Which AI Model Should You Actually Use?
Nine tools. Real opinions. No affiliate links. Here's what each one does, what it costs, and when it's worth paying for.
The short answer
If you want one subscription that handles most things: Claude Pro ($20/month). If you need research with citations: add Perplexity. If you code: add Cursor. Everyone else can stop reading here.
Claude
Anthropic
$20/mo (Pro) · $100/mo (Max)
Free: Yes — limited messages, weaker model
Best for
Long writing, complex instructions, document analysis, coding, structured output. Handles 200K+ tokens without losing the plot.
Not for
Image generation, real-time web search, plugin ecosystems.
The one most Lazy Viber guides are built for. If you buy one subscription, this is the one.
Setup guide →ChatGPT
OpenAI
$20/mo (Plus) · $200/mo (Pro)
Free: Yes — GPT-4o mini, limited features
Best for
Image generation (DALL-E), broad plugin ecosystem, voice mode, Custom GPTs, Canvas for collaborative editing.
Not for
Following long, specific instructions as reliably as Claude. Gets chatty.
The most popular. Solid at everything, best at nothing except image generation. Good default if you want one tool that does a bit of everything.
Setup guide →Gemini
$20/mo (Advanced)
Free: Yes — Gemini 1.5 Flash, limited
Best for
Google Workspace integration (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Drive). 1M token context window. Multimodal (text, image, video, audio in one conversation).
Not for
Precision writing tasks. Can be vague when you need it to be specific.
If your entire life is Google Workspace, Gemini Advanced is worth it. Otherwise, Claude or ChatGPT will do more for the same $20.
Setup guide →Grok
xAI
$8/mo (X Premium) · $22/mo (Premium+)
Free: Limited on X free tier
Best for
Real-time X/Twitter search, DeepSearch for research, image generation (Aurora), unfiltered responses. Cheapest way into a capable model.
Not for
Document uploads, project organization, structured workflows. It lives on X — no standalone workspace.
Cheapest strong model. Good for research and real-time search. Limited workspace means it can't replace Claude or ChatGPT for structured work.
Setup guide →Perplexity
Perplexity AI
$20/mo (Pro)
Free: Yes — limited Pro searches
Best for
Research with sources. Every answer comes with citations. Pro Search does multi-step research. Spaces let you organize topics.
Not for
Long writing, creative tasks, document processing. It finds answers — it doesn't write your essay.
The best research tool. Not a replacement for Claude or ChatGPT — a complement. Use it when you need facts, not drafts.
Setup guide →Cursor
Cursor Inc.
$20/mo (Pro)
Free: Yes — limited completions
Best for
Writing and editing code. Tab completion, inline editing (Cmd+K), Chat panel that reads your entire codebase. VS Code fork — same shortcuts, same extensions.
Not for
Anything that isn't code. This is an IDE, not a chatbot.
If you write code (or want to start), Cursor is the best AI coding tool. Period. Our premium build products use it.
Setup guide →Lovable
Lovable
$20/mo (Starter) · $50/mo (Launch)
Free: Yes — limited edits
Best for
Building web apps from plain English. Describe what you want, get a working app. Connects to Supabase for databases, deploys instantly.
Not for
Complex backend logic, mobile apps, enterprise software. Great for MVPs and tools, not production-grade systems.
The fastest path from idea to working web app. No code required. Our Lovable premium builds ship real tools using this.
Setup guide →Codex
OpenAI
Included with ChatGPT Pro ($200/mo)
Free: No
Best for
Autonomous coding. Give it a GitHub repo and a task description. It writes the code, creates a PR, you review. Hands-off.
Not for
Quick edits, learning to code, anything that needs real-time collaboration. It works alone, asynchronously.
Expensive but powerful. Best for developers who want to delegate entire features, not pair-program. Our Codex premium builds use it for complex automations.
Setup guide →CrewAI
CrewAI
$20/mo (Starter) · usage-based
Free: Open source (self-host free)
Best for
Multi-agent workflows. One AI researches, another writes, another reviews. Chain tasks together. Automate entire processes.
Not for
Simple one-shot tasks. If you just need a single answer, this is overkill. Requires some technical setup.
The most advanced tool on this list. For people who want AI teams, not AI chat. Our CrewAI premium builds automate entire business processes.
Setup guide →What do you need?
| If you need... | Use this |
|---|---|
| I just want one AI subscription | Claude Pro |
| I need real-time research with sources | Perplexity Pro |
| I want to build web apps without coding | Lovable |
| I write code and want AI help | Cursor Pro |
| I want the cheapest strong model | Grok (X Premium) |
| I live in Google Workspace | Gemini Advanced |
| I want AI to code entire features for me | Codex |
| I want to automate multi-step business processes | CrewAI |
What does each one cost?
| Tool | Free tier | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Claude | Yes — limited messages, weaker model | $20/mo (Pro) · $100/mo (Max) |
| ChatGPT | Yes — GPT-4o mini, limited features | $20/mo (Plus) · $200/mo (Pro) |
| Gemini | Yes — Gemini 1.5 Flash, limited | $20/mo (Advanced) |
| Grok | Limited on X free tier | $8/mo (X Premium) · $22/mo (Premium+) |
| Perplexity | Yes — limited Pro searches | $20/mo (Pro) |
| Cursor | Yes — limited completions | $20/mo (Pro) |
| Lovable | Yes — limited edits | $20/mo (Starter) · $50/mo (Launch) |
| Codex | No | Included with ChatGPT Pro ($200/mo) |
| CrewAI | Open source (self-host free) | $20/mo (Starter) · usage-based |
Prices as of May 2026. These change. Check the provider before you buy.
Questions
Which AI model should I use?
For most people: Claude Pro ($20/month). It handles writing, analysis, coding, and long documents better than anything else at that price. Add Perplexity if you need real-time research. Add Cursor if you code.
Do I need more than one AI subscription?
Probably not. One good subscription replaces most SaaS tools. Claude or ChatGPT Plus covers 90% of use cases. Only add a second if you have a specific gap — real-time search (Perplexity) or code editing (Cursor).
Is ChatGPT or Claude better?
Claude is better at long writing, nuanced analysis, and following complex instructions. ChatGPT is better at image generation (DALL-E), plugins, and broad tool integration. For Lazy Viber guides, Claude is the default.
What's the cheapest subscription worth paying for?
Grok at $8/month (X Premium) if you mostly need search and general chat. Claude Pro or ChatGPT Plus at $20/month for serious work. Free tiers work for testing but hit limits fast.
Do your products work with all of these?
Each product page lists which tools it supports. Most work with Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini. Premium build products use Cursor, Lovable, Codex, or CrewAI specifically.
I don't code. Should I care about Cursor, Codex, or CrewAI?
Not yet. Stick with an AI assistant (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Perplexity). The build tools are for people who write code or want AI to write it for them.
The model matters less than how you use it.
Take the 3-minute fluency test. Find out where you stand — and what to focus on next.