7 best marketing tools and software for small businesses

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.

What is marketing software, and why do small businesses need it?

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.

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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:

• Time and cost savings – Automate emails, social scheduling, and reporting to focus on customers.
• Consistency – Keep branded content uniform across channels.
• Data-driven insights – Track performance and adjust quickly.

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.

The best marketing software for small businesses

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

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.

Best for:

Automating emails and boosting open rates, clicks, and sales.

Cost

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.

Key features

Mailchimp includes:

• Drag-and-drop email builder with templates – No coding needed.
• Audience segmentation – Quickly identify valuable customers.
• Generative AI – Speed up newsletter writing with AI-assisted copy.

Even the free plan helps you launch effective campaigns.

Pros

Mailchimp stands out because:

• It’s simple to set up.
• It has a free plan for small lists.
• Analytics show which campaigns perform best.

It’s designed for building your first email list while helping you learn what resonates with customers.

Cons

Mailchimp’s downsides include:

• Costs increase as your list grows.
• Lower tiers restrict advanced features.

As businesses scale, they typically require an increased budget to support their growth initiatives with Mailchimp.

Featured integrations

Mailchimp integrates with over 300 tools, including:

• Shopify – Sync product data to send tailored sales emails.
• WooCommerce – Track customer purchases.
• Zapier – Connect Mailchimp to hundreds of other apps.

Integrations enable Mailchimp to utilise data from other tools effectively.

Ideal use case

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

HubSpot combines marketing, sales, and service in one platform.

Best for:

Combining CRM, email, and automation.

Cost

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.

Key features

HubSpot includes:

• CRM and pipeline management – Track prospects from first contact to sale.
• Email workflows – Automate email journeys, follow-ups, and nurture campaigns.
• Reporting dashboards – Access insights across campaigns and sales.

The best part? You can easily keep track of the entire customer journey, all in one convenient place.

Pros

HubSpot has many advantages. Most notably, it:

• Combines CRM, email, and automation.
• It’s a scalable platform, so your business has room to grow.
• Strong analytics will help you understand performance.

It provides a strong foundation for the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Cons

There are a few things to watch out for with HubSpot:

• Its broad feature set means you’ll need to invest time in training to use it effectively.
• HubSpot branding will be featured on your marketing materials if you use the free plan.
• Advanced automation requires a paid upgrade.

For small teams, HubSpot can feel complex – even on the free plan.

Featured integrations

HubSpot connects with over a thousand tools, including:

• Outlook – Log customer emails automatically.
• Shopify – Connect sales data to customer records.
• WordPress – Capture leads from your site forms.

Integrating your existing tools with HubSpot is a straightforward process, allowing you to streamline your workflows and enhance productivity.

Ideal use case

HubSpot is ideal for SME owners who want a CRM and marketing solution in one system.

Canva

Canva lets you design social, email, and marketing visuals.

Best for:

Creating branded graphics.

Cost

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.

Key features

Canva makes design accessible with its features:

• Ready-made templates – From social media posts to presentation slides.
• Drag-and-drop editor – Build designs in minutes.
• Brand kit – Store your logo, fonts, and colours for consistent visuals.

Canva makes it fun and easy for anyone to create beautiful, professional visuals.

Pros

Canva helps non-designers create content because:

• It’s beginner-friendly.
• It has a vast library of templates.

It’s a fast and affordable way to create polished assets that build brand recognition.

Cons

There are a few limitations, such as:

• Limited customisation compared to professional design software.
• Some templates are widely used, so designs might not look unique.
• The most advanced tools are only available with the Pro plan.

It’s excellent for starting, but not a substitute for a designer.

Featured integrations

Canva can connect to other tools and platforms, including:

• Google Workspace – Store and access designs in folders.
• Asana – Link visuals to tasks for smoother workflows.
• Meta (Facebook & Instagram) – Publish directly to social channels.

These integrations make it simple to save creations and push them into your marketing workflows.

Ideal use case

Canva suits small businesses that want consistent visuals but don’t yet need a designer.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a social media management tool offering scheduling, monitoring, and analytics.

Best for:

Managing multiple social accounts and tracking engagement.

Cost

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.

Key features

Hootsuite’s platform allows you to:

• Schedule social media posts.
• Monitor mentions to track conversations.
• Access analytics dashboards for campaign performance.

Hootsuite goes beyond publishing, giving you insights into how your business is performing socially.

Pros

Some of Hootsuite’s advantages include:

• Covers major social platforms in one place.
• Detailed reporting, which can inform your posting strategy to boost engagement.
• Social listening tools that help you spot customer concerns.

For businesses that need more than just scheduling, Hootsuite is a robust solution.

Cons

Hootsuite has some limitations:

• Higher price than simpler competitors.
• It can feel overwhelming when new.
• Some advanced features are only on higher tiers.

It’s a powerful tool, but it may be unnecessary if you only need basic scheduling.

Featured integrations

Hootsuite integrates with almost every social network for posting and analysis.

