Reformat Labs

    Free AI tools

    Are There Good Free AI Tools for Small Business?

    Yes - and more good ones than most business owners realise. Here's what's genuinely free, with no trial tricks.

    Book a discovery call
    £0monthly cost of a fully functional AI workflow built on free tiers alone
    10tools in this guide with no trial expiry and no credit card required
    300free monthly transcription minutes on Otter.ai - vs no hard cap on Claude
    2026all tools verified as free as of May this year - we checked

    The short answer

    Yes - more than you probably think, and better than you'd expect

    Quick answer

    Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity all have genuinely free tiers with no expiry. HubSpot's free CRM includes AI email suggestions. Canva's free tier has AI image and copy generation. Fathom gives unlimited free meeting summaries for Zoom users. You can cover writing, research, CRM, visual content, and meeting notes at zero cost.

    The distinction that matters is between a free trial (time-limited, usually requires a credit card) and a free tier (permanent, reduced features or usage limits). This guide covers only genuine free tiers - tools you can use indefinitely without paying. We've excluded tools that describe themselves as free but require a card 'for verification' or disappear after 14 days.

    We've also included an honest section on when free isn't enough - because using a constrained tool for the wrong job is worse than paying for the right one.

    Truly free (not trials)

    Eight AI tools with permanent free tiers - no card required

    Every tool here has been verified as free in May 2026. None require a credit card to start. The free limit type is shown against each - "effectively unlimited" means you'll hit a soft rate limit in sustained heavy use but not a hard monthly cap.

    Effectively unlimitedMonthly capFeature-limited- free limit types used in this guide
    Claude (Anthropic)Effectively unlimited No card needed

    Free limit: Soft rate limit in heavy use - no hard monthly cap

    Full access to Claude 3.5 Sonnet on the free tier
    Handles long documents, writing, analysis, and summarisation
    No watermark or expiry - genuinely free indefinitely
    You will hit a rate limit if you use it for several continuous hours in a day. For normal business use - a few hours of writing and analysis spread through the day - the free tier is more than sufficient.
    ChatGPT (OpenAI)Effectively unlimited No card needed

    Free limit: Soft usage limits on GPT-4o - unlimited on GPT-3.5

    GPT-4o on the free tier - same model as many paid users, with rate limits
    Custom GPTs (built by others) available on the free tier
    Largest third-party integration ecosystem
    Free tier access to GPT-4o is throttled - you'll be bumped to GPT-3.5 during peak hours or heavy use. For most business writing tasks, GPT-3.5 is still capable.
    PerplexityEffectively unlimited No card needed

    Free limit: Unlimited standard queries - Pro searches capped at 5/day free

    Every answer includes cited sources - far more reliable for factual research than unaided ChatGPT
    Real-time web access on the free tier
    Good at synthesising a topic quickly from multiple sources
    Perplexity is a research tool, not a writing or drafting tool. Don't use it for content creation - the output reads like a sourced summary, not polished copy.
    HubSpot CRMFeature-limited No card needed

    Free limit: Core CRM features free forever - AI email suggestions included

    Contact management, deal pipeline, and email logging at zero cost
    AI email drafting suggestions on the free tier
    No artificial expiry - HubSpot's free plan has been stable for years
    The free plan is limited on automation sequences, reporting depth, and the number of AI-assisted features. It's the right starting point, not a long-term solution for a growing sales team.
    CanvaMonthly cap No card needed

    Free limit: Limited AI image generations (~50/mo) · Unlimited Magic Write (copy)

    AI image generation, background removal, and Magic Write on the free tier
    Brand Kit available on free (limited to one brand)
    Huge template library the AI can adapt
    The AI image generation cap (roughly 50/month) is enough for occasional use but will run out quickly if you're producing social content daily. Magic Write (AI copy inside designs) is unlimited and more useful day-to-day.
    NotionFeature-limited No card needed

    Free limit: Free plan with Notion AI as paid add-on (£8/mo) - but core workspace free

    Free workspace handles documents, databases, wikis, and project tracking
    AI features (summarise, rewrite, generate) available as an affordable add-on
    Good for teams that want to centralise knowledge and process documentation
    The Notion AI add-on (£8/user/mo) is what makes it useful for AI-assisted work. The free plan without it is a solid knowledge management tool but not an AI tool per se.
    GrammarlyFeature-limited No card needed

    Free limit: Grammar, spelling, and basic clarity suggestions free

    Browser extension works inside Gmail, Google Docs, LinkedIn, and most web apps
    Flags passive voice, wordy sentences, and unclear phrasing
    Free tier catches the mistakes that damage credibility in client-facing writing
    The free tier does not include tone suggestions, full rewrites, or the generative AI features. Those are on the Premium plan (£11/mo). The free grammar layer alone is worth having for anyone writing client emails.
    Otter.aiMonthly cap No card needed

    Free limit: 300 minutes transcription per month free

    Real-time meeting transcription across Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet
    Speaker identification and basic summary generation
    Shareable transcript links - useful for sending meeting notes to clients
    300 minutes per month is roughly six 50-minute meetings. If you have more than that, the free tier runs out mid-month. Fathom is unlimited free for Zoom users - see the support section.

    Best free for content

    Four free tools that cover most content creation needs

    Between these four, a small business can handle writing, visual content, and editing at zero monthly cost. The upgrade paths are clear - you'll know when you've outgrown the free tier.

