Digital stack: Guide to the best alternatives for your business

A digital stack is the set of tools a company uses to attract customers, sell, communicate, automate tasks, and measure results.

The stack’s value doesn’t depend on the number of applications, but on how they integrate to help you reach your goals.

Choosing this group of tools wisely saves you time, while reducing costs and improving the customer experience.

However, adding software without a strategy usually has the opposite effect.

Duplicate data, manual tasks, wasted money, and processes that are hard to track.

In this guide, you’ll discover how to build a simple yet effective digital stack.

We’ve also included the best alternatives for each function, from CRM and analytics to automation and email marketing.

What a digital stack is and its purpose

A digital stack, also known as a technology or tech stack, brings together the software that runs a company’s processes.

It includes tools for marketing, sales, customer support, management, analytics, messaging, and automation.

It isn’t just a list of standalone applications.

A good digital stack works as a connected system.

Each tool plays a specific role and shares the necessary information with the rest.

For example, a form can capture a contact from the website.

Next, the CRM records that contact and an email platform triggers a welcome series. Finally, the analytics tool measures whether the campaign generates a sale.

The goal is to make data available across the board. This way, the team avoids entering the same information multiple times and can make decisions with a complete overview.

Quick answer: what a good digital stack should include

A good digital stack should cover six needs:

• Online presence
• Lead generation
• Customer management
• Messaging
• Operations
• And analytics

Plus, its tools should be user-friendly, easy to integrate, scalable, and cost-effective.

That said, every company needs a different combination.

An online store doesn’t work the same way as a B2B consultancy.

Likewise, a small business doesn’t need the complexity of a multinational corporation.

Why your business needs a well-designed digital stack

The thing is, even a small business uses several digital solutions in its day-to-day operations.

It might have a website, corporate email, spreadsheets, social media, and invoicing software. So it already has a digital stack, even if it has never defined it.

The difference lies in the design.

When your tools follow a strategy, technology helps your business.

However, using tools just for the sake of it can quickly become a burden.

A well-planned digital stack brings many benefits, from centralizing information to tracking costs. Among other things, it:

• Centralizes customer and operational data
• Automates repetitive tasks and reduces errors
• Improves collaboration between marketing, sales, and support
• Improves message personalization
• Lets you track costs, conversions, and return on investment
• Helps you grow without multiplying manual work
• Cuts down on duplicate tools and unnecessary expenses.

Additionally, a well-defined tool system ensures processes run smoothly and continuously, handling information step by step.

What tools a digital stack should include

The necessary categories depend on the business model.

However, most companies need to cover several common areas.

The following table summarizes the main areas and the most highly recommended tools:

These options are highly recommended, but that doesn’t mean you have to use them exclusively.

Review what you need and what each tool offers to make sure you choose the right ones for your requirements.

Best alternatives to build your digital stack

The best tool isn’t always the most comprehensive one.

It must solve a real need.

A real need of yours.

It needs to fit your budget and align with your team’s workflows.

Let’s review the basic categories.

1. Web and CMS: WordPress, Webflow, or Shopify

Your website is usually the core of an acquisition-focused digital stack. That’s where visitors arrive from search engines, ads, social media, and campaigns.

WordPress is flexible for blogs, corporate websites, and content projects. It has a broad ecosystem of themes, plugins, and integrations.

But don’t forget: it requires maintenance, security, and careful configuration.

Webflow combines visual design and content management.

It can be a good fit for teams that prioritize visual polish and want to reduce plugin dependency.

Shopify is a better fit when ecommerce is the core of the business. It brings together your catalog, payments, orders, and a large app marketplace.

Choose based on your main process.

If you’re after organic traffic, the CMS should make content creation, internal linking, and SEO optimization easy.

If you sell products, it needs to simplify purchasing and catalog management.

Ideally, you’d have one tool that does it all, even if your technical team has to help with the integration.

2. CRM: HubSpot, Pipedrive, or Zoho CRM

A CRM centralizes contacts, companies, opportunities, and sales activities. It acts as the primary data source for marketing and sales.

