Tools research · Stack builder
Build the stack for your hustle
Pick a hustle to see the tools it needs, the free way to start, what it costs per month at month 1 and month 12, and the limit that tells you to upgrade. Coming from the quiz? Your match opens here automatically.
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AI UGC-style ad creatives
Month 1$30/mo
Month 12$90.99/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HeyGen AI presenter and avatar ad variants | Start free | Creator $24 | Creator $29 | Up to 3 videos a month, each up to 1 minute, with limited trial access to premium features. |
| CapCut Editing hooks, captions and cuts | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $19.99 | The free editor covers basic editing. |
| ElevenLabs Voiceover variants for testing | Start free | Starter $6 | Creator $22 | 10,000 credits per month, which the pricing table shows as about 10 minutes of text-to-speech. |
| ChatGPT Script and hook variations | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
AI agent building for clients
Month 1$17/mo
Month 12$159/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI API Models and the Agents SDK for tool-calling agents | Free option: Gemini API | Pay as you go $5 | Pay as you go $50 | No free plan; pay per token. |
| Claude Alternative models; strong for long documents and coding | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Langfuse Tracing and evals so you can prove accuracy | Start free | Hobby $0 | Core $29 | Hobby is free with 50k units a month, 30 days of data and 2 users. |
| n8n Simpler workflow-style automations when an agent is overkill | Start free | Community Edition (self-hosted) $12 | Pro (cloud) $50 | The self-hosted Community Edition is free; you pay for the server. |
| Calendly Booking discovery calls | Start free | Free $0 | Standard $10 | One event type and one connected calendar. |
AI automation agency for SMBs
Month 1$12/mo
Month 12$90.58/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Make Visual multi-step client automations at low cost | Start free | Free $0 | Core $10.59 | 1,000 credits a month. |
| Zapier When a client already uses it or needs a niche app | Start free | Free $0 | Professional $19.99 | 100 tasks a month and two-step Zaps only (one trigger plus one action). |
| n8n Self-hosted workflows for data-sensitive clients | Start free | Community Edition (self-hosted) $12 | Pro (cloud) $50 | The self-hosted Community Edition is free; you pay for the server. |
| Calendly Booking discovery calls | Start free | Free $0 | Standard $10 | One event type and one connected calendar. |
AI children's picture books
Month 1$10/mo
Month 12$62/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midjourney Consistent illustration styles | Free option: Adobe Firefly | Basic $10 | Standard $30 | No free plan. |
| Claude Story drafts and read-aloud edits | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Amazon KDP Printing and distributing the book on Amazon | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to publish. |
| Canva Covers and page layout | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
AI cold-email setup service
Month 1$47/mo
Month 12$284/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instantly Sending, inbox warmup and campaign management | Free option: Apollo.io | Growth $47 | Hypergrowth $97 | No free plan is listed on the pricing page. |
| Clay Lead lists and enrichment for personalization | Start free | Free $0 | Launch $167 | Free includes 500 actions and 100 data credits a month, with tables up to 200 rows. |
| Claude First-line and sequence copy drafts | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Google Sheets Lead review and client reporting | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Sheets is free with any Google account. |
AI consulting for a specific industry
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$50/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Assistant to evaluate and demo on business tiers | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
| Claude Second assistant to compare outputs and data terms | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Google Sheets Task-time audits and ROI models | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Sheets is free with any Google account. |
| Notion Assessment reports and client wikis | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | The Free plan is for individuals and includes a trial of Notion AI. |
| Calendly Booking discovery calls | Start free | Free $0 | Standard $10 | One event type and one connected calendar. |
AI customer-service chatbots for small shops
Month 1$5/mo
Month 12$230.59/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Botpress Building the chatbot with a visual editor | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $150 | Free includes 100 conversations. |
| OpenAI API The language model behind custom bots | Free option: Gemini API | Pay as you go $5 | Pay as you go $50 | No free plan; pay per token. |
| Make Connecting the bot to orders, email and CRMs | Start free | Free $0 | Core $10.59 | 1,000 credits a month. |
| ChatGPT Prototyping answers from the shop's FAQ | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
AI data annotation / model evaluation
