After running multiple content sites and building an email list past 50,000 subscribers, here is the exact stack I use. Not what looks good in a roundup — what I actually pay for and use every month.
Hosting: Hostinger VPS
I moved everything to Hostinger VPS two years ago and haven’t looked back. LiteSpeed servers, SSH access, dedicated resources, and pricing that doesn’t double on renewal. Multiple sites run off a single VPS at a cost that would be shared hosting elsewhere. Current pricing here — usually 60-75% off.
Email marketing: MailerLite
MailerLite runs all my email sequences, broadcast newsletters, and automation workflows. I tested ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, and Mailchimp. MailerLite won on price-to-feature ratio and automation simplicity. Free up to 1,000 subscribers. Start free here.
Design: Canva Pro
Every blog graphic, social post, lead magnet, and email header is made in Canva Pro. I run multiple brand kits across different sites — Canva makes it possible to stay consistent without hiring a designer. Try Pro free for 30 days.
Forms and lead capture: Jotform
Lead magnets, opt-in forms, and application funnels all run through Jotform. It connects directly to MailerLite via webhook — subscriber captured on form, added to the right group automatically. No manual work.
Automation: Zapier
Zapier is the glue. New subscriber → tag in MailerLite → Slack notification → Google Sheets log. New WooCommerce sale → customer added to post-purchase automation. These flows run thousands of times a month without any manual intervention. Free plan available.
Scheduling: Calendly
Any time someone needs to book a call — consulting inquiry, podcast guest, partnership discussion — they get a Calendly link. Zero scheduling emails. Free plan here.
Project management: ClickUp
Content calendar, publishing schedule, SEO tasks, and site build projects all live in ClickUp. The free forever plan is genuinely powerful. I’ve used Asana, Trello, and Notion — ClickUp replaced all three.
Analytics: Microsoft Clarity + GA4
GA4 tracks traffic and conversions. Microsoft Clarity (free) adds session recordings and heatmaps — showing exactly where users scroll, click, and drop off. Between the two, I have a complete picture of site behavior without paying for Hotjar.
What I don’t use
I’ve cut: ActiveCampaign (too expensive for what I need), Hootsuite (replaced with native scheduling), SEMrush (Ahrefs Webmaster Tools free covers 80% of what I need), and multiple plugins that duplicated functionality. Every tool in the stack either saves significant time or generates direct revenue. If it does neither, it’s gone.
Start with the free tiers. Add paid tools when the economics are obvious. This stack runs profitably from month one.