HubSpot CRM offers an accessible entry point and a range of sales features.

Pipedrive stands out for its visual approach to the pipeline.

Zoho CRM provides plenty of configuration options within a broad business ecosystem.

The choice depends on how complex your sales cycle is.

A business with a simple pipeline can work with a basic CRM.

On the other hand, a B2B company with multiple account managers needs permissions, automations, and more detailed tracking.

Also check its integration with forms, email, and customer support. An isolated CRM loses much of its value in a digital stack.

3. Email marketing: Mailrelay as a cost-effective and easy-to-use alternative

Email takes center stage because it connects acquisition, messaging, and conversion.

It lets you stay with the contact throughout their entire journey, without relying on a social network’s reach.

Mailrelay is an email marketing tool for creating campaigns, managing lists, automating sends, and checking statistics.

It’s an especially great fit for SMBs, media outlets, associations, ecommerce stores, and companies that need to send high volumes without overcomplicating their processes.

Getting started is very easy thanks to the free account.

This account lets you send up to 80,000 emails per month and manage up to 20,000 contacts. This makes it easy to validate a strategy before taking on a heavy cost.

Plus, Mailrelay offers expert multilingual support via phone, chat, and tickets.

This support is also available for free accounts, which is a big deal for teams lacking technical specialists.

The platform includes essential automations, A/B testing, segmentation, and personalization using custom fields.

Therefore, it lets you set up welcome series, content sequences, and autoresponders without bolting on a complex solution.

Real-time reports show opens, clicks, and click maps. This data helps you pinpoint the most engaging links and optimize the ROI of every campaign.

Mailrelay also offers a WordPress plugin and a REST API.

Likewise, it makes importing large databases and removing duplicates a breeze.

The dashboard has a very gentle learning curve.

Its newsletter editor includes AI-powered copywriting features, which speeds up campaign creation.

Compared to platforms like Mailchimp, Brevo, MailerLite, Mailjet, Acumbamail, or Klaviyo, the choice depends on your needs. If you’re looking for very advanced ecommerce automations, you may need to evaluate specialized solutions.

Mailrelay is a solid alternative when you prioritize volume, ease of use, deliverability, human support, and controlled costs.

4. Automation and integrations: Make, Zapier, or n8n

Integration platforms allow different apps to exchange data. For instance, they can send form contacts to your CRM or notify the team when a sale happens.

Zapier stands out for its ease of use and its catalog of connections.

Make offers visual workflows and lets you design processes with multiple conditions. n8n provides greater technical control and self-hosting options.

Start with simple automations.

You don’t want to build a highly complex structure without experience.

You should document the trigger, actions, and potential errors. Then, measure how much time each workflow saves.

Don’t automate a flawed process. Remove unnecessary steps first. Consequently, your digital stack will be easier to maintain and less prone to breaking.

5. Analytics: Google Analytics 4, Matomo, and Looker Studio

A company needs to know which channels attract users and which ones drive results.

Analytics tools turn digital activity into actionable insights.

Google Analytics lets you analyze behavior on websites and apps.

Matomo may appeal to organizations looking for more control over their data. Looker Studio helps you bring metrics together in visual dashboards.

Define your key events first:

• Quote request
• Sign-up
• Purchase
• Download
• Or renewal

Then, map each metric to a business goal.

Avoid measuring for the sake of measuring; that only piles up information. A mature digital stack shows few metrics, but they’re the essential ones for making effective decisions.

6. SEO and content: Search Console, Semrush, or Ahrefs

Organic ranking requires data on searches, pages, links, and competitors.

Google Search Console shows queries, impressions, clicks, and indexing issues.

Semrush and Ahrefs expand your keyword, content, and link research.

Both solutions can be useful for teams integrating a powerful SEO strategy.

A small business can start with Search Console and a research tool used as needed.

As your content volume grows, you can add a more comprehensive platform.