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$0/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DataAnnotation Paid rating and writing tasks for AI models | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to apply; you're paid per project. |
| Outlier Expert-domain AI training tasks | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Prolific Paid research studies to fill gaps | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Google Sheets Logging hours and pay per platform | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Sheets is free with any Google account. |
AI headshots / photo editing
Month 1$32.98/mo
Month 12$42.49/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Photoshop Generative Fill and retouching | Free option: GIMP | Photography $19.99 | Photoshop $22.99 | No free plan; 7-day free trial. |
| Photoroom Quick background removal and swaps | Start free | Pro $12.99 | Pro (yearly) $7.50 | Free accounts are licensed for personal, non-commercial use only (Terms). |
| GIMP Free editor for basic retouching | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Completely free. |
| Canva Delivering crops and social sizes | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
AI logo & brand kit design
Month 1$82/mo
Month 12$42/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canva Building and delivering the brand kit | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| Looka Generating logo directions to refine | Free option: Ideogram | Premium Logo Package $72 | Premium Logo Package $0 | Free to design logos; you pay only to download. |
| Midjourney Mood boards and icon concepts | Free option: Adobe Firefly | Basic $10 | Standard $30 | No free plan. |
| Fiverr Listing brand-kit packages | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to join and list gigs; Fiverr keeps 20% of each order (our 17 Oct check). |
AI music for content creators
Month 1$10/mo
Month 12$49.99/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suno Generating tracks on a paid plan for commercial rights | Start free | Pro $10 | Premier $30 | 50 credits per day on free models. |
| Audacity Free editing: lengths, loops, fades, loudness | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Completely free. |
| Fiverr Finding first buyers for custom tracks | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to join and list gigs; Fiverr keeps 20% of each order (our 17 Oct check). |
| Gumroad Selling music packs direct | Start free | Pay per sale $0 | Pay per sale $0 | No monthly fee. |
| CapCut Showing tracks under sample video | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $19.99 | The free editor covers basic editing. |
AI product photography for e-commerce
Month 1$43.98/mo
Month 12$99.49/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photoroom Batch background removal and scenes | Start free | Pro $12.99 | Pro (yearly) $7.50 | Free accounts are licensed for personal, non-commercial use only (Terms). |
| Adobe Photoshop Final retouching and compositing | Free option: GIMP | Photography $19.99 | Photoshop $22.99 | No free plan; 7-day free trial. |
| Midjourney Lifestyle background concepts | Free option: Adobe Firefly | Basic $10 | Standard $30 | No free plan. |
| Shopify Checking the client's store image specs | Free option: WooCommerce | Basic (intro offer) $1 | Basic $39 | No free plan. |
AI social media management
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$66.99/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffer Scheduling posts across client channels | Start free | Free $0 | Essentials $15 | A free plan is available; Essentials adds analytics and more per channel. |
| Canva Branded templates for each client | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| ChatGPT Caption drafts and content calendars | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
| CapCut Short vertical video edits | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $19.99 | The free editor covers basic editing. |
AI thumbnail design service
Month 1$29.99/mo
Month 12$64.99/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Photoshop Cutouts, compositing and AI-assisted fills | Free option: GIMP | Photography $19.99 | Photoshop $22.99 | No free plan; 7-day free trial. |
| Canva Fast templates per client | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| YouTube Studio Test & compare A/B results | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Midjourney Backdrops and props for concepts | Free option: Adobe Firefly | Basic $10 | Standard $30 | No free plan. |
AI trainer roles on Remotasks/Scale
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$0/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outlier Generative-AI training projects, paid weekly | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Remotasks Image, video and 3D labeling work | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| DataAnnotation A second platform for gaps between projects | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to apply; you're paid per project. |
| Google Sheets Logging rates, hours and payouts | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Sheets is free with any Google account. |
AI transcription & captioning
Month 1$24.33/mo
Month 12$52.32/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otter.ai Fast first-pass transcripts | Start free | Pro $8.33 | Pro $8.33 | Free gives 300 minutes a month, 30 minutes per conversation and only 3 file imports for the lifetime of the account. |
