Building the Perfect Small Business Website Stack in 2024 (Without the Tech Headache)

If you own a small business, you’ve probably heard a million different opinions about what your website should be built with.
Some folks will tell you to go “full enterprise” with a stack so complex you’ll need a team of engineers and three years of your life to launch a contact page.

Let’s skip that.

Here’s my go-to setup for 2024—fast, affordable, and easy to maintain, without selling your soul to a monthly subscription plan you can’t escape:

• 11ty – The speed demon of website builders
• Vue + Vite – Interactive magic without the bloat
• n8n – The tireless assistant who never takes coffee breaks
• Bootstrap – Your website’s instant personal stylist
• PostgreSQL or MongoDB – A brain for your business data

1. 11ty – Fast Like a Sports Car (But Without the Price Tag)

Think of 11ty like that reliable old truck that starts every morning—except it’s also secretly a sports car. It builds your site into plain HTML, which means it loads fast, looks great to Google, and doesn’t need constant maintenance.

Why it’s great for you:

• Your site runs like it’s been chugging energy drinks
• Google loves it (hello, better SEO)
• Hosting costs are pocket change

2. Vue + Vite – Adding the “Ooh, Fancy” Factor

Your site’s main pages? Static and speedy. But for the parts where you want some flair—like a booking form that updates instantly or a live menu—Vue steps in. Paired with Vite, it’s quick to build and doesn’t drag your site down.

Why it’s great for you:

• Adds interactivity without slowing things to a crawl
• Easy to update without tearing your hair out
• Perfect for little “wow” moments that keep customers engaged

3. n8n – Your Digital Employee of the Month (Forever)

n8n is like that employee who never calls in sick, never complains, and works 24/7. It automates boring stuff—sending form responses to your email, updating your CRM, posting your new products to social media—without you lifting a finger.

Why it’s great for you:

• Saves you hours of repetitive tasks
• Connects your website to the tools you already use
• Works for free after setup (try finding a human that does that)

4. Bootstrap – The Instant Style Upgrade

Not a designer? No problem. Bootstrap gives your site a clean, professional look right out of the box. It’s like putting on a well-fitted suit—it just works.

Why it’s great for you:

• Looks great on phones, tablets, and desktops
• Ready-to-use layouts and buttons
• Saves money on custom design work

5. PostgreSQL or MongoDB – The Smart Part of Your Website

Your site needs a place to store info—customer details, product lists, bookings. PostgreSQL is great for structured stuff (like orders or schedules). MongoDB is better for flexible stuff (like blog posts or product catalogs). Either way, your data’s safe and organized.

Why it’s great for you:

• Reliable and secure
• Can grow with your business
• Works with almost any other software

Why This Combo is Perfect for Small Businesses

• Fast – Customers won’t bounce because your site loads in geologic time
• Affordable – Low hosting and maintenance costs
• Scalable – Add features without starting from scratch
• Automated – Less time on admin, more time on customers
• Polished – Looks like you paid big money for it

The Bottom Line

In 2024, building a small business website doesn’t have to be a tech nightmare.
This stack—11ty + Vue (Vite) + n8n + Bootstrap + PostgreSQL/MongoDB—is fast, clean, and built to work as hard as you do.

It’s like hiring a team of experts, except they don’t eat your snacks or leave passive-aggressive notes in the break room.