The tool should help you build an editorial process.

Without planning, accountability, and review, no software will magically generate traffic.

7. Social media: Metricool, Buffer, or Hootsuite

Social tools let you schedule posts, coordinate calendars, and review results.

Metricool offers planning and analytics from a centralized interface.

Buffer stands out for its simplicity.

Hootsuite is geared toward broader management of channels and teams.

Before choosing, check how many profiles you need and who will manage them.

It’s also worth evaluating content approval workflows and the level of analytics provided.

Social media should feed other assets in your digital stack. For example, they can drive traffic to content, subscription forms, or product pages.

8. Project management: Trello, Asana, or ClickUp

Trello uses simple boards and is easy to adopt.

Asana offers more structure for projects and dependencies. ClickUp combines tasks, documents, and multiple work views.

Don’t choose based on the number of features.

A complex tool can hurt adoption. What matters is that your team actually uses it.

The team needs to understand where to create a task, how to assign it, and when to mark it as done.

Also, avoid duplicating management efforts across emails, chats, and boards. Define a single source of truth for tasks and deadlines.

9. Customer support: Zendesk, Freshdesk, or Help Scout

A support system gathers inquiries from different channels and assigns agents.

This prevents lost messages and lets you track resolution times.

Zendesk offers a wide range of features for large support operations.

Freshdesk has different tiers for growing teams.

Help Scout focuses on a simple, email-like experience.

Integrating with your CRM and email helps maintain context. In other words, you “know” the customer who’s asking for help.

This way, support knows the history, and marketing can leave out poorly timed messages.

10. Administration and operations: Holded, Sage, or Odoo

Your digital stack should also cover invoicing, accounting, inventory, and internal management.

Holded targets SMBs looking to centralize administrative tasks.

Sage offers solutions tailored to businesses of different sizes.

Odoo brings together a wide range of modular business apps.

In this category, regulations and internal processes weigh heavily.

Therefore, check compatibility with your accounting firm, banks, invoicing, and taxes before migrating.

How to choose the best digital stack for your company

First of all, you need to know what you need.

Then, compare tools that give you exactly what you need, no more, no less.

This process prevents you from subscribing to flashy software that doesn’t solve any priority issues.

In other words, don’t sign up for what you’d like, but for what you need.

1. Start with business goals

Write down one to three measurable goals.

For instance, increasing sales inquiries, recovering abandoned carts, or reducing response times.

Next, tie each goal to a process.

Only then should you look for a tool. This sequence keeps your digital stack aligned with results.

2. Map the customer journey

Describe how a person discovers your brand, leaves their details, makes a purchase, and requests help.

Identify which team and which application are involved at each step.

The map will reveal gaps, redundancies, and manual handoffs.

It will also show what information needs to flow between tools.

3. Review what you already have

Make an inventory of apps, licenses, costs, users, and integrations.

Include free tools.

Then, categorize each item as essential, useful, redundant, or expendable. Your digital stack might already include the feature you’re looking for.

4. Compare total cost and expected return

The monthly price doesn’t reflect the full cost.

Also factor in costs like:

• Implementation
• Training
• Maintenance
• Integrations
• And team time

Likewise, calculate the potential value.

A cheap platform turns out to be expensive if nobody uses it.

On the flip side, a simple solution can deliver a high return when it speeds up a critical task.

5. Prioritize ease of use and support

Adoption dictates success. Ask for a trial and have real users complete everyday tasks.

Evaluate the support as well.

An expert team can mitigate issues, especially during data imports or initial setup.

6. Check integrations and data access

Review native connectors, APIs, webhooks, and export options.

And answer this question: what happens if you decide to switch providers?

This is important, as it’s highly likely that at some point you’ll need to migrate to another provider.

A healthy digital stack avoids locking information inside a single application.

It must facilitate data flow and allow for a reasonable migration.

7. Assess security, privacy, and permissions

Every tool must protect your data and offer security controls.

Analyze per-user permissions, authentication, backups, and processing terms.

