AI tools for students
Write essays, research sources, build class slides and stay organised.
Free: $0/mo — ChatGPT, Elicit, Pitch, Fireflies
Under $30/mo: $16.99/mo — Google Gemini, Gamma
Pro: $128/mo — Claude, Elicit, Plus AI, Fireflies
AI starter stacks by role
Student or teacher? Verified AI student discounts →
Monthly cost of popular AI subscriptions →
Ready-made AI tool stacks for 6 roles, each at three budgets — Free, Under $30/mo and Pro — with totals from verified prices. Open a role to swap any pick and share your stack.
Choose a role
AI tools for marketers
Write copy, make images and short videos, and schedule or optimise content.
Free: $0/mo — ChatGPT, Leonardo, Pika, Buffer
Under $30/mo: $27.79/mo — Google Gemini, Krea, Kling AI, Buffer
Pro: $52/mo — Claude, Leonardo, Runway, Buffer
AI tools for developers
Write code, ask an assistant, run meetings and tasks, and automate workflows.
Free: $0/mo — GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Fireflies, Botpress
Under $30/mo: $29.98/mo — Cursor, Google Gemini, Otter
Pro: $192.99/mo — GitHub Copilot, Le Chat (Mistral), Fireflies, Botpress (billed yearly, per-month rate)
AI tools for content creators & youtubers
Edit videos, record and clean audio, design thumbnails and write scripts.
Free: $0/mo — Pika, Descript, Leonardo, ChatGPT
Under $30/mo: $22.79/mo — Kling AI, Krea, Google Gemini
Pro: $71/mo — Runway, Descript, Leonardo, Claude
AI tools for small businesses & online sellers
Post on social, make product images, answer customers and keep work on track.
Free: $0/mo — Buffer, Leonardo, Botpress, Fireflies
Under $30/mo: $14/mo — Buffer, Krea
Pro: $185/mo — Buffer, Leonardo, Botpress (billed yearly, per-month rate), Fireflies
AI tools for researchers
Find and read papers, write up results, take meeting notes and ask an assistant.
Free: $0/mo — Elicit, Grammarly, Fireflies, ChatGPT
Under $30/mo: $28.97/mo — Wordtune, Otter, Google Gemini
Pro: $137.99/mo — Elicit, Grammarly, Fireflies, Le Chat (Mistral)
Totals are per person per month (monthly prices where checked; any billed-yearly-only price is labelled). Tools without a verified price are never counted. Prices change — confirm on each official pricing page.
Got a budget? Pick your jobs and a monthly limit, and we build the best stack that fits, with the next upgrade worth paying for. Open the AI budget planner →
FAQ
What is an AI starter stack?
A small set of AI tools, one per job a role usually needs (for example writing, images, video and marketing for a marketer), with a total monthly and yearly cost from verified prices.
How are the three budgets built?
Free uses only tools with a verified real free plan. Under $30 picks the cheapest checked monthly price among tools that do that slot's main job while keeping the total strictly under $30/mo. Pro uses each category's Best Value pick at its verified entry plan.