Some links may be affiliate links. They help keep WebTools.directory running at no extra cost to you.
A small agency lives or dies on keeping clients happy and work on track. Before anything else you need somewhere to manage clients, somewhere to plan the work, and somewhere for the team to talk.
Start with those three, then add the rest as you take on more clients. Each step links to listings picked for WebTools.directory, where you'll find current plan and deal details.
Start with these
1. Client CRM and portals
Why: Keep every client, lead and conversation in one place, and give clients a tidy place to see their work.
- HighLevel: an all-in-one CRM and marketing suite built for agencies, with pipelines, funnels, email and SMS, booking and automations at a flat monthly price, and a separate sub-account for each client. There's no free plan, just a free trial, usage such as SMS is billed on top, and expect a steep learning curve.
- HubSpot Free CRM: contacts, deals, tasks, meetings and quotes for up to two users, with no expiry. A good free start if you're not ready to pay for HighLevel.
- FuseBase: branded client portals with shared workspaces and AI agents, as a one-payment deal.
2. Project management
Why: Plan work, track tasks and hit deadlines across several clients at once.
- ClickUp: tasks, docs, kanban, sprints and a calendar view, with unlimited tasks and members on its free plan.
- Trello: simple kanban boards, free for up to 10 collaborators.
- monday.com: work management with boards, docs and templates. The free plan is for up to 2 seats.
3. Team collaboration
Why: A shared space for your team and, sometimes, your clients, so work isn't lost in email threads.
- Pumble: Slack-style team chat whose free plan keeps your full message history for unlimited users, so last year's client decisions are still there. It has far fewer integrations than Slack, and group calls need a paid plan.
- Slack: team chat with 1:1 huddles and a huge range of integrations, if you work inside clients' Slack workspaces. The free plan keeps 90 days of message history.
- Zoho Mail: free business email on your own domain for a small team. Web and mobile access only, and it's only available in some regions.
Add these later
4. Client calls
Why: Make it easy for clients to book time with you, and keep a record of what was agreed.
- Cal.com: scheduling with unlimited event types and calendars on the free plan.
- Calendly: the familiar option, with one event type and a customisable booking page on the free plan.
- Fathom: an AI meeting notetaker with unlimited recordings, transcriptions and call summaries on the free plan.
5. Invoices and payments
Why: Get paid on time. Recurring invoices and reminders suit retainer clients.
- Zoho Invoice: free invoicing with multiple payment options, recurring invoices and payment reminders, for up to 2 users.
- Square: take card payments online and by invoice, with no monthly fee on its free plan. Square's listed pricing is for the US, so check the page for your country.
6. Automation
Why: Connect your tools so repetitive jobs, like creating a project when a deal is won, run on their own.
- Zapier: a no-code automation tool. The free plan covers simple two-step automations.
- Activepieces: an AI automation builder with flows, agents and tables, with a free plan for up to 5 users.
Browse the categories
Compare more options in each category:
- Manage Customers, for CRM and client portals
- Manage Projects
- Collaborate
- Take Bookings
- Accept Payments
- Automate Work
- AI Tools, for meeting notes and other AI tools
