15 Best Free SaaS Tools for Startups in 2025
Discover the best free SaaS tools that can power your startup without breaking the bank. Tested and recommended by real founders.
15 Best Free SaaS Tools for Startups in 2025
Building a startup on a tight budget? You don’t need to spend thousands on tools. Here are 15 genuinely useful free SaaS tools that can power your startup from day one.
Productivity & Project Management
1. Notion - All-in-One Workspace
Free tier: Unlimited blocks, unlimited pages
Best for: Team wikis, docs, simple databases
Notion’s free plan is incredibly generous. Use it for:
- Team documentation
- Meeting notes
- Simple project tracking
- Knowledge base
Upgrade when: You need version history or file uploads >5MB
2. ClickUp - Project Management
Free tier: Unlimited tasks, 100MB storage
Best for: Agile teams, task management
ClickUp packs enterprise features into its free tier:
- Multiple project views (list, board, calendar)
- Task dependencies
- Time tracking
- Basic automations
Upgrade when: You need unlimited storage or Gantt charts
3. Trello - Visual Task Boards
Free tier: Unlimited cards, 10 boards
Best for: Kanban workflows, simple projects
The OG kanban tool is still great for:
- Content calendars
- Sales pipelines
- Simple sprint planning
Upgrade when: You need unlimited boards or Power-Ups
Development Tools
4. Vercel - Frontend Hosting
Free tier: Unlimited deployments, 100GB bandwidth
Best for: Next.js, React, static sites
Deploy your frontend in seconds:
- Automatic HTTPS
- Git integration
- Preview deployments
- Edge Functions
Upgrade when: You exceed bandwidth or need team features
5. Supabase - Backend as a Service
Free tier: 500MB database, 1GB file storage
Best for: PostgreSQL, authentication, storage
Open-source Firebase alternative with:
- PostgreSQL database
- Authentication (email, OAuth, magic links)
- Realtime subscriptions
- File storage
Upgrade when: You outgrow 500MB database
Design & Collaboration
6. Figma - Design Tool
Free tier: 3 files, unlimited collaborators
Best for: UI/UX design, prototyping
Industry-standard design tool with:
- Vector editing
- Prototyping
- Design systems
- Real-time collaboration
Upgrade when: You need more than 3 design files
Communication
7. Slack - Team Chat
Free tier: 90 days of message history, 10 integrations
Best for: Team communication
Essential for remote teams:
- Channels and DMs
- File sharing
- Video calls (1:1)
- App integrations
Upgrade when: You need message history or more integrations
Marketing & Analytics
8. Plausible - Privacy-Friendly Analytics
Free tier: 30-day trial, then paid
Best for: GDPR-compliant analytics
Note: Not fully free, but worth the $9/month after trial.
Alternative: Use Google Analytics (fully free but less privacy-focused)
Customer Support
9. Linear - Issue Tracking
Free tier: Unlimited issues, unlimited members
Best for: Bug tracking, customer feedback
Beautiful issue tracker loved by developers:
- Fast keyboard navigation
- Git integration
- Project roadmaps
- Customer feedback portal
Upgrade when: You need advanced features like SLA tracking
Finance & Admin
10. Wave - Accounting Software
Free tier: Completely free (forever)
Best for: Invoicing, expense tracking, accounting
Surprisingly powerful free accounting:
- Professional invoices
- Expense tracking
- Basic reports
- Bank reconciliation
They make money: Payment processing fees (optional)
Email & Marketing
11. Mailchimp - Email Marketing
Free tier: 500 contacts, 1,000 sends/month
Best for: Newsletter, basic automation
Start your email list for free:
- Email campaigns
- Basic templates
- Simple automation
- Basic analytics
Upgrade when: You exceed 500 subscribers
Security & DevOps
12. Cloudflare - CDN & Security
Free tier: Unlimited bandwidth, basic DDoS protection
Best for: CDN, DNS, SSL certificates
Essential free services:
- Free SSL certificates
- CDN (content delivery)
- DDoS protection
- Web analytics
Upgrade when: You need advanced WAF or load balancing
AI & Automation
13. Make (Integromat) - Automation
Free tier: 1,000 operations/month
Best for: Workflow automation, integrations
Connect your tools and automate:
- Data syncing
- Notifications
- Content distribution
- Report generation
Upgrade when: You exceed 1,000 operations
Bonus Tools
14. Obsidian - Knowledge Management
Free tier: Completely free for personal use
Best for: Personal notes, documentation
Local-first markdown notes with:
- Bidirectional linking
- Graph view
- Plugins
- Themes
Upgrade when: You want sync across devices ($8/month)
15. Monday.com - Work OS
Free tier: Up to 2 users
Best for: Small teams (solo + one employee)
Powerful work management:
- Multiple project views
- Automations
- Integrations
- Templates
Upgrade when: You need more than 2 users
The Ultimate Free Startup Stack
Here’s a complete free stack for a 3-person startup:
Development
- Code: GitHub (free for teams)
- Hosting: Vercel (frontend)
- Backend: Supabase (database + auth)
- CDN: Cloudflare (free tier)
Design & Product
Marketing
- Email: Mailchimp (500 contacts)
- Analytics: Google Analytics or Plausible trial
- Social: Buffer (3 channels free)
Operations
Monthly cost: $0 (scales with growth)
Tips for Staying Free
1. Start minimal
Don’t sign up for everything. Add tools as you need them.
2. Use multiple accounts strategically
Some tools allow multiple free accounts (Notion, Vercel).
3. Maximize free tiers
Learn each tool’s limits and optimize usage.
4. Graduate wisely
Upgrade tools that directly generate revenue first.
5. Negotiate
Many SaaS companies offer startup discounts. Just ask!
When to Start Paying
Upgrade when:
- ✅ You’re hitting limits regularly
- ✅ The tool is core to your business
- ✅ Paid features will save significant time
- ✅ You’re generating revenue
Don’t upgrade for:
- ❌ Nice-to-have features you rarely use
- ❌ Slight convenience improvements
- ❌ Vanity features (custom branding, etc.)
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