The best AI tools for small business
We may earn a commission from some links. It never changes our picks. How we make money
We may earn a commission from some links. It never changes our picks. How we make money
Ranked on published features, free-plan limits and beginner ease (checked 14 October 2026). We have not benchmarked these tools hands-on, and commissions don’t affect rankings.
Small businesses get the most from AI by taking a few repetitive jobs off the owner’s plate: drafting emails and quotes, making social posts, writing up meetings and moving data between apps. You don’t need a dozen subscriptions. Here’s a small, practical toolkit and how to roll it out safely.
Our top picks
ChatGPT
Who it’s for: Owners and staff drafting emails, quotes, job ads, policies and social captions, or brainstorming ideas.
Worth knowing: Answers can sound confident and still be wrong. Check important facts.
Canva
Who it’s for: Businesses making social posts, flyers, menus, presentations and simple videos without a designer.
Worth knowing: Some assets and AI features require a paid plan; check usage rights.
Fireflies.ai
Who it’s for: Teams with client calls, sales meetings or internal catch-ups on Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams.
Worth knowing: Free summaries and storage are limited. Obtain recording consent.
Visit Fireflies.ai ↗ (opens in new tab) (paid link: we may earn a commission)
Make
Who it’s for: Businesses ready to connect apps (forms, email, spreadsheets, CRMs) and want visual, multi-step automations.
Worth knowing: There is a learning curve, runs use credits and plans are listed in US dollars. Test every scenario before switching it on.
Visit Make ↗ (opens in new tab) (paid link: we may earn a commission)
Zapier
Who it’s for: Owners who want a simple “when this happens, do that” automation set up in minutes.
Worth knowing: AI products and task limits have separate plan conditions; setup needs testing.
Microsoft Copilot
Who it’s for: Businesses already using Outlook, Word, Excel and Teams who want AI inside those apps.
Worth knowing: The free assistant is different from paid Copilot inside Microsoft 365 apps.
Side-by-side comparison
| ChatGPT | Canva | Fireflies | Make | Zapier | Copilot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main job | Writing, ideas, analysis | Design and marketing | Meeting notes | Visual automation | Simple automation | AI in Microsoft 365 |
| Free option | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1,000 credits/month | 100 tasks/month | Free Copilot app |
| Time to first result | Minutes | Minutes | One meeting | An hour or two | Minutes | Minutes |
| Watch out for | Accuracy, client data | Licensing for commercial use | Consent to record | Credits and data mapping | Task costs rise with volume | Plan requirements |
Pricing
| Plan | ChatGPT | Canva | Fireflies | Zapier | Copilot (Business) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free plan | Free plan | Free plan | Free: 100 tasks/month | Free Copilot app |
| Entry paid | Go: US$8/month; Plus: US$20/month | Pro: US$180/year (as listed) | Pro: US$18/seat/month, or US$10 billed annually | Professional: from US$19.99/month billed annually | Microsoft 365 Copilot Business: from AU$26.91/user/month paid yearly (promotional), ex GST |
| Higher tier | Business and Pro plans | Business and Enterprise | Business: US$29/month, or US$19 billed annually | Team: from US$69/month billed annually | Check current pricing |
Prices checked on 14 October 2026 from official pricing pages (chatgpt.com/pricing, canva.com/pricing, fireflies.ai/pricing, zapier.com/pricing and Microsoft’s Australian Copilot page. Make’s plan prices depend on the credits you choose and weren’t shown to our checker, so check current pricing on make.com). Prices are in US dollars (USD) as listed. Australian prices, GST and app-store pricing can differ, and plans change often, so confirm on the provider’s site before you pay.
How to get started
List the five tasks that take most of your week and mark the repetitive ones.
Pick one tool for one task (for example, Fireflies for client calls) and use it for two weeks.
Write down the time saved and any errors you had to fix.
Only then add the next tool, and set simple rules for what staff may paste into AI.
How we chose
We chose tools that a non-technical owner can set up without a consultant, that have a free plan or free option, and that cover the jobs small businesses tell us take the most time. We used official product and pricing pages and editorial judgement, not a formal benchmark.
