The average enterprise uses 91 marketing cloud services. Ninety-one. That's not a stack — that's a liability.
The Hidden Cost of Complexity
Each tool requires:
- Onboarding time
- License costs
- Integration maintenance
- Training overhead
- Data reconciliation
Multiply by 50 tools. That's your real martech bill.
The 4-Layer Stack
My entire stack: 8 tools. Monthly cost: ~£100. Maintenance: 2 hours/month.
Layer 1: Data
One source of truth. Supabase. Everything feeds into it.
Layer 2: Automation
n8n handles 90% of workflows. Custom scripts handle the rest.
Layer 3: Content
Notion for planning, custom CMS for publishing.
Layer 4: Analytics
Supabase for data, custom dashboards for visualization.
Before adding any tool, ask: "Can I build this myself in a weekend?" If yes, build it.
If no, buy the simplest solution. Complexity is the enemy.