Best AI tools for small business

TagWriting and documents

PriceFree plan available. Check Anthropic's current prices for paid plans.

• Drafts, edits and summarises written work from a short brief
• Reads long documents you upload, such as contracts or reports, and answers questions about them
• Analyses text you provide, such as survey responses or meeting notes

The free plan has usage limits that heavy users will reach. Like any assistant, it can state things that are wrong, so check facts, figures and names before anything goes to a client.

Consider Claude if most of your AI use will be writing, summarising and reviewing long documents.

TagIntegrations

PriceFree plan available. Check OpenAI's current prices for paid plans.

• Connects to a wide range of third-party tools
• Handles writing, analysis and data tasks in one interface
• Custom GPTs let you save instructions and reference files for a task your team repeats

Usage limits and features differ by plan and change often. Output needs the same checking as any other assistant.

Consider ChatGPT if you need the assistant to work with specific tools, such as Zapier, Slack or your CRM, or if your team wants saved assistants for repeated tasks.

TagGoogle Workspace

PriceFree with a Google account. Check Google's current pricing for Workspace plans that include Gemini.

• Works inside Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet and Drive on Workspace plans that include it
• Summarises documents, drafts replies and rewrites sections where you are already working
• Avoids moving text between separate apps for a team that already works in Google Workspace

Its main advantage is the Workspace integration. Check which Workspace plans include which Gemini features before you upgrade.

Consider Gemini first if your business already runs on Google Workspace.

TagTeams with a help centre

PricePaid plans, with usage-based charges for the AI agent. Check the provider's current pricing.

• Answers customer questions from your existing help documentation
• Passes the conversation to a person, with its history, when it cannot resolve the question
• Suits teams that already maintain help articles

Costs rise with volume, so model them against your support numbers before committing. Answer quality depends on the documentation it draws from.

Consider Intercom if you have a support team with documented processes and a maintained help centre.

TagSmall retail and e-commerce

PriceFree plan available. Check Tidio's current prices for paid plans.

• Combines live chat and an AI chatbot for a website
• Handles common questions such as order status and FAQs, and captures enquiries
• Connects to Shopify and WooCommerce

For complex or technical support queries, test it against a set of real customer questions before you rely on it.

Consider Tidio for a small retail or service website that wants chat and a chatbot in one tool without a complex setup.

TagExisting Zendesk users

PricePriced per agent, with charges for AI agents. Check the provider's current pricing.

• Built into the Zendesk ticketing workflow, so there is no separate integration to set up
• Routes tickets to the right team based on what the customer is asking
• Suggests replies to agents based on the ticket and its history

Per-agent pricing can make it expensive for a very small team compared with the other options here.

Consider it if you already use Zendesk. If you don't, compare Tidio and Intercom first.

TagStart here

PriceFree plans available. Check each provider's current pricing for paid plans.

• Drafts blog posts, social copy, email campaigns, case studies and product descriptions from a clear brief
• Can follow a sample of your existing writing to match your tone
• No extra cost if you already pay for a general-purpose plan

Output depends on the brief. A vague request produces generic copy, and every draft needs checking before it goes out. Learning to write good briefs takes some practice.

Try this first, and move to a specialist tool only when you can name the feature you need.

TagSpecialist content tool

PricePaid plans. Check the provider's current pricing.

• Brand voice settings that apply your tone across outputs
• Templates for common content formats
• Collaboration features for marketing teams

You are paying for the workflow, templates and brand features around the underlying model. Those features save time mainly when a team produces content in volume.

Consider Jasper if a marketing team produces content regularly and consistency across several writers matters. For occasional content, a general-purpose assistant is likely to be enough.

TagVisuals and copy together

PriceFree plan available. Check Canva's current prices for paid plans.

• AI image generation and design resizing inside the design tool
• Magic Write drafts short copy inside a design
• Brand Kit keeps colours, fonts and logos consistent across designs

The AI copy suits short social posts better than long-form writing. AI features come with usage allowances that differ by plan.

Consider Canva if you produce a lot of social media content and do not have a dedicated designer.

TagBusinesses without a CRM

PriceFree CRM with some AI features. Check HubSpot's current prices for paid plans.

• Free plan covers contacts, deals and email logging
• Paid plans add forecasting, pipeline analysis and more automation
• AI drafting help for outreach emails, follow-ups and sequences

The free plan is limited on automation. Most of the AI sales features sit on higher paid plans, which are a significant step up in cost.

A reasonable starting point if you have no CRM. Move to a paid plan when your pipeline needs the features it adds.

TagOutbound prospecting

PriceFree plan with limited credits. Check Apollo's current prices for paid plans.

• Large contact database with search and filtering
• Drafts personalised opening lines from prospect data
• Sequences connect prospecting and outreach in one tool

Data accuracy varies by industry and country. Personalised drafts vary in quality, so review them before sending in volume.

Consider Apollo if you run outbound sales and want contact data and email sequences in one place.

TagSales call analysis

PricePriced on request. Check with the provider.

• Records and transcribes sales calls and highlights possible deal risks
• Shows patterns across a sales team, such as talk ratios, competitor mentions and objections
• Flags deals that have gone quiet

The cost and the pattern analysis make most sense for a team with a high volume of sales calls each week.

Consider it for a dedicated sales team making many calls a week. For a smaller team, a general-purpose assistant can summarise call notes or transcripts you already have.

TagFree general-purpose assistant

PriceFree plan. Check Anthropic's current prices for paid plans.

• Drafting, analysis, summarising and long documents on the free plan
• A practical way to test whether AI helps with your work before you pay
• No subscription needed to start

Heavy daily use will reach the free plan's limits. Paid plans raise those limits. Check the current terms before choosing one.

Start here if you are working out whether AI helps with your written work.

TagFree research tool

PriceFree plan. Check Perplexity's current prices for paid plans.

• Answers include links to the sources it used, so you can check them
• Searches the web for current information
• Useful for competitor research and getting up to speed on a topic

It is a research tool. Use it to find and summarise information, then read the sources. For drafting content, use a general-purpose assistant.

Worth trying if you research topics for work using a search engine.

TagFree visual tool

PriceFree with a Canva account. Check Canva's current prices for paid plans.

• Some AI image features on the free plan, with usage allowances
• Magic Write for short copy inside designs
• A large library of templates you can adapt

The free plan's AI allowances run out with daily use. Check the current allowances and the cost of the paid plan.

A practical choice for visual content without a designer. Start on the free plan and upgrade if you reach its limits.

TagFree CRM with AI features

PriceFree CRM plan. Check HubSpot's current prices for paid plans.

• Contact management, deal tracking and email logging
• Some AI email drafting help on the free plan
• Email templates with basic automation

The free plan is limited on reporting, automation and AI features. A growing sales team is likely to need a paid plan.

If you manage sales from a spreadsheet or your inbox, the free CRM is a practical first step.