Choose Your Stack: The Tools I Actually Recommend
Skip the endless Googling and tool overwhelm.
From email marketing and course platforms to schedulers, community tools, and automation - these are the trusted systems I recommend and implement every week.
If it’s on this list, it’s because it works.
Quick Navigation
Start Here: My Top 5 Tools
Short on time? Start with my go-to tools, which cover 80% of what you’ll need to launch, sell, and scale.
Kajabi
Why I chose this: Everything in one place means less tech headaches and better profit margins.
- Course hosting, email marketing, website, funnels, and more
- Best for: Serious course creators who want to scale
- Learning curve: Medium (worth the investment)
- I love this because: One login, one monthly fee, everything integrated
Kit
Why I chose this: Built specifically for creators, not e-commerce stores.
- Intuitive automation, tagging, and segmentation
- Best for: Building and nurturing your email list
- Learning curve: Easy
- I love this because: Makes complex email sequences simple
Dubsado
Why I chose this: Designed for service providers who need workflows, not just invoices.
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Powerful form automations, canned emails, and schedulers
Best for: Client onboarding, proposals, and service workflows
Learning curve: Moderate
I love this because: It makes booking, onboarding, and follow-ups feel effortless and polished
Xero
Why I chose this: A clean, reliable accounting platform that integrates seamlessly with the rest of your tech stack.
Invoicing, expense tracking, and bank reconciliation
Real-time cash flow and GST visibility
Best for: Service-based businesses and course creators who want clear financials without spreadsheets.
Learning curve: Easy
I love this because: it plays nicely with tools like Stripe and PayPal and gives you accurate numbers without extra admin.
Asana - Task Management
Why I chose this: Built for project planning with visual simplicity and team-friendly views
- Boards, timelines, and recurring task templates
Best for: Managing launches, client projects, and internal ops
Learning curve: Easy
I love this because: It helps me keep complex projects moving without the overwhelm
Quick Decision Guide
Still not sure which tools are right for you? Here's what I recommend based on where you are:
| Your Situation | My Recommendation | Monthly Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Just Starting Out First course, small list |
Thinkific + Canva + Google Meet + Vimeo | ~$100 AUD/month |
| Scaling Existing Business Have audience, need systems |
Keep existing tools that are working (e.g. Kajabi) + Add Dubsado (CRM) + Notion (ops hub) + ThriveCart (checkout). If your platform's email tools are limited, upgrade to ActiveCampaign for advanced automation. | ~$400-500 AUD/month |
| Established & Growing Multiple offers, team growth |
Full tech stack + automation tools | ~$1,200-2,000 AUD/month |
| Want It Done-For-You No time for setup |
Book a VIP Tech Day - I'll handle everything | One-time setup investment |
All-in-One Platforms
Kajabi
A premium all-in-one platform designed for course creators who want everything (courses, emails, funnels, website, and payments) in one place. Best for: established businesses ready to scale with fewer moving parts.
Kartra
A solid alternative to Kajabi that includes robust automations and lower monthly pricing. Ideal for those who want a full-featured system but need a more budget-friendly option.
Ivory.io
A female-founded, Australian alternative to Kajabi. It offers course hosting, email marketing, and funnels in one place. Best for creators who want local support and an intuitive setup.
Course Platforms
Already have an email system or funnel builder you love? These course platforms are great for delivering your content while keeping the student experience smooth and professional.
Thinkific
Flexible, intuitive, and ideal for creators who want full control over how their course is delivered. Works well if you already have email and funnel tools in place.
Teachable
Simple to use with a clean student experience. Perfect for first-time course creators who want to get started without a steep learning curve. My only con is that Teachable doesn't have email marketing built in - only basic emails are sent when someone buys your course. You will need an external marketing platform.
Podia
An affordable platform that supports courses, downloads, and email marketing. Great for creators who want to sell multiple digital products from one place.
Choosing the right platform is step one - I help course creators with the complete setup and integration so everything works seamlessly together.
Email Marketing Platforms
Your email list is your most valuable asset. Choose a platform that grows with you. If you’re just starting out, MailerLite is great as it's free up to 1000 contacts. If you’re scaling, ActiveCampaign gives more power.
Kit
My Top PickBuilt for creators. Simple tagging, automations, and beautifully designed forms. Ideal for those growing a newsletter or launching regularly. I find Kit easy to use and navigate, although I find their landing pages are limited in design formatting options.
ActiveCampaign
Powerhouse automation features. Perfect for scaling businesses needing complex segmentation and workflows.
MailerLite
Budget FriendlyClean interface, great automation tools, and free up to 1,000 subs. I recommend it often for newer businesses that want smart marketing without the cost.
