Top 5 single source of truth tools for lone wolves who do it all
April 3, 2025
•
5 min read
Diego Torres
Founder
Being a solopreneur means you're a lone wolf juggling multiple roles and tasks. Having a single source of truth (SSOT) is crucial to staying organized and efficient. However, there are two different types of SSOT models we encourage you to consider when determining the best solution for your unique needs.
Single source of truth platform
Single source of truth ecosystem
SSOT Platforms vs. Ecosystems
A single source of truth platform is a singular application that brings multiple aspects of work together in one system. On the other hand, a single source of truth ecosystem is an interconnected network of applications, and this is often where the word "integration" is introduced. An interconnected ecosystem of apps could look like the following:
Notion for managing projects, tracking tasks, and writing notes
Miro for whiteboarding, brainstorming, and visual collaboration
Grow for reporting and analytics
Microsoft Outlook and Teams for communication
In this post, we'll give you options to explore both types of solutions, with the first three representing single sources of truth platforms and the last two representing ecosystems. Here are our top five solutions that can help you manage everything seamlessly.
Single Source of Truth Platforms
1. ClickUp
ClickUp is an app that positions itself as "one app to replace them all." It brings project management, task management, documentation, knowledge management, communication, reporting, and visual collaboration into one system.
ClickUp Views
If you think about what that could mean for cost and time savings, you could replace a range of tools like Microsoft Word for documentation, Notion or Confluence for knowledge management, Slack for communication, Power BI for reporting, and Miro for visual collaboration. Let me be clear: it doesn't mean that ClickUp or any other tool consolidating many aspects of work into one platform offers better features than individual tools. You will likely find more robust whiteboarding features in a tool like Miro or Mural since those apps are focused on the whiteboarding experience and not necessarily project management. However, an app like ClickUp allows you to operate on one platform and connect different aspects of work for ultimate contextualization, often with robust features that will make you confident in your decision to stay on an SSOT platform.
Here's a glimpse at the powerful built-in features of the ClickUp platform that can help you streamline your workflow and control costs:
Feature Replacement Table
Feature
Replaces
Project management
Asana, monday.com, Wrike
To-do lists
Any.do, Todoist, TickTick
Relational database management
Airtable, Smartsheet, Microsoft Lists
Documentation
Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Notion
Knowledge management
Confluence, Notion, Microsoft SharePoint
Communication (within the context of your work)
Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat
Reporting and analytics through custom dashboards
Tableau, Grow, Microsoft Power BI
Visual collaboration/whiteboarding
Miro, Mural, Microsoft Whiteboard
Goal tracking
Teamwork, Productboard, Smartsheet
Interested in ClickUp? You can test drive the platform for free! Open your free account without entering your credit card details and bring your work into one centralized platform.
2. Notion
Notion is a versatile tool that combines note-taking, task management, and database functionalities. It's perfect for those who need flexibility in organizing their thoughts and tasks.
A Notion Database
The most notable feature of Notion is its drag-and-drop interface for custom page designs. Everything in the app is a page: your tasks, databases, projects, etc. This page structure lets you create the look and feel you want when visualizing your data. You can create dashboards, track projects, and store information effortlessly.
Adding Blocks to a Notion page
Here's a breakdown of the features Notion can offer you as a solopreneur.
Wix is an all-in-one website builder that allows you to create stunning websites without any coding knowledge. It's perfect for entrepreneurs and freelancers who need an online presence and control costs by bringing multiple aspects of work into one system.
Wix Dashboard
Here's a breakdown of what Wix handles and how you can leverage its all-in-one platform for more than just web design:
These apps help you streamline your workflow and keep everything organized. Whether managing a business or handling personal projects, having a single source of truth is essential for success. Try these tools and see which one best fits your needs.
Single Source of Truth Ecosystems
These next two platforms are considered single-source-of-truth ecosystems: a network of interconnected apps that can handle almost every aspect of your productivity workflow. We consider these “Business Suites” in our catalog because they infuse a range of business needs, including governance, domain connection, hosting, productivity, collaboration, and others.
Unfortunately, you’re limited to two primary choices: Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. You will likely have heard or worked with these, even for personal use in life or school. There are other ways to bring multiple apps together to create a business suite, but these options offer apps under one umbrella that can be used to manage your solo business.
4. Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 is fourth because it offers more apps than Google Workspace. Some of these apps come at an additional cost, but for just $6 per month, you can manage all aspects of your business with all the apps included in the 365 ecosystem. You’ve probably worked with most of these apps, like Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. However, Microsoft has added more powerful apps to its productivity suite, such as Planner, Loop, and modern SharePoint. Best of all, everything you do is accessible on any MacOS, iOS, and Android device.
The Microsoft 365 Home Page Launcher
Here’s a breakdown of all the Microsoft 365.