| Descript Editing transcripts and burning in captions | Start free | Hobbyist $16 | Creator $24 | The free plan can record, edit and mix, but 1080p watermark-free export starts on Hobbyist. |
| CapCut Auto-captions for short-form clients | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $19.99 | The free editor covers basic editing. |
| Google Docs Delivering clean transcripts | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
AI tutoring
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$30/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyzant Finding paying students | Start free | Fee per sale $0 | Fee per sale $0 | – |
| Khanmigo AI practice support between sessions | Start free | Free plan $0 | Free plan $0 | – |
| ChatGPT Generating practice problems and explanations | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
| Calendly Scheduling sessions | Start free | Free $0 | Standard $10 | One event type and one connected calendar. |
AI video translation & dubbing
Month 1$46/mo
Month 12$83/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HeyGen Lip-synced video translation | Start free | Creator $24 | Creator $29 | Up to 3 videos a month, each up to 1 minute, with limited trial access to premium features. |
| ElevenLabs Dubbing and voice-matched audio | Start free | Starter $6 | Creator $22 | 10,000 credits per month, which the pricing table shows as about 10 minutes of text-to-speech. |
| DeepL Checking translations | Start free | Free translator $0 | Individual $8 | A free translator is available. |
| Descript Fixing timing and subtitles | Start free | Hobbyist $16 | Creator $24 | The free plan can record, edit and mix, but 1080p watermark-free export starts on Hobbyist. |
AI voiceover service
Month 1$6/mo
Month 12$22/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ElevenLabs AI voices, and cloning with written consent | Start free | Starter $6 | Creator $22 | 10,000 credits per month, which the pricing table shows as about 10 minutes of text-to-speech. |
| Audacity Free cleanup, loudness and exports to client specs | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Completely free. |
| Murf Alternative voice library with hour-based plans | Start free | API pay as you go $0 | API pay as you go $0 | The pricing page we read is API pricing: a $10 free API credit, then pay per 1,000 characters. |
| Fiverr Listing voiceover gigs | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to join and list gigs; Fiverr keeps 20% of each order (our 17 Oct check). |
AI-assisted blog with ads
Month 1$4/mo
Month 12$40/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress Blog platform with full control over ad placement | Start free | WordPress.com Personal (yearly) $4 | WordPress.com Premium (yearly) $8 | The software is free; hosting isn't. |
| Google AdSense Entry-level display ads once you have traffic | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Claude Research outlines and edit passes | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Canva Featured images and Pinterest graphics | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
AI-assisted freelance writing
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$40/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Research summaries, outlines and line edits | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| ChatGPT Alternative assistant for brainstorming angles | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
| Upwork Finding first clients and building reviews | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to join. |
| Google Docs Drafting and sharing work with clients | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
AI-built websites for local businesses
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$77/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Framer Fast, design-led sites you hand over to the client | Start free | Free $0 | Basic $10 | Free gets a Framer subdomain, 1 GB bandwidth and 500 AI credits to try. |
| Webflow CMS-heavy sites a client team will edit | Start free | Starter $0 | Premium $25 | The free Starter site gets 2 static pages, 1 GB bandwidth and 50 form submissions on a webflow.io address. |
| v0 Generating page sections and components from a prompt | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $30 | New users get $5 of one-time credits and a 7-message daily limit. |
| Canva Logos and social assets for the same client | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
Affiliate content for AI tools
Month 1$4/mo
Month 12$28/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress The site that hosts your reviews and comparisons | Start free | WordPress.com Personal (yearly) $4 | WordPress.com Premium (yearly) $8 | The software is free; hosting isn't. |
| PartnerStack One signup for many SaaS affiliate programs | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Claude Outlining and editing reviews of tools you have tested | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Google Sheets Tracking programs, links and commissions | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Sheets is free with any Google account. |
Amazon Associates review site
Month 1$4/mo
