Stop paying for the wrong tool.

Small teams lose money and weeks on software that turns out wrong. Add the tools you’re weighing and see what each really costs, and the catch.

Not sure what to compare? See ready-made comparisons

Every price checked on the vendor’s own page · 2026-10-19

Know the 5-year cost before you pay
See the catch before it costs you
Pick once, skip the switch later

Or start from what’s costing you

No shortlist yet? Start with what’s costing!

How we compare

✓Choose
2Compare
3Decide

Your top 3

Ranked by the same rules for every tool. Tap a name to see prices, trade-offs and sources.

Best picks for

PersonaliseOptionalYour current tool or biggest frustration

Biggest frustration?

Rank by

CRM · Best fit

#1Highest score
Bigin by Zoho CRM
93.1/ 100 score
From $9/user/mo · $84/user/yr
See Bigin by Zoho CRM pricing
#2
Zoho CRM
90.1/ 100 score
From $20/user/mo · $168/user/yr
See Zoho CRM pricing
#3
Capsule
88.3/ 100 score
From $216/user/yr (yearly only)
See Capsule pricing

CRM: top 3 compared

Where they differ most

Works with apps: Zoho CRM is 60 points ahead of Bigin by Zoho CRM.
Price: Bigin by Zoho CRM is 26 points ahead of Capsule.
Features: Bigin by Zoho CRM is 10 points ahead of Zoho CRM.
About even on: free plan, up to date.

Bigin by Zoho CRM(solid line, round markers)
Zoho CRM(dashed line, square markers)
Capsule(dotted line, diamond markers)

CRM: top 3 compared: score parts out of 100
Out of 100	Bigin by Zoho CRM	Zoho CRM	Capsule
Price	100Strong	83Strong	74Strong
Features	100Strong	90Strong	100Strong
Free plan	100Strong	100Strong	100Strong
Works with apps	40Middle	100Strong	70Strong
Up to date	91Strong	91Strong	91Strong

Each tool keeps its colour in the chart, the table and its card. Further out is better. Compared within this category only.

Step 3 · DecideOpen a tool to see who it suits, who it does not, and where each fact came from.

See all 10 CRM tools, with prices and sources

Automation · Best fit

#1Highest score
Make
91.1/ 100 score
From $10.59/mo · $108/yr
See Make pricing
#2
n8n
69.1/ 100 score
From $24/mo · $240/yr
See n8n pricing
#3
Zapier
67.5/ 100 score
From $29.99/mo · $239.88/yr
See Zapier pricing

Automation: top 3 compared

Where they differ most

Price: Make is 100 points ahead of n8n.
Features: n8n is 20 points ahead of Make.
Works with apps: Make is 17 points ahead of Zapier.
About even on: free plan, up to date.

Make(solid line, round markers)
n8n(dashed line, square markers)
Zapier(dotted line, diamond markers)

Automation: top 3 compared: score parts out of 100
Out of 100	Make	n8n	Zapier
Price	100Strong	0Weak	0Weak
Features	80Strong	100Strong	100Strong
Free plan	100Strong	100Strong	100Strong
Works with apps	100Strong	100Strong	83Strong
Up to date	91Strong	91Strong	91Strong

Each tool keeps its colour in the chart, the table and its card. Further out is better. Compared within this category only.

Step 3 · DecideOpen a tool to see who it suits, who it does not, and where each fact came from.

See all 3 Automation tools, with prices and sources

AI assistants · Best fit

#1Highest score
Google Gemini
83/ 100 score
From $4.99/user/mo (monthly only)
See Google Gemini pricing
#2
Gemini Notebook
79/ 100 score
From $4.99/user/mo (monthly only)
See Gemini Notebook pricing
#3
Claude
71.7/ 100 score
From $25/user/mo · $240/user/yr
See Claude pricing

AI assistants: top 3 compared

Where they differ most

Price: Google Gemini is 53 points ahead of Claude.
Works with apps: Claude is 43 points ahead of Google Gemini.
Features: Google Gemini is 10 points ahead of Gemini Notebook.
About even on: up to date, free plan.

