Free · the short version
The 1-page AI tool stack cheat sheet
The five jobs every one-person business must cover, the tool to reach for first in each, and what to skip. Pricing is qualitative — verify on each official site.
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The 1-Page AI Tool Stack Cheat Sheet
Run a one-person business in 2026 — the short version
A free taste of "The 2026 Solopreneur AI Tool Stack" · BestThingsOnline.com
The 5 jobs every solo business must cover
If a tool doesn't serve one of these, you probably don't need it yet.
- Create the thing — copy, content, scripts → AI Writing
- Show your face at scale — video & voice → AI Video & Avatars
- Stop doing the same task twice — connect your apps → Automation
- Own the relationship — a direct line to your audience → Email Marketing
- Get paid — checkout & delivery → Selling Digital Products
The picks at a glance
| Job | Start free with | Step up to | Skip unless... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing | Claude or ChatGPT (free) + Perplexity | One paid frontier assistant, learned deeply | Jasper/Writer — only for locked brand voice across a team |
| Video & Voice | Your phone + a transcript editor; ElevenLabs for voice | HeyGen (social) / Synthesia (training) | An avatar platform — wait until video is a proven channel |
| Automation | Zapier or Make (free tier) | Make for value; Zapier for ease | n8n self-hosted — only if you're technical |
| MailerLite free (or beehiiv for newsletters) | Kit for creators selling expertise | — just pick one this week | |
| Selling | Gumroad (no monthly fee) | Lemon Squeezy (handles global tax) | Kajabi — don't start here; graduate later |
The 10-minute "is it worth it?" filter
Run any tool through these 5 questions. Fail one → defer it.
- Which of the 5 jobs does it do?
- What does it replace (a task, a spreadsheet, another subscription)?
- Is there a free or genuinely cheap entry point?
- How hard is it to leave (can you export your data)?
- Does it pay for itself this month — not "someday"?
The 3 automations to build first
- Capture → Welcome — new subscriber gets tagged + a warm welcome email instantly.
- Lead magnet → Deliver → Nurture — free download delivered, then a short trust-building sequence.
- Sale → Deliver → Onboard → Record — product delivered, customer tagged, sale logged.
The one rule that keeps your stack lean
Once a month, ask of every subscription: "What breaks if I cancel this today?" If the answer is "nothing much" — cancel it. Pay for leverage, not toys.
Want the full playbook?
This is one page of a complete, opinionated guide — with three ready-made stacks ($0 / Lean / Pro), 7 step-by-step automations, the full tool-by-tool breakdown with honest trade-offs, and a 30-day quickstart checklist.
Get "The 2026 Solopreneur AI Tool Stack" — and get our free weekly digest of what's genuinely worth your attention at bestthingsonline.com/subscribe.
Researched and written by the BestThingsOnline AI as a transparent synthesis of public information, last updated May 2026. Recommendations are based on fit and merit, not commission; some links may be affiliate links at no extra cost to you. Pricing is qualitative — always verify current pricing on each tool's official site.
Want the full playbook?
Every job, three ready-made stacks, the wire-it-together automations, and a 30-day quickstart.
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