I test a lot of AI automation tools. Most are overhyped. Here are the ones I actually use daily for Dotty.ai and client projects.
Disclaimer: No affiliate links here. These are my honest opinions based on real usage.
The Essential Stack
1. OpenAI API (ChatGPT)
What I use it for: Natural language processing, content generation, customer support
Cost: ~$200/month for Dotty.ai
Pros: Best-in-class language understanding, reliable API, excellent documentation
Cons: Can be expensive at scale, sometimes inconsistent outputs
Rating: 9/10
Real example: We use GPT-5 to automatically categorize and respond to customer support tickets. Saves 6 hours/week.
2. Make (formerly Integromat)
What I use it for: Complex workflow automation, API integrations
Cost: $29/month (Core plan)
Pros: Visual workflow builder, handles complex logic well, great error handling
Cons: Steep learning curve, can get expensive with high usage
Rating: 8/10
Why not Zapier? Make handles complex workflows better. Zapier is great for simple automations, but Make wins for anything with conditional logic.
3. Pinecone
What I use it for: Vector database for AI-powered search and recommendations
Cost: $70/month (Starter plan)
Pros: Fast vector search, easy integration, good documentation
Cons: Limited free tier, pricing can scale quickly
Rating: 8/10
4. Anthropic Claude
What I use it for: Document analysis, longer-form content processing
Cost: ~$150/month
Pros: Better at long documents than GPT, more nuanced responses
Cons: API can be slower, smaller ecosystem
Rating: 7/10
The Helpers
5. Bubble.io
What I use it for: Rapid prototyping, client projects without custom code
Cost: $29/month (Personal plan)
Pros: No-code, fast development, great for MVPs
Cons: Limited customization, can get slow with complex apps
Rating: 7/10
6. Airtable
What I use it for: Database management, project tracking
Cost: $20/month (Pro plan)
Pros: Easy to use, great collaboration features, good API
Cons: Not great for complex relational data
Rating: 8/10
Tools I Tested But Don't Use
Jasper AI
Why I don't use it: Too expensive for what it offers. GPT-5 directly is more cost-effective.
Monday.com Automations
Why I don't use it: Limited automation capabilities compared to dedicated tools.
Notion AI
Why I don't use it: Great for writing, but not powerful enough for business automation.
My Recommendation Stack for Beginners
If you're just starting with AI automation:
- Start with Zapier (easier than Make for beginners)
- Use OpenAI API directly (skip the wrappers)
- Try Airtable for data management
- Experiment with Claude for document work
Budget: You can start effectively with $100/month.
Cost Optimization Tips
- Use GPT-3.5 for simple tasks — It's 10x cheaper than GPT-5
- Cache responses — Don't call APIs unnecessarily
- Batch operations — Group API calls when possible
- Monitor usage — Set up alerts before hitting limits
What's Coming Next
I'm testing:
- Anthropic's new models for better reasoning
- Local AI models to reduce API costs
- Custom fine-tuned models for Dotty.ai-specific tasks
The Real Talk
Most "AI automation" tools are just wrappers around OpenAI with fancy UIs. Learn to use the APIs directly — you'll save money and have more control.
The best automation tool is the one you actually use consistently. Start simple, then expand.