When I was starting out in marketing, most of my time went into things like manually transcribing interviews, digging through industry research, and wrestling with spreadsheets to build reports. Now? AI can take a half-baked voice note and turn it into a solid outline before I’ve even finished my first coffee.
The biggest shift I’ve seen in marketing isn’t just in what we create — it’s in how we create it. We’re moving faster, working smarter, and finding new ways to collaborate with AI.
And I’m not the only one tapping into it. A recent survey found that 71% of marketers now use AI tools daily, from content generation and brainstorming to data analysis and automation. It’s no longer just a nice-to-have. It’s becoming a core part of how modern teams get work done.
ChatGPT might be the most recognized name in the space, but it’s far from your only option.
In this guide, I’m sharing the best ChatGPT alternatives to power up your marketing workflow. You’ll also hear expert tips from fellow marketers in the field to help you get the most out of these tools — whether you’re writing, planning, editing, or optimizing.
Let’s get into it.
Tool comparison table ToolWho it’s forStandout featuresLimitationsRating OwlyGPTSocial media managers and marketers using HootsuiteTrend insights, cross-channel repurposing, Hootsuite integrationNo image generationSo I might be a little bit biased, but it’s hard not to be when a tool like OwlyGPT is designed specifically to make social media managers’ lives easier.
Built right into Hootsuite, this new feature is designed to help you stay ahead of trends, craft content on the fly, and jump into real-time conversations before your competitors even spot them.
If you’re tired of doom-scrolling news feeds or piecing together ideas from a million tabs, OwlyGPT pulls everything you need — ideas, trends, and ready-to-go captions — into one clean workspace. Less scrambling, more posting.
Who is this for?
Pricing: Available with Hootsuite plans starting at $99 per month, with a 30-day free trial.
SMM star rating: (5/5)
My favorite features:
Where there’s room for improvement:
Customer review:
Source: G2
Best ChatGPT alternatives for content creation 2. ClaudeIf you’re serious about producing high-quality content with AI, Claude — a powerful AI tool by Anthropic — is a top contender.
It’s smart, fast, and (unlike some AI tools) genuinely understands nuance and tone, making it a great choice for marketers who want content that feels human, not robotic.
Source: Claude
Who is this for?
Pricing: Free plan available, with paid plans starting at $20 per month.
SMM star rating: (4/5)
My favorite features:
Where there’s room for improvement:
Customer review:
Source: Reddit
Best ChatGPT alternatives for SEO 3. SurferIf you already know your way around SEO but want to ramp up content generation without sacrificing quality, Surfer is one of the best AI options out there.
It’s made for marketers who don’t just want fast content — they want fast content that ranks.
Source: Surfer
Who is this for?
Pricing: Plans start at $79 per month, with a 7-day money-back guarantee.
SMM star rating: (4/5)
My favorite features:
Where there’s room for improvement:
Customer review:
Source: G2
4. Semrush ContentShake AIIf you’re already working with Semrush for SEO, ContentShake AI makes it easy to stay within the same ecosystem for content creation too.
It’s built for marketers who want to move fast, helping you go from keyword research to fully outlined blog posts without tab overload.
Source: Semrush
Who is this for?
Pricing: Paid plans start at $60 per month.
SMM star rating: (4/5)
My favorite features:
Where there’s room for improvement:
Customer review:
Source: Reddit
Best ChatGPT alternatives for editing and writing 5. WritesonicIf you’re a creative marketer or copywriter who needs an AI tool that can actually keep up with your ideas, Writesonic is a strong pick.
It’s not just about SEO blog posts — it’s also a solid partner for creative writing, helping you break through blocks, refine narratives, and explore fresh angles for everything from ad copy to storytelling.
Source: Writesonic
Who is this for?
Pricing: Free plan available, with paid plans starting at $20 per month.
SMM star rating: (4/5)
My favorite features:
Where there’s room for improvement:
Customer review:
Source: G2
6. GrammarlyWe all know Grammarly as the go-to tool for catching sneaky typos, but its AI-powered tools can be your full-time writing assistant.
It’s not just about better marketing copy. Grammarly can jump into the tools you already use — like Slack, Gmail, and Google Docs — so your everyday writing gets sharper, faster, and more persuasive too.
Source: Grammarly
Who is this for?
Pricing: Free plan available (100 prompts per month). Paid plans start at $12 per month.
