Marketing software helps small businesses do more with less. You can use it to drive sales, automate emails, create professional visuals, and track what’s working – without adding a full-time team to your headcount.
Nearly all UK SMEs use social media ( 97% ), while 78% of small business owners in the UK currently have a website for their business. However, many fail to optimise these platforms for a better return on investment (ROI). Leveraging marketing tools can streamline channel management and greatly enhance your marketing efforts.
New to marketing software? Options can feel overwhelming. This guide outlines where to begin and highlights the top marketing software options for small businesses.
Marketing software encompasses any digital tool that assists in planning, executing, or measuring campaigns. This includes sending emails through Mailchimp or designing graphics using Canva.
Think of it as your friendly virtual assistant. It can help automate tasks, keep all your data in one place, and create professional content for your business.
Key benefits include:
Is marketing software worth it without a marketing team? Yes. Affordable tools enable many solo founders to run campaigns effectively without the need for specialists.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the best marketing tools out there. We’ll go over their pricing, features, and what makes them great (or not so great) to help you find the perfect fit for your needs.
Mailchimp is an easy-to-use platform for email marketing and automation. It helps businesses create, send, and track email campaigns that connect with customers. Mailchimp offers numerous features that support both small and large businesses in enhancing their marketing efforts and fostering strong customer relationships.
Automating emails and boosting open rates, clicks, and sales.
Mailchimp provides various pricing tiers, including a free option. Its Standard email package starts at approximately £15 per month and includes A/B testing and behavioural targeting. You can try it risk-free with a 14-day trial.
Even the free plan helps you launch effective campaigns.
Mailchimp stands out because:
It’s designed for building your first email list while helping you learn what resonates with customers.
Mailchimp’s downsides include:
As businesses scale, they typically require an increased budget to support their growth initiatives with Mailchimp.
Mailchimp integrates with over 300 tools, including:
Integrations enable Mailchimp to utilise data from other tools effectively.
Mailchimp’s free plan is perfect for solo founders just starting out, offering plenty of room to grow.
For tips on email campaigns, explore our 10 email marketing strategies for small businesses .
HubSpot combines marketing, sales, and service in one platform.
Combining CRM, email, and automation .
HubSpot provides a complimentary foundational toolkit that serves as an excellent starting point for users. Their paid plans begin at £9 per month. While the free tier is quite generous, users may find that upgrades are necessary as their needs evolve and grow.
The best part? You can easily keep track of the entire customer journey, all in one convenient place.
HubSpot has many advantages. Most notably, it:
It provides a strong foundation for the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
There are a few things to watch out for with HubSpot:
For small teams, HubSpot can feel complex – even on the free plan.
HubSpot connects with over a thousand tools, including:
Integrating your existing tools with HubSpot is a straightforward process, allowing you to streamline your workflows and enhance productivity.
HubSpot is ideal for SME owners who want a CRM and marketing solution in one system.
Canva lets you design social, email, and marketing visuals.
Creating branded graphics.
Canva offers a free plan that includes templates and basic editing tools. The Canva Pro plan starts at £13 per month and provides access to 1,000 brand kits, premium AI features, and additional cloud storage. While the free plan offers robust options, upgrading to Canva Pro may be beneficial for maintaining brand consistency.
Canva makes design accessible with its features:
Canva makes it fun and easy for anyone to create beautiful, professional visuals.
Canva helps non-designers create content because:
It’s a fast and affordable way to create polished assets that build brand recognition.
There are a few limitations, such as:
It’s excellent for starting, but not a substitute for a designer.
Canva can connect to other tools and platforms , including:
These integrations make it simple to save creations and push them into your marketing workflows.
Canva suits small businesses that want consistent visuals but don’t yet need a designer.
Hootsuite is a social media management tool offering scheduling, monitoring, and analytics.
Managing multiple social accounts and tracking engagement.
Hootsuite does not have a free tier, but it offers a 30-day free trial. Its Standard monthly plan starts at £129. While it may be more expensive than some other tools, it can be a valuable investment if social media is a key component of your marketing strategy.
Hootsuite’s platform allows you to:
Hootsuite goes beyond publishing, giving you insights into how your business is performing socially.
Some of Hootsuite’s advantages include:
For businesses that need more than just scheduling, Hootsuite is a robust solution.
Hootsuite has some limitations:
It’s a powerful tool, but it may be unnecessary if you only need basic scheduling.
