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Free AI tools offer enormous potential: they democratize access to generative AI, enabling users to harness the power of AI without investment. Remarkably, these free AI apps offer solutions from image creation to video production to writing assistance.
Also, given that a growing crowd of generative AI vendors is competing for marketshare, the practice of offering a free AI app – at least on a trial basis – is an important aspect of attracting users. So expect a still longer list of free AI software going forward.
Here are our picks for the top free AI tools for users and businesses in 2024:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Top Free AI Tools Comparison
Here’s how the top eight free generative AI tools compare across key features typically expected in free AI tools, including the use for which they are best suited.
| Best for | Key Attributes | Quality of Free Version | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | Workflow automation | Knowledge and project management | Good |
| Synthesia AI | Custom AI videos | AI video generation with avatars | OK |
| Notion | Integrated workspace | Content summaries, idea generation, drafting documents | Good |
| ChatGPT | Conversational AI | Advanced conversational capabilities | Good |
| Grammarly | Writing assistance | Grammar, punctuation, style checks | Excellent |
| Canva | Design and media creation | Templates, design element and layout suggestions | Good |
| Zapier | Workflow automation | App integration, task automation | Good |
| Stable Diffusion | Image generation | Text-to-image generation, high customization | Excellent |
To see a list of the leading generative AI apps, read our guide: Top 20 Generative AI Tools and Apps 2024
ClickUp: Best for Project Management Integration
ClickUp is an all-in-one project management tool that seamlessly integrates task management with artificial intelligence capabilities.
It offers a large suite of features like customizable dashboards, real-time chat for team collaboration, and visual widgets to track various project indicators like team members, tasks, sprints, and time tracking. Its AI tool, ClickUp Brain, delivers solutions across knowledge management, project management, and content creation.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| AI integrates seamlessly with existing project management features. | The extensive feature set can be overwhelming for new users. |
| Highly relevant and effective AI tool for project management workflows. | Add-on costs an additional $5 per user per month. |
| Offers lots of AI templates. | Free plan could offer more AI features. |
Pricing
Aside from its Free and Enterprise versions, ClickUp offers Unlimited and Business plans that start at $7 and $12 per user per month when billed monthly, respectively. ClickUp AI can be added to any paid plan for $5 per user per month.
Features
- AI Knowledge manager offers users answers from their docs, tasks, and projects.
- AI Project manager manages and automates tasks like updates.
- AI Writer for Work creates content and responds quickly with an effective assistant.
Synthesia AI: Best for Reducing Production Costs
A leading AI video tool, Synthesia AI is recognized for its ability to significantly reduce localization and voiceover expenses, cutting video production costs by up to 50%. This is a significant consideration for businesses or content creators looking to produce high-quality video content on a budget.
The platform’s AI capabilities enable users to create videos from text scripts using natural language processing and computer vision. This in turn eases the video production process and makes it more accessible to a wider audience.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Reduces video production costs significantly. | Struggles to offer the same level of detail as manually produced videos. |
| Streamlines the creation of localized content. | Limited control over AI-generated voiceovers and nuances. |
| Enables rapid video content creation without specialized skills. | The range of visual styles is less than with traditional video production. |
Pricing
Synthesia AI offers three plans: Starter at $22 per month, Creator at $67 per month—both billed annually—and Enterprise, which offers custom pricing.
Features
- AI-driven video creation from text scripts.
- Cost-effective localization and voiceover options.
- User-friendly platform for easy video production.
Notion AI: Best for Enhancing Productivity
Notion AI extends the capabilities of the popular organization and productivity platform Notion by integrating AI to assist with content creation, summarization, and more. Notion AI can summarize content, generate ideas, draft rough copies, correct spelling and grammar, and even translate content, making it a versatile tool for a wide range of applications. Thus it’s a very handy tool for business meetings as well as personal brainstorming.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Enhances productivity with AI-powered content creation and summarization. | AI-generated content may still need manual review and editing. |
| Offers a range of functions, from brainstorming to translation. | May not fully replace the need for human creativity and insight in content creation. |
| Integrates seamlessly with Notion’s organizational tools. | Costs as much as Notion’s lowest premium tier. |
Pricing
Notion offers Free, Plus, Business, and Enterprise plans. Plus and Business start at $8 and $15 per user per month when billed annually, respectively, and there’s a Notion AI add-on starting at $8 per user per month.
Features
- AI-assisted content creation, summarization, and brainstorming.
- Built-in spelling and grammar correction tools.
- Content translation capabilities for multilingual support.