Month 12$40/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Associates Earning on Amazon products you review | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| WordPress The review site | Start free | WordPress.com Personal (yearly) $4 | WordPress.com Premium (yearly) $8 | The software is free; hosting isn't. |
| Canva Comparison graphics and pins | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| Claude Outlining reviews of products you tested | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
Amazon Merch on Demand
Month 1$10/mo
Month 12$42/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merch on Demand Selling print-on-demand designs on Amazon | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | No fees; Amazon pays a royalty per sale based on list price and tier. |
| Canva Text-based designs at the right size | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| Midjourney Artwork concepts | Free option: Adobe Firefly | Basic $10 | Standard $30 | No free plan. |
| GIMP Free cleanup and transparent PNG export | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Completely free. |
Audiobook narration with AI voices
Month 1$6/mo
Month 12$22/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ElevenLabs Digital-voice narration with commercial rights | Start free | Starter $6 | Creator $22 | 10,000 credits per month, which the pricing table shows as about 10 minutes of text-to-speech. |
| Spotify for Authors Publishing digital-voice audiobooks with disclosure | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Google Play Books auto-narration Free auto-narration and distribution | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Audacity Listening QA and small audio fixes | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Completely free. |
Bookkeeping with AI tools
Month 1$24.40/mo
Month 12$85/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Online The ledger many US small clients use | Free option: Wave | Simple Start $19 | Simple Start $38 | QuickBooks Free costs $0 but excludes mobile app access and third-party integrations. |
| Xero Alternative ledger some clients prefer | Free option: Wave | Early $5.40 | Early $27 | No free plan; the US page offered 80% off for 3 months or one month free. |
| ChatGPT Drafting categorization rules and client emails | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
| Google Sheets Reconciliation checklists | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Sheets is free with any Google account. |
Canva template shop
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$12/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canva Designing and sharing the templates | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| Etsy Marketplace with buyers already searching | Start free | Pay per listing and sale $0 | Pay per listing and sale $0 | No monthly fee. |
| Gumroad Selling direct without listing fees | Start free | Pay per sale $0 | Pay per sale $0 | No monthly fee. |
| Pinterest Free traffic to your listings | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
Coloring books on KDP
Month 1$10/mo
Month 12$42/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midjourney Line-art page concepts | Free option: Adobe Firefly | Basic $10 | Standard $30 | No free plan. |
| Amazon KDP Printing and selling the books | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to publish. |
| Canva Covers and interior layout | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| GIMP Free line cleanup | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Completely free. |
Dropshipping store with AI copy
Month 1$1/mo
Month 12$90.90/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify The store | Free option: WooCommerce | Basic (intro offer) $1 | Basic $39 | No free plan. |
| DSers Importing products and routing orders | Start free | Free $0 | Advanced $19.90 | Free covers 3 stores and 3,000 products on 1 sales channel. |
| ChatGPT Product descriptions and ad copy | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
| Canva Ad creatives and store graphics | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
Etsy shop with AI-assisted digital art
Month 1$10/mo
Month 12$42/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etsy The marketplace | Start free | Pay per listing and sale $0 | Pay per listing and sale $0 | No monthly fee. |
| Midjourney Artwork generation | Free option: Adobe Firefly | Basic $10 | Standard $30 | No free plan. |
| Canva Mockups and listing images | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| GIMP Free cleanup before upscaling | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Completely free. |
Faceless YouTube channel
Month 1$30/mo
Month 12$90.99/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ElevenLabs Narration voice | Start free | Starter $6 | Creator $22 | 10,000 credits per month, which the pricing table shows as about 10 minutes of text-to-speech. |
| CapCut Editing and captions | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $19.99 | The free editor covers basic editing. |
| DaVinci Resolve Free pro-grade editor alternative | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | The free version is a full professional editor. |
| HeyGen Optional avatar presenter | Start free | Creator $24 | Creator $29 | Up to 3 videos a month, each up to 1 minute, with limited trial access to premium features. |
