Toby Downs is an independent tech writer based in New Zealand. He runs tpdowns.com, an editorial publication that reviews the SaaS, AI tools, and business software small companies and freelancers actually buy.
Before tpdowns.com, Toby spent over a decade working with small NZ businesses on the same software-purchasing decisions he now writes about: which CRM is worth paying for under 10 employees, when to upgrade from Hnry to Xero, whether NordVPN or 1Password makes more difference to a freelancer's security budget. The articles here are the answer he gives when asked.
How articles get written
Every article on this site goes through a research pass that pulls current pricing and feature information from the vendor itself, cross-checks against G2 / Capterra / TrustRadius reviews, and (where practical) includes a hands-on trial. AI is used as a writing assistant; every fact is verified against a primary source, and every recommendation reflects Toby's editorial judgement.
Editorial principles
Independent — no paid placements, no sponsored opinions. Vendors don't get review approval. Affiliate links are disclosed at the top of every article that contains them.
Published articles
- Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 for NZ Small Businesses in 2026: Which One Is Worth Paying For?
- Best Hnry Alternatives for NZ Sole Traders in 2026
- Best Online Survey and Form Builder Tools for NZ Small Businesses in 2026
- Best Social Media Management Tools for NZ Small Businesses in 2026: Buffer vs Later vs Hootsuite vs Agorapulse
- Best Legal Practice Management Software for NZ Law Firms in 2026: Clio vs LEAP vs Actionstep
- Best Construction Management Software for NZ Builders in 2026: Buildxact vs Buildertrend vs Procore
- Best Job Management Software for NZ Tradies in 2026: Tradify vs Fergus vs ServiceM8
- PayHero NZ Review 2026: Is It the Best Payroll Software for Kiwi Businesses?
- Best Proposal Software for NZ Small Business in 2026: Proposify vs Qwilr vs Better Proposals vs Ignition
- PandaDoc vs Adobe Sign for NZ Small Business in 2026: Which One Is Actually Worth It?
- Shopify vs WooCommerce for NZ Businesses in 2026: Which One Is Actually Better?
- Best Expense Management Software for NZ Small Business in 2026: Weel vs Expensify vs Dext vs Zoho
- Best Live Chat Software for NZ Small Business in 2026: tawk.to vs Tidio vs Crisp vs Intercom
- RingCentral vs Dialpad vs Zoom Phone: Best Cloud Phone System for NZ Small Business 2026
- Best Employee Scheduling Software for NZ Small Business 2026: Deputy vs Tanda vs Humanforce
- Best POS System for NZ Retail in 2026: Lightspeed vs Shopify POS vs Hike
- DocuSign vs PandaDoc vs Adobe Sign: Best E-Signature Software for NZ Small Business 2026
- Zoom vs Microsoft Teams vs Google Meet: Best Video Conferencing for NZ Small Business 2026
- Calendly vs Acuity vs Setmore: Best Appointment Scheduling Software for NZ Small Business (2026)
- Claude Fable 5: What It Is and Whether It's Worth the Price
- Hnry vs Xero for NZ Sole Traders: Which Should You Actually Use in 2026?
- Best Time Tracking Software for NZ Small Businesses in 2026
- Freshdesk vs Zendesk vs Zoho Desk: Best Help Desk Software for NZ Small Business (2026)
- Wix vs Squarespace vs Webflow vs WordPress: Best Website Builder for NZ Small Business 2026
- Shopify vs WooCommerce vs BigCommerce: Best Ecommerce Platform for NZ Small Business (2026)
- Cin7 vs Unleashed vs Katana: Best Inventory Management Software for NZ Small Business (2026)
- Claude Opus 4.8: Everything You Need to Know About Anthropic's Latest Flagship Model
- Xero vs Wave vs MYOB: Which Accounting Software Should NZ Small Businesses Use in 2026?
- Best CRM Software for NZ Small Business 2026: Stop Losing Leads in a Spreadsheet
- Employment Hero vs PayHero vs Smartly: Best Payroll Software for NZ Small Businesses in 2026
- ChatGPT Personal Finance vs YNAB vs Monarch Money: Which AI Budgeting App Wins in 2026?
- Best Email Marketing Tools for NZ Small Businesses in 2026
- ChatGPT Is Adding Ads: What NZ Businesses Need to Know
- How to Use Claude at Work: A Practical Guide for New Users (2026)
- HR Software Affiliate Guide
- Small Business Legal Considerations in New Zealand
- Claude Opus 4.7: What's Actually New and Is It Worth Upgrading?
- Gemini 3.1 Flash TTS vs ElevenLabs and OpenAI: Which AI Voice Tool Wins for NZ Creators?
- SaaS Affiliate Marketing 2026: The Best Recurring Commission Programs (30%+ Payouts)
- OpenAI DeployCo: A New Way for NZ SMBs to Deploy AI?
- How to Integrate Your CRM with Project Management Tools (NZ 2026)
- The $50K/Year Micro-SaaS Hiding in Plain Sight: A Client Portal Built for NZ Freelancers
- Best Project Management Tools Under 0/Month for NZ Small Business (2026)
- Cybersecurity Tools for NZ Small Business
- Best Project Management Software for NZ Small Businesses in 2026
- AI Sales Agents Compared: UneeQ, Grw.ai, and Tavus.io (2026)
- Legal Practice Management Affiliate Guide
- Best Accounting Software for NZ Sole Traders in 2026
- The Best NZ Contractor Agreement Generator in 2026 (And Why US Tools Fall Short)
- Xero vs QuickBooks NZ 2026: Which Accounting Software Is Actually Worth It?
- Best CRM Software for NZ Small Business 2026
- Best Email Marketing Software for NZ Small Businesses in 2026
- Claude Design: What It Actually Does and Whether It's Worth the Price
- Beehiiv Review 2026: The Best Newsletter Platform for NZ Creators?
Contact
For corrections, tips, or partnership enquiries: [email protected]