Free guide
18 AI tools under $20 a month for a small business
Last checked Nov 5, 2026. Every price comes from the tool's own pricing page.
The short answer
These 18 AI tools each have a paid plan under $20 a month, checked on their own pricing pages on Nov 5, 2026. The cheapest are Google AI Plus ($4.99 a month), Buffer Essentials ($5 a month per channel) and Trello Standard ($5 per user a month, billed annually).
They cover the everyday jobs of a small business or nonprofit: an AI assistant (Gemini, Claude), decks (Gamma), meeting notes and voice (Fireflies.ai, Granola, Wispr Flow, Fathom, Otter.ai), social posts (Buffer), tasks (Trello, Asana, Notion), customer email (Freshdesk), writing (Grammarly), video (Descript), booking (Calendly), team chat (Slack) and automation (Zapier).
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Compared, with sources
| Tool | What it does for you | Plan under $20 a month (as shown) | Free plan | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Gemini | Google's AI assistant for writing, research and everyday questions. | Google AI Plus $4.99/mo · Google AI Pro $19.99/mo | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Buffer | Schedules social posts; the Essentials plan includes its AI Assistant for drafting and repurposing posts. | Essentials $5/mo per channel ($60 billed yearly) | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Trello | Boards for tasks and projects; Standard adds AI features and unlimited boards. | Standard $5/user/mo billed annually ($6 monthly) | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Slack | Team chat; Pro includes basic AI conversation and huddle summaries. | Pro $8.75/user/mo monthly, $7.25 paid annually | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Gamma | Turns a prompt into a slide deck or webpage. | Plus $9/seat/mo ($108 per seat billed annually) | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Fireflies.ai | Joins your calls, transcribes them and writes AI summaries. | Pro $10/seat/mo billed annually ($18 monthly) | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Calendly | Lets customers book time with you; AI Notetaker is offered as an add-on. | Standard $10/seat/mo billed yearly | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Notion | Docs, notes and simple databases in one place; Plus includes a trial of Notion AI. | Plus $10/member/mo | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Asana | Task and project tracking with Asana AI included in the Starter plan. | Starter $10.99/user/mo billed annually | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Wispr Flow | Voice dictation and an AI meeting notetaker on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. | Pro $12/user/mo billed annually ($15 monthly) | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Grammarly | Checks and rewrites your writing; Pro rewrites full sentences and adjusts tone. | Pro $12 (billing period not stated on the page) | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Granola | AI meeting notes that stay on your device rather than sending a meeting bot. | Business $14/user/mo | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Fathom | AI meeting notes: summaries and action items after every call. | Team $15/user/mo billed annually ($19 monthly, 2-user minimum) | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Descript | Edit video and podcasts by editing text, with the Underlord AI co-editor and 400 AI credits a month. | Hobbyist $16/person/mo billed annually ($24 monthly) | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Otter.ai | Meeting transcription with AI workflows and summaries. | Pro $16.99/user/mo monthly ($8.49 on the annual view) | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Claude | An AI assistant for writing, research, files and everyday questions. | Pro $17/mo billed annually ($200 up front), $20 monthly | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Freshdesk | Help desk and shared inbox with the Freddy AI Agent (first 500 sessions included). | Growth $19/agent/mo billed annually | Not verified | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
| Zapier | Connects your apps so routine jobs run on their own, with AI fields and multi-step Zaps. | Professional from $19.99/mo | Yes | Pricing page checked Nov 5, 2026 |
Per-user and per-seat prices multiply by the number of people who need a login. Prices are what each pricing page showed in US dollars and may not include tax.
Questions people ask
What are the best AI tools under $20 a month for a small business?
Eighteen tools with a paid plan under $20 a month on Nov 5, 2026: Google Gemini (Google AI Plus $4.99/mo), Buffer ($5/mo per channel), Trello ($5/user/mo annually), Slack ($8.75/user/mo), Gamma Plus ($9/seat/mo annually), Fireflies.ai ($10/seat/mo annually), Calendly ($10/seat/mo yearly), Notion ($10/member/mo), Asana ($10.99/user/mo annually), Wispr Flow Pro ($12/user/mo annually), Grammarly ($12), Granola Business ($14/user/mo), Fathom ($15/user/mo annually), Descript ($16/mo annually), Otter.ai ($16.99/user/mo), Claude ($17/mo annually), Freshdesk ($19/agent/mo annually) and Zapier (from $19.99/mo).
Which is the cheapest?
Google AI Plus at $4.99 a month, then Buffer Essentials at $5 a month per channel and Trello Standard at $5 per user a month billed annually.
Do these tools have free plans?
Most do. The table shows whether each tool's official pricing page lists a free plan. Free plans have limits, so start free and upgrade only when you hit one.
Why do some prices say billed annually?
Many tools show a lower monthly price when you pay for a year up front. We list the price the way the pricing page shows it and give the monthly price too when the page states it.
How do you keep this list current?
We re-read each tool's own pricing page and update the date at the top. The weekly newsletter reports price changes as we find them.
Sorted for usefulness, not payment: nothing on this page is sponsored. Prices change, so check the tool's own page before you buy. Nothing here is legal, tax or financial advice. How we check prices
New tools and price changes, once a week
One short email. Every price has its source and the date we checked it. At most one sponsor per issue, marked “Sponsored.”
Free guide: 18 AI tools under $20 a month for a small business, every price sourced and dated. No sign-up needed to read it.