ChatGPT: Best for Conversational AI
ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is a huge leap forward in conversational AI as it gives users the ability to generate human-like text based on the prompts provided. This tool’s capabilities extend beyond simple text generation; it can understand context, answer questions, write essays, create content, and even code. The recent enhancements, allowing ChatGPT to see, hear, and speak, have further broadened its enormous scope as it’s not limited to textual inputs. By the way, also on the horizon: Sora, OpenAI’s text-to-video tool.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Its advanced conversational capabilities have diverse applications. | Outputs can be wildly inaccurate or irrelevant. |
| Multimodal interactions enhance user experience. | Creative limitations compared to human imagination. |
| Continuous updates and evolution expand its capabilities and applications. | Dependence on AI for content can reduce personal creativity. |
Pricing
Aside from its free plan, which grants access to GPT-3.5, it has a Plus tier at $20 per user per month, billed monthly, and a Team plan at $30 per user per month, billed monthly.
Features
- Human-like text generation for various content types.
- Multimodal interaction capabilities (seeing, hearing, speaking).
- Accessibility features for inclusive use.
Grammarly: Best for Writing Assistance & Communication Clarity
Grammarly goes beyond traditional spell-checking to offer a comprehensive AI writing assistant that enhances clarity, engagement, and correctness. Its AI-driven platform provides real-time suggestions to improve grammar, punctuation, style, and tone. It’s a notable free AI tool for anyone looking to elevate their writing, be they professionals or students. Grammarly’s ability to adapt to your writing style over time makes it a personalized AI tool for improving communication across various platforms and formats.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive writing assistance for grammar, style, and tone. | Advanced features require a premium subscription. |
| Real-time suggestions enhance writing efficiency. | May not capture the nuances of creative writing styles. |
| Personalized feedback adapts to individual writing styles. | Relies on internet connection for full functionality. |
Pricing
The premium versions of Grammarly deliver two plans: Business and Enterprise. The Business plan is dependent on team size but starts at $15 per user per month, while the Enterprise plan offers custom pricing.
Features
- Real-time grammar, punctuation, and style corrections.
- Personalized writing suggestions and feedback.
- Multiplatform integration for seamless use across devices.
- Generative AI assistance for brainstorming and writing.
Canva: Best for AI Design & Content Creation
Canva opens up design to anyone who uses the free AI tool with its user-friendly platform that guides users to create professional-quality graphics, presentations, and social media content. Its standout AI feature is Magic Studio, which groups all of Canva’s AI tools in one place. Canva also has an extensive library of templates, images, and design elements, combined with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality, that makes it accessible to users with no prior design experience.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Extensive library of templates and design elements. | High-quality assets and advanced features may require a Pro subscription. |
| AI design assistant suggests layouts and elements based on content. | The simplicity of tools might not suffice for complex design needs. |
| User-friendly interface suitable for nondesigners. | Customization can be limited compared to professional design software. |
Pricing
Canva’s free version offers a wide range of features suitable for basic design needs, with Canva Pro and Canva for Teams at subscription fees of $6.49 per user per month and $12.99 per month for the first five people, respectively.
Features
- AI design assistant for layout and element suggestions.
- Drag-and-drop interface for easy design creation.
- Magic Studio for a collection of AI tools.
Zapier: Best for Workflow Automation & App Integration
Zapier is a powerful tool that connects your favorite apps, such as Gmail, Slack, Mailchimp and more, to automate repetitive tasks without having to write code or rely on developers to build the integration. Its interface is simple to use and allows you to create automated workflows, known as Zaps, which can move information between your web apps automatically. With AI enhancements, Zapier can suggest the most useful Zaps for your needs and learn from your usage patterns to recommend optimizations.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Automates repetitive tasks across multiple apps and services. | The free plan has a limit on the number of tasks per month. |
| Wide range of app integrations expands automation possibilities. | Complex workflows might require a premium plan for multistep Zaps. |
| AI suggestions for Zaps improve efficiency and user experience. | Initial setup of Zaps may require a learning curve to understand the best use cases. |
Pricing
Aside from Zapier’s free plan, its tiered paid plans include Starter, Professional, and Team that start from $19.99, $49.99, and $69.99 per month when billed annually, respectively.
Features
- Easy-to-create automated workflows (Zaps) between apps.
- AI-powered suggestions for optimizing workflows.
- AI-powered Canvas and Chatbots features.
