Starting a new venture is exciting—a little daunting—but mostly exciting, and one of the most critical decisions for a startup is choosing the right tech stack.

Why? Because the tech stack will determine how well your product can scale, how secure it will be, and—perhaps most importantly for a startup—how quickly you can get your MVP out the door.

Just a decade ago, a tech stack simply referred to the combination of tools used for app development. Fast forward to 2024, and it encompasses so much more.

Today, startups often use distinct stacks for their web apps, mobile apps, AI/ML technologies, project management, and even no-code development.

As such, in this article, we’ll explore the best tech stacks for startups across all these areas—not just web development.

Let’s dive in!

Criteria for Selecting a Tech Stack

"The easiest tech stack is the one you already know…don’t worry about trendy frameworks. Aim for maintainability."

While there's no magic tech stack (or is there?), there are key factors to consider, including scalability, security, cost-effectiveness, and how easy it is to find developers who know the stack.

1. Scalability

Your startup will grow (well, we hope so!), so it’s important to choose a tech stack that grows with it. You don’t want to hit a wall when you start getting more users or transactions. Look for stacks that make it easy to scale your infrastructure out or up without major headaches.

2. Cost Efficiency

Budgets can be tight in the early days, so the balance between open-source options and paid solutions is key. Some stacks are more cost-effective to maintain over time, especially if they have strong community support.

3. Speed of Development

Startups need to move fast. You need a stack that allows you to iterate quickly and get your product into users’ hands ASAP. Frameworks that offer out-of-the-box solutions can really help you hit those early milestones.

4. Security Considerations

Security is critical—especially if you’re handling sensitive data. Preferably, choose a stack whose tools are being actively developed and comply with security standards. There’s no room for error when it comes to user privacy.

5. Developer Community & Ecosystem

A vibrant developer community is gold. Not only does it mean a wealth of libraries, plugins, and tools, but it also means help is never far away when you hit a snag. Plus, hiring developers familiar with the stack will be easier if the ecosystem is robust.

Best Tech Stacks for Web Development in 2024

1. MEAN (MongoDB, Express, Angular, Node.js)

The MEAN stack is a full JavaScript stack, making it an excellent choice for startups that want flexibility and scalability. It's great for web apps, and because it's all Javascript, your dev team doesn't need to constantly switch contexts between languages.

Seeing as how Javascript remains the most popular development language, you almost can't go wrong with it.

2. MERN (MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js)

MERN is like MEAN but swaps Angular for React. React’s popularity has surged, making MERN a great choice if you want a modern web development stack. It’s used in SaaS platforms, eCommerce sites, and anything that requires real-time data manipulation.

3. LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP)

LAMP is one of the OG tech stacks. It's been around forever, and for good reason—it’s reliable and gets the job done. It's great for web hosting, content management systems, and startups on a tight budget. If you're launching a basic website or need a low-cost solution, LAMP still holds its own.

4. Serverless Stacks (AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Functions, Azure Functions)

Serverless architectures are perfect for startups that want to reduce infrastructure costs and headaches. You essentially swap your backend server for the cloud, your app scales automatically, and you only pay for what you use.

Serverless stacks are best suited for event-driven apps, microservices, and systems that need to handle scaling seamlessly.

Best Tech Stacks for Mobile Development in 2024

1. React Native

React Native is a popular choice for startups looking to build both iOS and Android apps with a single codebase. Built by Facebook, it leverages JavaScript and React, making it easier for web developers to transition into mobile development.

React Native also allows for the use of native components, which means you can build fast, responsive apps that feel close to fully native.

2. Flutter

Flutter, developed by Google, is another widely used cross-platform framework. It uses the Dart programming language and offers a fast, highly customizable UI experience. Flutter apps can achieve near-native performance, and they can also be ported to the web easily.

Best Tech Stacks for Project Management in 2024

1. Homie + Slack

This AI-powered duo helps your team move faster as your codebase grows and new developers join.

Homie, an AI-driven project management tool, enables you to do the usual PM stuff, such as task assignment and workflow automation, with natural language commands within Slack.

In addition, you’ll benefit from a range of AI-powered features, including automated daily reports, PR summaries, and even code and documentation generation, all designed to streamline your workflow and boost productivity.

2. Notion + Asana + Zapier

Notion’s flexibility, Asana’s project management capabilities, and Zapier’s automation make this stack ideal for fast-moving startups. If your team needs flexibility and collaboration, this setup works well—especially for cross-functional and remote teams.

3. Monday.com + Slack

If you want simple, visual task management, Monday.com combined with Slack is a great choice. Monday’s visual interface makes it easy to track multiple projects, while Slack keeps everyone connected in real time.

Best tech stacks for AI and Machine Learning in 2024

1. Python + TensorFlow/PyTorch

Python is the undisputed champ when it comes to AI and ML development. Pair it with frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch, and you’ve got a powerful setup. The huge community and integration with data libraries (NumPy, Pandas) make this stack perfect for predictive analytics, computer vision, or natural language processing (NLP).

2. Google Cloud AI + BigQuery

If you’re handling large datasets and need cloud-native AI, this stack has you covered. BigQuery’s data warehousing is perfect for startups needing to manage large-scale data processing and analysis. Google Cloud AI tools allow for easy integration of machine learning models into your applications.

3. Hugging Face + LangChain (for NLP)

Hugging Face has quickly become the go-to for natural language processing. Integrate it with LangChain and you’ve got a powerful setup for building NLP apps like chatbots or AI-driven content generation tools. It also plays nicely with cloud platforms, so you can scale when needed.

Best Tech Stacks for Low/No-Code in 2024

1. Bubble

Bubble lets you drag and drop your way to a functioning app. It’s perfect for launching MVPs fast, especially if you don’t have a dedicated dev team. It’s commonly used for SaaS platforms, marketplaces, and internal tools.

2. Webflow + Zapier + Airtable

If you're building a marketing-heavy startup or need automation that relies on a database, this stack works wonders. Webflow handles design and development, Zapier automates workflows, and Airtable acts as a powerful database. It’s perfect for startups that need fast, integrated solutions.

Conclusion

The stacks and tools we've highlighted will give you a solid foundation to make the right tradeoffs in your quest for scalability, cost-efficiency, and speed.

Ultimately, the key is to pick tools that align the most with your specific needs and goals so don't be afraid to mix and match—the best stack is the one that gets the job done!