fewertools
✂️ Simplifying Stage
The Simplifier's
Audit
Cut the bloat. Keep what works. Save thousands.
What's Inside
1
Tool Inventory
Audit every subscription, tool, and service you're paying for
2
Cost Calculator
What you're paying vs. what you actually need
3
Migration Planner
Phased plan to consolidate without breaking things
4
Decision Matrix
Weighted framework: keep, cut, replace, or downgrade
SECTION 01
Tool Inventory
List everything. Be ruthless, include every subscription.
Complete Tool Audit
| # | Tool | Category | Monthly $ | Annual $ | Users | Last Used | Essential? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dev / Design / Mktg / Analytics / Comms / PM / Finance | ✅ ⚠️ ❌ | |||||
| 2 | |||||||
| 3 | |||||||
| 4 | |||||||
| 5 | |||||||
| 6 | |||||||
| 7 | |||||||
| 8 | |||||||
| 9 | |||||||
| 10 | |||||||
| 11 | |||||||
| 12 |
Category Summary
| Category | # of Tools | Monthly $ | Annual $ | Overlap? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Development | ||||
| Design | ||||
| Communication | ||||
| Project Management | ||||
| Marketing | ||||
| Analytics | ||||
| Finance / Billing | ||||
| Other | ||||
| TOTAL | $ | $ |
🔍 Look For
Tools with overlapping features (e.g. Notion + Confluence + Google Docs). Tools nobody logged into in the last 30 days. Plans that are way above your actual usage.
SECTION 02
Cost Calculator
See the real numbers. What you're paying vs. what you need.
Current Spend
| Category | Current Tool(s) | Monthly $ | Annual $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting / Infra | |||
| Database | |||
| Auth | |||
| Email (transactional) | |||
| Email (marketing) | |||
| Analytics | |||
| Error tracking | |||
| Communication | |||
| Project management | |||
| Design | |||
| AI / Dev tools | |||
| Other | |||
| TOTAL | $ | $ |
Optimized Spend
| Category | Recommended Tool | Monthly $ | Annual $ | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Vercel (free → Pro $20) | |||
| Database + Auth | Supabase (free → Pro $25) | |||
| Resend ($0-20/mo) | ||||
| Analytics | PostHog (free tier) | |||
| Error tracking | Sentry (free tier) | |||
| Communication | Slack (free tier) | |||
| Project management | Linear (free → $8/user) | |||
| Passwords | 1Password ($8/user) | |||
| TOTAL | $ | $ |
💸 Your Annual Savings
Current
$_____
→
Optimized
$_____
=
You Save
$_____
SECTION 03
Migration Planner
Move fast without breaking things. Three phases, four weeks.
Phase 1: Quick Wins. Week 1
Tools to cut immediately: unused, duplicate, or free alternatives exist.
| Tool to Remove | Action | Replacement | Risk | Done? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancel / Downgrade | Low | ☐ | ||
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ |
Phase 2: Consolidation. Weeks 2-3
Merge overlapping tools into fewer, better ones.
| Tools to Merge | Into | Data to Migrate | Steps | Done? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ |
Phase 3: Optimization. Week 4
Downgrade plans, negotiate contracts, lock in annual billing.
| Tool | Action | Expected Savings | Done? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downgrade tier | ☐ | ||
| Renegotiate | ☐ | ||
| Switch to annual | ☐ |
Per-Tool Migration Checklist
Export all data from old tool
Verify data is complete and accessible
Import / set up data in new tool
Test core workflows in new tool
Update team documentation
Notify team of the switch
Set a "sunset date" for old tool (2-week overlap)
Cancel old tool subscription
Remove old tool logins from password manager
Update any integrations / webhooks
SECTION 04
Decision Matrix
A framework for every "should I keep this?" decision.
Weighted Scoring
For each tool you're considering changing, score these factors:
| Factor | Weight | Score (1-10) | Weighted Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost savings | 25% | ||
| Reduced complexity | 20% | ||
| Team productivity impact | 20% | ||
| Migration difficulty | 15% | ||
| Data portability | 10% | ||
| Feature coverage of replacement | 10% | ||
| TOTAL | 100% | /10 |
📊 Decision Thresholds
8-10 Strong candidate. Proceed with migration.
6-7 Good candidate. Plan carefully.
4-5 Marginal. Only as part of larger simplification.
1-3 Keep as-is. Switching costs outweigh benefits.
Tool Decisions
| Tool | Decision | Reason | Monthly Savings | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keep / Cut / Replace / Downgrade | ||||
The "Do I Really Need This?" Test
1
If this tool disappeared tomorrow, would I notice within a week?
No → Cut it.
No → Cut it.
2
Is another tool I already use doing 80% of this?
Yes → Consolidate.
Yes → Consolidate.
3
Am I on a higher plan than I need?
Yes → Downgrade.
Yes → Downgrade.
4
When did someone last log into this?
30+ days ago → Flag for review.
30+ days ago → Flag for review.
5
Does this tool spark joy? (seriously)
No → Find one that does, or go without.
No → Find one that does, or go without.
Recommended Tool Stack
Everything Hub
Notion
Docs, wikis, databases, notes. Replace 3-4 tools with one.
Project Tracking
Linear
Fast, keyboard-first. Replaces Jira + Trello + Asana.
Automation
Zapier
Connect the tools you keep. Automate the repetitive stuff.
Communication
Slack
One channel for everything. Kill the email threads.
Passwords
1Password
Team security without the headache. Shared vaults.
Build with fewer tools.
Curated stacks for every stage of building.
fewertools.com