Stable Diffusion: Best for Creative AI Image Generation
A leading AI image creation tool, Stable Diffusion is a state-of-the-art AI model that’s capable of generating highly creative and customizable images from textual descriptions. This open-source AI tool democratizes access to powerful image generation capabilities, enabling artists, designers, and content creators to bring their visions to life. Stable Diffusion’s versatility is a real strength: it’s adaptable to various styles and themes, allowing users to create everything from fantastical landscapes to detailed character art.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Generates high-quality, detailed images from text prompts. | Requires computational resources, which might be a barrier for some users. |
| Highly customizable outputs cater to a wide range of creative needs. | The open-source nature means users may need some technical knowledge to get started. |
| Supports a diverse array of styles and themes for broad creative exploration. | Output can sometimes be unpredictable and may require refinement. |
Pricing
As an open source tool, Stable Diffusion is available for free. Anyone interested can download and run the model on their own hardware or utilize various online platforms that host the model, some of which may offer additional features or services for a fee.
Features
- Advanced text-to-image generation capabilities.
- High degree of customization for creative expression.
- Open source model encourages community development and innovation.
Key Features of Free AI Tools
Content Creation
Free AI tools that are capable of creating content can supercharge how businesses and individuals produce written, audio, and video content. Tools like Stable Diffusion and ChatGPT excel in this area, offering users the ability to generate blog posts, scripts, and images using natural language processing. This feature is invaluable for marketers, content creators, and anyone looking to scale their content production without compromising quality.
Workflow Automation
Workflow automation features, as seen in tools like Zapier, streamline repetitive tasks by connecting different applications and automating actions between them. This capability is crucial for enhancing productivity, reducing manual errors, and freeing up time for more strategic work. Businesses can automate tasks such as data entry, email responses, and social media updates.
Design & Media
Design and media features in AI tools enable users to create professional-quality graphics, videos, and multimedia content without needing extensive design skills. These features remove the barriers to design entirely and allow small businesses, educators, and social media influencers to produce visually appealing content. Canva is a great example of a free AI design tool.
Code Assistance
Code assistance features offered by tools like ChatGPT leverage AI to suggest code snippets, complete lines of code, and even debug code for developers. This enhances coding efficiency, reduces the likelihood of errors, and can significantly speed up the development process for software developers and engineers.
Conversational AI
Conversational AI features enable AI tools to understand and respond to human language in a way that mimics natural conversation. This is used more and more in AI chatbots, virtual assistants, and interactive learning platforms, especially since some of these use cases have previously produced a rather robotic and unintuitive experience for users. These AI tools provide users with instant, intelligent responses to their queries and improve user engagement.
Writing Assistance
AI writing assistance features like those in Grammarly offer real-time suggestions for grammar, punctuation, style, and tone improvements and ultimately make written communication clearer and more effective. This feature is particularly beneficial for non-native English speakers, professionals looking to polish their writing, and anyone who wants to improve their written communication skills.
Image Generation
AI image generation features such as those offered by Stable Diffusion allow users to create detailed and creative images from text. This feature opens up new possibilities for artists, designers, and content creators as they can now so easily visualize concepts and ideas quickly and bring their creative visions to life.
For a full portrait of the AI vendors serving a wide array of business needs, read our in-depth guide: 150+ Top AI Companies 2024
How to Choose the Best Free AI Tools for Your Business
Selecting the right free AI tools for your business hinges on answering the question, “What do I need?” and understanding what AI tool and how the tool can provide value.
Your use case really matters. For instance, startups might prioritize tools like Canva for quick and professional-grade design, while a tech company might find ChatGPT invaluable for coding assistance. It’s about matching the tool’s strengths with your business requirements. But most important, if it’s a free AI tool you seek, check if the AI tools you are considering are actually free as it’s common to find a tool claiming to offer free features behind a premium plan.
How We Evaluated Free AI Tools
To select these eight tools, we first had to ensure that each tool in our shortlist was free to use or had a free plan. We then considered a collection of tools that showed diversity in their use cases, ranging from image generation to code assistance. Then, we tested each of these tools to understand what they offer and how effective their free features are.
From the hands-on experience, we were able to determine the standout quality, strengths, and weaknesses of each tool. Finally, we compared the pricing of tools with premium pricing tiers.
Bottom Line: The Leading Free AI Tools
Free AI tools present an attractive opportunity for businesses to implement AI capabilities with no financial investment. By selecting tools that meet your business needs and understanding their limitations, you can seamlessly integrate AI into your operations, which in turn improves efficiency and innovation. Ultimately, examine the tools that interest you closely and make sure that they are actually free to use or have a free plan as opposed to merely a free trial.
For more information about generative AI providers, read our in-depth guide: Generative AI Companies: Top 20 Leaders