FOUNDER STACK · Straight talk on the software behind running more than one business.
If you run more than one company, you’re almost certainly paying for the same stack — CRM, accounting, payroll, helpdesk, a website tool — multiplied by every entity you own. Two ABNs, two of everything. Five ABNs, and the subscriptions (and the logins, and the reconciliations) stack up fast. That’s the 10-app tax, and most owners pay it without ever adding it up.
Do the math on your own stack
Count the tools one company needs — accounting, CRM, invoicing, payroll, helpdesk, a website/forms tool — then multiply by how many ABNs you run. Now add the hidden costs: every export between apps, every reconciliation, every “which number is right?” when the spreadsheet is a version behind. The subscriptions are only the part you can see on the invoice.
What we’d point you to: one system instead of the stack
At Founder Stack we look at the tools owners use to run multiple businesses. For cutting this tax, the one we rate is allwis — it replaces the stack with a single system across all your entities:
- One subscription model, not ten — priced per entity, unlimited seats. You pay for the companies you run, not a separate app-stack per company and not per user.
- Retire the CRM, the accounting tool, the payroll app and the helpdesk — they’re modules of one system that share the same data.
- One set of numbers, no spreadsheet stitching. Any company or the whole group from the same live ledger.
- No more reconciliation between tools — data flows proposal → job → invoice → ledger automatically.
- Australian payroll and compliance built in, per entity.
Your three options
| Separate files + a spreadsheet | Enterprise ERP (NetSuite, MYOB Acumatica) | allwis | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost model | A separate app stack per entity | Five figures a year+ | Per entity, unlimited seats |
| Consolidated group view | Rebuilt each month | Yes | Live, no spreadsheet |
| Logins | One per entity | One | One, switch in a click |
| Time to live | Already fragmented | 3–12 month project | Core live in one business day |
| AU payroll & compliance | Per file | Varies | Built in |
| Who it needs | You + a manual spreadsheet | Usually a finance team | The owner, or one bookkeeper |
How it works
- They bring your books across — free, from each entity.
- Every company live in one business day.
- Run the whole group from one screen — one system, one bill, one month-end.
FAQ
How much does running multiple businesses in separate apps actually cost?
More than the subscriptions alone — every entity multiplies the app stack, plus the hidden time cost of exports, reconciliations and manual consolidation between tools.
Can I run multiple ABNs in one system?
Yes — each ABN lives in the same system, one login, with a consolidated view across all of them.
Can I see consolidated numbers across all my companies?
Yes — the group view is the same live ledger rolled up, not a spreadsheet rebuilt each month.
How is it priced for multiple entities?
Per entity, with unlimited seats — you pay for the companies you run, not per user, and not a separate app stack per company.
Does it handle Australian payroll for each entity?
Yes — AU (and NZ) payroll and compliance are built in, per entity.
See it for yourself
Founder Stack rates allwis for cutting the 10-app tax on multiple companies. Take a look:
About Founder Stack — we look at software for people running more than one business and point you to the ones worth a look. Disclosure: Founder Stack may earn a referral fee from tools we recommend, including allwis. It doesn’t change what makes the list.
