Tools
I've tried more than 150 AI tools. Here are the ones that stayed.
This page is my running notes, updated when something changes. No affiliate links, no sponsorships. If a tool is here, I pay for it or use it on client work every week. Prices are not listed because they change monthly; check the official page before you buy.
Worth your money
Automationn8nThe one I build almost everything on. Visual, self-hostable, exports to JSON, and the AI agent nodes are good now. Worth paying for.
Writing and reasoningClaudeMy first choice for anything that needs judgement: scoping, long documents, code review, drafts in a specific voice. Worth paying for.
General assistantChatGPTStill the fastest way to get a second opinion, and clients already have it. Custom GPTs are useful for teams. Worth paying for if your team uses it daily.
Research and long contextGemini and Google AI StudioVery good with big documents and anything touching Google Workspace. AI Studio is the cheapest way to test a model on your own data.
AI avatar videoHeyGenThe most convincing digital twin I have used. Credits run out faster than the marketing suggests, so test short before rendering long.
Voice cloningElevenLabsBetter Hindi and Hinglish control than the built-in voices in video tools. I add it once a founder cares about how they sound.
B-roll and cinematic clipsGoogle FlowIncluded in Google AI plans. Good for the shots you cannot film. Overkill for a talking-head video.
MessagingWhatsApp Business APINot a tool you pick, a tool you have to use if you send WhatsApp messages at scale. Budget for Meta's per-message pricing.
Database and auth for appsSupabasePostgres, logins and storage in one place, on your own account. It is what I reach for when a spreadsheet becomes an app.
DesignCanvaBoring answer, right answer. Fast, shared with the client, good AI features for resizing and cleanup.
RepurposingOpusClipTurns one long video into decent short clips with captions. Saves an editor's afternoon; still needs a human to pick the good ones.
DictationWispr FlowI write most first drafts by talking. This is the tool that makes that work.
What I'd skip
Categories, not names. The names change every month; the pattern doesn't.
Most "AI writer" subscriptionsIf it is a thin wrapper around a model you can already use directly, cancel it.
All-in-one "AI agent" platforms with no exportIf your workflows cannot leave, you are renting, not owning. I only build on tools you can export from.
Avatar tools cheaper than HeyGenI have tried most. The uncanny valley gets wider, and the time spent fixing renders costs more than the saving.
Any tool that promises "fully autonomous" sales or supportNot yet, not for a small business. A human approval step costs seconds and prevents very expensive mistakes.
Keep reading
Related reading
GuideBest AI tools for content creators in IndiaSorted by the job you are hiring the tool for, with free versus paid notes.Read →ServiceAI automation and agentsThe same tools, wired into workflows that run without anyone opening a tab.How it works →Guide40 copy-paste AI prompts for businessGet more out of the tools you already pay for.Read →
Ask me about a specific tool.
If you're deciding between two, message me the names. I've probably paid for both.