10 Tools Every Indie Hacker Should Know

Building solo is hard. You're the designer, developer, marketer, and support team all rolled into one. The right tools can be the difference between shipping fast and burning out.

Below are 10 widely used tools (and categories of tools) that can reduce setup time and help you ship consistently. Pricing and features change often - treat this as a starting point, and double-check current plans before committing.

1. Vercel / Netlify - Deploy in Seconds

What it does: One-click deployments for your web apps.

Why it matters: As a solo builder, you don't have time to babysit infrastructure. Push to GitHub and deploy with minimal friction.

Best for: Next.js, React, static sites Cost: Check current plans (free and paid options vary)

2. Supabase - Backend Without the Backend Work

What it does: Postgres database + auth + realtime + storage in one package.

Why it matters: You get a production-ready backend without writing server code. Auth alone would take you weeks to build properly.

Best for: Rapid prototyping, MVPs Cost: Check current plans

3. Stripe - Payments That Just Work

What it does: Accept credit cards without the compliance headache.

Why it matters: PCI compliance is a nightmare. Stripe handles it so you can focus on building.

Best for: SaaS, digital products Cost: Usage-based; review Stripe’s current pricing

4. Plausible / Fathom - Analytics Without the Creep Factor

What it does: Privacy-friendly website analytics.

Why it matters: Google Analytics is overkill for most indie projects. Plausible gives you the metrics you need without tracking users across the internet.

Best for: Public-facing sites Cost: Check current plans

5. Linear - Project Management for Builders

What it does: Issue tracking and roadmap planning.

Why it matters: Trello feels like homework. Linear feels like shipping. The keyboard shortcuts alone save hours.

Best for: Solo devs who want structure without bloat Cost: Check current plans

6. Postmark / Resend - Transactional Emails

What it does: Send password resets, receipts, and notifications reliably.

Why it matters: Sending transactional email reliably is harder than it looks; a specialist provider can reduce deliverability headaches.

Best for: App notifications, receipts Cost: Check current plans

7. Figma - Design Without a Designer

What it does: UI design and prototyping.

Why it matters: You don't need to hire a designer for your MVP. Figma's community has thousands of free templates.

Best for: UI mockups, simple graphics Cost: Check current plans

8. Clerk - Auth in 10 Minutes

What it does: Drop-in authentication with social logins, magic links, and MFA.

Why it matters: Building auth from scratch is a security risk and time sink. Clerk gives you enterprise-grade auth out of the box.

Best for: SaaS apps, community platforms Cost: Check current plans

9. Cal.com - Booking Without the Back-and-Forth

What it does: Scheduling tool for calls and meetings.

Why it matters: As a solo founder, every user interview counts. Stop playing email tag and let people book time instantly.

Best for: Customer calls, consulting Cost: Open source and paid options; check current plans

10. Tailwind CSS - Styling at the Speed of Thought

What it does: Utility-first CSS framework.

Why it matters: Write CSS without context switching. Build responsive UIs faster than any other method.

Best for: Web apps, landing pages Cost: Free

The Pattern: Speed + Reliability

Notice a theme? Every tool on this list does two things:

1. Saves time - Less config, more shipping
2. Just works - Minimal debugging, maximum uptime

As a solo builder, your time is your most valuable asset. Choose tools that multiply your output, not your complexity.

What's Missing?

This list is intentionally focused on building and shipping. I didn't include:

• Marketing tools (that's a whole separate post)
• Analytics (beyond the basics)
• Customer support (depends on your product)

Start with these 10, ship your MVP, then add tools as you grow.

Your Stack Will Evolve

Your stack will evolve. Start with what reduces friction today, then revisit as your product and constraints change.

The key is to start. Ship something. Learn what works. Iterate.

What tools would you add to this list?

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