The Tools I Actually Use to Run My One-Person Online Business in 2028

Every "tools I use" post I read has the same problem: it's long, padded with affiliate links, and half the tools were clearly added for the commission rather than because the person actually uses them.

This post is different. I'm going to list only what I actually open and use, why it made the cut, and what I'd say if someone asked me whether to pay for it.

The Core: My Business Platform

MadeThis is the foundation. This is where I sell my digital products, handle affiliate tracking, and collect payments. When a customer buys something, MadeThis processes the transaction, delivers the file, and logs the sale. I never touch it.

I've tried other platforms over the years (I compare them in my MadeThis alternatives post), but MadeThis has been the one I've stuck with because it's genuinely simple and the affiliate commission structure is transparent. For a one-person business, that matters. You can start for free and the paid plan is reasonably priced for what you get.

If you're evaluating options, MadeThis vs Shopify covers the key differences — Shopify is overkill for pure digital products. Start there.

Writing and Content

Notion — I use Notion as my editorial calendar, blog post drafts, and general business brain. Everything lives here: my content calendar, my product roadmap, my research notes, my swipe file. I've tried alternatives but always come back to Notion for the flexibility.

AI writing assistant — I use Claude for drafts, outlines, and editing. It doesn't replace my voice — my blog posts still sound like me — but it helps me move from blank page to rough draft faster. I write my blog posts in 800–1,200 words, so there's not much to edit.

Design

Canva — Pinterest pins, pin templates, product mockups, social graphics. Canva handles all of it. The paid version is worth it for the brand kit feature, which lets me apply consistent fonts and colors to any design in seconds.

I don't use Photoshop, Figma, or anything more complicated. For a content business, Canva is plenty.

Traffic and Distribution

Tailwind — My Pinterest scheduler. I batch-create pins once a week and load them into Tailwind, which distributes them throughout the week at optimized times. Consistently posting to Pinterest without a scheduler is painful; with Tailwind, it's invisible.

Google Search Console — Free and essential. This tells me which Google searches are bringing people to my site and how my pages rank. I check it weekly to see what's gaining traction and what needs work.

Email Marketing

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) — My email list lives here. I use automations for the welcome sequence, broadcast emails for occasional updates, and product launch sequences when I release something new. Kit is the tool I've used longest and had the fewest complaints about. The automations are reliable, the deliverability is good, and the interface is clean.

A note: if you're just starting, the free tier of Kit handles up to 10,000 subscribers. You don't need to spend money here until your list is meaningful.

Analytics

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) — This tells me which blog posts are getting traffic, where people are coming from, how long they're staying, and which posts lead to affiliate clicks. The UI is a bit clunky but the data is unbeatable.

Pinterest Analytics — Built into the Pinterest business account, free. I check this weekly to see which pins are getting clicks (not just saves).

What I Don't Use

I deliberately don't use:

• A CRM (my list and MadeThis handle customer relationships)
• Zapier (I don't need integrations beyond what my tools offer natively)
• Airtable (Notion handles everything I need from a database)
• Slack or team communication tools (there's no team)
• Any project management SaaS beyond Notion

The temptation with tools is to add them as a form of procrastination. "If I just get the right stack in place, then I'll be productive." The lean stack forces you to actually do the work.

Total Monthly Cost

MadeThis paid plan, Canva Pro, Tailwind, Kit: under $100/month total. Everything else (GA4, Search Console, Pinterest Analytics) is free.

For a business that generates a meaningful income each month, that's a tiny overhead. Most solopreneur businesses I've seen fail or stagnate are using 15 tools at $30/month each before they've made a dollar.

Start lean. Add only when a specific problem demands it. The best stack is the simplest one that gets the job done.