AI tools that are actually worth it

6 months of testing, 10-16 hours a day. Here's what I use in my own businesses — and what I'd tell a friend to start with.

50+ tools tested · Updated April 2026

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10 tools every small business should try this week. All free or freemium.

My #1 for everything — writing, research, brainstorming, problem solving.
My #1
The one everyone knows. Huge plugin ecosystem, image gen built in.
Freemium
AI search with real sources. Answers in seconds instead of 10 Google tabs.
Freemium
Connect your tools. "New lead → spreadsheet → email." Runs forever.
Freemium
Catches typos everywhere you write. Install once, forget about it.
Free
Design social posts, presentations, flyers. AI handles the hard parts.
Freemium
Share a link, they pick a time. No more scheduling back-and-forth.
Freemium
Auto-transcribes meetings and generates summaries. Stop taking notes.
Freemium
Upload your docs, chat with an AI that only knows YOUR stuff.
Free
Quick video messages instead of long emails. People actually watch these.
Freemium

Everything else I recommend

Organized by what you're trying to do.

AI Models & Assistants
Google's AI. Plugs into Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet.
Freemium
98% of the top model quality at a fraction of the cost.
Best value
Surprisingly good at reasoning. Cheapest option by far.
Free tier
Automation
Visual automation builder. More powerful than Zapier for complex workflows.
Freemium
Open source. More technical but way more powerful long-term.
Open Source
Content, Video & Images
Turns long videos into short clips for social automatically.
Freemium
Edit video by editing text. Delete a sentence, it cuts the video.
Freemium
AI voice generation that sounds real. Clone your own voice.
Freemium
Highest quality AI images. The go-to for marketing visuals.
$10+/mo
One click removes any photo background. Product shots, headshots.
Free tier
Email & Social
Default email marketing. AI subject lines. Free up to 500 contacts.
Freemium
Simplest social scheduler. Write posts, pick times, done.
Freemium
Build a newsletter with monetization baked in.
Freemium
Productivity & Scheduling
Docs, projects, wikis with AI. All-in-one workspace.
Freemium
Voice-to-text anywhere on your computer. Talk instead of type.
Paid
AI presentations. Describe your topic, get a full deck.
Free tier
AI auto-builds your daily schedule around tasks and meetings.
$19/mo
CRM & Sales
Free CRM with AI. Easiest starting point for tracking leads and deals.
Free tier
What I Use to Build Custom Tools

This is the stack I use to build automations and internal tools. You don't need these — this is what I do for clients.

AI coding agent. My #1. This is how I build so fast.
My #1
Second AI coding agent. Two agents checking each other = fewer bugs.
Paid
Database + auth + storage in one. Open source, generous free tier.
Free tier
Backend hosting. Simple deployment, scales when needed.
Freemium
Frontend hosting. Push code, auto-deploys. Free for most projects.
Free tier

Get the full list + updates

I find new tools every week. Drop your email and I'll send you updates when something's worth adding.

No spam. Just tools that are actually useful.

Don't want to figure this out yourself?

I'm working with 2-3 local businesses on implementing AI tools and systems. I'll look at how you run things, what tools you're using, where AI can save you time and money, and map out exactly what to build.

I'm actively using this stuff in my own business every day. Not just talking about it.

Brady Ward · Utah · Building AI tools 10-16 hours a day