Hootsuite integrates with almost every social network for posting and analysis.
You can also connect it with third-party apps such as:
These integrations help you connect social media with your broader workflows.
Hootsuite suits small businesses that rely heavily on social media and want a professional system for managing their social media presence.
Google Workspace offers Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Meet in a secure, cloud-based hub. Although it’s not specifically marketing software, you can use it to manage your marketing assets and your team (if you have one).
Storage, business email, and collaboration .
Google Workspace’s monthly pricing starts from £5.90.
Google Workspace provides:
Google Workspace creates a centralised hub for productivity across your business.
Benefits of Google Workspace include:
Many businesses use it as a first step to formalise marketing operations while keeping costs manageable.
Potential pitfalls of Google Workspace are:
For many small businesses, its ease of use outweighs its drawbacks.
The Google Workspace Marketplace makes it simple to integrate other tools, including:
These integrations extend its functionality.
Google Workspace suits small businesses wanting professional email and collaborative tools in a single package.
MeisterTask is a user-friendly project management tool.
Managing projects and task tracking.
MeisterTask offers a free plan with unlimited tasks and up to three basic project boards.
MeisterTask supports team planning with tools designed to simplify project workflows:
MeisterTask helps small teams stay organised without overwhelming them with complexity.
Some of the advantages of MeisterTask include:
For SMEs wanting effective workflows, MeisterTask is a reliable entry point.
MeisterTask has some disadvantages:
The free plan is suitable for small teams, but larger ones will need to upgrade to a paid plan.
MeisterTask integrates with hundreds of apps, including:
It’s simple to connect MeisterTask with your other tools.
MeisterTask is well-suited to small businesses managing collaborative marketing campaigns or content calendars.
Wix is a website builder with built-in marketing tools.
Website creation and integrated marketing add-ons.
Wix offers a free plan, while paid plans start at £9 monthly. With a paid plan, you can remove ads and Wix branding, and use a custom domain.
Wix combines website building with marketing functionality:
Wix’s simple interface makes it particularly appealing for non-technical founders.
There are several advantages to Wix:
Wix can help small businesses get online without separate website, SEO, and marketing tools.
There are limitations to Wix:
If you outgrow Wix, moving your site can be a challenging task.
Wix works with key tools to extend its functionality, including:
The integrations will help you easily track your sales and gain a deeper understanding of how your website is making a difference.
Wix is ideal for solo founders and small businesses seeking an affordable website and basic marketing tools. Compare Wix with similar options in our guide to the top 7 website builders for small businesses .
Let’s compare the marketing software we’ve discussed:
With numerous tools available, it can be challenging to know where to begin. The right choice depends on your needs, but here are some factors to consider:
Using marketing software can be a game-changer for your small business. It helps you save time, simplify your processes, and connect with your customers more effectively. Plus, investing in a digital toolkit is a smart and budget-friendly way to enhance your marketing efforts without needing to bring on a whole marketing team. Start with a couple of affordable software options, and as your business grows, you can easily add more tools to your tech stack.
Ready to grow your business with marketing tools that work? Start by registering your company with Rapid Formations – and get expert support to build from day one. We offer company registration, compliance guidance, and a range of additional services.
There’s no single best tool. It depends on your goals. Many small businesses find that starting with one focused tool (like email or design) is easier than adopting an all-in-one system straight away.
Startups often choose email marketing as their first option because it delivers measurable results quickly. Pairing email with a simple website builder provides a cost-effective way to collect leads and nurture them.
Free or low-cost plans are typically sufficient to cover basic tasks, such as scheduling emails or building forms. The trade-off is limited features and branding, so prepare to upgrade in the future.
A CRM helps you see the bigger picture (who your customers are, what they’ve bought, and when to follow up with them). A CRM makes it easier to identify repeat buyers and focus your marketing efforts where they are most effective.
Free plans are a good way to learn the basics. Paid plans become worthwhile once you need advanced automation, multi-user access, or more storage.
Yes. Most leading tools connect directly with website builders and e-commerce platforms, so you can sync contacts, track sign-ups, and measure sales without manual data entry.
Tools with ready-made templates and automation are best for solo founders. They let you run professional-looking campaigns without needing a design or technical background.
If your needs are simple, one or two tools will cover the essentials. As your business grows, switching to an all-in-one platform can help reduce the need to juggle separate subscriptions.