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Quick answer: There’s no single “best SaaS product”. The right tool depends on the job you need done, your team size and your budget. Start with the category (CRM, email marketing, project management, design and so on), shortlist two or three tools, and use free plans or trials to test them on your real work before you pay. This guide points you to our comparisons in each category, plus a checklist that applies to any SaaS purchase.
How we put this guide together: We have not run our own long-term tests of these products. This is a hub for our category guides, which compare each company’s published plans and features with independent reviews and say where each claim comes from. The buying checklist below is general advice; confirm security, pricing and contract details with each vendor.
SaaS categories at a glance
| If you need to… | Category | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Track leads, deals and customers | CRM | HubSpot vs Salesforce, HubSpot alternatives |
| Send newsletters or store emails | Email marketing | Mailchimp vs Klaviyo, Mailchimp vs ConvertKit |
| Plan and track team work | Project management | Asana vs Trello, ClickUp vs Trello |
| Make social graphics and simple designs | Design | Canva vs Adobe Express |
| Connect apps and automate tasks | Automation | Zapier vs Make |
| Improve search rankings | SEO | Semrush review, Semrush vs Ahrefs |
| Answer customer questions | Customer support | Zendesk vs Intercom |
| Sell online | E-commerce | Shopify review, Shopify vs WooCommerce |
| Build a website | Website builders | Wix vs Squarespace, Webflow review |
| Invoice and do the books | Accounting | QuickBooks vs FreshBooks |
| Run product work on a budget | Product management | Budget tool stack for product managers |
A checklist for buying any SaaS product
- Write down the job first. List the three to five things the tool must do. It’s easy to pay for features you’ll never use.
- Price your real team size. Most SaaS is priced per user (“seat”), by contacts or by usage. Work out the cost for your actual team and the plan you’ll need in a year, not just the entry price.
- Check monthly vs annual billing. Annual plans are usually cheaper per month but lock you in. Start monthly if you’re unsure.
- Test on real work. Use the free plan or trial with an actual project, and involve the people who’ll use the tool every day.
- Check integrations. Make sure it connects to the tools you already use, natively or through an automation tool.
- Ask about security. For tools that hold customer or company data, ask whether the vendor has an independent security report. A SOC 2 report, for example, is an auditor’s examination of a service organisation’s controls relevant to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality or privacy (AICPA).
- Plan your exit. Check how you can export your data and what happens when you cancel, before you commit.
For a step-by-step version of this process, see our guide on how to choose the right SaaS tool for your business. To read what other buyers say, see our guide to B2B software review sites.
Where should you start?
Our verdict: Start with the job, not the brand. Pick the category above that matches your most pressing need, shortlist two or three tools from our comparison, and test them on free plans before paying. Small teams can often run on free tiers for a long time; upgrade one tool at a time, when you hit a real limit.
Be wary of buying an all-in-one suite before you know which parts you’ll use, and of long annual contracts for tools your team hasn’t tried yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best SaaS product for a small business?
It depends on the job. Most small businesses start with a CRM, an email marketing tool and a project management tool. Our category guides compare the main options in each, and many offer free plans to start.
How do I choose between two SaaS tools?
List the tasks you need done, price both tools for your real team size, and test both on a free plan or trial with an actual project. The one your team keeps using without prompting is usually the right choice.
Should I pay monthly or annually for SaaS?
Annual billing is usually cheaper per month but commits you for a year. Pay monthly until you’re confident the tool fits, then switch to annual if the saving is worth it.
What does SOC 2 mean for a SaaS vendor?
A SOC 2 report is an independent auditor’s examination of a service organisation’s controls relevant to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality or privacy. Ask vendors that hold your data whether they have one.
Further reading
- How to Choose the Right SaaS Tool for Your Business
- B2B SaaS Review Sites for Software Buyers
- Budget Tool Stack for Product Managers
Sources
- AICPA & CIMA, “SOC 2” (SOC 2 Reporting on an Examination of Controls at a Service Organization Relevant to Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, or Privacy). aicpa-cima.com
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