I've tested dozens of AI tools over the past year. Most are mediocre. These 7 are the ones I actually use daily.
1. ChatGPT Plus
Code generation, debugging, explanation. Worth $20/month for the time savings.
2. Claude Code
Terminal-based AI coding assistant. Reads your codebase and makes changes across files.
3. Cursor
VS Code fork with AI deeply integrated. The Composer feature edits multiple files simultaneously.
4. GitHub Copilot
Inline code suggestions. The reliable default at $10/month.
5. Midjourney
AI image generation for mockups, placeholders, and marketing assets.
6. v0 by Vercel
Generates React components from text descriptions or screenshots.
7. Notion AI
AI-powered documentation and organization.
The Bottom Line
AI tools won't replace developers. But developers who use AI tools will replace those who don't.
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