Community Platforms
Build an engaged space for your clients or students to connect, ask questions, and stay accountable. These tools are perfect for memberships, group programs, or cohort-based courses.
Circle
A sleek, modern community platform that integrates beautifully with course content. Best for creators building memberships or coaching groups.
Heartbeat
My Top PickAn easy-to-use, feature-rich option with live chat, events, and onboarding flows. Ideal for nurturing engaged, interactive communities. Heartbeat is great if you want more than just a Community space, as you can have courses, events, chat, and DMs all in one platform.
Skool
Combines community, content, and accountability in one interface. Perfect if you want to create an experience where your students stick around and actually engage.
Client & Project Management
Keep your business organised and your clients happy. These tools help manage client projects, content, proposals, and onboarding, so nothing falls through the cracks.
Notion
An all-in-one workspace to manage projects, content, client workflows, and SOPs. Best for those who want flexibility and visual organisation.
Dubsado
My Top 5 PickA CRM built for service-based businesses. Automates client onboarding, proposals, contracts, and payments. Best for high-touch service providers.
Asana
My Top 5 PickA go-to project management tool for staying on top of client work, course builds, and team communication. Ideal for those managing multiple deadlines.
Legal Stuff
These legal tools help protect your course, digital products, and services with the right contracts and disclaimers (especially for Aussie businesses).
Foundd Legal
A Must For Any Business!Trusted legal templates for Australian online businesses. If you sell digital products, run courses, or offer services, this is your go-to for contracts, disclaimers, and T&Cs. Jump on over to their website using this link to check out their range of templates.
Use code SOPHIECARR for a tidy 15% off any template!
Design & Visuals
Even if you’re not a designer, you can still look like one. These tools help you create beautiful graphics, workbooks, lead magnets, and slides with ease.
Canva
The gold standard for easy, professional design. Use it to create course workbooks, lead magnets, sales graphics, and social media posts - even if you're not a designer.
Feeling overwhelmed by all the options?
Book a free Tech Stack Session and get a clear, customised plan - no more guesswork, wasted time, or tech overwhelm.
Form Builders
Collect leads, onboard clients, or survey your audience with these user-friendly, professional form tools. Great for quizzes, feedback, and applications.
Tally
My PickA beautifully simple, Notion-style form builder. Great for collecting client intake info, feedback, or quiz responses with minimal fuss. More formatting/layout options than a Google Form, and the Free plan will work for most people.
Paperform
An Aussie-made form builder that handles payments, conditional logic, and more. Ideal for client onboarding, lead generation, or selling low-ticket products.
Content & Editing Tools
Save time editing and polishing your course content, videos, and calls. These tools make it easy to produce professional assets without needing a whole production team.
Fathom
Meeting recording and AI summaries that cut your admin time in half. Perfect for capturing strategy sessions or internal planning calls.
Descript
All-in-one audio and video editor with transcription and AI tools. Brilliant for editing course videos or repurposing your content quickly.
Video Hosting & Messaging
Keep your video content clean, ad-free, and easy to manage. These tools are perfect for walkthroughs, training, and course delivery.
Vimeo
My Top 5 PickAd-free video hosting with privacy controls. Best for hosting your course content securely.
Loom
Quick video walkthroughs and feedback made easy. Great for client updates or async support.
Communication & Collaboration
Stay in touch with clients and collaborators, give feedback fast, and streamline your day-to-day communication with these simple, powerful tools.
Zoom
For video calls and virtual meetings, Zoom is my go-to. Whether it’s webinars, client meetings, or team catch-ups, Zoom delivers reliable, high-quality video every time.
Google Meet
Google Meet is an easy-to-use option for quick video calls, especially if you’re already using Google Workspace, plus it's included in your plan, so no additional fees. It’s a solid choice for virtual meetings with clients or team members.
Slack
Slack is the ultimate tool for team communication and can be used as a Community platform. You can create channels for different projects, send direct messages, and integrate it with other tools to keep everything in one place. It can get costly, as on the paid plans it's charged per user.
Markup.io
Markup.io is a tool that lets you gather feedback directly on websites, images, and PDFs. Whether you’re collaborating with your team or getting input from clients, it simplifies the revision process and ensures everyone stays on the same page. They used to offer a free plan, but unfortunately, they now only offer paid plans.
Bonjoro
My PickBonjoro is a fantastic tool for sending personalised video messages to your audience. Whether you’re welcoming a new customer or following up with a client, Bonjoro adds a personal touch that can make a big difference.
Writing & Editing Tools
Whether you're refining your sales page or checking your course workbook, these tools help you write clearer, more professional content.
Grammerly
Write Clearly and ProfessionallyGrammarly is an AI-powered tool that checks grammar, spelling, punctuation, and clarity in your writing. It’s perfect for ensuring that your communication is polished, whether you’re writing emails, reports, or social media posts.