    Claude (free tier)Best overall free content tool

    Best for: Blog posts, email drafts, case studies, social copy, product descriptions

    Produces the most natural-sounding prose of any free model - less corporate, less generic
    Ask it to write in your tone by giving it a sample of your existing writing first
    Strong at restructuring and editing drafts you've already written
    Free limit: Soft rate limit in heavy use - sufficient for most business content needsUpgrade when: When you're hitting the rate limit daily or need API access for workflow automation
    ChatGPT (free tier)Best for brainstorming and ideation

    Best for: Content ideation, angle exploration, social post variations, FAQs

    Good at generating multiple angles or variations quickly - useful for headline testing
    Custom GPTs built by others extend what you can do without any setup
    Slightly better than Claude at structured list-based output and tables
    Free limit: GPT-4o with rate limits - GPT-3.5 unlimitedUpgrade when: When you need persistent memory, higher quality output, or integrations with other tools
    Canva (free tier)Best free visual + copy combination

    Best for: Social media graphics, presentations, short marketing copy within designs

    AI image generation inside the design tool - no switching between apps
    Magic Write generates short-form copy directly inside a design
    Best for social media content where visual and text go together
    Free limit: ~50 AI image generations per month, unlimited Magic WriteUpgrade when: When you hit the image generation cap or need Brand Kit across multiple brands
    Grammarly (free tier)Best free editing layer

    Best for: Polishing client emails, proposals, website copy before it goes out

    Catches the errors that look unprofessional in client-facing writing
    Works inside Gmail, Outlook, and Google Docs without switching tools
    Free tier catches most of the high-visibility mistakes
    Free limit: Grammar and clarity only - tone and rewrite features are paidUpgrade when: When you want tone suggestions and full-paragraph rewrites - Premium is £11/mo

    Best free for support

    Four free tools for customer support and meeting notes

    These cover the two areas where free AI tools are most underused by small businesses: meeting transcription and website chat. Both are fully functional at zero cost within the limits below.

    FathomBest free meeting AI

    Free limit: Free forever for individual users on Zoom - no monthly cap

    Unlimited meeting recordings and AI summaries on the free tier
    Action item extraction and shareable meeting notes
    Zoom-native - no separate bot joining the call

    Zoom only. The free tier is genuinely unlimited - not a trial. For most small business users this is all you'll ever need.

    TidioBest free website chatbot

    Free limit: 50 live chat conversations/month - AI chatbot conversations are unlimited

    AI chatbot for your website with pre-built FAQ handling
    Live chat with basic routing
    Up to 50 live chat conversations per month on the free tier

    The 50 live chat limit is the binding constraint on the free tier. If your volume is above that, you'll need the Starter plan (£29/mo). The AI chatbot conversation limit is much more generous.

    CrispBest free live chat with AI

    Free limit: 2 agent seats - basic automation only on free

    Unlimited live chat on the free tier (2 seats)
    Shared inbox for team conversations
    Basic chatbot automation on the free tier

    The free plan is genuinely capable for very small teams. AI-powered features (MagicReply, trained responses) require the paid plan from £25/mo. Worth knowing: Crisp's free tier is more generous than most alternatives.

    HubSpot (free chatbot)Best if you already use HubSpot

    Free limit: Basic chatbot flows - advanced branching and AI features require paid

    Chatbot builder included in the free CRM
    Routes website visitors to the right contact or resource
    Captures lead information and logs to the CRM automatically

    Only worth using if you already have the free HubSpot CRM. If you're starting from scratch and want a website chatbot, Tidio or Crisp are simpler to set up.

    When to pay

    Five clear signals that free isn't enough anymore

    Free tiers exist to let you evaluate a tool, not to serve as a long-term production solution. These are the signals that tell you the free tier has become a constraint rather than a convenience.

    You're hitting usage limits before lunchtime

    Free tier rate limits are designed for moderate use. If you're using an AI tool as a primary work tool for 4-6 hours a day, you will run into soft limits. The signal is output slowing down or the tool asking you to 'try again in an hour'.

    Claude Pro (£18/mo) or ChatGPT Plus (£16/mo) - removes rate limits entirely

    You need to connect AI to your other software

    API access is almost always a paid feature. If you want to connect your AI tool to your CRM, email platform, or website - to automate something rather than doing it manually - you'll need a paid plan that includes API access.

    Most tools offer API access from £20-50/mo - check the developer pricing tier

    Your team needs shared access

    Free tiers are almost universally single-user. If more than one person needs access to the same AI workspace, prompts, or history, you'll need a team plan. The cost per seat varies significantly - HubSpot is free per seat, ChatGPT Team is £25/user/mo.

    ChatGPT Team (£25/user/mo), Claude Team (£25/user/mo), or Notion AI (£8/user/mo add-on)

    You're handling client or employee personal data

    Consumer free tiers do not include a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) - a legal requirement under UK GDPR when a third party processes personal data on your behalf. If you're feeding client information, employee records, or financial data into an AI tool, you need an enterprise or business plan with a DPA.

    Claude for Business, ChatGPT Enterprise, or equivalent - pricing varies, typically £20-30/user/mo minimum

    The tool is saving you more than its monthly cost

    The cleanest signal. If a paid tool at £20/mo saves you 30 minutes a week of work that costs you £30/hour, it pays for itself in under two months. Run the arithmetic on the specific task before deciding the free tier is good enough.

    Start with the cheapest paid tier and evaluate after 30 days - most tools have monthly billing
    Book a discovery call Full AI tools guide

    Common questions

    FAQs

    Get in touch

    Book an AI discovery session

    No commitment. Response within one business day.