Google Gemini(solid line, round markers)
Gemini Notebook(dashed line, square markers)
Claude(dotted line, diamond markers)

AI assistants: top 3 compared: score parts out of 100
Out of 100	Google Gemini	Gemini Notebook	Claude
Price	100Strong	100Strong	47Middle
Features	70Strong	60Middle	70Strong
Free plan	100Strong	100Strong	100Strong
Works with apps	57Middle	57Middle	100Strong
Up to date	93Strong	93Strong	96Strong

Each tool keeps its colour in the chart, the table and its card. Further out is better. Compared within this category only.

Step 3 · DecideOpen a tool to see who it suits, who it does not, and where each fact came from.

See all 7 AI assistants tools, with prices and sources

AI content tools · Best fit

#1Highest score
Jasper
82.1/ 100 score
From $69/user/mo · $708/user/yr
See Jasper pricing
#2
Synthesia
79.8/ 100 score
From $89/mo · $768/yr
See Synthesia pricing
#3
Surfer
49.1/ 100 score
From $1,188/yr (yearly only)
See Surfer pricing

AI content tools: top 3 compared

Where they differ most

Price: Jasper is 100 points ahead of Surfer.
Free plan: Synthesia is 100 points ahead of Jasper.
Works with apps: Synthesia is 70 points ahead of Jasper.
About even on: up to date.

Jasper(solid line, round markers)
Synthesia(dashed line, square markers)
Surfer(dotted line, diamond markers)

AI content tools: top 3 compared: score parts out of 100
Out of 100	Jasper	Synthesia	Surfer
Price	100Strong	88Strong	0Weak
Features	100Strong	60Middle	90Strong
Free plan	0Weak	100Strong	0Weak
Works with apps	30Weak	100Strong	40Middle
Up to date	91Strong	96Strong	91Strong

Each tool keeps its colour in the chart, the table and its card. Further out is better. Compared within this category only.

Step 3 · DecideOpen a tool to see who it suits, who it does not, and where each fact came from.

See all 3 AI content tools tools, with prices and sources

AI images and video · Best fit

#1Highest score
Adobe Firefly
77.1/ 100 score
From $9.99/user/mo (monthly only)
See Adobe Firefly pricing
#2
Runway
63.6/ 100 score
From $69/user/mo · $660/user/yr
See Runway pricing
#3
Midjourney
55.6/ 100 score
From $10/user/mo · $96/user/yr
See Midjourney pricing

AI images and video: top 3 compared

Where they differ most

Free plan: Adobe Firefly is 100 points ahead of Midjourney.
Price: Midjourney is 33 points ahead of Runway.
Features: Adobe Firefly is 30 points ahead of Midjourney.
About even on: works with apps, up to date.

Adobe Firefly(solid line, round markers)
Runway(dashed line, square markers)
Midjourney(dotted line, diamond markers)

AI images and video: top 3 compared: score parts out of 100
Out of 100	Adobe Firefly	Runway	Midjourney
Price	99Strong	67Middle	100Strong
Features	70Strong	60Middle	40Middle
Free plan	100Strong	100Strong	0Weak
Works with apps	0Weak	0Weak	0Weak
Up to date	96Strong	96Strong	96Strong

Each tool keeps its colour in the chart, the table and its card. Further out is better. Compared within this category only.

Step 3 · DecideOpen a tool to see who it suits, who it does not, and where each fact came from.

See all 4 AI images and video tools, with prices and sources

AI app builders · Best fit

#1Highest score
Lovable
69.6/ 100 score
From $25/mo · $252/yr
See Lovable pricing
#2
Bolt
69.6/ 100 score
From $30/user/mo (monthly only)
See Bolt pricing
#3
Replit
43.6/ 100 score
From $100/mo · $1,080/yr
See Replit pricing

AI app builders: top 3 compared

Where they differ most

Price: Lovable is 100 points ahead of Replit.
Features: Bolt is 10 points ahead of Lovable.
About even on: free plan, works with apps, up to date.

