2026-08-10 · 8 min

How to choose a tech stack for an Australian small business in 2026

A practical order of operations: ABN/Xero first, then email, then the industry system, then the website — not the other way around.

Ledger before logo

If money is not in Xero or MYOB with STP and BAS in mind, a new website will not save you. Pick the ledger your bookkeeper can actually run. Then give staff Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 — one, not both.

Industry system second

Agencies get a CRM. Clinics get a PMS. Trades get a job system. NDIS providers get an SMS. These are not interchangeable with Notion. Hire specialists who have seen that category before.

Website last, retainer forever

The site should point at the system of record, collect the right lead, and stay updated. A $2,000 launch with no retainer is how Australian SMEs end up with a 2022 homepage and a 2026 Instagram.