Also, collect only the necessary and indispensable information.

Good architecture reduces risks by limiting access and eliminating uncontrolled copies.

8. Plan for growth, but avoid overbuilding

The software must handle growth in contacts, orders, or users.

However, paying today for features you might need years down the line is usually a waste of money.

Choose a solution that works for you today but gives you room to grow.

Digital stack examples by business type

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all combination.

These examples showcase common setups you can adapt to your goals and budget.

Digital stack for freelancers and small businesses

A basic setup might include WordPress for the website, Mailrelay for email, Trello for tasks, and Google Analytics 4 for tracking.

If there’s a sales process, add a simple CRM.

For integrations, start with targeted automations using Make or Zapier.

This digital stack prioritizes low cost, fast implementation, and ease of use.

It also reduces the number of platforms the team has to learn.

Digital stack for a B2B SMB

A B2B SMB might combine WordPress, Pipedrive or HubSpot CRM, Mailrelay, LinkedIn, a meeting tool, and Looker Studio.

The CRM logs opportunities. Mailrelay nurtures contacts through content and automations. Finally, the dashboard ties together acquisition, sales activity, and revenue.

The key is agreeing on which tool holds the master data.

It’s also worth defining when marketing hands off a contact to sales.

Digital stack for ecommerce

A store might use Shopify or WooCommerce, Mailrelay for campaigns, Google Analytics 4, Search Console, and a support platform.

The minimum workflow connects sign-up, purchase, and follow-up messages. It also needs to handle consent, unsubscribes, and customer segments.

If the business requires highly complex automations, it can evaluate specialized platforms.

However, many stores get better results with clear and well-measured sequences.

Digital stack for a service-based business

A consultancy or agency could combine Webflow or WordPress, a CRM, Mailrelay, Calendly, Asana, and an invoicing tool.

The system should connect the form, meeting, proposal, project, and follow-up. This way, the client gets a cohesive experience right from the first touchpoint.

How to implement a digital stack step by step

Rolling out many tools at once increases risk and complexity.

Don’t start on all fronts at once.

It’s safer to advance in phases and validate each connection.

1. Define goals and owners. Every application needs someone to manage it and an associated outcome.
2. Document the current process. Note down tasks, data, problems, and timings before making changes.
3. Select the priority layer. Start with the bottleneck that affects the business most.
4. Run a limited test. Use one team, one campaign, or a controlled process.
5. Clean up and migrate the data. Remove duplicates and keep only useful, legitimate information.
6. Set up the integrations. Check fields, permissions, errors, and syncing.
7. Train the team. Teach real tasks and create short instructions.
8. Measure the results. Compare time, cost, conversion, and quality before and after.
9. Expand gradually. Only add another layer once the previous one is working.

This approach turns your digital stack into a continuous improvement project.

You move forward in phases, avoiding a monolithic rollout that’s hard to manage.

Common mistakes when building a digital stack

The most common mistake is choosing the tool before understanding the actual problem you need to solve.

In other words, choosing something you “like” but “don’t need.” You end up paying for something you don’t use.

It’s also best to avoid these pitfalls:

• Signing up for multiple platforms that cover the same role.
• Ignoring implementation and maintenance costs.
• Storing differing data on the same customer.
• Automating tasks without reviewing the process first.
• Picking complex tools for simple needs.
• Failing to assign owners or document workflows.
• Measuring activity, but not business results.
• Relying on manual exports every single week.
• Keeping apps around that the team no longer uses.

Another frequent issue is chasing every new artificial intelligence trend.

AI adds value when it solves a specific task.

However, it doesn’t fix fuzzy goals or messy data.

It isn’t a solution in itself; sometimes staying on the bleeding edge just for the sake of it doesn’t solve a thing.

How to audit and optimize your digital stack

An audit shows you what works, what’s unnecessary, and what needs better integration.

Do it at least once a year or when a major part of the business shifts.

