Best AI tools by scenario
Each scenario is a stack of 3–6 tools that work together, with a free alternative.
Best AI for vibe coding
Ship apps by describing them: an agent editor, a terminal agent, and prompt-to-app builders.
Best AI tools for game development
Prototype a game, generate 2D/3D assets, voices and music with AI.
Best AI agents for automation
Automate workflows and run AI agents: no-code platforms plus open-source frameworks.
Best AI for writing
Draft, edit and polish: assistants for long-form, editing and on-brand marketing copy.
Best AI for video
Generate clips, make avatar videos and edit by text.
Best AI for research
Cited answers, source-grounded notebooks, paper search and research agents.
Best AI for images and game art
Concept art, typography-heavy images and quick designs, hosted or local.
Best AI to run locally
Run open models on your own machine for privacy and zero per-token cost.
AQuick answers
Best AI for vibe coding: Cursor as the main editor, because it is an agent-first editor with a free plan and paid tiers from $8/mo. Add Lovable or Bolt to turn prompts into working web apps, and Cline if you want a free, open-source agent that runs on your own model key.
Best AI tools for game development: Rosebud AI to prototype and host a browser game, Meshy or Tripo AI for 3D models, Scenario for consistent 2D assets, ElevenLabs for character voices and Suno for music, because together they cover the whole indie pipeline and most have a free plan to start.
Best AI agents for automation: n8n as the workflow backbone, because you can self-host its Community edition and it has native AI nodes and MCP. Use Zapier if you want the easiest no-code option, and add Browser Use or CrewAI (both MIT open source) when you need browser control or custom multi-agent logic.
Best AI for writing: Claude for drafting and long-form, because it has a free tier and Pro is $20/mo, with Grammarly (free plan, Pro $12/mo) for editing and tone. Use ChatGPT as an all-round alternative and Notion AI if your writing already lives in Notion.
Best AI for video: Runway for generating new footage, because it has a free plan and Standard is $12/mo billed annually. Use HeyGen for avatar and talking-head videos, Descript to edit video by editing text, and ElevenLabs for voiceover.
Best AI for research: Perplexity for cited answers, because every answer links its sources and it has a free tier. Add Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) to work over your own documents and Elicit to search academic papers.
Best AI for images and game art: Midjourney for stylized art (plans from $10/mo), Ideogram when you need readable text in images, and ComfyUI if you have a GPU, because it is open source (GPL-3.0), runs locally and has no per-image fees. Use Scenario for consistent game assets.
Best AI to run locally: Ollama as the model runner, because it is open source (MIT) and runs open models on macOS, Windows and Linux. Add Open WebUI for a chat interface, LM Studio if you prefer a desktop app, ComfyUI for local images and Aider for local coding.