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10 Best Startup Software for 2023

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Every new business owner wants to keep costs as minimum as possible. This will allow them to do more with the limited budget they have. If you are one of them, the following startup software can significantly help:

1. Hootsuite

hootsuite screenshot

An online presence is a necessity for new businesses. Hootsuite can help you create content and get more followers quickly and easily. It is one of the most popular startup software, with a user-friendly interface and affordable pricing plans. 

It has a free plan that allows you to schedule 30 posts across any social media platform. Not only that, Hootsuite will help you monitor the Return On Investment (ROI) of all your social media campaigns. This will let you know which works and which doesn’t. Its three other plans start at $49 per month.

2. Google Analytics

Google Analytics screenshot

Understand your website better with Google Analytics. This startup software will let you track the traffic coming to your website. This will allow you to tweak whatever strategies you have in place as it tells you what needs improvement.

You can use Google Analytics free of charge as long as you don’t exceed 5 million impressions a month. It will help you understand your customers’ journey and improve your marketing ROI. It will provide insightful data that can aid you with your marketing strategies. 

3. SendPulse

sendpulse screenshot

Excellent communication with your customers helps build stronger connections and build loyalty. Whatever messaging channel you choose, SendPulse is a superb startup software. It includes lead generation tools as well as promotional channels such as email, SMS, social media, and messenger chatbots. It also offers a free CRM tool and many others features.

SendPulse has a free plan ideal for startups, but if you want to upgrade, there are three premium plans to choose from. Prices start at $7 up to $11 per month.

4. FreshBooks

freshbooks screenshot

Once your business is running, you’ll be needing an accounting and invoicing software. That’s when you’ll need FreshBooks, an app that automates invoicing, bookkeeping, payment tracking, and many other financial tasks. In just a few clicks, you can view your financial status through its Profit and Loss Statements (PLS) feature, do taxation summaries, and check expenditure reports.

FreshBooks offers four pricing plans which start at $6 per month and up to $22 for the premium plan. If you need more services, they offer a custom plan in which you’ll need to contact them for a quotation.

5. HubSpot CRM

hubspot screenshot

Primarily a CRM (Customer/Contact Relationship Management ) tool, HubSpot CRM is a must-have startup software. It lets you manage contacts, sales, pipelines, lead generation, and digital marketing, among many others. It consists of multiple tools or ‘hubs’ that you can buy separately. 

HubSpot CRM offers three pricing plans that start at $45 per month and can go up to $1,200 monthly. It may seem expensive, but if you consider what this startup software can do, you’ll know it’s worth every penny. 

6. Penji

penji screenshot

Starting your business involves advertising and marketing. And to do this effectively, you’ll be needing graphic design. It can elevate your business in ways you can’t even imagine. For this, you need Penji, an unlimited graphic design service that lets you request all your visual assets. 

For as little as $499 per month, you can request logos, digital ads, social media graphics, and many other branding collaterals. They have two other plans, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee that lets you decide without making a huge commitment.

7. Piktochart

piktochart screenshot

According to statistics, infographics are the fourth most-used type of content marketing. They can increase traffic to your website by 12%. To create interesting and engaging infographics, you can use Piktochart. With this startup program, you can add videos, charts, interactive maps, and many other elements to your infographic and embed them on your website or blog.

Piktochart offers a free plan that’s suitable for startups and medium-sized businesses. If you want to enjoy more of its features, you can get any of its premium plans that start at $14 a month.

8. WordPress

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Join the over 455 million websites that use WordPress, the world’s most popular website builder. It is an open-source content management system, which means it’s free to use. You can build the website of your dreams using this startup software’s plugin architecture and template system. It can help you create a website with responsive design, SEO, social sharing, and many other features. 

Aside from the free plan, WordPress has four premium plans with pricing that starts at $5 per month and up to $45 a month if you pay annually. 

9. Salesflare

salesflare screenshot

Another CRM tool ideal for startups, Salesflare automates many repetitive tasks to make handling your business easier and faster. It can help with your email applications, social media accounts, company calendars, and many other processes. It also provides you with crucial data such as sales funnel analysis, quota management, sales funnel analysis, and many others.

Salesflare offers simple and affordable pricing. It has three pricing plans that start at $29 per month and go up to $99 a month. It also has a free trial that lets you try the software without a credit card.

10. MailChimp

mailchimp screenshot

If you’re thinking of strategies to add to your marketing campaigns, you need to add email marketing. It is one of the most effective but can involve a laborious process. To make it easy, use MailChimp, a marketing platform that lets you manage and communicate with your clients, customers, and prospects. With it, you can customize your emails, generate leads for your database, and perform many other email-related tasks.

