I used to spend $487 per month on software subscriptions. Adobe Creative Cloud. Grammarly. SEMrush. Otter.ai.Shutterstock. The list went on.
Today, I spent $75. The difference? AI tools that do the work of five specialized apps each. This isn’t hype—it’s math. In this
guide, I’ll show you exactly which tools replaced what, how much I saved, and whether the trade-offs are worth it.
Quick answer: For most creators, freelancers, and small teams, you can replace $300-500/month in
subscriptions with $55-95/month in AI tools. Here’s how.
My Old Software Stack vs. New AI Stack
Before we dive in, here’s my actual before/after:
| Old Tool | Monthly Cost | Replaced By | New Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Creative Cloud | $55 | ChatGPT + Midjourney | $30 |
| Grammarly Premium | $30 | ChatGPT/Claude | $0 (bundled) |
| SEMrush Pro | $119 | Perplexity Pro | $20 |
| Jasper AI | $49 | ChatGPT Plus | $0 (bundled) |
| Otter.ai | $16 | Whisper (free) | $0 |
| Shutterstock | $29 | Midjourney | $0 (bundled) |
| GitHub Copilot | $19 | Cursor | $20 |
| Beautiful.ai | $12 | Gamma | $0 (free tier) |
| Rev Transcription | ~$50 | Whisper | $0 |
| Canva Pro | $12 | ChatGPT Images | $0 (bundled) |
| TOTAL | $391 | $70 |
Monthly savings: $321
Annual savings: $3,852
Let me show you each tool and exactly how it works.
1. ChatGPT Plus — The Swiss Army Knife ($20/month)
Get it: chat.openai.com
This single subscription replaced four tools for me. Here’s what it does:
Replaces Grammarly ($30/month saved)
Paste any text into ChatGPT and say “proofread this for grammar, clarity, and tone.” It catches everything Grammarly catches—and it rewrites weak sentences instead of just flagging them.
Prompt I use: “Review this draft. Fix grammar issues, improve clarity, and flag any sentences
that sound awkward. Maintain my casual tone.”
Replaces Jasper AI ($49/month saved)
For content generation, ChatGPT is better than Jasper was. Write blog posts, ad copy, email sequences, product descriptions—all with one subscription.
Pro tip: Create a Custom GPT with your brand voice, writing samples, and style guidelines. It’ll
write in your voice every time.
Replaces Canva Pro for Quick Graphics ($12/month saved)
GPT Image 1.5 (included in Plus) handles most graphic needs:
- Blog thumbnails with text overlays
- Social media quote cards
- Simple logos and icons
- Product mockups
It won’t replace a professional designer, but for 80% of daily content needs, it’s faster and good enough.
Bonus: Code, Data Analysis, File Handling
ChatGPT also handles:
- Writing and debugging code
- Analyzing spreadsheets (upload CSV, get insights)
- Converting file formats
- Research and summarization
Bottom line: If you only get one AI tool, this is it. $20/month for what used to cost $91+.
2. Cursor — For Developers ($20/month)
Get it: cursor.sh
If you write code, Cursor replaces GitHub Copilot—and does more.
What Makes It Better Than Copilot
| Feature | Copilot | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Autocomplete | ✅ | ✅ |
| Chat about current file | ✅ | ✅ |
| Chat about entire codebase | ❌ | ✅ |
| Multi-file refactoring | ❌ | ✅ |
| Terminal AI assistance | ❌ | ✅ |
| Understands project context | Limited | Full index |
The killer feature: Cursor indexes your entire codebase. Ask “where is the function that handles user authentication?” and it finds it. Ask “refactor all API calls to use the new error handling pattern” and it edits multiple files.
Real Example
Last week I needed to add TypeScript types to a 50-file JavaScript project. In VS Code with Copilot, that’s hours of work. In Cursor, I said “Add TypeScript interfaces to all components in /src/components.” Done in 3 minutes.
Free alternative: Codeium has a
generous free tier if $20/month is too much.
3. Perplexity Pro — Research That Doesn’t Lie ($20/month)
Get it: perplexity.ai
This replaced most of what I used SEMrush for—at $99/month less.
What It Actually Does
Perplexity is like Google that answers questions directly, with sources. Every answer includes citations you can
verify.
For content research:
- “What topics are trending in [my niche] this week?” — Get ideas with sources
- “What questions do people ask about [topic]?” — Better than AnswerThePublic
- “Summarize the top 5 articles ranking for [keyword]” — Instant competitor analysis
- “Find recent statistics about [topic]” — Data with citations
What It Doesn’t Replace
To be clear: Perplexity doesn’t do everything SEMrush does. You still need dedicated tools for:
- Backlink analysis
- Technical site audits
- Keyword difficulty scores
- Rank tracking over time
But if 70% of your SEMrush usage was content research and keyword ideas, Perplexity covers that for $99 less.
Power feature: Use “Focus” to limit searches to specific sources. Academic papers only. Reddit only. YouTube only. News only. This makes research dramatically more efficient.
4. Claude Pro — The Deep Thinker ($20/month)
Get it: claude.ai
Claude is Anthropic’s AI model, and it excels where ChatGPT sometimes struggles: long, complex work.
