Billing & Operations
Agency Stack Under $200 Per Month
A practical lean stack for small agencies that need CRM, outbound, scheduling, and proposals without bloated recurring cost.
Tested software stacks for solo agencies and small service teams
Build your client acquisition stack with confidence
We test CRMs, outreach tools, schedulers, and ops software so solo agencies can pick tools that actually help them close clients.
- Independent reviews
- Operator-first recommendations
- Affiliate-supported, editorially independent
Core Categories
Start with the area that blocks growth right now
Each category focuses on tools and playbooks relevant to lean client service teams.
CRM & Pipeline
Browse guides, teardown notes, and setup recommendations.
Outbound & Lead Gen
Browse guides, teardown notes, and setup recommendations.
Meetings & Proposals
Browse guides, teardown notes, and setup recommendations.
Billing & Operations
Browse guides, teardown notes, and setup recommendations.
Method
How we evaluate tools
Recommendations are based on hands-on trials against practical agency workflows.
- 1
Real workflow fit
We validate how each tool behaves across prospecting, selling, and delivery workflows for teams under ten.
- 2
Cost-to-value for small teams
We compare pricing against practical outcomes like faster handoffs, fewer admin hours, and better follow-up consistency.
- 3
Ease of setup and maintenance
We prioritize tools that can be configured quickly, documented clearly, and maintained without a full-time ops person.
Featured Guides
Popular reads
Sample deep dives from our upcoming editorial roadmap.
Meetings & Proposals
Best Proposal Software for Small Agencies
Better Proposals vs PandaDoc vs Proposify with clear tradeoffs on turnaround speed, revision friction, and budget impact.
Meetings & Proposals
Best Meeting Scheduler for Agencies
Calendly, Cal.com, and TidyCal compared for booking reliability, routing flexibility, and implementation burden.
Outbound & Lead Gen
Instantly vs Smartlead vs Apollo
Outbound platform comparison focused on launch speed, deliverability control, and cost-to-value for small agency teams.
Editorial transparency
How we handle affiliate relationships.
ClientStackLab is reader-supported. We may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through links on this site, at no extra cost to you. Our recommendations are based on independent evaluation criteria, and commissions never influence rankings.