Writing and admin: one assistant is enough
A general assistant such as ChatGPT can draft customer emails, quotes, job ads, FAQs and social captions, summarise long documents and help you think through decisions. Claude and Gemini are good alternatives (see ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini). If your business already pays for Microsoft 365, Copilot may be the easier choice because it works inside Outlook, Word and Excel on qualifying plans. Pick one, learn it well and avoid paying for three assistants that do the same thing.
Meetings and calls: stop taking notes by hand
Fireflies (opens in new tab) (paid link: we may earn a commission) joins your Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams calls, records and transcribes them, and produces summaries and action items you can search later. Its free plan transcribes without a meeting cap, with limited AI summaries and storage, which is enough to judge it. If you’d rather replay and share video clips of calls, tl;dv (opens in new tab) (paid link: we may earn a commission) is a good alternative. Always tell people you’re recording and get consent, and check the rules for recording conversations in your state. See our best AI meeting note-takers.
Automation: connect your apps
Automation is where small businesses often save the most time: new website enquiries go straight into a spreadsheet and get a reply, invoices are filed, leads are added to your CRM. Make (opens in new tab) (paid link: we may earn a commission) uses a visual canvas that shows each step, and its free plan includes 1,000 credits a month. It is more powerful per dollar for multi-step workflows but takes a little practice. Zapier is the easiest place to start for simple two-step automations, with a free plan of 100 tasks a month. Our Make vs Zapier comparison explains which suits you, and our best AI automation tools guide includes free and self-hosted options. Per Make’s affiliate offer at the time of writing, people who sign up through our link get the Core plan free for one month; confirm the offer on the sign-up page.
Marketing and design
Canva gives you templates for social posts, flyers, menus, presentations and short videos, with AI features to resize designs and generate images. The free plan is generous; Pro adds premium templates, brand kits and more AI features. Check image and font licensing before using designs commercially, and keep your branding consistent so your posts don’t look like everyone else’s.
Rules before you roll out AI
- Customer data: don’t paste personal, health or financial information into tools unless your plan and settings allow it. Check the Australian Privacy Principles if they apply to your business.
- Check facts: AI can invent prices, policies and legal details. A person should review anything sent to customers.
- Consent to record: tell callers when a note-taker is present.
- Accounts and access: use business accounts, not personal ones, so you keep access when staff leave.
- Costs: most prices are in US dollars, so card statements vary with the exchange rate and GST may apply. Review subscriptions every quarter.
A 30-day starter plan
Week one: use ChatGPT or Copilot for every email draft and keep notes on what works. Week two: add Fireflies to client calls (with consent). Week three: build one automation in Make or Zapier for your most repetitive data task. Week four: review the time saved, cancel what you didn’t use and decide which paid plans are worth it.
Our verdict
Keep it small: one assistant (ChatGPT or Copilot), Canva for marketing, Fireflies for meetings, and Make or Zapier once you have a repetitive task worth automating. Measure the time saved before you pay for more. See also the AI tools for small business category.
Frequently asked questions
What AI tools should a small business start with?
A general assistant (ChatGPT, or Copilot for Microsoft 365 users), Canva for marketing, Fireflies for meeting notes, and Make or Zapier for automation. All have free plans or free options.
Is Make or Zapier better for a small business?
Zapier is easiest for simple two-step automations. Make is better value for multi-step workflows and shows each step visually, but takes more practice.
How much do AI tools cost a small business?
Many start free. When we checked, ChatGPT Plus was US$20 a month, Fireflies Pro US$10 per seat a month billed annually and Zapier Professional from US$19.99 a month billed annually. GST and currency conversion may apply.
Is it safe to put customer data into AI tools?
Only if your plan, settings and privacy obligations allow it. Avoid pasting personal, health or financial details into free consumer tools, and review each provider’s data terms.
Do I need consent to record meetings with an AI note-taker?
Tell everyone when a note-taker is present and get consent. Recording laws vary between Australian states, so check the rules that apply to you.
Can AI replace staff in a small business?
It’s better at taking repetitive tasks off people’s plates than replacing them. Someone still needs to review outputs, handle customers and make decisions.
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Prices in US dollars; Australian GST and currency conversion may apply. Confirm the final price at checkout.
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