Every tool in the directory carries one of five pricing labels. They're useful for filtering, but each hides some detail. This article explains what the labels mean, what they leave out, and how to find the real cost.
Free
You can use the tool without paying. That sounds simple, but "free" covers a lot:
- Genuinely free, with no limits that matter to most people.
- Free with a cap, such as a daily number of uses or a maximum file size.
- Free because the tool earns money another way, for example with ads, or by using your data. Read the privacy policy.
Freemium
There is a free tier and paid plans above it. The free tier is usually a taster: fewer features, lower limits, watermarks on output, slower processing, or no commercial use. Freemium is the most common label, and the free version may or may not be enough for what you want to do.
Paid
You pay from the start. Some paid tools still offer a short trial or a money-back window, which the label doesn't show. Prices can be per month, per year, per user, or per use.
Free Trial
You get full or near-full access for a limited time, then you must pay to continue. Check three things: how long the trial lasts, whether it asks for a payment card up front, and what happens at the end (an automatic charge, or a quiet downgrade).
Open Source
The code is public. You can usually run it yourself for no license fee. Running it still costs something, whether that's your own computer, a server, or your time to set it up and maintain it. Many open source projects also sell a hosted version, which works like any paid tool.
Where these labels come from
The label is chosen by whoever lists the tool, and for tools our team added, by us. We don't check it against the tool's live pricing page every day. Companies change plans, add limits and drop free tiers without telling anyone. Treat the label as a starting point.
How to check the real cost
- Click through to the tool's website and open its pricing page. If there isn't one, assume it's custom-priced and expensive, or unfinished.
- Look for the limits on the free or cheapest plan: usage caps, credits, watermarks, file sizes, export formats, number of users.
- Check whether the price is monthly or yearly, and whether it's per user.
- Look for usage-based charges. Some tools bill by the amount you generate or process, so the bill rises with use.
- Find out how to cancel before you enter payment details, and whether the trial renews on its own.
- If the tool uses a paid API behind the scenes, ask whether you bring your own key.
Using the price filter
On the tools page the price buttons let you show Free, Freemium or Paid tools. "Free" shows only tools labeled Free, so if you want to try tools at no cost, also look at Freemium. Details are in How to find the right AI tool.
A price on our site looks wrong
Please tell us with the tool's name and what its pricing page says now. It helps everyone who reads the listing after you.
