My actual daily AI tools (unfiltered)
Everyone asks what tools I use. I’ll tell you straight: here’s what’s open in my browser right now, what I use daily, and what I’ve abandoned.
ChatGPT (paid)
I use this constantly. Multiple times a day.
What for: Quick research, drafting, brainstorming, explaining concepts I don’t understand, analyzing documents, writing.
The honest version: It’s the fastest tool for “quick help with this.” I paste something. I get an answer in two seconds. I use the answer or ignore it based on whether it’s smart.
Cost vs value: $20/month. Worth every penny if you’re using it daily. The speed alone justifies it.
What I don’t use: I don’t trust it for research requiring accuracy. I always fact-check. I don’t use it to replace thinking, only to accelerate thinking.
Claude (via claude.ai, free)
Open it maybe once a day. But when I do, it’s for serious thinking.
What for: Deep analysis of complex problems, editing my writing, thinking through business strategy, anything that requires sustained reasoning.
The honest version: Claude is slower than ChatGPT. But it’s smarter about nuance. If I have 30 minutes to think something through, I use Claude. If I need a quick answer, I use ChatGPT.
Cost vs value: Free. I haven’t upgraded to Claude Pro yet because the free version handles my use case.
Notion (with AI, paid Notion subscription)
I live in Notion. This is where I keep client information, my notes, my projects.
What for: Summarizing notes, generating database entries, brainstorming while I’m already in the tool.
The honest version: Notion AI is convenient because I don’t have to leave my workspace. But it’s not powerful. It’s fine for light work. Heavy lifting goes to ChatGPT or Claude.
Cost vs value: Notion Plus ($10/month) includes AI credits. It’s bundled in. Good value if you’re already using Notion.
Google Docs with “Help me write”
I write in Google Docs. It has built-in AI now.
What for: Quick suggestions while I’m drafting. Sometimes it’s useful. Usually I ignore it.
The honest version: It’s not sophisticated. But it’s zero friction—it’s right there. So I use it sometimes.
Cost vs value: Free if you have Google Docs. It’s a nice bonus feature, not a reason to use Docs.
Canva (with Magic Write)
I design social posts in Canva. It has AI built in.
What for: Generating copy for designs. Suggesting headlines. Writing captions.
The honest version: Output is usually generic. But when I’m stuck on a caption, it’s faster to ask Canva AI than switch to ChatGPT. The convenience sometimes wins over quality.
Cost vs value: Canva Pro is $13/month. You get Magic Write included. Worth it if you design social media regularly.
Tools I’ve abandoned
Copy AI / Jasper / AI writing platforms (the expensive ones): Everyone talks about these. I tried them. They’re just ChatGPT plus templates plus higher price. I make my own templates in ChatGPT for free. The paid platforms didn’t justify their cost.
Automated AI email tools: These promise to “write all your emails.” They write okay first drafts. But I still have to edit them. It’s not faster than writing in ChatGPT because I’m switching between tools. Abandoned.
AI competitor analysis tools: Most are surface-level. I get better insights from ChatGPT + manual research than from a tool that scrapes websites automatically. Abandoned.
Tools I’m watching but not using yet
n8n and Make (automation platforms): These look powerful for connecting tools and automating workflows. But the setup time vs payoff for a solo person is not great. I’ll revisit when I have more repetitive workflows that need automating.
Custom GPTs: You can now build custom ChatGPT instances with specific instructions. I haven’t built one yet. I’m not sure the benefit over just using my prompt templates. But I’ll experiment.
My workflow (real, unfiltered)
Morning: Check email. Use ChatGPT to draft responses. Customize. Send.
Mid-morning: Client work. Usually Claude for analysis or ChatGPT for drafting. Notion for organizing. Canva if I’m creating social content.
Afternoon: Deep work on something strategic. Claude, thinking. Google Docs, writing. Canva or PowerPoint if visualizing.
Evening: Admin and planning. Notion for notes. ChatGPT for quick help with whatever I’m working on.
The tools I actually paid for
– ChatGPT Plus ($20/month): Worth it.
– Notion Plus ($10/month): Worth it, but I’d use Notion anyway.
– Canva Pro ($13/month): Worth it if you design regularly.
Everything else I use is free or included in something I already paid for.
The honest assessment
The most expensive AI tools usually aren’t worth it. You don’t need Jasper or Copy AI if you know how to use ChatGPT. You don’t need specialized tools if ChatGPT + your brain + templates works.
What matters: picking one or two tools and actually mastering them. Not having 10 tools and using them all poorly.
Start with ChatGPT free. Use it for a month. If it saves time, upgrade to ChatGPT Plus. If it doesn’t, don’t upgrade. If Plus is working, don’t add anything else for three months. Live with it. Learn it. Then, and only then, add Claude or another tool if it fills a real gap.
Most people buy tools instead of doing the thinking to figure out what they actually need.
My recommendation for you
ChatGPT Plus ($20/month). Nothing else. Use it daily for a month. You’ll know within a month if it’s making your life better. If it is, you’re set. If it’s not, the problem isn’t the tool—it’s how you’re using it.
If you want help building a practical AI workflow for your specific business, book a free strategy call at thecreativeaicompany.com