Updated for 2025
Best AI Tools 2025
Eighteen tools across six categories, each bought at full price and tested on real work. Scores, verdicts and where each one falls down.
01 — Writing
AI Writing Tools
Drafting, editing and long-form content.
Jasper AI
Long-form blog and ad copy with brand-voice training.
★★★★☆ 4.3 / 5
Copy.ai
Fast short-form copy and repeatable marketing workflows.
★★★★☆ 4.0 / 5
Writesonic
SEO-oriented article drafting with built-in research.
★★★½☆ 3.8 / 5
02 — Image
AI Image Tools
Generation, editing and brand-safe visuals.
Midjourney
Highest visual quality for stylised and editorial imagery.
★★★★½ 4.6 / 5
DALL-E 3
Best prompt-following for literal, instruction-heavy briefs.
★★★★☆ 4.1 / 5
Adobe Firefly
Commercially safe training data and native Adobe integration.
★★★★☆ 4.0 / 5
03 — SEO
AI SEO Tools
Research, briefs and on-page optimisation.
Surfer SEO
Content briefs and on-page scoring against live SERPs.
★★★★½ 4.4 / 5
Frase
Question research and brief building at a lower price point.
★★★½☆ 3.9 / 5
Semrush
Full research suite with AI writing bolted on.
★★★★☆ 4.2 / 5
04 — Video
AI Video Tools
Generation, editing and captioning.
Synthesia
Avatar-led explainer video from a plain script.
★★★★☆ 4.2 / 5
Descript
Edit video by editing the transcript text.
★★★★½ 4.5 / 5
Runway
Generative video and advanced editing effects.
★★★★☆ 4.0 / 5
05 — Productivity
AI Productivity Tools
Notes, scheduling and daily assistants.
Notion AI
Summaries and drafting inside your existing workspace.
★★★★☆ 4.1 / 5
Otter.ai
Live meeting transcription with searchable summaries.
★★★★☆ 4.0 / 5
Motion
Auto-scheduling that rebuilds your calendar each day.
★★★½☆ 3.7 / 5
06 — Business
AI Business Tools
CRM, support and automation for small teams.
Zapier
Connects tools and adds AI steps without code.
★★★★½ 4.4 / 5
HubSpot AI
CRM with AI drafting and pipeline summaries built in.
★★★★☆ 4.0 / 5
Intercom Fin
Support agent that answers from your help centre.
★★★★☆ 4.3 / 5