App
Description
OneDrive
Cloud file storage
Word
Documentation
Excel
Spreadsheets
PowerPoint
Slide decks
OneNote
Digital note-taking
Outlook
Email
Teams
Text chat and video calls
SharePoint
Intranet and team sites
Publisher (Desktop only)
Desktop document and stationery publishing
To Do
To-do lists
Planner
To-do lists and basic project management
Lists
List management and basic relational databases
Loop
Real-time collaboration for task management and online docs
Whiteboard
Visual collaboration on a digital whiteboard
Forms
Form creation and management
Sway
Interactive online slide creator
Visio
Visual diagramming
Stream
Video streaming and management
Project
Advanced project management
Power Automate
Automation generator
Bookings
Online calendar bookings
Clipchamp
Video editing and publishing
5. Google Workspace
Google Workspace offers a comprehensive set of business apps, including Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Docs. It's perfect for those who rely on the Google ecosystem for productivity and prefer browser-based tools like Docs, Sheets, and Slides over native desktop applications. Google is primarily cloud-first, so everything you do will live in the cloud, and all your files will be stored in Google Drive. Working with Google can also simplify your login experience across other apps outside of Google, such as Miro, Wix, and any other app using Google single sign-on (SSO). With easy sharing capabilities, cloud files accessible across devices, and prioritized integration for third-party apps, Google Workspace is a solid and flexible choice for just $7 per month.
Google Workspace Landing Page
Here’s a breakdown of the Google Workspace apps that are available to you:
App
Description
Drive
Cloud file storage
Docs
Documentation
Sheets
Spreadsheets
Slides
Slide decks
Keep
Digital note-taking
Gmail
Email
Chat
Text chat, group channels, and video calls
Meet
Video calls
Sites
Intranet, team sites, and public sites
Tasks
To-do lists
Lists
List management and basic relational databases
Forms
Form creation and management
Visio
Visual diagramming
Power Automate
Automation generator
Calendar
Online calendar bookings
Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are both exceptional picks for solopreneurs. Ask yourself the following questions to determine which is right for you.
Do you prefer the look and feel of Microsoft apps or Google apps?
Don't underestimate how you respond to the user interface design of both Microsoft and Google apps. Don't let anyone tell you an app's look and feel is not important. You're going to use an app daily, so it ought to be aesthetically pleasing and structured in a way that makes sense and feels comfortable for you.
Do you use Windows, macOS, or ChromeOS as your daily driver?
If you use Windows, you may want to consider Microsoft 365 as Windows machines integrate seamlessly with 365 apps, especially when using the Edge browser.
If you use ChromeOS, consider Google as Chromebooks integrate seamlessly with Google apps, especially when using the Chrome browser.
If you use macOS, either business suite will work just fine. The native desktop Microsoft Office apps are robust and optimized for Apple silicon. Native desktop apps could be helpful when you want to work offline with advanced features and save files to your machine. Remember, you’ll also have access to Apple’s productivity suite, which includes Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and Mail. So you’ll have even more flexibility with the tools you can use to crush your projects.
Do you enjoy the ease of Google single sign-on with so many apps across the internet?
Microsoft SSO can be really confusing when you find it on the log-in page of a web app (e.g., ChatGPT). Microsoft often fails to distinguish between personal and work account sign-ins and can prevent you from logging in with your business email domain, forcing you to log in to certain apps with your personal account. Google generally accepts either without fail.
Do you want to cut costs and use a built-in project and task management tool?
Microsoft may spark your interest with access to Planner and To Do. If you’re okay with the basic yet fully functional features of those apps, you can skip another expense for apps like Trello or ClickUp. Planner connects to Teams and SharePoint, so you can build custom SharePoint pages showcasing Planner charts.
Google Workspace doesn’t offer a Planner equivalent, but Google Tasks is the alternative to Microsoft To Do.
Do you want most of your admin settings to be set up by default?
Google Workspace offers a more “plug-n-play” experience than Microsoft 365. To get email working on Microsoft 365, you have to work with the Admin portal, Exchange, and Outlook. To get Edge to sync, you have to modify the browser profile configuration (sounds scary, I know).
Google’s initial setup process is pretty straightforward. When you set up email, you work with domain setup and Gmail settings. Scratch the extra configuration for a middle-man like Exchange. Your Chrome browser will just know what to do. Google Workspace offers quick access to all the apps you can access with your subscription, including YouTube, which is a bonus for keeping everything together. So consider Google Workspace for ease of setup.
Do you prefer to use native desktop apps or browser-based apps for your office suite?
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote have more robust features than Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Keep. If you’re a macOS or iOS user, this may not apply since you can directly access Pages, Numbers, and Keynote on your devices to supplement the need for 365 apps.
Do you consistently share files with others?
If you’re a freelancer working with other businesses or organizations, most use Microsoft apps. Sending a Word .docx or Excel .xlsx file may be your best bet since you can almost guarantee it will show up the same way for the user if they open the file in the desktop app. But that’s where things can get confusing. The browser-based versions of Word Online, Excel Online, and PowerPoint Online struggle to properly display the format of documents created in the desktop apps. You at least guarantee that sending a Google Doc to someone who uses Docs will display properly. So it all depends on who you’re sharing with. Yes, Google Docs can export to .docx with a pretty fair representation of the intended formatting. However, importing Word docs into Google Docs can be a nightmare, depending on how much you’ve designed and formatted your document.
In conclusion, file sharing is nuanced and you should consider the types of people you need to share files with.
How many apps do you need to integrate?
Many apps prioritize integrations with Google Workspace over Microsoft 365. So, if you want ease of integration when shifting between other apps in your tech stack, you can bet on them offering integrations with apps like Gmail, Docs, and Sheets.
Start Your Quest 🏁
The best part? You can test all the apps we mentioned in this article for free! The best way to choose the right software is to give it a trial run.
You can start a free trial of Microsoft 365 Business here.
You can start a free trial of Google Workspace here.
If you want some tips for testing these business suites, check out our Quick SaaS Testing Guide to make the most out of your free trial.
Thanks for reading! 👋🏽
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