My 7 Best AI Content Writing Tools (After Testing Dozens)

I've tested just about every AI writing tool out there in the last few years. And while they all promise to turn you into an ultra-productive—almost superhuman—writer, the reality is that most just spit out robotic copy that takes longer to fix than writing from scratch.

But that isn't the case for all of them. Some AI writing tools really can make you more productive and help you create content... as long as you know how to use them.

So, to save you the trial and error, I've rounded up my 7 favorite AI tools for content writing. These are the ones I actually use week after week because they make writing faster, smoother, and honestly, a lot more fun.

Best AI content writing tools

Here are my top artificial intelligence picks for different users and use cases:

• Best overall: ChatGPT
• Best for natural, human-like writing: Claude
• Best for Google Workspace users: Gemini
• Best for writing search-optimized content: Jasper
• Best for freelancers or content teams: Copy.ai
• Best for scaling and workflow automation: Writesonic
• Best for note-taking and organization: Notion AI

These choices come from years of testing in my job as a full-time content writer — testing brand voice, as well as recommendations from friends and colleagues in the industry. I've tested all of them personally and regularly use them.

Let's get to why these are my top AI tool picks, starting with the one that's probably already sitting in your browser: ChatGPT.

1. ChatGPT

ChatGPT might seem like an obvious and boring choice, but hear me out.

While it's not the best at everything, it's probably the best all-rounder as it works well for pretty much every aspect of content writing, from research to drafting to editing.

ChatGPT also has a handy Chrome extension so you can easily access it while writing in Google Docs or anywhere else. It plugs right in so you can bounce ideas without breaking your flow.

Pricing

ChatGPT is priced at a premium and offers only 2 plans. The Pro plan starts at $20/month with a 7-day free trial, while the Business plan has custom pricing.

Pros

• Excellent all-around writing assistant
• Great for brainstorming and ideation
• Powerful research capabilities
• Regular updates with new features

Cons

• Can sometimes produce generic content
• Requires good prompting skills
• Premium features require subscription

2. Claude

Claude by Anthropic has quickly become my go-to for anything requiring nuanced, thoughtful writing. It excels at maintaining a natural, human voice that doesn't feel robotic.

What sets Claude apart is its ability to understand context and produce content that feels genuinely written by a human. It's particularly good at longer-form content where maintaining consistency is crucial.

Pricing

Claude offers a free tier with limited usage, and Claude Pro at $20/month for heavy users.

3. Gemini

If you're already in the Google ecosystem, Gemini (formerly Bard) integrates seamlessly with Google Docs, Gmail, and other Workspace apps.

The real power comes from its ability to pull information from your existing documents and emails, making it perfect for professionals who need context-aware assistance.

Pricing

Free with a Google account, with Gemini Advanced available through Google One AI Premium at $19.99/month.

4. Jasper

Jasper is the heavyweight champion of SEO-focused content creation. It comes with templates specifically designed for blog posts, product descriptions, and marketing copy.

The platform includes a built-in SEO mode that helps optimize your content for search engines as you write, saving you the back-and-forth with separate tools.

Pricing

Starts at $49/month for the Creator plan, with Business plans offering more features.

5. Copy.ai

Copy.ai shines for teams and freelancers who need to produce consistent content at scale. Its workflow automation features let you create templates and processes that can be reused.

The collaborative features make it easy to maintain brand voice across multiple writers and projects.

Pricing

Free plan available, Pro starts at $49/month with team plans available.

6. Writesonic

Writesonic is built for scale. If you need to produce large volumes of content quickly, its batch processing and workflow features are unmatched.

It also offers a unique "Article Writer 6.0" that can generate full blog posts from just a topic and keywords.

Pricing

Free tier available, with paid plans starting at $19/month.

7. Notion AI

If you're already using Notion for note-taking and project management, Notion AI adds a natural layer of AI assistance right where you work.

It's not as powerful as dedicated writing tools, but the convenience of having AI help within your existing workflow is hard to beat.

Pricing

$10/month add-on to any Notion plan.

Still not sure which AI writing tool to choose?

My advice: Pick the one that seems best for you, try the free version (if available), and see if it fits your workflow and actually helps you create high-quality content. If it does, upgrade to the paid plan. If it doesn't, try another.

Here's my advice on the best tool to try depending on your situation and goals:

• If you're new to AI content writing tools, start with ChatGPT or Claude. They're intuitive, flexible, and show how AI can support your writing instead of replacing it.
• If you live in Google Docs or Gmail already, try Gemini. It plugs right in so you can bounce ideas without breaking your flow.
• If ranking in search engines and AI search results is important to you, go for Jasper. This is what it's built for.
• If you need to systemize your content operations with a large team, go for Writesonic. It's built for scaling but makes a little more learning.
• If you just want a clean AI writing tool (and don't care for SEO), Lex and Notion are your best friends.

Remember, AI content tools shouldn't make the job less fun, more stressful or more time-consuming. If that happens, try a different tool.