Wordtune
AI-Powered Writing AssistantWordtune not only checks grammar but also helps you rewrite sentences for clarity and tone. Whether you’re drafting emails or social media posts, Wordtune helps you communicate your ideas more effectively and professionally.
AI Tools
When you need an extra brain on your team, these tools help with everything from brainstorming content to mapping out funnel copy or writing email sequences.
ChatGPT
Brainstorming, outlining, content drafting, funnel ideas - think of it as your on-call tech-savvy assistant.
Claude
Great for long-form content, file uploads, and strategic brainstorming. Like ChatGPT, but often better at handling nuance and structure.
Automation & Bots
Make your systems smarter. These platforms connect your tools and automate repetitive tasks so you can focus on more strategic work.
Zapier
The glue that connects your tech stack. If one tool doesn't talk to another, Zapier probably makes it happen.
Make.com
More advanced than Zapier, with a visual editor that’s great for mapping out complex workflows.
ManyChat
ManyChat is the leading platform for automating your Facebook Messenger marketing. With ManyChat, you can create bots that handle customer inquiries, send out promotional messages, and engage with your audience automatically.
Booking Tools
No more back-and-forth emails to find a time. These tools let clients book time with you based on your availability - and send reminders, too.
Calendly
If you're not using Dubsado in your business then I recommend using Calendly to scheduler your meetings. Calendly takes the hassle out of scheduling. It syncs with your calendar so others can book a meeting based on your availability.
TidyCal
A one-time-payment alternative to Calendly. Simple, effective, and perfect if you're watching your monthly spend.
Accounting & Payments
When it’s time to get paid, these are the platforms I trust. Use them to take one-off payments, set up recurring plans, and make checkout easy for your customers.
Xero
A clean, reliable accounting platform that integrates seamlessly with the rest of your tech stack.
Invoicing, expense tracking, and bank reconciliation
Real-time cash flow and GST visibility
Best for: Service-based businesses and course creators who want clear financials without spreadsheets.
Learning curve: Easy
I love this because it plays nicely with tools like Stripe and PayPal and gives you accurate numbers without extra admin.
Stripe
Trusted global payment processor with clean integrations across course platforms and checkout tools. Ideal for setting up subscriptions, payment plans, and one-off sales. You can also set up product/services checkouts handy if you don't have a Cart style platform.
PayPal
Still one of the most recognised options for clients, especially for international or first-time buyers who prefer PayPal’s buyer protection.
Checkout & Sales Tools
Not using an all-in-one platform like Kajabi or Kartra? These tools help you manage high-converting checkout pages, upsells, and payment flows.
ThriveCart
A one-time payment checkout tool loved by course creators and digital product sellers. Create conversion-optimised checkout pages, upsells, order bumps, and even manage affiliates. Perfect if you're using a course platform like Teachable or Thinkific and want more control over the sales process, without paying monthly forever.
Web Hosting
Your website needs a reliable home. Here’s the provider I recommend if you’re using WordPress and want responsive, local support in Australia.
VentraIP
My PickVentraIP offers solid performance and 24/7 support, making it my go-to for reliable web hosting in Australia and their support is Australia-based. Whether you need a new Domain name or website hosting VentraIP is my trusted go-to.
Your 30-Day Implementation Timeline
Feeling overwhelmed? Here's how to tackle your tech setup without burning out:
| Week | Focus | Action Steps |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Choose Your Platform | Research, start free trials, make decision |
| Week 2 | Email Setup | Configure email platform, import contacts, create welcome sequence |
| Week 3 | Course Structure | Upload content, set up student portal, test user experience |
| Week 4 | Sales & Launch | Create sales pages, set up payment processing, test everything |
Meet Sophie - Your Course & Funnel Tech Partner
Hey, I’m Sophie. I help online course creators and service providers get their digital offers built, launched, and working properly (read: without you losing your mind over tags, timers, or broken buttons).
This list isn’t just a random collection of platforms - these are the tools I actually use, trust, and recommend to clients who want to run a more streamlined, profitable business without wasting time or money on the wrong tech.
If it’s on this list, it’s here because it’s practical, powerful, and plays nicely with the rest of your setup.
Get your backend built the smart way.
Book a free Tech Stack Session to find out which tools, platforms, and automations will save you hours and scale your business with ease.
Transparency Note
Affiliate Links: Some links in this guide are affiliate links, meaning I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I personally use and trust with my own clients.
Questions about any of these tools? Email me at hello@sophiecarr.com. I love helping course creators choose the right tech stack.
Bookmark this page - you'll want to reference it as you build and scale your business!