The tools we actually trust.
Organized by the job you're trying to do. Free options listed first. No affiliate fluff.
General-purpose assistant
Our pick: Start with ChatGPT or Claude. Pick one and live in it for a week.
Research with real sources
Our pick: Perplexity for quick answers. NotebookLM when you have your own docs.
Meetings & notes
Our pick: Granola if you take live notes. Otter or Fathom for full transcripts.
Writing & email
Our pick: Claude for long-form. Built-in AI in Gmail/Outlook for inbox triage.
Images
Our pick: Try the image tools inside ChatGPT/Gemini first. Go to Midjourney when you want art.
Audio & voice
Our pick: ElevenLabs for cloning your voice. Whisper (inside ChatGPT) for transcription.
Video
Our pick: Runway or Sora for generation. Descript for cleanup.
Scheduling & calendar
Our pick: Reclaim if you want auto-blocking. Motion if you live by tasks.
Automation
Our pick: Zapier to start. n8n if you want power and don't mind a learning curve.
Build software (vibe coding)
Our pick: Lovable for full apps. v0 for UI. Cursor if you already code.
Spreadsheets & data
Our pick: Use Claude — paste your CSV in. For ongoing work, Rows or Equals.
Local / private AI
Our pick: Ollama if you want models on your laptop with no internet.