| Claude Script research and drafts | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
Fiverr AI services gigs
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$32/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiverr Selling your gig packages | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to join and list gigs; Fiverr keeps 20% of each order (our 17 Oct check). |
| ChatGPT Faster first drafts for deliverables | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
| Canva Gig images and portfolio samples | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| Google Docs Delivery and revision tracking | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
Grant writing assistance
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$20/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants.gov Finding and reading federal opportunities | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Claude Long-document drafting and compliance checks | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Google Docs Collaborating with the client | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Google Sheets Deadline and requirement tracking | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Sheets is free with any Google account. |
Instagram faceless theme page
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$51.99/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canva Carousels, covers and your media kit | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| CapCut Editing Reels | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $19.99 | The free editor covers basic editing. |
| Meta Business Suite Scheduling posts and reading insights | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Claude Drafting carousel copy and hooks you fact-check | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Gumroad Selling your first digital product | Start free | Pay per sale $0 | Pay per sale $0 | No monthly fee. |
Lead generation with AI research
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$236/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apollo.io Contact data and email verification | Start free | Free $0 | Basic $49 | Free includes 900 credits and 2 sequences. |
| Clay Enrichment and buying-signal research | Start free | Free $0 | Launch $167 | Free includes 500 actions and 100 data credits a month, with tables up to 200 rows. |
| Claude Summarizing company pages you then verify | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Google Sheets Delivering and deduplicating lead lists | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Sheets is free with any Google account. |
LinkedIn ghostwriting with AI
Month 1$39/mo
Month 12$74/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Voice-matched drafts from client interviews | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Taplio LinkedIn scheduling and analytics | Free option: Canva | Starter $39 | Starter $39 | No free plan; a 7-day free trial with full Pro access and a 30-day money-back guarantee. |
| Buffer Cheaper scheduling alternative | Start free | Free $0 | Essentials $15 | A free plan is available; Essentials adds analytics and more per channel. |
| Google Docs Approval workflow with clients | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
Make.com automation freelancing
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$40.59/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Make The automation platform you build on | Start free | Free $0 | Core $10.59 | 1,000 credits a month. |
| Google Sheets Simple data stores and client reports | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Sheets is free with any Google account. |
| Claude Drafting formulas, JSON and runbooks | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Calendly Booking audit and discovery calls | Start free | Free $0 | Standard $10 | One event type and one connected calendar. |
Medium Partner Program writing
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$32/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium Publishing and Partner Program earnings | Start free | Free plan $0 | Free plan $0 | – |
| Claude Outline and edit help | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Google Docs Drafting | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Canva Header images | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
Micro-SaaS on an LLM API
Month 1$5/mo
Month 12$90/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI API The model API | Free option: Gemini API | Pay as you go $5 | Pay as you go $50 | No free plan; pay per token. |
| Stripe Subscriptions and payments | Start free | Pay per transaction $0 | Pay per transaction $0 | No monthly fee; you pay per successful transaction. |
| Vercel Hosting the app | Start free | Hobby $0 | Pro $20 | Hobby is free for personal projects. |
| Next.js The web framework | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Claude Coding help and copy | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
Mobile app built with AI coding tools
Month 1$8/mo
Month 12$69/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor AI coding assistant for building and debugging | Start free | Plus $8 | Premium $30 | Limited AI usage, agent requests and chat requests. |
| Expo Cross-platform app framework and cloud builds | Start free | Free $0 | Starter $19 | Free covers 15 Android and 15 iOS cloud builds and over-the-air updates to 1,000 monthly active users. |
