Guides & teardowns

The homework, published

Every guide follows the same method: claims cited and dated, costs modeled at your size, a published source ledger, and a verdict that names who should skip the tool.

🔍 The Fine Print

Kit vs Beehiiv vs MailerLite (2026): The Free-Tier Shake-Up, Decoded

MailerLite cut its free plan to 250 subscribers in July 2026; Kit gives 10,000 free. A 40x gap between 'free plans' — decoded honestly.

Updated 6 Aug 2026 · 6-source ledger · ~7 min
🔧 AI for the Trades

The Real Cost of a Missed Call for a Trades Business (2026) — and Every Fix From $0 Up

Measure YOUR leak with a 5-minute worksheet, then every fix priced: $0 auto-text → $49/mo AI answering → the booked-job layer.

Updated 6 Aug 2026 · 7-source ledger · ~7 min
💼 The Solo Stack

Which Admin Job Should AI Take First When You Bill by the Hour? (2026 Ranking)

Five admin time-sinks ranked by hours recoverable per dollar. The winner is free — and we earn nothing from recommending it.

Updated 6 Aug 2026 · 7-source ledger · ~6 min
🏪 Main Street AI

Do You Actually Need Shopify? The Honest Decision Tree (2026)

Five branches from selling-in-your-DMs to a full store — including two answers that cost $0/month. With the Starter-vs-Basic crossover math.

Updated 6 Aug 2026 · 5-source ledger · ~7 min
🔍 The Fine Print

Zapier vs Make Pricing (2026): Why 27x Cheaper Isn't the Whole Story

One bills only successful actions; the other bills every attempt at ~27x cheaper unit rates. Four real shapes priced end-to-end.

Updated 6 Aug 2026 · 20-source ledger · ~8 min

Can't wait for the next guide?

The Stack Builder gives you a personal answer in 2 minutes — honest costs, free paths, no email required.

Build my free AI Stack →