For each tool, record the:

• Role and process it covers.
• Owner and active users.
• Total annual cost.
• Data it receives and generates.
• Integrations and manual tasks.
• Usage and satisfaction levels.
• Related business metric.
• Risk and difficulty of replacement.

After that, look for redundancies and underutilized apps.

Check whether a tool you already use can take on several functions without losing quality.

Don’t cut costs in isolation.

An application may seem expensive but be justified by the critical work it does.

By the same token, multiple small subscriptions can rack up a hefty bill.

Finally, create a plan with three decisions: keep, improve, or replace. Assign dates and owners. That way, your digital stack audit leads to real changes.

Metrics to measure digital stack performance

Technology has to justify its investment.

The right metrics depend on the goal, though some serve as a starting point.

• Monthly and annual cost per tool.
• Percentage of active users.
• Time saved through automations.
• Number of errors or duplicated tasks.
• Customer response speed.
• Conversion rate per channel.
• Cost per lead and cost per acquisition.
• Revenue attributed to campaigns.
• Email deliverability, opens, and clicks.
• Customer retention and lifetime value.

Don’t attribute the entire result to a single application.

For example, it’s highly likely that the final sale happens on your website. But it’s also possible the buyer landed there through an email you sent.

Every tool played its part.

A digital stack functions as a cohesive unit. That’s why you should measure both individual tool performance and the efficiency of the whole process.

Conclusion: fewer tools and better connections

An effective digital stack isn’t the one that hoards the most tools.

It’s the one that hooks up the right tools with clear goals, workflows, and data.

Start with your business needs.

Then, compare ease of use, integrations, support, total cost, and scalability.

For email marketing, Mailrelay offers a particularly attractive alternative for companies looking for volume, expert support, and simple automation. Its free plan lowers the barrier to entry and lets you build a direct relationship with your audience.

Review the system regularly. Tools will change, but the standard remains the same: every piece of your digital stack needs to save time, elevate an experience, or contribute to a measurable result.

Frequently asked questions about digital stacks

What is a digital stack?

A digital stack is the connected set of tools a company uses to manage marketing, sales, operations, support, and analytics.

Each application must perform a specific role and share the required data.

What is the difference between a digital stack and a tech stack?

Both terms are often used interchangeably.

However, a tech stack can also refer to programming languages, databases, and development infrastructure.

A digital stack typically focuses on business and marketing software.

What tools make up a basic digital stack?

A baseline system might include a website or CMS, CRM, email marketing, analytics, project management, and invoicing. Later, you can add automation, SEO, social media, or support based on your workflows.

How many tools does a company need?

There isn’t an ideal number.

You should use as few tools as possible to cover your processes without creating overlap. A small business can start with four or five well-connected solutions.

How do I choose the best alternatives for my digital stack?

Define your goals, map out processes, and review your current apps.

Next, compare total cost, usability, support, integrations, security, and scalability. Run a test before migrating important data.

Why can Mailrelay be part of a digital stack?

Mailrelay lets you manage subscribers, campaigns, automations, and analytics.

Plus, it offers a generous free account, expert support across all tiers, A/B testing, segmentation, a REST API, and a WordPress plugin.

What role does email marketing play in a digital stack?

Email connects acquisition with conversion and retention.

It lets you send personalized messages, automate follow-ups, and track results without relying on the reach of third-party platforms.

How do you connect the tools in a digital stack?

You can use native integrations, APIs, webhooks, or platforms like Make, Zapier, and n8n. Before connecting anything, figure out which app holds the master data and what information needs syncing.

How often should you audit your digital stack?

You should review it at least once a year. You should also audit it when your team grows, goals shift, costs rise, or you start seeing errors and duplicate data.

What are the signs that a digital stack needs to change?

The clearest signs are repetitive manual tasks, inconsistent data, duplicate tools, low adoption rates, rising costs, and a hard time measuring results. These symptoms show that your system needs simplifying or better integrations.

Jose Argudo

CMO at Mailrelay. Writes about email marketing, copywriting, and conversion for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

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