MailChimp has a free plan if you want to try out the service first. However, its three premium plans offer many valuable features you won’t get from the free plan.

Final Thoughts

Growing your business can be an exciting yet arduous endeavor. There is a multitude of concerns, issues, and tasks you need to take care of. Fortunately, there are startup software that you can get to make your life easier. Whether free or paid, these are absolutely helpful and worth looking into. 

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What’s the Best Graphic Design Service for Startups

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Top-Reasons-to-Choose-Penji-for-Your-Social-Media-Graphic-Design

TLDR: Penji is the best graphic design service for startups because you get unlimited designs, 24-48 hour turnarounds, and flexible pricing that won’t drain your budget. Unlike premium agencies or inconsistent freelancers, Penji scales with your startup.

The best graphic design service for startups is Penji. For $499/month, get unlimited design requests delivered in 24-48 hours with a dedicated team that understands startup urgency. No contracts, no per-project fees, just reliable design support.

Startups burn through design work fast. One week, you need social posts. Next week, you’re updating your pitch deck. Then suddenly, you need a one-pager for investors. Freelancers cost too much per project, and full-time designers? Not in the budget yet. Here’s the graphic design service for startups that comes in, giving you unlimited work for predictable monthly costs.

Top Design Services Startups Actually Use

1. Penji

penji

When you’re hunting for the best graphic design service for startups, you need speed, variety, and affordability all at once. Penji nails all three. Their design as a service platform gives you unlimited designs for $499/month with 24-48 hour turnarounds.

Why Penji works so well for startups:

They handle everything. Logos, pitch decks, social campaigns, you name it. No per-project charges. Your monthly rate stays flat whether you submit two requests or twenty.

Your dedicated team at Penji learns your brand fast. They remember your preferences for future projects instead of treating every request like the first time.

The creative support scales from simple graphics to complete brand guides. You don’t get forced into higher pricing tiers when your needs grow.

No contracts. You can pause when cash is tight and restart when you’re ready. Perfect for unpredictable startup budgets.

Startups choose Penji when they need graphic design services that match their pace without the agency price tag.

2. Superside

Superside brings agency-quality work through a subscription model. They’re great if you’ve raised significant funding and need premium creative for major campaigns. But plans start around $3,000-$5,000 monthly. Too steep for most early-stage startups.

3. Kimp

Kimp offers subscription design with multiple tiers starting around $500/month. They’re decent for basic needs. The catch? Turnaround times can stretch to 48-72 hours, and their design variety feels more limited than what Penji offers.

Conclusion

The best graphic design service for startups matches your speed and budget without compromise. Penji’s graphic design services handle everything from quick social posts to complex branding work. All for one flat monthly rate that makes financial planning actually possible.

Get Design Support That Moves at Startup Speed

Try Penji today and see why thousands of startups trust them for unlimited design work. Get your first project delivered in 48 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Penji better than hiring a freelancer?

Freelancers charge per project and often have slow turnarounds. Penji gives you unlimited designs for one flat monthly rate with 24-48 hour delivery. No chasing invoices or waiting for availability.

How much does Penji cost compared to other services?

Penji starts at $499/month for unlimited designs. Superside costs $3,000-$5,000 monthly. Quality freelancers charge $100-$200 per project, which adds up fast when you’re launching.

Can I get revisions with Penji?

Yes. Unlimited revisions are included in your monthly subscription. Keep requesting changes until the design is exactly what you need.

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Unlimited Graphic Design Companies Of 2025 + Promo Codes (Updated)

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In 2025, unlimited graphic design has become a crucial part of the day-to-day operations of businesses that can’t afford to hire an in-house designer. And with more unlimited graphic design companies now backed by AI capabilities, scalability and efficiency have increased exponentially.

Let’s unpack all there is to know about unlimited graphic design providers, including features, money-back guarantees, and factors to consider when choosing.

Which Provider Should You Choose?

We’ve done the homework and curated a list of Unlimited Graphic Design providers for you and also negotiated special deals on your behalf. You can see them all below and decide which one fits your business based on your needs.


Unlimited Graphic Design Providers

What Does Unlimited Graphic Design Mean?

These unlimited graphic design services have a monthly subscription business model. That means you can sign up and cancel whenever you like. What sets them apart from your typical freelancer, agency, or in-house designer is you gain access to a workflow that is designed to be quick and to the point.

