Founder’s Tech Stack Cheat Sheet 2025: Build, Automate & Scale Smarter

Choosing the right tech stack can make or break your startup’s growth.

The Founder’s Tech Stack Cheat Sheet: 2025 Edition gives startup founders, CTOs, and non-technical leaders a clear, actionable roadmap to build, launch, and scale with confidence without tool overwhelm.

Inside this detailed presentation, you’ll find:
✅ Full breakdown of modern startup tech stacks across Development, AI, Design, Operations, and Automation
✅ Top tools with pricing, use cases, and free-tier options
✅ AI-first, no-code, and developer-centric stack templates
✅ 4-week implementation checklist to install and integrate everything seamlessly
✅ Insights into MCP (Model Context Protocol) and how to securely connect AI with your business tools

Whether you’re launching your first MVP, running a lean remote team, or scaling to new markets, this cheat sheet helps you choose the right tools, cut costs, and move faster.

💡 Pro Tip:
Don’t just pick tools, create a stack strategy. Use this guide to align your tech with your growth goals and future-proof your business.

📥 Download the free guide or explore the slides to discover how successful founders build AI-driven stacks that scale fearlessly.

1. Founder's Tech Stack Cheat Sheet: 2025 Edition

The complete, detailed guide for startup founders to build modern, AI-powered tech
stacks
What is a Tech Stack?
A tech stack is the curated combination of technologies, platforms, software tools, and
services you use to launch, operate, automate, and scale your business—from product
development to operations, marketing, and customer success.
The Essential Layers of a Modern Founder's Tech Stack
Core Development & Infrastructure
Layer Key
Function
Top Tools (2025) Pricing
Project
Management
Task
tracking,
sprints,
roadmaps
Jira (Free-$14/user),
Linear ($8/user),
Asana
(Free-$24/user),
ClickUp
(Free-$12/user)
Enterprise teams
prefer Jira
despite
complexity;
Linear is gaining
fast adoption for
modern UX
Communication Team
messaging,
video calls
Slack
(Free-$12.50/user),
Microsoft Teams
(Free-$22/user),
Discord (Free),
Google Meet (Free)
Essential for
remote/hybrid
teams,
integration hub
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2. Design &
Prototyping
UI/UX,
branding,
wireframes
Figma
(Free-$75/user),
Canva
(Free-$15/user),
Adobe Creative
($54/user), Uizard
(AI, $12/user)
Modern design
requires
collaborative,
cloud-first tools
Development Code, build,
deploy
GitHub
(Free-$44/user), VS
Code (Free), Replit
(AI, Free-$25/user),
Cursor (AI IDE, Free-
$20/user)
AI-assisted
coding is
becoming
standard
AI Development AI models,
coding
assistants
Claude Pro
($20/user) + Claude
Code, ChatGPT Plus
($20/user), GitHub
Copilot ($10/user),
Anthropic API ($3-
75/1M tokens)
Claude is gaining
an edge in coding
tasks; the MCP
protocol enables
tool integration
Backend & Database
Layer Key FunctionTop Tools Pricing
Database Data storage,
management
Supabase
(Free-$25/month),
Firebase
(Free-$25/month),
PlanetScale (Free-
$39/month), Airtable
(Free-$54/user)
Supabase is
gaining
popularity over
Firebase for
PostgreSQL
Hosting/
Deployment
App hosting,
CDN
Vercel (Free-$20/user),
Netlify (Free-$19/user),
Railway
(Free-$5/month), AWS
Free Tier (12 months)
Vercel
dominates
Next.js
deployments
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3. Backend
Services
APIs,
serverless
functions
AWS Lambda (Free
tier), Cloudflare
Workers
(Free-$5/month),
Render
(Free-$25/month)
Serverless-first
approach for
startups
Workflow Automation & Integration
Layer Key Function Top Tools Pricing
Workflow
Automation
Connect apps,
automate tasks
n8n (Free self-host,
$50/month cloud),
Zapier
(Free-$73/month),
Make.com (Free-
$16/month)
n8n offers 400+
integrations,
code flexibility,
fair-code
license
MCP IntegrationAI tool
connectivity
Anthropic MCP
servers, n8n MCP
nodes, Custom MCP
servers
Connect AI
models to
tools/data via
Model Context
Protocol
Business Operations
Layer Key FunctionTop Tools Pricing
CRM Customer
management
HubSpot
(Free-$1,781/m
onth),
Pipedrive ($14-
$119/user),
Notion (Free-
$15/user)
HubSpot free tier
supports 1M contacts
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4. Accounting Financial
management
QuickBooks
($15-$235/mo
nth), Xero
($15-$78/mon
th), Wave
(Free),
FreshBooks
($17-$55/mont
h)
Wave is completely
free for basic needs
Payments Process
transactions
Stripe (2.9% +
30¢),
Razorpay
(India, 2% +
3), Square
₹
(2.6% + 10¢)
Stripe dominates
developer-friendly
payments
HR & Payroll Team
management
Gusto ($40-
$149/month),
Zoho People
(Free-$9/user)
, Deel ($49-
$599/user),
BambooHR
($6-$12/user)
Deel leads for global
remote teams
Advanced Tech Stack Configurations
AI-First Stack (2025)
Perfect for AI/ML startups and modern tech companies
Function Tool Integration Advantage
AI Development Claude Pro + API MCP protocol connects to n8n,
Notion, databases
Coding VS Code + Claude
Code
Terminal-native AI coding (72.5%
SWE-bench accuracy)
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5. Automation n8n Native AI nodes, LangChain
integration
Database Supabase Vector embeddings, edge
functions
Hosting Vercel AI function optimization
Project Mgmt Linear AI-powered insights
Monthly Cost: $200-500
No-Code Powerhouse
For non-technical founders
Function Tool Why It Works
Website Webflow Visual development
App Bubble Full-stack no-code
Database Airtable Spreadsheet interface
Automation Zapier Easiest setup
Design Canva Template-driven
CRM HubSpot Built-in automation
Monthly Cost: $100-300
Developer-Centric Stack
For technical teams
Function Tool Developer Benefits
Project Mgmt Jira Deep GitHub integration
Code GitHub + Copilot AI pair programming
Database PostgreSQL + Supabase Full SQL control
Hosting AWS/Railway Infrastructure as code
Monitoring Sentry Error tracking
CI/CD GitHub Actions Automated deployments
Monthly Cost: $150-400
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services, contact at [email protected]

