Asking "which AI app is best" is about as useful as asking "which tool is best". Screwdriver or saw? Depends what you're building. So this list isn't ranked. It's organised by the job you need done.
For transparency: the Claude link is a referral link and costs you nothing. It's here because I use it every day.
The short answer
| What you want to do | What to pick |
|---|---|
| Write text, long documents | Claude |
| A bit of everything, general use | ChatGPT |
| Find facts with sources | Perplexity or Copilot |
| Work inside Gmail, Docs, Drive | Google Gemini |
| Generate images | Gemini or Microsoft Designer |
| Transcribe audio | Whisper (free, runs on your own machine) |
Writing and long text
Claude is the strongest for longer text, documents, and nuanced tone. It waffles less and holds complex instructions better. The free tier has solid limits that cover most everyday writing.
ChatGPT is the most versatile: writing, ideas, questions, images, and voice in one place. Its weak spot on the free tier is the tightest message caps of the majors, and once you hit them it quietly downgrades you to a lighter model.
Facts and search
Perplexity is the best pick when you need an answer with sources. It works like search but hands you the answer and tells you where it came from. The free tier limits deeper "Pro" searches to a few per day, but basic ones are unlimited.
Microsoft Copilot gives away free what others lock behind a paywall: cited answers, image generation, and a deeper reasoning mode. Even if you're not in the Microsoft ecosystem, it's worth knowing for exactly that reason.
Images
- Google Gemini is the easiest start: runs in the browser with a solid free daily quota.
- Microsoft Designer gives plenty of free generations, just needs a Microsoft account.
- Ideogram is the only one that reliably renders text inside images (logos, posters, signs). If you need letters, use it.
Audio and transcription
Whisper (OpenAI, open source) transcribes audio and handles smaller languages, including Lithuanian. The key part: you can run it on your own computer. That means unlimited, free, and private, your recordings never leave your machine. Almost nobody talks about this, and it may be the single most useful free AI tool there is.
How to choose (without becoming a tool collector)
- Start from the job, not the tool. Write down what you actually need to do this week.
- Pick one app from the table and use it for a week of real work.
- Don't pay immediately. A paid plan (around $20/month) is worth it only once you hit a real limit.
- Don't collect. Two tools you know well beat ten you tried once.
The best AI app is the one you actually open every day. The rest are just browser tabs.
Frequently asked questions
Which AI app is best?
There isn't one best. For writing, Claude. For general use, ChatGPT. For cited facts, Perplexity. For working inside Google apps, Gemini. Choose by the job you need done.
Are AI apps free?
Every app on this list has a free tier, and for most everyday work it's enough. Paid plans give more capable models and higher limits. I cover the free options in more depth [separately](/en/insights/free-ai-tools).
How many AI apps do I need?
One or two. It's far more useful to spend a week with one app than to skim ten. The skill comes from use, not from choosing.
Can I use AI offline?
Yes, but not the popular apps. Open-source models (like Whisper for transcription) run on your own computer. That makes them unlimited and completely private.
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