Choosing an AI Tool: 5 Simple Steps to the Best Pick
Which AI tool suits you? With five questions, a simple test and privacy tips, you can pick the right tool for your work without any fuss.
You want to get started with AI, but when it comes to choosing an AI tool, you can’t see the wood for the trees. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, Perplexity: they all look alike.
Luckily, you don’t need to find the best tool in the world. You need the tool that fits your tasks.
How does choosing an AI tool work in practice?
You choose an AI tool by first deciding which job you want it to do, and then testing two tools on exactly that job. The brand comes second.
Take Sandra, who runs a small accountancy firm in Zwolle. She wants to write client emails faster and summarise meetings. Those are two different tasks, so she may need two different tools.
An AI tool is a program or app where you give an instruction in ordinary sentences. Most tools have a free version with limits and a paid subscription with more features. Always check the provider’s own website for current prices.
Which AI tool suits which task?
There is no winner for everything. Every tool has a strong point, and it changes regularly. Use the table below as a first guide and test for yourself.
| Tool | Provider | Often suits |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | OpenAI | All kinds of tasks: writing, brainstorming, explaining |
| Claude | Anthropic | Reading and writing long texts |
| Gemini | Working with your Google account and Google apps | |
| Copilot | Microsoft | Working with Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams |
| Perplexity | Perplexity | Searching with sources cited |
| NotebookLM | Asking questions about your own documents |
Please note: features, limits and prices change quickly. So treat this table as a starting point. Check the current options on the provider’s website.
Which questions help you choose an AI tool?
Five short questions will usually get you a long way. Answer them before you sign up for a subscription.
- Which task takes me the most time right now? Think of emailing, summarising, quotes or social media.
- Do I already work in Microsoft or Google? Then Copilot or Gemini is the obvious choice, because those tools connect to programs you already know.
- Do I need up-to-date facts with sources? Then choose a tool that shows its sources, and check them yourself.
- What data will I enter? Stricter rules apply to client data or trade secrets.
- What can I spend? Start for free and only pay once you notice you are hitting the limit.
Never worked with AI before? Then first read our guide on using ChatGPT as a beginner. That way you will know how a chat like this works.
How do you apply choosing an AI tool to a real example?
You choose an AI tool by looking at your week and noting the tasks that come up most often. Then you match each task to a type of tool. That works better than starting with a list of brands.
Back to Sandra. She writes client emails every day, makes a weekly overview for her team and regularly looks up what a new rule means. She works in Outlook and Teams.
For the emails and the team overview, she tests Copilot, because it works inside the programs she already uses. For looking up rules, she tests a tool that shows its sources. She compares this with a general chatbot and sees which one needs the least correcting.
Please note: even with a tool that shows sources, you still need to check. Open the source yourself and read whether it really says what the tool claims. You can read more about this risk in our article on AI hallucinations.
What is the difference between free and paid?
A free version is almost always enough to make a first choice. Paid subscriptions usually give you more usage, access to more advanced features or business terms. Exactly what is included differs per provider and often changes.
Ask yourself three things before you pay. Do I hit a limit every week? Am I missing a feature I really need? Will it save me more time than it costs? If you answer no to all three, wait a little longer.
If you do take a subscription, preferably choose one you can cancel monthly. That way you are not stuck if the tool turns out not to suit you. Check the terms on the provider’s website.
How do you fairly test two tools against each other?
Give both tools exactly the same assignment and compare what you get back. That way you can see for yourself which tool fits your writing style and work better.
- Pick three real tasks from your week, for example an email, a summary and a list of ideas.
- Write one clear instruction for each task. You will find useful examples in our prompts for your work.
- Paste the same instruction into both tools.
- Give each answer a score for quality, speed and ease.
- Measure how much time you still spend on improving it. That is your real gain.
prompt
Here is a tip few people know: use the same detailed prompt in both tools, and then ask what do you still need to do this better? You will immediately see which tool asks smart follow-up questions and which one simply starts guessing.
What is safe when choosing an AI tool for privacy?
Choosing an AI tool safely means knowing what happens to your input and never sharing more than necessary. Every provider has its own privacy settings, and they are not always set to the strictest level by default.
In ChatGPT, you can switch off the option Improve the model for everyone in the settings under Data controls. Then your new conversations are not used to train OpenAI’s models. This is explained in the OpenAI Help Center.
With Gemini, Google stores your activity in your Google account for as long as Keep Activity is switched on. You can view and delete your conversations and switch off the storage feature, as explained on Google’s help page.
SeniorWeb (a Dutch organisation that helps older people with digital skills) gives practical tips on privacy, the environment and staying critical in Verantwoord AI gebruiken (in Dutch). You will find more rules in our guide to using AI safely.
- Do not enter national ID numbers (BSN), medical data or client lists.
- For work, preferably use a business account if your employer offers one.
- Ask your employer whether there are agreements about AI. If not, this is a good moment to make them.
Which AI tool should you choose as a beginner, employee or business owner?
For choosing an AI tool as a beginner, a general chatbot is the easiest, because you can ask it a question about anything. Later you can add a specialised tool.
- Beginner or senior: start with one chatbot and ask ordinary questions, the kind you would ask a colleague. Practise with small jobs, such as a letter or a travel plan.
- Employee in a large organisation: first ask which tool your employer allows. Often that is Copilot or another approved environment.
- Freelancer or small business owner: look at the task that takes the most time, such as quotes, newsletters or client emails, and test one tool on it.
- Student or writer: a tool that shows its sources helps you check facts faster.
So it is not about the smartest tool, but about the tool you actually use every week. An average tool you open daily gives you more than a top model you forget about.
How do you know you made a good choice?
Your choice is a good one if after a week or two you save noticeable time and the answers need little editing. If not, try the next tool.
Keep a simple list with three columns: task, minutes without AI and minutes with AI. After a week you will see in black and white what it delivers. This makes choosing an AI tool less a matter of feeling and more an ordinary business decision.
Also trust your instincts: do you feel comfortable with the tone of the answers, and do you understand what the tool is doing? Then you are likely to keep using it.
What mistakes do people often make when choosing an AI tool?
Most people make the same three mistakes: too many tools at once, paying too soon and believing everything the tool says. All three cost you time and money.
AI can sound convincing and still be wrong. This is called a hallucination. So always check figures, names and sources yourself before you send anything.
- Too many tools: pick two and get to know them well.
- Paying too soon: many subscriptions renew monthly. Set a reminder in your calendar.
- Blind trust: you remain responsible for what you send.
- Forgetting to update: tools change quickly, so test again every six months.
When should you switch to another tool?
Switch if your tool keeps hitting a limit, if the answers are no longer good enough, or if a new tool comes along that clearly does your task better. Do not change with every new announcement.
If you want to search through documents, a specialised tool is sometimes better than a general chatbot. Take a look at NotebookLM for beginners, for example. That is a smart way to add to your first choice.
Frequently asked questions about choosing an AI tool
What is the best free AI tool?
That depends on your task. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Copilot all have a free version with limits. Test two tools and choose the one that saves you the most.
Do I have to pay for an AI tool?
Usually not at the start. Begin for free and only take a subscription when you often reach the limit. Check the current prices with the provider.
Is an AI tool safe for company data?
Not automatically. Check the privacy settings, use a business account where possible and do not share sensitive data without agreements in place.
Can I use several AI tools at the same time?
Yes, you can. Two tools is enough for most people. More mainly makes things confusing.
Your next step is simple: pick three tasks, test two tools and note what it saves you. If you are still at the very beginning, read how to start using AI at work today.
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