| RevenueCat Subscriptions and paywalls on both stores | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free until your app tracks $2,500 in monthly revenue; then 1% of tracked revenue. |
| Claude Planning features and reviewing code | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
Notion templates with AI
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$12/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notion Building the templates | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | The Free plan is for individuals and includes a trial of Notion AI. |
| Gumroad Selling and delivering them | Start free | Pay per sale $0 | Pay per sale $0 | No monthly fee. |
| Etsy Second sales channel | Start free | Pay per listing and sale $0 | Pay per listing and sale $0 | No monthly fee. |
| Canva Preview images | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
Online course with AI-produced media
Month 1$60/mo
Month 12$165/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teachable Hosting and selling the course | Free option: Thinkific | Starter $29 | Builder $69 | No free plan. |
| Skool Course plus paid community in one place | Free option: Discord | Hobby $9 | Hobby $9 | No free plan; a free trial is offered. |
| Synthesia AI presenter lessons | Start free | Basic (free) $0 | Starter $29 | 10 minutes of video creation or dubbing a month, 3 survey responses and 500 credits. |
| Descript Editing recorded lessons | Start free | Hobbyist $16 | Creator $24 | The free plan can record, edit and mix, but 1080p watermark-free export starts on Hobbyist. |
| ElevenLabs Narration for slides | Start free | Starter $6 | Creator $22 | 10,000 credits per month, which the pricing table shows as about 10 minutes of text-to-speech. |
| Canva Slides and workbooks | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
Paid AI-assisted newsletter
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$108/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substack Free to start; takes 10% of paid subscriptions | Start free | Free $0 | 10% of paid revenue $0 | Free to publish with no subscriber limit. |
| beehiiv Flat fee, no revenue cut, ad network | Start free | Free $0 | Lite $49 | Free forever, with unlimited email sends, up to 2,500 subscribers. |
| Kit Free up to 10,000 subscribers; automations on paid plans | Start free | Free $0 | Creator $39 | Free up to 10,000 subscribers. |
| Claude Research summaries and edit passes | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
Pinterest affiliate marketing
Month 1$4/mo
Month 12$40/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinterest The traffic source | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Canva Pin designs | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| WordPress Optional landing site you own | Start free | WordPress.com Personal (yearly) $4 | WordPress.com Premium (yearly) $8 | The software is free; hosting isn't. |
| ChatGPT Pin titles and descriptions | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
Print-on-demand with AI art
Month 1$10/mo
Month 12$42/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Printful Printing and shipping | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free plan with no monthly fee; you pay per order (product + shipping + tax). |
| Etsy The storefront | Start free | Pay per listing and sale $0 | Pay per listing and sale $0 | No monthly fee. |
| Midjourney Artwork | Free option: Adobe Firefly | Basic $10 | Standard $30 | No free plan. |
| Canva Mockups | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
Printable planners & worksheets
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$32/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canva Designing pages, covers and listing images | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| Etsy The main marketplace for printables | Start free | Pay per listing and sale $0 | Pay per listing and sale $0 | No monthly fee. |
| Claude Drafting worksheet and tracker content you then edit | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Pinterest Free traffic to listings | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Gumroad Selling direct alongside Etsy | Start free | Pay per sale $0 | Pay per sale $0 | No monthly fee. |
Programmatic SEO site
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$40/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Next.js Generating pages from your data | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Vercel Hosting | Start free | Hobby $0 | Pro $20 | Hobby is free for personal projects. |
| Google Sheets The dataset you start from | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Sheets is free with any Google account. |
| Claude Templates and code help | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
Prolific research studies
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$0/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prolific Paid academic studies | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| DataAnnotation Higher-paying AI tasks alongside | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to apply; you're paid per project. |
| Google Sheets Tracking hourly rate per platform | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Sheets is free with any Google account. |
