Swipe Our Tech Stack: The Essential Tools That Keep Our Agency Running (And Why Small Businesses Love Them)

After years of running a web design agency, we’ve tested dozens of tools, suffered through clunky interfaces, and celebrated when we finally found software that just works. Today, after many questions from friends and colleagues about this topic, I’m sharing our complete tech stack — the tools that keep our team productive, our clients happy, and our business running smoothly.

Whether you’re a fellow web design or marketing agency owner, a freelancer, or running any kind of small business, these are the tools we swear by. Some of these links are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if you sign up — but we only recommend tools we genuinely use and love.

Harvest – Time Tracking, Estimates, Invoices & Reports

Why we love it: As visual people, we needed time tracking that didn’t feel like a spreadsheet. Harvest’s clean interface makes it easy to track project hours, generate professional estimates, and send invoices that actually get paid on time.

Perfect for: Creative professionals who need beautiful, client-friendly invoicing Pro tip: The mobile app makes time tracking painless, even when you’re away from your desk Try Harvest →

QuickBooks Online – Accounting

Why we love it (sort of): Let’s be honest—QuickBooks is a necessary evil. It’s not the most intuitive software, but it’s what most accountants use, and it integrates with everything. We’ve made peace with it because tax time is significantly easier when everything’s in one place.

Perfect for: Businesses that need serious accounting capabilities and CPA compatibility Reality check: You’ll probably need training, but it’s worth it QuickBooks Online →

Gusto – Payroll Software

Why we love it: Payroll used to terrify me. Gusto made it so simple that I can handle it myself without breaking into a cold sweat. The interface is friendly, tax calculations are automatic, and employee onboarding is streamlined.

Perfect for: Small businesses ready to graduate from manual payroll processing Bonus: Their customer support feels like talking to actual humans Try Gusto →

WP Engine – WordPress Hosting

Why we love it: Reliable hosting is non-negotiable when you’re building websites for clients. WP Engine provides enterprise-level performance with support that actually understands WordPress. Their staging environments and automatic backups have saved us countless times.

Perfect for: Agencies or businesses serious about WordPress performance and security Note: We also offer maintained WordPress hosting using WP Engine’s infrastructure WP Engine →

NameCheap – Domain Registration

Why we love it: Sometimes simple is better. NameCheap does exactly what it says—provides domain names that are easy to manage and budget-friendly. No unnecessary upsells, no confusing interfaces.

Perfect for: Anyone who just wants to buy domains without the sales pitch Pro tip: Their customer support is surprisingly good for such affordable service NameCheap →

Asana – Project Management

Why we love it: Project management tools often feel like they require a degree to operate. Asana strikes the right balance between powerful features and intuitive design. We track everything from initial client consultations to website launches.

Perfect for: Teams that need project visibility without overwhelming complexity Pro tip: The timeline view is perfect for showing clients project progress Asana →

Dropbox – File Sync & Sharing

Why we love it: After losing important files to computer crashes early in my career, reliable cloud storage became non-negotiable. Dropbox syncs seamlessly across devices and makes client file sharing effortless.

Perfect for: Teams that work with large design files and need reliable sync Bonus: Version history has saved us from “oops, I accidentally deleted that” moments Dropbox →

Slack – Team Chat & Project Updates

Why we love it: Email chains die in Slack channels. We use it for daily standups, quick project updates, and sharing inspiration. The ability to create dedicated channels for each client keeps conversations organized and searchable.

Perfect for: Teams that want to reduce email overload and increase transparency Pro tip: Set up keyword notifications so you never miss important mentions Slack →

Snagit – Screenshots & Screen Recording

Why we love it: Documentation is crucial in client work. Snagit makes it easy to capture screenshots, add annotations, and create quick tutorial videos for clients.

Perfect for: Anyone who needs to document processes or create quick tutorials Underrated feature: The scrolling capture for long webpages is incredibly useful Snagit →

Adobe Creative Cloud – Professional Design

Why we love it: For logos, print materials, and complex design work, Adobe is still the gold standard. Yes, it’s expensive, but when you need professional-grade tools, nothing else compares.

Perfect for: Businesses doing serious design work that requires industry-standard tools Reality check: Steep learning curve, but worth it for professional results Adobe Creative Cloud →

Canva – Quick Design & Client Collaboration

Why we love it: Not every design needs Adobe’s complexity. Canva is perfect for social media graphics, quick presentations, and collaborating with clients on style guides. We often set up brand kits here that clients can use independently.

Perfect for: Teams that need fast, on-brand graphics without design software expertise Client favorite: Easy enough that we can teach clients to create their own materials Canva →

Figma – UX/UI Design

Why we love it: Collaborative design that actually works. Figma lets our whole team (and clients) comment on designs in real-time. No more “can you make the logo bigger” emails—clients can show us exactly what they mean.

Perfect for: Any business doing digital design work Game changer: Real-time collaboration means faster approvals and fewer revision rounds Figma →

Flaticon – Icons & Graphics

Why we love it: Quality icons at affordable prices, available in SVG and PNG formats. Their search functionality is excellent, and the variety means we rarely leave empty-handed.

Perfect for: Anyone who needs professional icons without hiring a designer Pro tip: The SVG format scales perfectly for web use Flaticon →

The best tech stack isn’t about using the most tools—it’s about choosing tools that eliminate friction and help your team do their best work. Every tool on this list earned its spot by making our daily operations smoother, our client relationships stronger, or our creative work better.

As you’re building or refining your own tech stack, remember:

• Start with your biggest pain points and solve those first
• Integration matters more than individual features
• User experience beats feature lists every time
• What works for us might not work for you—and that’s okay!

If you’re a mission-driven organization looking to streamline your digital presence and operations, we’d love to help. From web design to digital strategy, we understand the tools and processes that help small businesses thrive.

Want to discuss how the right tools and digital strategy can transform your organization? Let’s start a conversation.

Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if you make a purchase. We only recommend tools we genuinely use and believe in. Your support helps us continue sharing valuable resources with the community.