ChatGPT
Start hereAn all-round assistant for writing, ideas and planning.
- Best for
- Emails, captions, first drafts, brainstorming
- Free plan
- Yes
Not sure where to start?
Week one: ChatGPT
Use it for emails, captions and planning. Try our free First 30 Minutes guide.
Week two: Canva
Turn what ChatGPT writes into posts and flyers that look the part.
Week three: MailerLite
Start collecting emails, so you're not relying on social media alone.
Write and think
Claude
A thoughtful writing partner that handles long documents well.
- Best for
- Proposals, policies, editing longer pieces
- Free plan
- Yes
Gemini
Google's assistant, built into Gmail, Docs and Drive.
- Best for
- Businesses that already run on Google
- Free plan
- Yes
Perplexity
A search engine that answers your question and shows its sources.
- Best for
- Research, checking facts, scanning competitors
- Free plan
- Yes
Design and social
Canva
Start hereDesign almost anything, with AI tools built in.
- Best for
- Social graphics, flyers, simple presentations
- Free plan
- Yes
Adobe Express
Quick templates and AI image tools from Adobe.
- Best for
- Graphics and short promo videos
- Free plan
- Yes
CapCut
Easy phone and desktop video editing with automatic captions.
- Best for
- Reels, TikToks and Stories
- Free plan
- Yes
Gamma
Turns a rough outline into a polished presentation or document.
- Best for
- Workshop slides, proposals, one-pagers
- Free plan
- Yes, with limited credits
Buffer
Plan and schedule posts across your social accounts.
- Best for
- Posting consistently without living on your phone
- Free plan
- Yes, up to 3 channels
Meta Business Suite
Meta's own tool for Facebook and Instagram scheduling, messages and insights.
- Best for
- Facebook and Instagram in one place
- Free plan
- Free
Customers and bookings
MailerLite
Start hereEmail newsletters, sign-up forms and simple automations.
- Best for
- Starting your mailing list
- Free plan
- Yes, up to 250 subscribers
Calendly
Lets clients book a time with you without the back and forth.
- Best for
- Consultations, discovery calls, coffee chats
- Free plan
- Yes
Square Appointments
Bookings, reminders and payments, set up for Australian businesses.
- Best for
- Salons, coaches, therapists, anyone who takes appointments
- Free plan
- Yes, for one location (plus card fees)
Admin and automation
Otter.ai
Records and transcribes meetings, then writes a summary.
- Best for
- Client calls, team meetings, voice notes
- Free plan
- Yes
Zapier
Connects your apps so routine jobs happen on their own.
- Best for
- New enquiry to spreadsheet, form to email list
- Free plan
- Yes
Make
Builds visual, step-by-step automations for bigger jobs.
- Best for
- Multi-step workflows once you've outgrown Zapier
- Free plan
- Yes
Before you sign up to anything: free plans and prices change often. Everything here was checked in October 2026, so look at each tool's pricing page before you commit. And the rule from our safety guide applies to every tool on this list: keep customer details out unless you're sure how they're stored.
Tired of copying and pasting?
These tools are a great start. But if you'd rather your everyday jobs happened on their own, without opening ChatGPT and pasting a prompt every time, I can set that up for you. I’ll connect the right tools so they work together.
- Enquiry replies drafted for you as soon as they arrive
- A month of social posts planned and scheduled in one go
- Follow-ups and reminders that send themselves
Want a hand?
Not sure which tools fit your business?
Book a free consultation and we'll pick the two or three that will actually save you time, then set them up together.
Stay regulated and get things done. Amanda