You can also connect it with third-party apps such as:

• Monday.com – Align social activity with campaign planning.
• Slack – Share real-time updates with your team.

These integrations help you connect social media with your broader workflows.

Ideal use case

Hootsuite suits small businesses that rely heavily on social media and want a professional system for managing their social media presence.

Google Workspace

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).

Best for:

Storage, business email, and collaboration.

Cost

Google Workspace’s monthly pricing starts from £5.90.

Key features

Google Workspace provides:

• Professional Gmail – Use your own domain (like yourname@yourcompany.com) to create a credible business email address.
• Docs, Sheets, and Slides – Collaborate as a marketing team and access real-time editing.
• Google Drive – Securely store and share content with expanded storage.
• Google Meet – Host larger meetings and record sessions – ideal for running marketing brainstorms or briefing freelancers remotely.

Google Workspace creates a centralised hub for productivity across your business.

Pros

Benefits of Google Workspace include:

• Intuitive tools.
• Real-time collaboration.
• Low-cost entry plans.

Many businesses use it as a first step to formalise marketing operations while keeping costs manageable.

Cons

Potential pitfalls of Google Workspace are:

• Limited offline functionality.
• Storage caps on lower tiers.

For many small businesses, its ease of use outweighs its drawbacks.

Featured integrations

The Google Workspace Marketplace makes it simple to integrate other tools, including:

• HubSpot – Sync contacts and track customer interactions.
• Figma – Collaborate on design files without leaving Drive.
• DocuSign – Send, sign, and store contracts with freelancers securely.

These integrations extend its functionality.

Ideal use case

Google Workspace suits small businesses wanting professional email and collaborative tools in a single package.

MeisterTask

MeisterTask is a user-friendly project management tool.

Best for:

Managing projects and task tracking.

Cost

MeisterTask offers a free plan with unlimited tasks and up to three basic project boards.

Key features

MeisterTask supports team planning with tools designed to simplify project workflows:

• Kanban boards – See the status of every project with visual task management.
• Automations – Eliminate repetitive admin by automating recurring tasks.
• Timeline (Gantt view) – Track deadlines across multiple campaigns.
• Time tracking – Monitor how long activities take so you can allocate resources more efficiently.

MeisterTask helps small teams stay organised without overwhelming them with complexity.

Pros

Some of the advantages of MeisterTask include:

• Easy-to-use interface.
• Strong free tier for solo users or small teams.
• Automations that speed up tasks.

For SMEs wanting effective workflows, MeisterTask is a reliable entry point.

Cons

MeisterTask has some disadvantages:

• Lacks advanced analytics compared with enterprise tools.
• Some premium features require upgrading to higher tiers.

The free plan is suitable for small teams, but larger ones will need to upgrade to a paid plan.

Featured integrations

MeisterTask integrates with hundreds of apps, including:

• Google Workspace – Attach Docs, Sheets, and Slides to tasks.
• Dropbox – Keep project files and assets in one place.
• OneDrive – Share and collaborate on documents.

It’s simple to connect MeisterTask with your other tools.

Ideal use case

MeisterTask is well-suited to small businesses managing collaborative marketing campaigns or content calendars.

Wix

Wix is a website builder with built-in marketing tools.

Best for:

Website creation and integrated marketing add-ons.

Cost

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.

Key features

Wix combines website building with marketing functionality:

• Drag-and-drop website builder – Create professional websites easily.
• SEO tools – Built-in guidance to improve how high up you appear in search engines.

Wix’s simple interface makes it particularly appealing for non-technical founders.

Pros

There are several advantages to Wix:

• No coding skills needed.
• Affordable entry-level pricing.
• Combines website and marketing software.

Wix can help small businesses get online without separate website, SEO, and marketing tools.

Cons

There are limitations to Wix:

• The free plan includes Wix ads and branding, which may not reflect your professional image.
• Less flexible than WordPress.

If you outgrow Wix, moving your site can be a challenging task.

Featured integrations

Wix works with key tools to extend its functionality, including:

• Google Ads – Launch and track ad campaigns.
• Instagram – Display your live Instagram feed on your site.
• Amazon – Sync product listings.

The integrations will help you easily track your sales and gain a deeper understanding of how your website is making a difference.

Ideal use case

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.

Comparison table: Features and pricing

Let’s compare the marketing software we’ve discussed:

How to choose the best marketing software for your business

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:

• Your goals – Do you want to grow your email list, track customers, or improve your branding? Select a tool that aligns with your priorities.
• Team size – Solo founders can start with lightweight free tools, while growing teams need to consider investing in advanced features and multi-user options.
• Budget – Costs can rise quickly as your business expands. Check how pricing scales before making a commitment.
• Integrations – Ensure the tool is compatible with the platforms you already use, such as Shopify or WordPress.
• Ease of learning – Consider the time you’ll need to invest in training and onboarding. The simpler the software, the sooner your team can use it.

Pick the right marketing software for your needs

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.