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UncomplicateAI

Tools

AI tools, explained

One plain-English page per tool: what it is, who it suits, what it costs, and when to skip it. The ones I use day to day say so; the ones I have not tried say that too. My setup is the short list of what I actually run.

GP

ChatGPT

The default AI assistant. Chat, voice, pictures, files, and Codex on paid plans.

ChatImagesVoiceFreemium I use this
Cl

Claude

The plainest writer of the big assistants. Paid plans include Claude Code.

ChatWritingFilesFreemium I use this
CC

Claude Code

AI coding assistant that works in your terminal, on your real files.

CodingCLIPaid I use this
Cx

Codex

OpenAI's coding agent for the terminal, on your real files.

CodingCLIPaid I use this
H

Hermes

Open-source AI agent with tool use and memory. Runs on your own computer or server.

Open SourceSelf-hostedAgents I use this
Cu

Cursor

Code editor with an AI agent built in. You watch the edits happen.

CodingEditorFreemium I use this
Wi

Windsurf

Editor with a built-in agent, Cursor's closest rival. Cheaper plans.

CodingEditorFreemium
GH

GitHub Copilot

Code completion, chat and an agent inside VS Code. The workplace default.

CodingEditorFreemium
V

Vultr

Affordable VPS hosting. Good default for a small always-on server.

HostingVPSAffordable I use this
He

Hetzner

Very cheap, very plain small servers. European data centres.

HostingVPSCheap
DO

DigitalOcean

Small servers with the clearest panel and the best tutorials. A little dearer.

HostingVPSBeginner-friendly
Ol

Ollama

Run open-source models locally. One command, no coding.

Local AIOpen SourceFree I use this
OC

OpenClaw

Open-source agent framework. More assembly required, more control.

Open SourceAgentsSelf-hosted
El

ElevenLabs

Text to speech that sounds human. Billed in credits, not per month.

AudioVoicePaid I use this
GB

Grok Bot

Managed persistent AI bots. Cloud computer included, no server to run.

AgentsManagedAutomation
Lv

Lovable

Plain-English to working web app, hosted. For first versions and small tools.

No codeAppsFreemium
Kl

Kling

Generates short video, including motion from a still image you supply.

VideoGenerativePaid I use this
Ra

Raycast

Mac launcher with window commands and an extension store. Not an AI tool.

MacLauncherExtensions I use this
Px

Perplexity

AI search with citations. Ask a question, get an answer with sources.

SearchResearchCitationsFreemium
Mj

Midjourney

Paid image generation with a polished look. For when the picture is the product.

ImagesArtPaid
Za

Zapier

When this happens, do that. Connects thousands of apps, no code needed.

AutomationNo codeIntegrationsFreemium
n8

n8n

Visual automation you can self-host. Zapier's job without the per-task bill.

AutomationSelf-hostedOpen sourceFreemium
Gr

Grammarly

Spelling and grammar everywhere you type. The AI rewriting is the weaker half.

WritingGrammarBrowserFreemium
Su

Suno

Full songs with vocals from a text description or your own lyrics.

MusicAudioFreemium
No

Notion AI

AI across your Notion workspace. Search, summarise and draft from your own notes.

NotesWritingWorkspacePaid
Ga

Gamma

A finished-looking deck from a paragraph or your notes. For the talk you kept putting off.

SlidesPresentationsFreemium

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