You’ll communicate with their team through Trello, email, or an online platform. The option given is dependent on the company you choose. For example, only a small selection of services provide a custom built online platform for their customers.

Once you’re connected to their workflow, you can begin submitting as many design requests as you want. Although they all claim “unlimited”, it generally means you can “create” unlimited design requests. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll work on them all at once. Usually, they just work on one design at a time. When one completes, they start the next design.

The usual turnaround time is between 1 – 2 days, and that’s just for the first draft. It doesn’t mean your entire request is complete. If you don’t like it, you can request as many revisions as you want, and that will take more time. So it can take up to a week to actually get the design complete if you have a lot of revisions.

Another thing to keep in mind is content. You need to be able to have everything ready and provide all the content needed in order for their designers to get started.

How Does On-Demand Graphic Design Work?

Most graphic design services listed above offer clients a bespoke design platform. For instance, Penji’s design tool is an all-in-one platform where designers, account managers, customers, and their team members can communicate and collaborate. 

Although the steps in working with a graphic design company are similar, we’ll use Penji’s design software to share the step-by-step graphic design process.

1. Log in

Once you’ve selected the subscription plan, log in to your design tool and access your dashboard. Most of these tools are user-friendly with a minimal learning curve and prioritize user experience. 

This example of Penji’s dashboard shows a list and thumbnails of ongoing design projects. The menu at the top shows the Active, Completed, Drafted, and On-hold projects.

Submitting a design brief is the first step in the on-demand graphic design process. To submit, click the +New Project button at the upper right side of the dashboard. 

2. Fill in the title

Think of a relevant project title that will describe the design accurately. Writing an accurate title will make browsing through ongoing projects easier once you have a long list. 

For instance, if you’re creating a company logo, you can write “Logo design” and specify the company or industry beside it if you’re handling multiple brands.

3. Choose from design categories

The next step is to choose from the many design categories. Most unlimited graphic design services have around 100+ design categories. Penji has 120+ design categories. Choose one that fits your project. 

4. Write a design brief

This step is crucial when working with on-demand graphic designers, as this will make or break your project outcome. Writing a thorough, clear, and well-thought-out design brief makes it easier for designers to understand exactly what you want. 

Penji’s design platform has a few reminders on the left side when writing design briefs. Ensure you follow the tips for a better design outcome. 

5. Attach files and images for inspiration

Some customers can’t express themselves clearly through written instructions. You can attach files and images to support your written descriptions with visuals. Attaching sample logos also helps lead designers in the right direction. Attaching your competitors’ logos is also a way to make yours better. 

You’ll also need to choose the source file type in this step or let designers pick for you.

6. Choose a brand style guide

Subscribing to unlimited graphic design services means you can request any visuals for multiple brands. Penji’s design tool lets you save and categorize your brand style guides in folders. This way, you only have to choose a branding guideline for designers to follow. 

Once you’ve chosen the associated brand, click the Create project button to start the process. 

7. Wait 24 to 48 hours

Although most on-demand graphic design services’ turnaround is 24 to 48 hours, some companies may take more than two days. This is due to complex projects like illustrations or web pages.

Wait for the first draft and ask for revisions until you’re 100 percent happy with the design. Download the source file, and you’re good to go!

Why Should You Sign Up for Unlimited Graphic Design Services

Subscribing to unlimited graphic design services is more convenient than hiring freelance designers. 

Here are factors why many users choose to outsource their design needs to unlimited graphic design services:

  • Work with vetted designers and choose from various skill sets. There is no need to search for another designer fit for a particular project. The company will assign you the most suitable designer.
  • AI integration. The best unlimited graphic design providers make sure that their vetted designers have updated training and are able to take advantage of the latest tech, including AI.
  • No need to worry about additional fees as you only have to pay fixed monthly rates and get unlimited designs. Revisions also come at no extra cost. 
  • You don’t have to worry about graphic designers going MIA and abandoning crucial projects. Each design project is managed by an account manager who will check if deadlines are met on time. 
  • Signing up and canceling subscriptions with on-demand graphic design services is easy. You can sign up if you need a stream of designs while setting up shop and cancel anytime without incurring cancellation fees. 
  • Fast 24 to 48-hour turnaround, which prevents any bottlenecks in your marketing campaigns. 
  • Request to change assigned designers if you’re unhappy with their work at no additional cost. 
  • Organize your projects and brand style guides if you request multiple brand designs. The custom design platforms make managing projects efficient and convenient. 