RAG knowledge-base chatbots for companies
Month 1$13/mo
Month 12$109/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI API Embeddings, file search and the answer model | Free option: Gemini API | Pay as you go $5 | Pay as you go $50 | No free plan; pay per token. |
| pgvector Vector search inside the client's Postgres | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Langfuse Tracing questions and debugging bad answers | Start free | Hobby $0 | Core $29 | Hobby is free with 50k units a month, 30 days of data and 2 users. |
| Cursor Writing parsers and pipelines faster | Start free | Plus $8 | Premium $30 | Limited AI usage, agent requests and chat requests. |
Redbubble designs
Month 1$10/mo
Month 12$42/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redbubble Marketplace and printing | Start free | Fee per sale $0 | Fee per sale $0 | – |
| Midjourney Artwork | Free option: Adobe Firefly | Basic $10 | Standard $30 | No free plan. |
| GIMP Free cleanup and transparency | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Completely free. |
| Canva Text designs | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
Resume & cover letter service
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$32/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Tailoring drafts to each job posting | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
| Canva Resume layouts | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| Google Docs ATS-friendly versions and edits | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Fiverr Finding clients | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to join and list gigs; Fiverr keeps 20% of each order (our 17 Oct check). |
Self-publish books with AI help
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$32/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP Publishing ebook and print | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to publish. |
| Claude Outlines and developmental-edit help | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Canva Cover drafts | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| Google Docs Manuscript drafting | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
Sell AI prompts on a marketplace
Month 1$10/mo
Month 12$50/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PromptBase The prompt and skill marketplace | Start free | Fee per sale $0 | Fee per sale $0 | – |
| Gumroad Selling prompt guides and bundles direct | Start free | Pay per sale $0 | Pay per sale $0 | No monthly fee. |
| Midjourney Testing image prompts | Free option: Adobe Firefly | Basic $10 | Standard $30 | No free plan. |
| ChatGPT Testing text prompts and examples | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
Short-form AI video editing service
Month 1$16/mo
Month 12$72.99/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opus Clip Finding clips in long videos | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $29 | 60 credits a month, clips up to 1080p with a watermark, no editing, and clips can only be exported for 3 days. |
| CapCut Polishing edits and captions | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $19.99 | The free editor covers basic editing. |
| Descript Text-based editing of the source | Start free | Hobbyist $16 | Creator $24 | The free plan can record, edit and mix, but 1080p watermark-free export starts on Hobbyist. |
| DaVinci Resolve Free alternative editor | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | The free version is a full professional editor. |
Stock images with generative AI
Month 1$19.99/mo
Month 12$49.99/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Stock Contributor Selling labeled AI images | Start free | Fee per sale $0 | Fee per sale $0 | – |
| Adobe Firefly Generating images for commercial use | Start free | Firefly Standard $9.99 | Firefly Pro $19.99 | Paid plans have a free trial. |
| Midjourney Alternative image generator | Free option: Adobe Firefly | Basic $10 | Standard $30 | No free plan. |
| GIMP Free cleanup before upload | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Completely free. |
TikTok creator with AI-assisted editing
Month 1$6/mo
Month 12$61.99/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok The platform | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| CapCut Editing and templates | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $19.99 | The free editor covers basic editing. |
| ChatGPT Hook and script ideas | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
| ElevenLabs Optional voiceover | Start free | Starter $6 | Creator $22 | 10,000 credits per month, which the pricing table shows as about 10 minutes of text-to-speech. |
Translation & localization with AI
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$28/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeepL First-pass machine translation | Start free | Free translator $0 | Individual $8 | A free translator is available. |
| Claude Style and terminology review | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
| Google Docs Delivering tracked changes | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Upwork Finding clients | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to join. |
User testing of AI products
