I tried way too many tools. So I stopped trusting “best tools” lists. I use a lot of tools.

Productivity tools, AI tools, no-code tools, automation tools.
Not because I like testing apps for fun, but because every new project seems to come with a new promise.
“This one will save you time.”
“This one will finally fix your workflow.”

At some point, I realised something simple.
I was spending more time choosing tools than actually doing the work.

Most of the time, it starts the same way.
You look for a tool, read a few opinions, maybe watch a video or two, set everything up. It feels good for a moment. You think you’re moving forward.

And then, a couple of weeks later, you’re already looking at something else. Another tool, another promise.

You’re not lazy.
You’re not stuck.
You’re just busy managing tools instead of working.

The problem isn’t the tools.

There are great tools out there. Really good ones.

The problem is how we choose them.

Most comparisons online don’t help much. They’re often sponsored, overly technical, or written by people who clearly didn’t use the tool in real life. They explain what a tool can do, not whether it actually makes sense for you.

After trying way too many tools, I ended up with a pretty simple conclusion.

There’s no “best” tool.

There’s just the right tool at the right moment — and the wrong one at the wrong time.

Notion works great until things get messy.
ClickUp is powerful until it becomes heavy.
AI tools are useful until you expect them to think for you.

A good tool in the wrong context becomes a pain very fast.

Now, before adding anything new to my stack, I keep it simple.

I ask myself what problem I’m really trying to solve.
I ask myself if this will still feel simple in a few months.
And I try to be honest about whether I’m reducing friction or just moving it somewhere else.

If I hesitate, I don’t add the tool.

That rule alone saved me a lot of time and a lot of subscriptions.

I started writing these decisions down for myself.
Just notes. No reviews. No rankings. No “top 10”.

Over time, it turned into Tooltrim.
It’s basically one place where I compare tools the way I actually use them, not the way they’re marketed.

If you’re curious, it’s here:
https://tooltrim.io/

I don’t think productivity comes from better tools.

It comes from clearer choices.

If this helps you skip one useless subscription or one pointless migration, that’s already a win.

And if you feel overwhelmed by tools… yeah. Same here.