Running a business solo means wearing every hat. AI can help—but only if you pick the right tools.

I’ve tested dozens. Here are the ones that actually matter.

The Essential 10

1. Claude Pro ($20/month)

My primary AI. Writing, brainstorming, research, coding help. Does 80% of what I need from AI.

Why Claude over ChatGPT? Better writing quality, follows instructions more precisely, handles longer documents.

2. ChatGPT Plus ($20/month)

Secondary AI for web browsing and image generation. When I need current information or quick DALL-E images.

Do you need both? Probably not. Pick one to start. Add the other if you hit limits.

3. Notion (Free tier)

Where AI-generated content lives. Free tier is enough for most solopreneurs. Skip Notion AI add-on—use Claude instead.

4. Otter.ai (Free tier)

300 minutes/month of transcription. If you do calls and meetings, this saves hours of note-taking.

5. Canva Free

Basic AI features included. Magic Eraser, background remover. For quick marketing graphics without Photoshop skills.

6. Grammarly Free

Catches basic errors. Free version handles 90% of needs. Skip Premium—the AI suggestions are redundant if you have Claude.

7. Zapier (Free tier)

100 tasks/month. Connects your AI tools to everything else. Email triggers, form responses, basic automation.

8. Calendly (Free tier)

Not AI per se, but automation that feels magic. Eliminate scheduling back-and-forth entirely.

9. Loom (Free tier)

Record quick videos instead of writing long explanations. AI transcripts included. Great for async communication.

10. Hemingway Editor (Free)

Makes your writing clearer. Not AI but does one thing brilliantly. Use after Claude drafts, before publishing.

Total cost of this stack: $40/month (just the two AI subscriptions)

Everything else is free tier.

The 5 to Skip

Jasper, Copy.ai, Writer

$50-100/month for what Claude does better for $20. These were useful before GPT-4/Claude. Not anymore.

Midjourney

$10/month minimum. Unless you need serious AI art, Bing Image Creator (free) or Canva handles most business needs.

AI scheduling assistants (Reclaim, Motion)

$15-30/month to manage your calendar. Overkill for solopreneurs. Calendly + basic discipline is enough.

AI email tools (Superhuman, Shortwave)

$30/month for email feels absurd when you can draft with Claude and send with Gmail free.

AI note-taking premium tiers

Otter Pro, Fireflies paid, etc. Free tiers are enough unless you’re doing 10+ calls per week.

The Solopreneur Stack Philosophy

When you’re solo, every dollar and minute counts. Optimize for:

Simplicity over features: Better to master two tools than fumble with ten.

Free tiers first: Most AI tools have useful free tiers. Start there.

Core AI + free everything else: Put your money in Claude/ChatGPT. Everything else free.

Output over process: Tools should produce results, not manage productivity.

My Actual Workflow

Morning: Claude helps draft emails, blog posts, proposals.

Client calls: Otter transcribes. Claude summarizes.

Marketing: Canva for graphics. Claude for copy. Free tools for scheduling posts.

Admin: Zapier handles repetitive stuff. Calendly handles scheduling.

Total time spent managing tools: Maybe 30 minutes/week.

The Bottom Line

You don’t need a 20-tool AI stack. You need one good AI (Claude or ChatGPT), a few free tools, and discipline.

The solopreneurs I know who succeed aren’t the ones with the most tools. They’re the ones who actually use what they have.

Start simple. Add only when you hit real limits. Ignore the tool FOMO.

Your competitive advantage isn’t AI tools. It’s execution.