Making it easier to count stitches

Dear users, dear authors,
over in the thread about gauge swatches, it was emphasized that gauge swatches are essential for all patterns where size and the corresponding yarn usage are important.

So my question to you is: How can we make counting stitches and making gauge swatches easier?

I make counting stitches easier for myself in various ways:

If I have to cast on a lot of stitches, I make a mark after every 10th stitch.
When working a pattern, I mark certain stitches so I can, for example, see where to make my increases in a top-down raglan.

Markers can also be used to indicate the starting stitches of a repeat.

There are small “frames” available for gauge swatches. They’re usually 10x10 cm. You place them over the swatch and can then easily determine the number of stitches and rows.