When to Use Claude Instead of ChatGPT
| Task | Better Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quick questions | ChatGPT | Faster, more integrations |
| Image generation | ChatGPT | Claude can’t generate images |
| Analyzing 100-page PDFs | Claude | 200K context window |
| Writing 10,000-word reports | Claude | Better long-form coherence |
| Code review of large codebase | Claude | Can process entire repos |
| Nuanced, careful reasoning | Claude | Less likely to hallucinate |
Real Use Case
I recently needed to analyze a 150-page contract. Uploaded to Claude, asked “What are the key obligations,
deadlines, and risk clauses?” Got a structured summary in 30 seconds. A lawyer friend confirmed it caught everything important.
Do you need both ChatGPT and Claude? If you’re a power user, yes—they’re complementary. If you’re choosing one, start with ChatGPT (more features) and add Claude if you work with long documents.
5. Midjourney — Unlimited Custom Images ($10-30/month)
Get it: midjourney.com (via Discord)
This replaced Shutterstock completely. Instead of searching for “close enough” stock photos, I generate exactly what I need.
Real Examples
Here’s what I’ve generated in the past month:
- Blog headers for 20 articles (would’ve cost ~$100 on Shutterstock)
- Custom illustrations for a client presentation
- Product mockups for an e-commerce site
- Social media graphics with consistent brand style
- Book cover concepts for a self-publishing project
The Secret: Style Consistency
Create a “style prompt” you reuse:
modern minimalist illustration, soft gradients, muted colors, clean lines --ar 16:9 --style raw
Add this to any prompt and all your images look like they came from the same designer.
Alternatives
- Ideogram — Best for images with text
(logos, posters) - Leonardo.ai — Generous free tier, good for
gaming/fantasy art - ChatGPT/DALL-E — Already included in ChatGPT Plus, good for quick graphics
Savings: $30-100/month vs stock photo subscriptions
6. Descript — Edit Video Like a Doc ($15/month)
Get it: descript.com
This is the most underrated tool on this list. If you edit any video or audio content, Descript is magic.
The Core Idea
Descript transcribes your video automatically. Then you edit the transcript like a text document. Delete a
sentence? The video deletes that part. It’s that simple.
Features That Change Everything
- Remove filler words: One click removes every “um,” “uh,” “like,” “you know” from your
recording - Overdub: Made a mistake? Type what you meant to say, and AI recreates it in your voice
- Studio Sound: AI removes background noise and enhances audio quality
- Automatic captions: Export with burned-in subtitles
- Screen recording: Built-in recorder with webcam overlay
Who It’s For
- Podcasters
- YouTubers (especially talking-head videos)
- Course creators
- Anyone who records meetings or interviews
Time saved: A 30-minute video that took 2 hours to edit in Premiere now takes 20 minutes in
Descript.
Replaces: Adobe Premiere Pro ($22/mo), Otter.ai ($16/mo), basic audio editing software
7. Whisper — Free Transcription (Forever)
Get it: github.com/openai/whisper
OpenAI released Whisper as open-source, which means you can run it for free. Forever. No subscription.
Easiest Ways to Use It
You don’t need to be technical. Here are simple options:
- MacWhisper (Mac): Download here — Beautiful app, drag and drop audio files
- Whisper Web: Hugging Face — Upload files in browser, no installation
- OpenAI API: $0.006 per minute — A 60-minute podcast costs $0.36 to transcribe
Accuracy
Whisper is as accurate as paid services like Rev or Otter.ai. It handles:
- Multiple speakers
- Various accents
- Background noise (reasonably well)
- 99 languages
Savings: If you transcribed 10 hours of audio monthly on Rev ($1.50/min = $900), Whisper saves you $900/month.
8. Gamma — Presentations in Minutes ($0-10/month)
Get it: gamma.app
I hate making presentations. Gamma fixes that.
How It Works
Tell Gamma what your presentation is about. It generates a complete deck—content, design, images, layout. Then
you edit whatever you want.
Example prompt: “Create a 12-slide pitch deck for a mobile app that helps people track their
water intake. Include sections on the problem, solution, market size, features, and business model.”
Result: A professional deck in 2 minutes that would’ve taken me 2 hours in PowerPoint.
What Makes It Good
- Designs are genuinely professional (not “obviously AI”)
- Content suggestions are relevant and customizable
- Export to PowerPoint, PDF, or share as a link
- Free tier is generous (400 credits)
Best for: Internal presentations, pitch decks, class projects, client proposals
Replaces: Beautiful.ai ($12/mo), Canva Pro presentations, hours of your life
9. Notion AI — AI Inside Your Workspace ($10/month add-on)
Get it: notion.so
If you already use Notion, this is a no-brainer. If you don’t, this might be what makes you switch.
What It Does
- Write in context: AI understands your doc and continues in your style
- Summarize anything: Meeting notes → action items in one click
- Ask questions: “What decisions did we make in last month’s meetings?” — It searches your
workspace - Translate: Turn English docs into any language
- Brainstorm: Generate ideas based on what you’re working on
Real Use Case
I dump messy meeting notes into Notion. Then: “Summarize as bullet points, extract action items with owners, and
suggest follow-up questions.” Done in 5 seconds.
