Desk-researched. Disclosed. No hype.
Honest, plain-language comparisons of AI tools for small businesses.
Plainstack breaks down real pricing math, genuine trade-offs, and who a tool is not for — starting with AI tools for independent consultants and freelancers.
Start with the Complete Guide
Six task-specific guides for independent consultants and freelancers, each with real pricing math instead of a generic feature list. Start with whichever job is costing you the most time right now.
Best AI Tools for Writing Client Proposals
Desk-researched picks for AI-assisted proposal writing, with real pricing math for solo consultants.
Best AI Scheduling Tools for Solo Consultants
Desk-researched picks for AI scheduling tools, with real pricing math for solo consultants choosing between a booking link and AI calendar planning.
Best AI Invoicing & Bookkeeping Tools for Freelancers
Desk-researched picks for AI-assisted invoicing and bookkeeping, with real pricing and fee math for solo consultants.
Best AI Meeting Transcription Tools for Consultants
Desk-researched picks for AI meeting transcription, with real pricing math based on call length and volume for solo consultants.
Best AI Email Assistants for Consultants
Whether to use the AI email features already built into Gmail or upgrade to a dedicated AI-first email client, with real pricing for solo consultants.
Is AI Safe for Client Data? A Consultant's Guide to Data Privacy
A practical, non-legal framework for evaluating whether an AI tool is safe to use with client data, built for solo consultants.
Featured Comparisons
Already narrowed it down to two tools? These head-to-head breakdowns cover the pricing and trade-offs that actually decide it.
Calendly vs. Motion
Calendly vs. Motion: Which Fits a Solo Consultant Better?
A desk-researched, side-by-side pricing and feature comparison of Calendly and Motion for independent consultants.
Otter.ai vs. Fireflies.ai
Otter.ai vs. Fireflies.ai: Which Fits a Solo Consultant Better?
A desk-researched, side-by-side pricing and feature comparison of Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai for independent consultants.
Every page on this site is desk-researched, sourced, and dated — never a hands-on-testing claim we can't back up. See how and why →