Lovable(solid line, round markers)
Bolt(dashed line, square markers)
Replit(dotted line, diamond markers)

AI app builders: top 3 compared: score parts out of 100
Out of 100	Lovable	Bolt	Replit
Price	100Strong	87Strong	0Weak
Features	50Middle	60Middle	60Middle
Free plan	100Strong	100Strong	100Strong
Works with apps	0Weak	0Weak	0Weak
Up to date	96Strong	96Strong	96Strong

Each tool keeps its colour in the chart, the table and its card. Further out is better. Compared within this category only.

Step 3 · DecideOpen a tool to see who it suits, who it does not, and where each fact came from.

See all 3 AI app builders tools, with prices and sources

AI coding · Best fit

#1Highest score
GitHub Copilot
95.3/ 100 score
From $19/user/mo (monthly only)
See GitHub Copilot pricing
#2
Google Antigravity
57.3/ 100 score
From $30/user/mo (monthly only)
See Google Antigravity pricing
#3
Cursor
47.6/ 100 score
From $30/user/mo (monthly only)
See Cursor pricing

AI coding: top 3 compared

Where they differ most

Price: GitHub Copilot is 100 points ahead of Google Antigravity.
Works with apps: GitHub Copilot is 60 points ahead of Cursor.
Features: GitHub Copilot is 30 points ahead of Cursor.
About even on: up to date, free plan.

GitHub Copilot(solid line, round markers)
Google Antigravity(dashed line, square markers)
Cursor(dotted line, diamond markers)

AI coding: top 3 compared: score parts out of 100
Out of 100	GitHub Copilot	Google Antigravity	Cursor
Price	100Strong	0Weak	0Weak
Features	90Strong	80Strong	60Middle
Free plan	100Strong	100Strong	100Strong
Works with apps	100Strong	60Middle	40Middle
Up to date	93Strong	93Strong	96Strong

Each tool keeps its colour in the chart, the table and its card. Further out is better. Compared within this category only.

Step 3 · DecideOpen a tool to see who it suits, who it does not, and where each fact came from.

See all 3 AI coding tools, with prices and sources

Project management · Best fit

#1Highest score
Zoho Projects
89.7/ 100 score
From $4/user/mo · $36/user/yr
See Zoho Projects pricing
#2
ClickUp
87.3/ 100 score
From $10/user/mo · $84/user/yr
See ClickUp pricing
#3
Trello
86.6/ 100 score
From $6/user/mo · $60/user/yr
See Trello pricing

Project management: top 3 compared

Where they differ most

Works with apps: Trello is 46 points ahead of ClickUp.
Features: ClickUp is 20 points ahead of Trello.
Price: Zoho Projects is 18 points ahead of ClickUp.
About even on: free plan, up to date.

Zoho Projects(solid line, round markers)
ClickUp(dashed line, square markers)
Trello(dotted line, diamond markers)

Project management: top 3 compared: score parts out of 100
Out of 100	Zoho Projects	ClickUp	Trello
Price	100Strong	82Strong	91Strong
Features	90Strong	100Strong	80Strong
Free plan	100Strong	100Strong	100Strong
Works with apps	45Middle	36Weak	82Strong
Up to date	91Strong	91Strong	91Strong

Each tool keeps its colour in the chart, the table and its card. Further out is better. Compared within this category only.

Step 3 · DecideOpen a tool to see who it suits, who it does not, and where each fact came from.

