The consultant ops stack (2026)

The rule

This is an operations stack for a US independent consultant or a two-person shop — strategy, ops, fractional execs. It is not a craft stack. We will not rank AI slide or writing tools. Those live on Aiacent. If the leak is the deck, leave. If the leak is unpaid invoices and a personal checking account, stay.

The default stack

• Entity: home-state LLC via LegalZoom $0 + state fee, or DIY. Atlas only if you are actually on a startup-formation path.
• Proposals: HoneyBook or PandaDoc Starter ($19/user annual). Bonsai if you want one freelancer suite.
• Time: Harvest $9/seat annual or Toggl Free until invoices demand Harvest.
• Invoices: FreshBooks Plus $43 if reminders matter; Wave $0 in year one; QBO when the CPA appears.
• CRM: HubSpot Free or Pipedrive Growth if deals slip. See the worth-it pages.
• Banking: Mercury or Relay at $0. Stripe or ACH for payouts.
• Payroll: Gusto the week you are a W-2 or pay yourself a salary correctly.

Sell and deliver

Calendly for the intro. A real SOW — software will not invent scope. Asana Personal/Starter if delivery has tasks; Notion if the wiki is the work. Do not run the firm from a proposal tool’s notes app.

Money

As of September 20, 2026: FreshBooks Plus $43, Harvest $9/seat annual, Gusto Simple $49 + $6, QBO Simple Start $38, Stripe 2.9% + 30¢. Offer ACH. This is not tax advice. Estimated taxes are a CPA conversation.

What to skip

• An agency PM suite for one person.
• Rippling.
• A second invoice tool “for backup.”
• AI proposal writers as a buying criterion.