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$0/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UserTesting Recorded tests and live conversations | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| User Interviews Higher-paid moderated interviews | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Respondent Consumer and professional studies | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Prolific Short academic and AI studies | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
Virtual assistant using AI
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$30/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Email drafts, summaries and research | Start free | Free $0 | Plus $20 | Unlimited everyday text chats (subject to abuse guardrails). |
| Upwork Finding clients | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to join. |
| Calendly Scheduling for clients | Start free | Free $0 | Standard $10 | One event type and one connected calendar. |
| Notion Client task boards | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | The Free plan is for individuals and includes a trial of Notion AI. |
Virtual staging for real estate
Month 1$29.99/mo
Month 12$64.99/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Photoshop Compositing and cleanup | Free option: GIMP | Photography $19.99 | Photoshop $22.99 | No free plan; 7-day free trial. |
| GIMP Free editor alternative | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Completely free. |
| Midjourney Furniture and style concepts | Free option: Adobe Firefly | Basic $10 | Standard $30 | No free plan. |
| Canva Before/after listing graphics | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
Voice AI receptionist for local businesses
Month 1$15/mo
Month 12$139.59/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retell AI Phone agents with usage pricing | Start free | Pay as you go $10 | Pay as you go $90 | $10 in free credits to start. |
| Vapi Developer-focused voice agent platform | Start free | Pay as you go $5 | Core $29 | $5 in free credits, 1 included Vapi phone number and 4 concurrent calls. |
| Make Sending call data to CRMs and calendars | Start free | Free $0 | Core $10.59 | 1,000 credits a month. |
| Calendly Booking appointments from calls | Start free | Free $0 | Standard $10 | One event type and one connected calendar. |
Website flipping
Month 1$4/mo
Month 12$28/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flippa Buying and selling sites | Start free | No fixed cost $0 | No fixed cost $0 | Free valuations. |
| WordPress The usual site platform | Start free | WordPress.com Personal (yearly) $4 | WordPress.com Premium (yearly) $8 | The software is free; hosting isn't. |
| Google Sheets Valuation and traffic checks | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Sheets is free with any Google account. |
| Claude Content refresh help | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
YouTube automation for others
Month 1$22/mo
Month 12$58/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Studio Uploads, analytics and channel permissions | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Descript Editing from the transcript; captions | Start free | Hobbyist $16 | Creator $24 | The free plan can record, edit and mix, but 1080p watermark-free export starts on Hobbyist. |
| Canva Thumbnails and channel art | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $12 | Up to 20 Standard or Premium AI uses, 5GB cloud storage, 1 Brand Kit with 3 colors only, 1.6M+ templates. |
| ElevenLabs Licensed AI voice, disclosed where required | Start free | Starter $6 | Creator $22 | 10,000 credits per month, which the pricing table shows as about 10 minutes of text-to-speech. |
Zapier automation freelancing
Month 1$0/mo
Month 12$30.58/mo
+ fees per sale
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier The tool clients hire you for | Start free | Free $0 | Professional $19.99 | 100 tasks a month and two-step Zaps only (one trigger plus one action). |
| Make Cheaper option for complex scenarios | Start free | Free $0 | Core $10.59 | 1,000 credits a month. |
| Upwork Finding automation clients | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Free to join. |
| Google Sheets Common data source in client Zaps | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | Sheets is free with any Google account. |
n8n self-hosted automation setup
Month 1$18/mo
Month 12$82/mo
| Tool and role | Free-first option | Month 1 | Month 12 | Upgrade trigger (free-plan limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n8n The automation tool you install and maintain | Start free | Community Edition (self-hosted) $12 | Pro (cloud) $50 | The self-hosted Community Edition is free; you pay for the server. |
| DigitalOcean Small servers on the client's own account | Free option: Vercel | Basic 1 GiB $6 | Basic 2 GiB $12 | No free plan; billed hourly up to the monthly cap. |
| Docker Engine Runs n8n and Postgres with Docker Compose | Start free | Free $0 | Free $0 | – |
| Claude Drafting code nodes and debugging expressions | Start free | Free $0 | Pro $20 | Free includes chat, web search, file creation and running code. |
Costs use the prices we verified on for tools we profile in depth (plan named in each cell). Tools without a tracked price are counted as $0 and flagged. Month 12 assumes steady weekly output; it's our estimate, not a quote. Per-sale fees (marketplaces, payments) come on top.