My AI Stack: The AI Tools I Actually Use
Here are the AI tools I use myself and what I use them for, with examples from my work and, where there is one, my test. Where I earn a commission on a subscription, the link is marked with *. If a free option is enough, it's listed here too.
ElevenLabs: Voice cloning with the new Eleven v4 model
In July, my Professional clone at ElevenLabs sounded very close to my voice, but the cheaper Instant clone didn't. Now I'm testing the new Eleven v4 model and HeyGen's new voice model against it. The videos are coming soon.
At a glance
| Tool | Good for | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Claude | Writing, building websites and apps | Visit Claude |
| ChatGPT and Codex | Images, text, coding | Visit ChatGPT |
| Gemini | Text and images | Visit Gemini |
| ElevenLabs | Cloning voices, turning text into speech | Visit ElevenLabs* |
| HeyGen | Avatar and explainer videos | Visit HeyGen |
| n8n | Automating workflows | Visit n8n |
| Metricool | Scheduling and posting on social media | Visit Metricool* |
| Suno | Making songs | Visit Suno |
| Voicebox | Cloning voices, free and local | My test |
| ACE Music | Making songs, free and local | My test |
* Affiliate link: If you sign up for a plan through it, I earn a commission. With ElevenLabs, I'm an independent affiliate. My assessment does not depend on it.
The tools I use
- Writing, building websites and apps
Claude
My most important tool, mainly Claude Code.
- This website, built with Claude Code after the move from Wix. Video
- My own tools: the StickerLog app and my content studio for carousels and reels. StickerLog
- Texts in my own style, with my own texts as a template. How I do it
- Strategy: a premortem of my YouTube channel with eight findings. Video
- Images, text, coding
ChatGPT and Codex
ChatGPT for images and text, Codex for coding.
- Images: Images 2 and the viral photo codes, tested. Images 2 · Photo codes
- Emails in my own writing style with a saved style brief. Test
- Codex in a debugging battle against Claude Code. Battle
- Text and images
Gemini
Now and then, for text and images.
- Images, for example as a starting point for my YouTube thumbnails.
- Useful if you work with Google Workspace: depending on the plan, Gemini is built right into Gmail, Docs and Sheets. In the guide
- Cloning voices, turning text into speech
ElevenLabs
For voice clones and text to speech. I pay for my own subscription.
- My test (July 2026): The Instant clone didn't sound like me, but the Professional clone on the Eleven Multilingual v2 model sounded very close. For me, clearly the better choice. Test
- Client projects: integrated via API, for example for automatically produced social media and educational videos.
- Avatar and explainer videos
HeyGen
For AI avatars and videos with an avatar.
- Used for talks, workshops and explainer videos.
- Currently testing (October 2026): HeyGen's new voice model against ElevenLabs. The video is coming soon.
- Automating workflows
n8n
For workflows that run the same way every time, often without any AI.
- My own routines: social media automations and a regular news summary.
- Client projects: social media and other routines, for example together with Metricool.
- When automation is enough and when AI comes in. In the guide
- Scheduling and posting on social media
Metricool
For planning, publishing and measuring social media posts.
- Client project: n8n hands over the finished posts, Metricool publishes them automatically.
- Making songs
Suno
For songs with vocals, made from a written idea.
Free and local
- Cloning voices, free and local
Voicebox
Voice cloning, text to speech and transcription on your own computer, without a subscription and without a cloud upload.
- My tests: cloning a voice locally, the comparison with ElevenLabs and local transcription. Cloning · vs. ElevenLabs · Transcription
- Making songs, free and local
ACE Music
A free alternative to Suno.
- My test: One song came out much better than expected. Instrumentals, lyrics control and remix fell short. Test
How this list is made
- Only what I use myself or have tested on camera is listed here.
- If a free option is enough, I say so, even when I earn nothing from it.
- Criticism from my tests stays in, even for tools with a partner link.
ElevenLabs and the ElevenLabs logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of ElevenLabs, Inc. Used with permission.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your task, not on the tool. For most tasks, ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are close. What matters more is what you already work with and what is allowed to happen with your data. For voice, video, automations or music, a specialized tool is worth it.
None of them is better at everything. I use Claude mostly for building and writing, ChatGPT for images and Codex for coding, and Gemini now and then for text and images. What counts for you is which task you want to solve, which programs you already work with and where your data is allowed to live. I explain how to decide in my guide on ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.
For text, research and coding there are Claude and Gemini. On top of that there are specialized tools: ElevenLabs for voices, HeyGen for avatar videos, Suno for music, n8n for automations and Metricool for social media. A combination often does more than a single tool, for example n8n preparing posts and Metricool publishing them.
ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini have free versions with limits. Suno has a free plan with 50 credits a day, but without commercial use. At ElevenLabs, voice clones and commercial use only come with a paid plan. Voicebox for voice and transcription and ACE Music for music run completely free on your own computer, and I've tested both.
Often not. If a workflow runs the same way every time, such as moving data from one tool to the next or publishing posts at set times, an automation with n8n is enough. AI only comes in when content has to be understood, summarized or written.
With some tools, yes: if you sign up for a plan through a link marked with *, I earn a commission. With every tool without a *, for example Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Suno and the free tools, I earn nothing. Which tools are listed here and what I write about them does not depend on it.
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