AI Tool Comparison for Small Business
The free and low cost AI tools available for Australian small businesses are many and varied. They are also changing all the time. For this reason the most current information is kept updated for you in this comparison table.
| Tool | Category | Best For | Free Features | Limitations | Upgrade Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | AI Assistant | Content creation, customer service, general tasks | GPT-3.5 access, unlimited messages, basic web browsing | Limited to older model, slower response times | $20/month (Plus) |
| Claude | AI Assistant | Professional writing, detailed analysis, code help | Latest Claude model, web & mobile access, document uploads | Usage limits, no internet browsing | $20/month (Pro) |
| Google Gemini | AI Assistant | Research, quick tasks, Google integration | Real-time web access, Google apps integration, multimodal input | Limited advanced features | $20/month (Advanced) |
| Microsoft Copilot | AI Assistant | Microsoft 365 integration, productivity tasks | Built into Windows, Edge browser, basic Office integration | Limited Office features | $30/month (Microsoft 365) |
| Perplexity | AI Search | Research, fact-checking, current information | Real-time web search, source citations, unlimited searches | Limited file uploads, basic features only | $20/month (Pro) |
| Grammarly | Writing | Grammar checking, tone adjustment, proofreading | Basic grammar/spelling check, 100 AI prompts, browser integration | Limited style suggestions, basic features | $12/month (Pro) |
| Canva | Design | Social media graphics, marketing materials, presentations | Templates, basic design tools, 50 AI image generations | Limited AI features, Canva branding | $15/month (Pro) |
| Zapier | Automation | Connecting apps, workflow automation | 100 tasks/month, 2-step automations, 5 Zaps | Limited complexity, usage caps | $20/month (Starter) |
| DALL-E 3 | Image Creation | Custom images, product mockups, visual content | Limited free generations via Bing | Very limited free usage | $20/month (ChatGPT Plus) |
| Whisper | Transcription | Meeting notes, audio-to-text conversion | Free transcription, multiple languages | Self-hosting required, technical setup | N/A (Open source) |
| Google Workspace | Productivity Suite | Email, documents, cloud storage | Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Drive (15GB), AI features | Storage limits, basic AI features | $8/month (Business Starter) |
| Buffer | Social Media | Social media scheduling, content management | 3 channels, 10 posts/month, basic analytics | Very limited posts, basic features | $6/month (Essentials) |
| Tidio | Customer Service | Website chatbots, live chat support | Basic chatbot, 50 conversations/month | Limited conversations, basic AI | $29/month (Starter) |
| Copy.ai | Content Writing | Marketing copy, blog posts, product descriptions | 2,000 words/month, basic templates | Word limits, limited templates | $36/month (Pro) |
| Jasper | Content Marketing | Long-form content, brand voice consistency | 7-day free trial, all features | Trial only, then paid | $39/month (Creator) |
