A small business does not need every AI tool. It needs two or three that save real time on jobs you repeat every week. This list is organised by the job, so you can skip what you do not need.
Prices checked Oct 19, 2026
Everyday writing and questions
A good first assistant for emails, product descriptions, and turning rough notes into a draft you then edit.
Best for: Everyday writing, explaining, research and first drafts that you will edit yourself.
Do not paste customer data, contracts or unreleased code into a free chat.
Free plan
Full reviewLong documents and careful rewriting
Useful when you have a long contract summary, policy or transcript to reorganise into something readable.
Best for: Long documents, careful rewriting and coding help where you want a calmer draft.
Usage limits reset on a rolling window, so heavy users may need a higher plan.
Free, Pro $20/mo
Full reviewResearching suppliers, competitors and topics
Answers come with links, so you can check the source before you rely on a number or a claim.
Best for: Looking things up: questions where you want an answer with links to the sources.
A cited answer can still misread its source. Open the link.
Free plan
Full reviewIf your team lives in Google apps
It sits inside Gmail, Docs and Search for people on the right Google plan, which means less copy-and-paste.
Best for: People who already live in Google apps and want an assistant inside Gmail, Docs, Search and Android.
Higher tiers are priced for heavy users. Start free and move up only if you hit limits.
Free, from $4.99/mo
Full reviewIf your team lives in Microsoft 365
It works in Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams for people on the right Microsoft plan.
Best for: People who work in Windows and Microsoft 365 and want an assistant built in.
Features depend on your Microsoft plan and, at work, on what your IT team has switched on.
Free app
Full reviewSocial posts, flyers and short videos
AI sits next to templates and brand kits, so a first draft is a step from a finished design.
Best for: Non-designers who need on-brand social posts, slides and short videos fast.
AI tools draw from a monthly usage allowance, and the best tools are on paid plans.
Free, Pro $144/yr
Full reviewSlides and one-page proposals
Turns an outline into a first-draft deck quickly. Spend your time on the content and the numbers.
Best for: Fast first drafts of presentations, documents and simple web pages.
Check every fact and number the AI puts on a slide.
Free plan
Full reviewMeeting notes and internal search
Worth it mainly if your notes and projects already live in Notion.
Best for: Teams already using Notion who want search, summaries and meeting notes in the same place.
Free and Plus plans include only a limited trial of Notion AI; the full set is on Business.
Business $20/seat
Full reviewEditing talking videos and podcasts
Edit the transcript and the video or audio changes with it, which suits tutorials and interviews.
Best for: Editing talking-head video and podcasts by editing the transcript.
Watermark-free and 1080p export start on Hobbyist.
Free, from $16/mo
Full reviewVoiceovers for videos and phone menus
The tool to try when text-to-speech has to sound natural. Voice cloning needs the person’s permission.
Best for: Voiceovers, audiobooks and dubbing when a natural-sounding voice matters.
Commercial use is listed from the Starter plan; the free plan is for testing.
Free, from $6/mo
Full reviewStart with a general assistant such as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini on a free plan, applied to one repeated writing job. Add a specialist tool only when a clear job calls for it.
Not into a free consumer chat. Remove names and details first, check the vendor’s data settings, and see our guide on using AI at work safely.
Not at the start. Most of these tools have a free plan or trial. Pay only after a tool has saved you time on a real task, and check the current plan limits first.
Plans and prices change often, so we recheck them and show the date at the bottom of the page.
Also see our tool comparisons, the guide AI for small business and the editorial policy.