SMM star rating: (4/5)
My favorite features:
Where there’s room for improvement:
Customer review:
Source: G2
Best ChatGPT alternatives for marketing campaigns 7. JasperJasper is built for marketers who need to create high volumes of content quickly — without losing their brand voice. From blog posts to ad copy, its powerful AI helps you skip the prompt-wrangling and get straight to the good stuff.
Source: Jasper
Who is this for?
Pricing: No free plan. paid plans start at $39 per month. A 7-day free trial is available.
SMM star rating: (4/5)
My favorite features:
Where there’s room for improvement:
Customer review:
Source: G2
Best ChatGPT alternatives for automation 8. ZapierIf you’re already using Zapier to automate parts of your workflow, Zapier Agents might just be the upgrade you didn’t know you needed.
Think of them as mini digital teammates that you can train to handle tasks like pulling lead data, sending updates, managing content, and even responding to customers — all without writing a single line of code.
Source: Zapier
Who is this for?
Pricing: Free plan available, with premium plans starting at $19.99 per month.
SMM star rating: (4/5)
My favorite features:
Where there’s room for improvement:
Customer review:
Source: G2
Best ChatGPT alternatives for searching the web 9. Perplexity AIIf you’re tired of wading through dozens of tabs trying to fact-check something, Perplexity AI will feel like a breath of fresh air.
It’s part search engine, part research assistant and it’s brilliant at pulling real, verifiable information from across the web (not just guessing like some other AI tools out there).
Source: Perplexity AI
Who is this for?
Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start at $20 per month.
SMM star rating: (4/5)
My favorite features:
Where there’s room for improvement:
Customer review:
Source: Reddit
10. GrokIf you need an AI assistant that actually pulls real-time info from X (formerly Twitter), Grok might just have a spot on your team.
It’s designed to help you keep tabs on what’s trending — whether that’s breaking news, viral memes, or hot takes — without refreshing your timeline 50 times an hour.
Source: Grok
Who is this for?
Pricing: Free plan available (with heavy usage limits). Paid plans start at $8 per month through X Premium.
SMM star rating: (3/5)
My favorite features:
Where there’s room for improvement:
Customer review:
Source: Reddit
11. Microsoft CopilotIf you’re already working inside the Microsoft ecosystem — Word, Excel, Outlook, you name it — Copilot might be your secret weapon.
It’s powered by GPT-4, the same advanced model behind ChatGPT, but feels much more plugged into your day-to-day workflow. Plus, because it’s built into Microsoft Edge and Bing, it’s super handy for research tasks too.
Source: Microsoft Copilot
Who is this for?
Pricing: Free plan available. The paid plan starts at $20 per month, with the first month free.
SMM star rating: (4/5)
My favorite features:
Where there’s room for improvement:
Customer review:
Source: G2
Best free ChatGPT alternatives 12. Google GeminiIf you’re looking for a free, easy-to-access AI tool, Google Gemini (previously known as Bard) is a great pick, especially if you’re already using Docs, Gmail, or Sheets.
It might not be the most advanced option, but it’s packed with handy features that can help speed up your everyday marketing tasks.
Source: Google Gemini
Who is this for?
Pricing: Free with a Google account. Gemini Advanced plan starts at $20 per month for access to more powerful models.
SMM star rating: (3/5)
My favorite features:
Where there’s room for improvement:
Customer Review:
Source: Reddit
13. Meta AIMeta AI is built directly into Messenger, Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp — and it works across both iOS and Android — giving marketers easy access without adding extra tools to their stack.
It’s not the most advanced AI out there, but its basic functionality makes it a solid starting point for brainstorming ideas or generating quick visuals.
Source: Meta AI
Who is this for?
Pricing: Free to use across Meta platforms.
SMM star rating: (3/5)
My favorite features:
Where there’s room for improvement:
Customer review:
Source: Reddit
Best ChatGPT alternatives for beginners:If you’re new to AI, picking your first tool can feel a bit like standing at the edge of a diving board — exciting, but a little intimidating.
The good news? You don’t need to be an AI expert to start seeing real results.
The best beginner-friendly alternatives are easy to get started with, don’t throw technical jargon at you, and help you build confidence right from the first click.
Here are my go-to picks for beginners:
Getting great results with AI isn’t just about which tool you use — it’s about how you use it.
These tips (a mix of my own favorites and advice from fellow marketers) are designed to help you tap into AI’s full potential.