See all 10 Project management tools, with prices and sources

Or start from the kind of tool

CRM
10 tools verified
Automation
3 tools verified
AI assistants
7 tools verified
AI content tools
3 tools verified
AI images and video
4 tools verified
AI app builders
3 tools verified
AI coding
3 tools verified
Project management
10 tools verified
AI voice
No tools verified yet
Video editing and clips
No tools verified yet
Captions and transcripts
No tools verified yet
Website builders
No tools verified yet
WordPress SEO plugins
No tools verified yet
SEO tools
No tools verified yet
AI music
No tools verified yet
Animation, anime and manga
No tools verified yet

Why you can trust these numbers

Choosing on your own

Dozens of tabs open
Sales pages, no straight answers
Downsides left out
Claims you can’t check

With ToolsProof

Your top 3 in one tap
Same rules for every tool
Who it’s NOT for, stated
Every fact linked and dated

The tools you’re probably weighing

Before you pay for anything

Why does software end up costing more than the price on the website?

The headline price is usually per user, per month, and often billed for a full year up front. Add a few teammates, a feature that only comes with the next plan up, or a setup fee, and the bill can double. Our cost calculator adds up each tool’s verified prices for your team size, paid monthly or yearly, and lists them cheapest first.

Work out your real cost →

Is a free plan good enough for a small business?

Often, at the start. Free plans usually cap users, records or monthly use, and leave out automation and reports. Pick a free plan you would be happy to pay for later, so you never have to move your data when you outgrow it. Each tool page lists its free-plan limits from the vendor’s own page.

See free plans in your top 3 →

How do I avoid getting locked into the wrong tool?

Check three things before you sign up: whether the trial needs a card, how you get your data out, and how hard it is to switch away. Paying monthly for the first few months costs a little more but keeps you free to leave. Every tool page shows these facts with the date we checked them, or says “Not verified” when the vendor does not say.

In a survey of over 3,400 software buyers, 60% regretted a purchase. Nearly a quarter of them cancelled the contract, and a third changed vendors. Gartner Digital Markets press release, 16 Oct 2023, checked 2026-10-18.

Find your top 3 →

How do I pick a tool my team will actually use?

Start from the one problem that hurts most, not the longest feature list. A tool your team can start free and learn in a day beats a bigger one nobody opens. In your top 3, open Personalise and pick “Too many features I never use”: long feature lists then count less, so simpler tools are not pushed down.

Setting up a new system takes much longer than most small businesses first expect. U.S. Small Business Administration, checked 2026-10-18.

Get your top 3 →

Why did my automation bill go up when I did not change plans?

Automation tools charge for each step they run, not only for the plan. One automation stuck in a loop can use thousands of steps in a day. Before you build anything big, compare how each automation tool counts usage and what happens when you reach the limit.

On Zapier’s paid plans, going over the monthly task limit switches the account to pay-per-task billing for the rest of the period, up to three times the plan’s limit. Zapier Help Center, “How pay-per-task billing works”, checked 2026-10-18.

Compare automation tools →

Which AI assistant is worth paying for?

It depends on your main job: writing and analysis, answers with web sources, or help inside Microsoft or Google apps. Paid plans differ mostly in usage limits, and several vendors describe those limits without giving numbers. Our ranking compares what vendors do publish: free-plan limits, file upload, web search, memory and team plans.

Compare AI assistants →

How our rankings work

Can a company pay to rank higher?

No. Scores come only from facts on the vendor’s own pages. The scoring code cannot see which links earn us money. Affiliate links are labelled.

What does a score mean?

It is points out of 100: features 40, price 30, free plan 10, integrations 10 and fresh data 10. Tools are only compared with others in the same category.

How current is the data?

Every fact shows the date we checked it. Older facts earn fewer fresh-data points, so a tool we have not re-checked drops down.

Why does something say “Not verified”?

We could not confirm it on the vendor’s page. We show that plainly instead of guessing.

Switching later costs more than choosing well now

Put your shortlist side by side before you commit. Same rules for every tool; every fact links to the vendor’s own page.

Compare my shortlist How we score

Our promises to you

Rankings use verified facts only. No tool can pay to rank higher.
Affiliate links are always labelled.
No fake reviews, ratings or user counts.
No countdowns, fake scarcity or pressure.
Missing facts say “Not verified”, never a guess.
No cookies or cross-site tracking. We remember your choices only if you say yes.

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