Are they worth it?

If you have a lot of design needs, they’re definitely worth it. Being that it’s a monthly recurring investment, you’ll need to make sure that you have the need for an ongoing graphic design service. This graphic design service model is comparable to outsourcing a designer yourself, except much of all the management work is done by the company. The quality of designs and turnaround time also tends to be significantly better when outsourcing a designer yourself.

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Startup Central

Why Having an Advisory Board Could Make or Break Your Startup

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Facing severe challenges as a startup is almost inevitable, and you can’t always power through them alone. That’s why a startup advisory board is one of the smartest assets you can build when launching your business.

Many new entrepreneurs spend sleepless nights searching for solutions but still come up short. That’s why having a trusted advisory board is crucial—it fills the gaps in knowledge and experience, helping you navigate the toughest parts of your entrepreneurial journey.

Here’s why a startup advisory board is vital and how to choose the right people.

But first, a common question –

What is an advisory board?

what is a startup advisory board
Image by RonaldCandonga from Pixabay

A startup advisory board is a group of experienced professionals who provide strategic guidance to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses. If you’ve ever wondered, what does an advisory board do? — they offer mostly offer the following without being directly involved in daily operations:

  • Valuable insights
  • Industry connections
  • Mentorship

So, what is the role of a startup advisor? These advisors help founders make smarter decisions in areas like attracting investors, scaling operations, building company culture, and navigating challenges. They can also guide startups through critical stages like product development or planning an exit strategy.

With the advisory board responsibilities being met, you will have guidance in the following aspects:

  • Inviting more investors
  • Creating a compelling company culture
  • Establishing growth techniques
  • Attracting the right talent
  • Retaining the right employees
  • Planning and executing your exit strategy when all else fails

An entrepreneur’s relationship with the advisory board representatives is often informal and personal. This means communication is done via video chat, email, or text.

Why an Advisory Board is Vital

why is a startup advisory board important
Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay

Some startup advisory board examples include boards composed of people with deep industry experience and can open doors that founders might not reach on their own, such as:

  • Former CEOs
  • Investors
  • Legal experts
  • Marketing leaders

Some entrepreneurs forgo the aspect or take it lightly due to the costs of startup advisory board compensation. Is it worth paying these individuals? Here are the benefits of having an advisory board:

  • They can fill knowledge gaps that will enhance your performance as the CEO of your startup
  • They will add credibility to your startup and boost trust among customers and investors
  • They give you business advice that you might never think of due to a lack of experience 
  • You’ll become trustworthy in the eyes of external and internal stakeholders

How to Choose the Right Members for your Advisory Board

Selecting the right members for your advisory board is crucial, as you need people to add value to your business. Here’s how:

1. Assess your Knowledge and Needs

It’s crucial to determine why you’re choosing an advisory board in the first place. For instance, data reveals that 65% of respondents sought accounting or finance competencies for advisory boards while 51% sought expertise in sales and marketing. That said, look within yourself to find the right people. What do you need help for? Is it to hit the ground running or perhaps to recession-proof your business? Assess your experience, knowledge, and needs. For instance, if you need someone knowledgeable about finding funding, choose someone with connections to investors. 

2. Take Advantage of Personal Relationships

The purpose of a business mentor is to have someone you can turn to when you need them the most. They act as your confidant and trusted ally. If you already have someone in your circle whom you think can add value to your business, see if you can leverage that relationship.

Choosing the members of your startup advisory board
Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay

3. Do Your Due Diligence

As responsible entrepreneurs, it’s your job to screen candidates thoroughly. Do your due diligence and perform background checks on each candidate. Do they have a proven track record? Have they garnered some positive testimonials from previous clients? What are their strengths and weaknesses? Do they have advocacies or different principles that might cloud their judgment? By aligning your values and beliefs, ensure that the candidate is the right fit. 

4. Attend Entrepreneurial Events

Another way to find like-minded individuals is to attend business events and conferences. These are some occasions when business-minded people come together to share ideas and experiences. It’s also an excellent way to meet others who can potentially be your business mentor. 

Conclusion

Building a startup advisory board can be one of the most valuable steps you take as a founder. It’s more than just gathering experts; it’s about surrounding yourself with people who can offer wisdom, challenge your ideas, and guide you through tough decisions.

The right advisors can help you grow faster, avoid costly mistakes, and open doors you might not reach on your own. By carefully selecting and nurturing these relationships, you can strengthen your business, sharpen your leadership, and create a company that’s built to last.

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