6. Model Context Protocol (MCP) Revolution
What is MCP?
Anthropic's open standard that lets AI models connect to external tools and data
sources securely. Think "USB-C for AI applications."
MCP-Enabled Workflow Example:
1.Claude (via MCP) → n8n workflow → Notion database → Slack notification
2.AI assistant → GitHub repos → Google Drive → Database queries
Popular MCP Servers (2025):
●n8n MCP node - Connect AI to 400+ app integrations
●Notion MCP - AI reads/writes to Notion databases
●GitHub MCP - AI analyzes code repositories
●Database MCP - AI queries SQL databases
●File System MCP - AI accesses local files
Setup Example:
# Install n8n with MCP support
npx n8n
# Add Claude MCP integration
npm install @n8n/mcp-claude-server
Tool Deep Dives
Jira vs Linear vs Asana (2025)
Feature Jira Linear Asana
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services, contact at [email protected]

7. Complexity High (enterprise-
focused)
Medium
(developer-
friendly)
Low (general
teams)
Best For Large dev teams,
complex
workflows
Modern dev teams,
fast-moving
startups
Non-technical
teams, marketing
Integration Extensive
(Atlassian suite)
GitHub-native Broad but shallow
AI Features Atlassian
Intelligence
Predictive
workflows
Smart fields
Pricing Free-$14/user $8-16/user Free-$24/user
Recommendation: Linear for modern startups, Jira for enterprise, Asana for non-dev
teams.
Claude vs ChatGPT for Coding (2025)
Aspect Claude ChatGPT
Context Window 200K tokens (1M via API)128K tokens
Coding Accuracy 72.5% (SWE-bench) 67% (SWE-bench)
Code Quality Cleaner, more contextualBroader ecosystem
Pricing $20/month Pro, $3-75/1M
tokens API
$20/month Plus, $0.01-
0.06/1K tokens API
Best Feature Claude Code (terminal-
native)
Code Interpreter
Integration MCP protocol Function calling
Recommendation: Claude for serious coding projects, ChatGPT for general
development.
n8n vs Zapier vs Make.com (2025)
Feature n8n Zapier Make.com
Pricing Free self-host,
$50/month cloud
Free-$73/month Free-$16/month
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services, contact at [email protected]