Alternative: Coda AI offers similar
features if you prefer that platform.
10. LM Studio — Run AI Locally (Free)
Get it: lmstudio.ai
This one’s for developers and privacy-conscious users. LM Studio lets you run AI models on your own computer—no subscription, no data leaving your machine.
Why You’d Want This
- Privacy: Sensitive data never leaves your computer
- Cost: No per-token API charges for development/testing
- Offline: Works without internet
- Experimentation: Try different models without paying
Best Models to Run
| Model | Size | RAM Needed | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Llama 3.2 7B | 4.7GB | 8-16GB | General use, best quality |
| Mistral 7B | 4.1GB | 8-16GB | Fast responses |
| Phi-3 Mini | 2.3GB | 8GB | Low-end hardware |
| CodeLlama | 3.8GB | 8-16GB | Coding tasks |
Alternative
Ollama — Command-line tool, simpler setup, same result
Savings: Depends on your API usage. Some developers save $50-200/month on OpenAI API costs.
The Optimal Stacks
Here’s what I’d recommend based on your role:
For Writers/Content Creators ($40/month)
| Tool | Cost | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Plus | $20 | Writing, editing, images |
| Perplexity Pro | $20 | Research |
| Total | $40 |
For Developers ($40/month)
| Tool | Cost | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Cursor | $20 | Coding |
| Claude Pro | $20 | Code review, documentation |
| Total | $40 |
For Video Creators ($45/month)
| Tool | Cost | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Plus | $20 | Scripts, thumbnails |
| Descript | $15 | Editing |
| Midjourney | $10 | Graphics |
| Total | $45 |
For Power Users Who Want Everything ($95/month)
| Tool | Cost | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Plus | $20 | Primary AI |
| Claude Pro | $20 | Long documents |
| Cursor | $20 | Coding |
| Perplexity Pro | $20 | Research |
| Descript | $15 | Video/audio |
| Total | $95 |
This $95 stack replaces $400+ in traditional software.
The Trade-offs (Being Honest)
AI tools aren’t perfect replacements for everything. Here’s when you still need traditional software:
| Situation | Use Traditional Tool |
|---|---|
| Complex photo manipulation | Photoshop |
| Motion graphics / animation | After Effects |
| Team design collaboration | Figma |
| Full technical SEO audits | Ahrefs/SEMrush |
| Enterprise security requirements | Certified tools |
| Regulated industries (legal, medical) | Specialized software |
For most individuals and small teams, AI tools cover 80-90% of needs. The specialized tools become “nice to have”
rather than “must have.”
How to Make the Switch
- Start with ChatGPT Plus ($20). Use it for everything for one month. You’ll quickly discover
what it can and can’t replace. - Identify your biggest expense. What are you paying the most for? Target that next.
- Run tools in parallel for 2 weeks. Don’t cancel subscriptions immediately. Confirm the AI
alternative actually works for your needs. - Learn prompting. AI output quality depends heavily on input quality. Spend time learning to
prompt well—it’s a skill that pays dividends. - Track your actual savings. Write down what you cancelled and what you replaced it with.
Seeing “$321 saved this month” feels great.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AI output quality good enough?
For 80% of tasks, yes. For professional client work, you’ll still want to review and edit. The time savings are
real even when you edit output.
What about privacy?
Cloud AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude) do process your data on their servers. For sensitive work, use local tools like
LM Studio or Ollama. Most providers have data policies prohibiting training on your content, but read the terms.
Will these tools work a year from now?
The tools, yes. The specific features may evolve. AI is improving rapidly—what’s “good enough” today will be
significantly better by 2026.
What if I’m not technical?
Every tool on this list has a point-and-click interface. You don’t need to code. If you can use Gmail, you can
use these tools.
The Bottom Line
The software subscription landscape has fundamentally changed. What required 10 specialized tools in 2023 can be
done with 2-3 AI tools in 2025.
My recommendation:
- Get ChatGPT Plus today. It’s the
highest ROI subscription in tech right now. - Add role-specific tools as needed (Cursor for developers, Descript for creators, Perplexity for
researchers). - Cancel everything else after a month of confirming the AI alternatives work.
The tools are ready. The savings are real. The only question is whether you’ll keep paying for software you don’t
need.
Quick Reference: All Tools & Links
| # | Tool | Cost | Primary Use | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ChatGPT Plus | $20/mo | Everything | chat.openai.com |
| 2 | Cursor | $20/mo | Coding | cursor.sh |
| 3 | Perplexity Pro | $20/mo | Research | perplexity.ai |
| 4 | Claude Pro | $20/mo | Long docs | claude.ai |
| 5 | Midjourney | $10-30/mo | Images | midjourney.com |
| 6 | Descript | $15/mo | Video/audio | descript.com |
| 7 | Whisper | Free | Transcription | github.com/openai/whisper |
| 8 | Gamma | $0-10/mo | Presentations | gamma.app |
| 9 | Notion AI | $10/mo | Workspace AI | notion.so |
| 10 | LM Studio | Free | Local AI | lmstudio.ai |
