inside Gmail/Sheets/Calendar
IFTTTSimple triggers for simple needs
Custom botsWhen off-the-shelf can't — that's my department

Phones & Communication

Google VoiceFree business number that follows you
OpenPhoneShared business lines with texting that feels modern
GrasshopperVirtual phone system for solo operators
SlackTeam chat standard once you're past texting
LoomRecord your screen instead of writing the email
WhatsApp BusinessWhere many customers already want to talk

Missing a category you'd want covered? Tell me — this index grows monthly. Want the stack picked and wired for your business? That's the automation service.

Your move

Want it set up, not just listed? Take the shot.

CALL / TEXT (847) 387-0244 SEND THE DETAILS →