8. Integrations400+ 7000+ 1400+
Code SupportJavaScript/Python
in nodes
Limited JavaScript
functions
Self-HostingYes (fair-code
license)
No No
AI Features Native LangChain,
MCP support
AI by Zapier AI connectors
Learning
Curve
Medium Easy Medium
Recommendation: n8n for technical teams, Zapier for simplicity, Make.com for cost-
effectiveness.
Quick Start Templates
1. SaaS MVP Stack
●Communication: Slack (Free)
●Project Mgmt: Linear ($8/user)
●Design: Figma (Free)
●Development: GitHub + VS Code + Claude Pro ($30/user)
●Database: Supabase (Free tier)
●Hosting: Vercel (Free tier)
●CRM: HubSpot (Free)
●Payments: Stripe (per transaction)
●Analytics: Mixpanel (Free tier)
●Automation: n8n (Free self-host)
Total: ~$40-80/month for 2-person team
2. AI-Powered Agency Stack
●AI: Claude Pro + API ($20 + usage)
●Automation: n8n with MCP ($50/month)
●CRM: Notion ($15/user)
●Design: Canva Pro ($15/user)
●Communication: Discord (Free)
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9. ●Project Mgmt: ClickUp (Free)
●Payments: Stripe (per transaction)
●Hosting: Netlify (Free)
Total: ~$100-150/month for small team
3. E-commerce Startup Stack
●Platform: Shopify ($29/month)
●Design: Canva Pro ($15/month)
●CRM: HubSpot (Free)
●Email: Mailchimp (Free-$350/month)
●Analytics: Google Analytics (Free)
●Automation: Zapier ($20/month)
●Support: Intercom ($39/month)
●Accounting: Wave (Free)
Total: ~$100-200/month
2025 Tech Stack Trends
1. AI-First Development
●Claude Code and Cursor IDE leading AI coding
●MCP protocol enabling AI-tool integration
●n8n adding native AI workflow nodes
2. No-Code/Low-Code Maturation
●Bubble and Webflow handling complex applications
●Airtable is becoming a full database solution
●n8n bridging technical and non-technical users
3. Consolidation vs Specialization
●Notion expanding into CRM, project management
●Linear focusing purely on developer experience
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10. ●Supabase is challenging Firebase with PostgreSQL
4. Cost Optimization
●More companies are choosing self-hosted solutions (n8n, Supabase)
●Fair-code licenses are gaining adoption
●Free tiers are becoming more generous
Common Pitfalls & Solutions
Pitfall 1: Tool Overload
●Problem: Using 20+ tools, each serving one function
●Solution: Choose platforms that do multiple things well (Notion, n8n, HubSpot)
Pitfall 2: Integration Hell
●Problem: Tools don't talk to each other
●Solution: Use MCP-compatible AI tools + n8n for complex workflows
Pitfall 3: Premature Enterprise Tools
●Problem: Choosing Jira/Salesforce when Linear/HubSpot would suffice
●Solution: Start simple, upgrade when you hit real limits
Pitfall 4: Ignoring AI Tools
●Problem: Manual work that AI could automate
●Solution: Add Claude Pro + n8n automations to save 10+ hours/week
Pitfall 5: No Integration Strategy
●Problem: Each tool operates in isolation
●Solution: Plan integration-first architecture using APIs and automation tools
Learning Resources
Essential Communities
●n8n Community - Workflow automation help
●Linear Discord - Modern project management
●Anthropic Discord - Claude and MCP development
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11. ●Indie Hackers - Founder tool discussions
●r/startups - Tool recommendations
Free Learning
●n8n Academy - Workflow automation course
●Figma Academy - Design fundamentals
●Stripe Learn - Payment integration
●Anthropic MCP Docs - AI tool integration
●Supabase YouTube - Database tutorials
Final Implementation Checklist
Week 1: Core Setup
●Choose a communication platform (Slack/Discord)
●Set up project management (Linear/Jira/ClickUp)
●Configure development environment (GitHub + IDE)
●Select AI coding assistant (Claude Pro/ChatGPT Plus)
Week 2: Infrastructure
●Database setup (Supabase/Firebase)
●Hosting platform (Vercel/Netlify)
●Domain and SSL certificates
●Basic monitoring (error tracking)
Week 3: Operations
●CRM setup (HubSpot/Notion)
●Payment processing (Stripe)
●Accounting system (Wave/QuickBooks)
●Basic automation (n8n/Zapier)
Week 4: Integration & Optimization
●Connect tools via automation
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12. ●Set up MCP servers if using Claude
●Configure analytics and monitoring
●Team training and documentation
Pro Tip: Start with free tiers, automate early with n8n + Claude, and upgrade based on
actual usage patterns, not projected needs.
Conclusion
Building the right tech stack in 2025 isn’t about chasing the newest shiny tool—it’s
about choosing solutions that fit your stage, your team, and your growth vision. With
AI-first development, powerful automation frameworks like n8n, and integration
standards like MCP, founders today can launch and scale smarter than ever before.
And if you’re looking for expert help, TST Technology provides top-tier design and
development services for mobile, web, and software products- book your FREE
consultation now!
For more founder-focused resources, visit: tsttechnology.io/resources-library
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