Not ready to pay for fancy tools just yet? Good. You don’t have to.

If you’re just getting started with AI, you might think you need to throw money at it. You don’t. There are tons of free tools that actually do what they say—and don’t lock everything behind a paywall after five clicks.

Here are 9 of my favorite AI tools that are 100% free (or have a very generous free tier). Use them to write, build, design, automate—or just test the waters without draining your bank account.

1. ChatGPT (Free version)

Still undefeated when it comes to general-purpose AI.
💡 Use it for: writing emails, ideas, brainstorming, learning stuff
💸 Free version includes GPT-3.5, which is still better than 95% of other tools out there.

2. Perplexity.ai

Think of it as ChatGPT + Google.
💡 Use it for: research, summaries, finding sources fast
Bonus: It gives citations. You know, like a grown-up.

3. Ideogram.ai

The best free AI image generator right now.
💡 Use it for: logos, thumbnails, t-shirt mockups
Yes, it understands text prompts. And yes, it handles words in images (mostly).

4. CapCut

TikTok’s own free video editor, and it’s shockingly good.
💡 Use it for: creating videos, reels, shorts with subtitles and effects
Great for faceless content too.

5. Durable.co (free tier)

Build an entire website in 30 seconds.
💡 Use it for: landing pages, portfolios, mockups
You won’t run your business on it forever—but it’s amazing for MVPs.

6. Harpa.ai

A Chrome plugin that’s ChatGPT meets Zapier.
💡 Use it for: scraping data, automating stuff, writing replies
It’s underrated—and borderline magic if you know what you’re doing.

7. Leonardo.ai (limited free tier)

Another AI image generator. But it’s built for designers.
💡 Use it for: product renders, concept art, creative visuals
Free credits refill daily.

8. Gamma.app

Slides + storytelling + AI = Gamma.
💡 Use it for: building pitch decks, client reports, presentations
It makes PowerPoint look like a dinosaur.

9. Otter.ai (free plan)

Record, transcribe, and summarize meetings.
💡 Use it for: note-taking, interviews, team calls
Great for freelancers or creators who hate typing.

Final note (because I know how this goes)

Don’t wait until you’ve got “the perfect idea.” Try one of these today. Build something tiny. Get a feel for what AI can do.

If you’re still unsure where to start, try ChatGPT, CapCut and Gamma. You’ll cover writing, video, and slides—basically 80% of internet content.

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