This page names categories and, as examples only, products with public pricing on the costs page. It is not a directory and it does not rank vendors. For a problem-first view of who can help, the network's services site aiservices.co.zw organises providers by business problem.
| Category | What it does for you | Check before buying in Zimbabwe | Examples with public pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Messaging | Answer, remind, confirm, broadcast on WhatsApp. | Start with the free app. Move to the Platform only when you need software-sent messages or a multi-person inbox. Understand template categories before you send. | WhatsApp Business app; WhatsApp Business Platform via a provider |
| Accounting and fiscal invoicing | Quotes, fiscal invoices, debtors, bank feeds, VAT, reports. | USD and ZiG in one ledger; 15.5% VAT; CSV import for local bank and EcoCash statements; an FDMS-approved fiscal link (built-in VFD or a certified device). | Zoho Books, Xero, QuickBooks (international); local FDMS-integrated packages (quote) |
| Payments | Take EcoCash, ZIPIT, cards, USD online or by link. | Settlement currency and timing; fees per method; whether it posts to your accounting. | Paynow (Zimbabwe gateway supporting EcoCash, OneMoney, ZIPIT, cards) |
| Pipeline / CRM | Every lead and quote with a status, an owner and a next date. | Under ~30 open deals: a spreadsheet. Above: a CRM with WhatsApp integration and per-contact pricing that is not punitive. | Spreadsheet; GoHighLevel; Zoho CRM |
| Rostering and leave | Shifts from rules; leave requests; attendance. | Export to your payroll; offline access for staff; can encode your NEC's rest-day rules. | Spreadsheet with rules; rostering apps |
| Documents and e-signature | Scan, search, template, sign. | Where data is stored (POTRAZ licence application asks); whether scans are searchable; template merge fields. | Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, phone scanner apps |
| Automation glue | Connect form → sheet → WhatsApp → accounting without code. | Billing unit (task, operation or execution); whether your local tools have connectors; self-host option if data must stay in-country. | Zapier, Make, n8n |
| AI assistants | Draft, summarise, classify, extract. | Team plan so prompts and data are not used for training; per-seat cost; who is allowed to paste customer data. | ChatGPT Business, Google Gemini in Workspace, Claude |
| Connectivity and power backup | Keep the other eight categories running. | A second link (Starlink Lite or a different mobile network); an inverter for router and one laptop; a phone with data as the last resort. | Starlink; Econet/NetOne/Telecel data; local UPS quote |
Illustrative stack — 5 people, retail
- WhatsApp Business app with quick replies and catalogue — $0
- Google Workspace Business Starter, 2 seats — ≈$14–17/month
- Zoho Books Standard or a local fiscal-ready invoicing package — ≈$20/month or quote
- Virtual fiscal device if VAT-registered — from ≈$10/month
- Stock and pipeline in Google Sheets — $0
- Starlink Residential Lite as second link — $30/month
≈ $75–90 / month before implementation
Illustrative stack — 30 people, wholesale
- WhatsApp Business Platform via a provider, shared inbox, utility templates — platform fee + per message
- Xero Standard (unlimited users) or a local FDMS-integrated package — ≈$55/month or quote
- Payroll software with NSSA/PAYE — quote
- Make or n8n for order → invoice → notification flows — ≈$9–20/month
- ChatGPT Business, 3 seats — ≈$60–75/month
- Starlink Priority + mobile backup — ≈$130/month
≈ $300–400 / month + messaging + implementation
Prices from the costs page (2026 list prices, USD). Stacks are illustrative, not recommendations; a business with a good local accounting package and a reliable fibre link needs a different list.
The five questions to ask any vendor
- Can I export all my data in a standard format, any time, without asking you?
- What happens when the internet drops for two hours — does the app keep working?
- Where is my customers' data stored, and will you put that in writing for my POTRAZ licence application?
- What is the price after the first year, and what is the unit I am billed on?
- Which Zimbabwean businesses of my size use this, and may I speak to one?
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