About StackOS
Built by a web studio, for web studios.
StackOS started as the system we built to run our own studio.
01The problem we had
I opened Stack Mode, a web design and marketing studio, in 2012. Over the years we paid for all kinds of tools, and more:
- Plutio
- ClickUp
- Zoom
- QuickBooks Online
- ActiveCampaign
- PandaDoc
- Slack
- Loom
- Zendesk
- ManageWP
- Matomo
- Cal.com
- FlowMapp
- Whimsical
- Birdeye
- RingCentral
- Bitwarden
It added up, and none of them did exactly what we needed. I switched project managers back and forth, and at times I spent more time managing projects than actually building them.
02What we built
At the beginning of 2026 I started building StackOS: one place for everything about a client, including their website. Leads become estimates, estimates become proposals clients sign online, proposals become projects with a portal the client logs into. Invoices and care plans bill themselves. The books are built in. Every site we look after is watched.
It was a huge improvement to our business right away. Not only for us, but for our clients. In fact, clients loved our portal so much that many asked us to build custom technology like it for their own businesses.
03How we think about it
Settings matter, but too many settings make everything messy. So StackOS gives you full control, with defaults already set up to make your workflow efficient from day one. Change what you need; leave the rest.
04Why we're sharing it
Most web studios are small, good at what they do, and buried in admin. A two person studio should have the same systems as a big agency, without paying for twenty tools to get them.
The short version
How StackOS came to be.
- 1
2012
Stack Mode opens
A web design and marketing studio in Reno, Nevada.
- 2
The years after
Twenty tools
A CRM, proposals, projects, books, a password manager, a WordPress dashboard, and more. None of them talked.
- 3
Early 2026
StackOS is built
One system for the whole studio, built to run Stack Mode itself.
- 4
Today
Opening the doors
A private beta for 25 web studios, then everyone.
What we believe
Four rules we build by.
Full control, smart defaults.
Everything is adjustable; nothing needs adjusting to start.
Plain beats clever.
If a feature needs a diagram to explain, it's too complicated.
Honest beats hype.
We'll tell you what StackOS doesn't do yet.
Built by people who do the work.
We use everything we ship, every day.
Who's behind it
Chris Foti
Owner and lead developer, Stack Mode. Reno, Nevada.
Run your whole web studio in one place.
Start with one client. See the difference in a week.
25 web studios. Free during the beta.