Business software deals

What this category covers

This hub covers tools for running a business: email marketing from Constant Contact, email list cleaning from ZeroBounce, Inbox Here, online stores from Shopify, meetings and webinars from GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar, and business phone systems from Nextiva and Grasshopper. It also includes Acorns, which sits in our finance category.

What these have in common is how they're sold: monthly or annual subscriptions, often priced per user or by usage, with discounts aimed at getting you through the door. The deals grid above shows only the codes and sales each brand has published through its affiliate program, with the end date it set.

How business software pricing works

Business pricing usually scales with something: users, phone lines, contacts on an email list, sends per month, meeting participants, or sales volume. A plan that looks cheap for one person can get expensive fast once the whole team is on it, so start by working out the number that drives your bill.

• Per-user pricing. Count everyone who needs a login, and check if there's a minimum number of seats.
• Usage tiers. Email tools often price by contacts or sends, phone systems by lines or minutes, and webinar tools by attendees. Check where your usage sits and how close you are to the next tier.
• Feature tiers. Automations, integrations, reporting and support levels are often reserved for higher tiers. List the features you need before you pick.
• Transaction fees. E-commerce platforms can charge fees on sales on top of the plan price. Factor those into the true cost.

Annual or monthly billing

Annual billing is usually cheaper per month, and many business discounts only apply to annual plans. For a stable team using a tool it already depends on, that's an easy saving.

For a new tool, a growing team or a short project, monthly billing buys flexibility. You can add or remove seats, switch tiers, or leave if it doesn't work out. Paying a little more per month for a few months while you're sure is often the cheaper choice overall.

Making the most of trials

Most business tools offer a free trial or a free tier. The trial is worth more than any promo code if you use it well: import real data, invite the people who'll use it, and run one real task from start to finish.

Before the trial ends, check whether it turns into a paid plan automatically, what plan it lands on, and how to export your data if you decide not to stay. Switching tools later is the hidden cost in this category, so it pays to choose carefully once.

Email marketing and list tools

Email marketing tools are priced mostly by the size of your contact list and how much you send. That means a clean list saves money twice: you pay for fewer contacts, and more of your emails reach real inboxes.

Our email marketing deals page goes deeper on this, covering sending platforms and list-cleaning tools together.

Phone systems, meetings and webinars

Business phone and meeting tools are priced by users, lines or attendees, and often bundle features like call recording, transcription or toll-free numbers into higher tiers. Before you buy, check what's included in each tier, whether a number you already have can be moved over, and what happens if your team grows mid-contract.

For webinar tools, the attendee limit on each plan is usually the deciding factor. Pick the plan that covers your typical event, not your biggest one, if you can upgrade for a single month when needed.

Expenses, invoices and receipts

If you buy tools for a business, keep the invoice for every subscription and renewal. Business software may count as a business expense, but how that works depends on your situation and where you are, so check with your accountant rather than relying on a general rule.

It also helps to keep one list of every tool you pay for, with its renewal date and who uses it. Unused seats and forgotten subscriptions are one of the easiest savings to find in any business.

When to buy

These are patterns across the category, not promises from any one store. The end date on each offer is the one to trust.