Choosing the right AI tools
The AI tools market is enormous and growing fast. Most lists promote enterprise tools with enterprise pricing. This guide focuses on tools that actually work for growing businesses — categorised by what you're trying to accomplish, with honest assessments of cost and capability.
AI assistants — your general-purpose copilot
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
The most widely used AI assistant. Strong at drafting content, answering questions, analysing documents, and brainstorming. The free tier covers basic needs. Pro ($20/month USD) adds GPT-4, file uploads, image generation, and web browsing.
Best for: Content drafting, research, brainstorming, email composition, document analysis.
Claude (Anthropic)
Excels at long-form writing, detailed analysis, and tasks requiring careful reasoning. Particularly strong with Australian English and business context. Free tier available. Pro ($20/month USD) adds extended usage and more capable models.
Best for: Long-form content, proposals, detailed analysis, tasks requiring nuance and accuracy.
Gemini (Google)
Deeply integrated with Google Workspace. If your business runs on Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Sheets, Gemini can access and work with your data directly. Free tier included with Google accounts.
Best for: Businesses already using Google Workspace who want AI embedded in their existing tools.
AI for customer communication
Intercom with Fin AI
Fin AI answers customer questions using your help centre content, website, and previous conversations. It resolves straightforward queries automatically and hands off complex ones to your team with full context. Pricing starts from $39/month per seat.
Best for: Businesses with recurring customer questions who want 24/7 automated support.
Tidio
More affordable chatbot option for smaller businesses. AI-powered chat that handles common questions, collects leads, and integrates with your website. Free tier available, paid plans from $29/month.
Best for: Small businesses wanting a simple AI chatbot without enterprise complexity.
AI for content creation
Canva with Magic Studio
AI-powered design tools built into Canva — generate images, edit photos, create presentations, and design social media posts using text prompts. Free tier available. Pro ($17.99/month AUD) unlocks full AI features.
Best for: Social media content, presentations, marketing materials without a designer.
Descript
AI-powered video and podcast editing. Edit video by editing text — delete a word from the transcript and it's removed from the video. Includes AI voice cloning, filler word removal, and automatic captions. From $24/month USD.
Best for: Businesses creating video content or podcasts who want faster editing.
AI for sales and CRM
Apollo.io
AI-powered sales intelligence and outreach. Find prospects, enrich contact data, write personalised emails, and automate follow-ups. Free tier with limited credits. Paid plans from $49/month.
Best for: B2B businesses doing outbound sales who need prospect data and automated outreach.
HubSpot with AI features
CRM with built-in AI for email writing, meeting scheduling, pipeline predictions, and customer insights. Free CRM tier available. AI features in paid plans from $20/month per seat.
Best for: Businesses wanting AI embedded in their CRM rather than as a separate tool.
AI for automation and workflows
Zapier
Connects 6,000+ apps and adds AI processing between them. Build automated workflows without coding. Free tier with limited tasks. Paid plans from $29.99/month AUD.
Best for: Connecting your existing tools and automating repetitive multi-step processes.
Make (formerly Integromat)
Visual workflow builder with more flexibility than Zapier for complex automations. Better value for high-volume automations. Free tier available. Paid plans from $10.59/month AUD.
Best for: Complex, multi-step automations where visual workflow design helps.
AI for accounting and finance
Xero with AI features
Australian-built accounting software with AI bank reconciliation, invoice coding, and cash flow predictions. Starter plan from $16/month AUD.
Best for: Australian businesses wanting AI-enhanced accounting in a local platform.
How to choose
Start with one tool that addresses your biggest time drain. Use it for a month before adding another. The most common mistake is subscribing to five tools at once and learning none of them well enough to get value.
Prioritise tools that integrate with what you already use. An AI tool that works inside your existing CRM, email, or project management platform will deliver value faster than a standalone tool that requires you to change your workflow.
Need help choosing the right AI tools?
RabbiiCo Studio helps businesses evaluate, implement, and integrate AI tools that match their specific needs and budget. We cut through the noise and recommend what actually works.