AI SherpaAI Sherpa
Free Resource

AI Tool Stack for SMEs

Our recommended tools across chat, writing, automation, analytics, design, and communication — honest ratings and real-world takes.

PDF · Quarterly
Chat & Reasoning

ChatGPT

General-purpose AI assistant for conversation, analysis, and content creation.

Free / $20 moEssential

The default starting point — broad, reliable, and constantly improving.

Chat & Reasoning

Claude

Advanced reasoning AI with long-context support and careful analysis.

Free / $20 moEssential

Best-in-class for nuanced writing and complex multi-step reasoning.

Chat & Reasoning

Gemini

Google's multimodal AI with deep integration into Workspace.

Free / $20 moRecommended

Strongest when you live in the Google ecosystem — multimodal edge is real.

Chat & Reasoning

Perplexity

AI-powered research engine with real-time web citations.

Free / $20 moRecommended

Replaced our first-pass Googling entirely — citations save serious time.

Writing & Content

Jasper

Enterprise AI writing platform for marketing and brand-consistent copy.

$49/moRecommended

Pricey but the brand-voice guardrails justify it for content teams.

Writing & Content

Grammarly

AI writing assistant for grammar, tone, and clarity across apps.

Free / $12 moEssential

Install it everywhere — the ROI on fewer embarrassing typos is infinite.

Writing & Content

Copy.ai

AI-powered copywriting workflows for sales and marketing teams.

Free / $36 moWorth Watching

Promising workflow builder but still finding its footing versus Jasper.

Automation

Zapier

No-code automation connecting 6,000+ apps with AI-assisted workflows.

Free / $20 moEssential

The duct tape of the internet — not glamorous but utterly indispensable.

Automation

Make

Visual automation platform with branching logic and data transformation.

Free / $9 moRecommended

More powerful than Zapier for complex flows, steeper learning curve.

Automation

n8n

Open-source workflow automation with self-hosting and AI nodes.

Free / Self-hostRecommended

Best option for technical teams who want full control and zero vendor lock.

Data & Analytics

Julius AI

AI data analyst that turns spreadsheets into insights and visualisations.

Free / $20 moRecommended

Upload a CSV and ask questions in English — genuinely magical for non-analysts.

Data & Analytics

Rows

AI-enhanced spreadsheet with built-in data connectors and automation.

Free / $9 moWorth Watching

Interesting concept but limited integrations keep it niche for now.

Data & Analytics

Akkio

No-code predictive AI for forecasting, lead scoring, and churn analysis.

$49/moRecommended

Real ML without a data team — the forecasting feature alone earns its keep.

Design

Midjourney

AI image generation with exceptional aesthetic quality and style control.

$10/moRecommended

Still the benchmark for visual quality — worth learning the prompt syntax.

Design

Canva AI

All-in-one design platform with AI image generation, writing, and layout tools.

Free / $13 moEssential

The non-designer's best friend — Magic Design alone saves hours per week.

Design

Figma AI

Design tool with AI-powered layout suggestions and asset generation.

IncludedWorth Watching

Early days but the AI features are improving fast — watch this space.

Communication

Otter.ai

AI meeting assistant for real-time transcription, summaries, and action items.

Free / $17 moRecommended

Set it and forget it — meeting notes appear before the call ends.

Communication

Fireflies

AI notetaker with CRM integration and cross-meeting search.

Free / $10 moRecommended

The CRM auto-logging is the killer feature nobody talks about.

Communication

Loom AI

Async video messaging with AI summaries, chapters, and auto-tasks.

Free / $13 moRecommended

Async video with auto-summaries eliminates 80% of "quick sync" meetings.

Communication

Descript

AI-powered video and podcast editor — edit media like a text document.

$24/moRecommended

Edit video by editing text — still feels like witchcraft every single time.