Which are the Best Free AI Tools for Work & Creativity?
The era of Artificial intelligence (AI) has taken over the world in 2025.
Come 2026, the craze and dependence on tech-developed tools will only increase further, even to the risk of thousands of people losing their jobs. AI has rapidly evolved from a complex concept into an everyday requirement for professionals, creators, students, and businesses. Since the launch of ChatGPT, millions across the world have embraced AI to work faster, learn better, and solve difficult tasks with ease. ChatGPT is just one of the tools in an ever-growing AI ecosystem.
Whether you need to write a code, design visuals, edit videos, research in deep, or create some training material, there’s an AI tool for nearly every task — and usually more than one. But with so many options, most people feel confused.
This detailed article cuts through and highlights seven of the most useful AI tools available today, what they do and how much they cost.
1. Cursor AI
Cursor AI is designed as an AI-first coding companion built on top of Visual Studio Code. Cursor is ideal for beginners and experienced developers who want to speed up development without switching between multiple tools. It blends AI directly into the developer workflow, acting like a smart partner who can:
- Write and understand code
- Debug issues
- Refactor functions
- Convert natural-language instructions into working code
Plans & Pricing
- Hobby (Free): Limited agent requests, limited completions, one-week Pro trial
- Pro: $20/month
- Pro+: $60/month
- Ultra: $200/month
- Teams: $40/month per user
Cursor is most useful for developers looking for a single, powerful coding assistant that scales with their needs.
2. Midjourney AI
Midjourney AI has become a global sensation for its ability to generate stunning visuals from text prompts. Using a diffusion-based model, this AI tool turns simple ideas into high-quality artwork, concept designs, illustrations, and even photo-realistic images.
It gained mainstream attention through some of the viral images –
– Pope Francis wearing a designer puffer jacket
– Donald Trump being “arrested”
(Text to Image Generation)
Whether you’re a designer, marketer, or creative director, Midjourney can fast-track your creative concepts.
Plans & Pricing
Midjourney does not offer a free tier.
- Basic: $10/month (approx. 200 images)
- Standard: $24/month
- Pro: $48/month
- Mega: $96/month
This tool is ideal for anyone whose work revolves around visuals and who is comfortable paying for premium-quality image generation.
3. Descript: Editing Made Easy
Descript simplifies editing by letting you modify audio and video as if you’re editing a text document. It automatically converts speech to text, allowing you to delete filler words or entire sentences just by editing the transcript.
Key Features
- Text-based editing
- AI Assistant that refines your scripts and makes edits
- Studio Sound for improved audio clarity
- Eye Contact, which adjusts your eye look towards the camera automatically
Plans & Pricing
- Free
- Hobbyist: $16/month
- Creator: $24/month
This tool is ideal for podcasters, content creators, and teams that produce videos regularly.
4. Claude AI
Claude AI, developed by Anthropic, is one of the most advanced general-purpose AI assistants available. It excels at several different tasks, such as:
- Writing and editing
- Research and summarization
- Coding and debugging
- Data analysis
- Creating professional documents
Claude AI is known for producing clear, thoughtful, and structured responses—making it ideal for students, researchers, and professionals.
Plans & Pricing
- Free Tier: Full access with limits; text, images, coding, and web search included
- Pro: $20/month
- Max: $100/month with higher limits and priority access
5. Runway ML: AI Video Creation
If your work involves video, Runway ML is one of the most powerful AI video-editing platforms on the market. It supports:
- Text-to-video generation
- Image-to-video transitions
- Background removal
- Colour grading and VFX tools
- 3D textures and audio generation
Runway has become increasingly popular amongst filmmakers, agencies, and digital creators in the recent times, thanks to its desirable features.
Plans & Pricing
- Free: 125 credits
- Standard: $144/year
- Pro: $336/year
- Unlimited: $912/year
- Enterprise: $2,000/year
6. Perplexity AI: The Future of Research
Perplexity AI is an AI search engine that provides accurate, well-cited answers—far more detailed than traditional search results. It’s great for:
- Academic research
- Learning new topics
- Fast fact-checking
- Deep analysis
You also get voice search, topic discovery, and workspace organisation features.
Plans & Pricing
Personal Plans:
- Pro: $20/month
- Max: $200/month
Education: Free Pro for students and educators
Business Plans:
- Enterprise Pro: $40/month
- Enterprise Max: $325/month
7. Fliki: Turn Text into Videos
Fliki.ai is perfect for businesses that need professional-quality videos quickly. You can generate:
- Marketing videos
- HR & training content (Learning & Development)
- Learning modules
- Voice-over-rich social media clips
It supports 300+ voices, over 80+ languages, and a variety of templates for you to choose from.
Plans & Pricing
- Free: 5 minutes/month
- Standard: $21/month
- Premium: $66/month
- Enterprise: Custom
This AI tool is ideal for businesses that need internal content creation without hiring full video teams and can work as a less expensive option than hiring several professionals.
Road Ahead
AI is no longer optional — it’s becoming essential. Whether you’re coding, designing, researching, or communicating, these tools can help you work faster, smarter, and more creatively. Start with the free versions, experiment, and upgrade only when you’re ready. With the right mix of tools, AI can easily save you hours every week while dramatically improving the quality of your work.
