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20 Free Tools for Early-Stage Startups in Kenya (2026)

6 min read

The free tools a Kenyan startup can run on in 2026, from email and design to code, CRM, newsletters and eTIMS invoicing, with each free plan's main limit noted.

An early-stage startup can run on free plans for email, files, meetings, planning, design, code, hosting, forms, a CRM, a newsletter, analytics and invoicing. The 20 tools below all had a free plan on their own websites on 5 November 2026, and two of them, KRA's eTIMS and Google Business Profile, matter specifically for Kenyan businesses.

Free plans have limits, and the limits are what you need to know before you build your company on a tool. For each one I have noted the main limit from the tool's pricing page. Plans change often, so check the page again when you sign up.

Which free tools help me run the company?

  • Google account for Gmail, Drive, Docs and Sheets. Every account comes with up to 15 GB of free storage. Use a separate account for the company, owned by a founder.
  • Google Meet for calls. A personal account can host up to 100 participants; one-to-one calls run up to 24 hours and group calls up to 60 minutes.
  • Slack for team chat. The free plan keeps 90 days of message history, allows 10 app integrations and includes one-to-one huddles only.
  • Notion for notes, wikis and plans. The free plan allows 10 guests, 5 MB uploads and 7 days of page history.
  • Trello for task boards. Free for up to 10 collaborators and 10 boards per workspace, with a 10 MB file limit.
  • Bitwarden for passwords. The free plan has no cap on devices or passwords and lets you share with one other user. Shared logins for a team need the Teams plan at US$4 per user a month, billed annually.
  • Cal.com for booking meetings. Free for one user, with unlimited booking links and calendars.
  • Loom for short screen recordings. The free plan allows 25 videos per person, up to 5 minutes each.

Which free tools help me build the product?

  • Figma for design and prototypes. The Starter plan is free, with unlimited drafts and UI kits.
  • GitHub for code. GitHub Free includes unlimited public and private repositories and 2,000 CI/CD minutes a month.
  • Supabase for a database and user sign-in. The free plan gives 2 active projects, a 500 MB database each and 50,000 monthly active users. Free projects pause after a week of inactivity, so move to a paid plan before launch.
  • Cloudflare for DNS, SSL and protection for your website. The free plan includes the CDN, DDoS protection and a Universal SSL certificate. Cloudflare describes it as being for projects that are not business-critical.
  • Tally for forms. Unlimited forms and submissions on the free plan, within a fair use policy.
  • Make for automations between tools, such as sending a form entry to a sheet. The free plan gives 1,000 credits a month.

If you want to build a first version without code, our guide to no-code tools for startups covers app builders and M-Pesa payment links.

Which free tools help me find and keep customers?

  • HubSpot CRM for tracking leads and deals. Free for up to two users and 1,000 contacts, with no expiry.
  • Kit for a newsletter. The free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts, landing pages and forms. Automated email sequences need a paid plan.
  • Google Analytics for website and app traffic. Google offers it free of charge.
  • Google Business Profile for appearing on Google Search and Maps. Creating a profile is free, and you can post your hours, photos and offers and reply to reviews. If customers visit you in person, set this up first.

Which free tools help with invoices and tax in Kenya?

  • Zoho Invoice for branded invoices, recurring billing and a customer portal. Zoho's Kenya page lists it at KES 0. The page does not say whether it connects to eTIMS, so check before you rely on it for tax invoices.
  • KRA eTIMS for electronic tax invoices. KRA says all persons engaged in business must onboard eTIMS and issue electronic tax invoices, and the software is free. The eTIMS options include a web portal, eTIMS Lite on eCitizen, a mobile app and USSD on *222# for individuals and sole proprietors.

How do I choose from this list?

Start with the five you need this week, usually email, a planning tool, a form, a CRM and eTIMS. Add the others when a task starts eating your time. Three habits save trouble later:

  • Own every account with a company email. When a freelancer or co-founder leaves, the tools stay with the company.
  • Write down each free limit. Supabase pausing your database or Slack hiding old messages should never surprise you.
  • Check you can export your data. Moving tools is far easier when your contacts and records come out as a CSV.

If you want fast internet and other founders around you while you set up, our day pass is KES 1,000, and a hot desk is KES 10,000 a month.

Key facts

  • All 20 tools had a free plan on their own websites on 5 November 2026.
  • A Google account includes up to 15 GB of free storage.
  • HubSpot's free CRM covers two users and 1,000 contacts.
  • Kit's free plan covers up to 10,000 newsletter subscribers.
  • KRA's eTIMS software is free, and every business in Kenya must issue electronic tax invoices.
  • Supabase free projects pause after one week of inactivity.

Frequently asked questions

Can a startup run entirely on free tools?

For the first months, often yes. You will usually start paying when you add team members, need automation, or need your product to stay online without limits.

Is eTIMS free for small businesses in Kenya?

Yes. KRA says the eTIMS software, including the online portal and eTIMS client, is free. A third-party integrator may charge for connecting your own invoicing system.

What is the best free CRM for a startup?

HubSpot's free CRM suits most early teams, with two users and 1,000 contacts. If your contacts fit in a spreadsheet, a Google Sheet works until you outgrow it.

Which free tool should I set up first?

A company Google account, because most other tools sign in with it. Then set up eTIMS so you can issue valid tax invoices from your first sale.

Sources

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