1. Use the right tool for your needsI learned this the hard way: I once spent half a day trying to use ChatGPT to pull the kind of real-world examples that Perplexity could have surfaced in minutes.
The truth is, even the smartest artificial intelligence can’t deliver if you’re asking the wrong tool for the job.
Now, before I even start a project, I take a step back and ask myself: Am I trying to write content? Research something? Edit a draft?
Once you’re clear on your goal, picking the right AI tool gets a whole lot easier — and trust me, it’ll save you a ton of time (and a lot of unnecessary headaches).
2. Master your prompts: strategy, structure, and systemsPrompt writing isn’t just a shortcut — it’s quickly becoming a core skill for marketers. As AI tools become part of daily workflows, more job descriptions (especially for roles like social media manager or content lead) now mention prompt-writing as a must-have.
“In my experience, most people feel let down by AI because they haven’t nailed their prompt strategy yet,” says Kiran Shahid, a Content Strategist for B2B SaaS brands.
Tools built on OpenAI’s models, like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, are highly responsive to detailed, structured prompts. The more context you give, the stronger the results.
“My advice to any marketer learning to work with AI? Don’t hold back. Whatever you’re holding in your head — your audience insights, brand guidelines, even banned words — put it in the prompt.”
Shahid uses a five-part framework for every prompt:
Even just including a few of these elements can turn a vague response into something sharp, relevant, and ready to use.
And when you land on a prompt that actually works? Don’t let it get buried in your chat history.
One of the best habits I’ve built is keeping a shared prompt library in Notion, sorted by use case (like blog ideas, ad copy, or campaign messaging). It saves hours and helps your whole team stay consistent, no matter who’s writing.
Need a little help? We’ve written a blog post with some of the best prompts for marketers.
3. Don’t let your tech stack spiral“As marketers, we’re used to juggling tools. But when it comes to AI, it’s easy to fall into the trap of bouncing between too many platforms, hoping for a better output,” says Claire Fowley, Senior Go-to-market Strategist with a decade of international B2B experience.
One of the best habits you can build is giving your AI tech stack a regular spring clean.
“Instead of chasing every shiny new tool, focus on a core set you actually enjoy using — and take the time to really master them,” Fowley recommends.
That doesn’t mean shutting the door on new AI tools altogether. Fowley suggests making it part of your workflow to trial and test what’s new — but only adopt it if it’s genuinely faster, smarter, or a real upgrade over what you already have.
4. The last 10% still belongs to you“AI can take you far, but it can’t replace the nuances that make great content truly connect,” says Sarah Gibbons, content marketer and brand storyteller.
There’s no doubt AI is changing how we work — it can speed things up, spark ideas, and build a solid draft in seconds. But the final polish? That still needs you.
Brand voice, emotional depth, and strategic clarity don’t come from a model — they come from your lived experience, your understanding of your audience, and your creative instinct.
“I always tell my clients: think of AI as your rough draft assistant, not your final editor. There’s real magic in that last 10% only you can add,” Gibbons adds.
Whether it’s reworking a headline for impact or weaving in a story that makes your reader stop scrolling — that human touch is what helps fine-tune decent copy into content that lands.
5. Let AI be your second set of eyesWhen you’re deep in strategy planning or mapping out a multi-channel campaign, it’s easy to lose perspective. That’s where the power of artificial intelligence can step in — not just to write, but to refine.
One of my go-to prompts when I’m stuck is: “What perspectives or angles have I missed?”
It’s simple, but often surfaces fresh ideas, highlights blind spots, or strengthens your messaging before it goes out the door.
Kiran Shahid takes it a step further. Working with multiple high-level clients — each with their own preferences and editorial quirks — she started to notice recurring feedback in her revisions and saw an opportunity.
“I built a custom AI prompt using client feedback — I pulled notes from revisions into a spreadsheet and turned that into a prompt,” she shares. “It took some time to perfect, but now it flags common issues and gives me much cleaner drafts upfront.”
The result? Fewer rounds of edits, faster sign-offs, and content that lands right the first time.
Whether you’re running a quick sense-check or training AI to mimic a client’s editing style, it’s worth remembering: AI doesn’t just help you write more — it can help you write better.
And that’s a wrap! Whether you’re writing, researching, planning, or posting, the tools we’ve covered here can help you level up your workflow (and maybe even enjoy the process a little more).
If you’re ready to build smarter, faster social strategies, OwlyGPT is a great place to start.
It brings AI right into your Hootsuite dashboard — so you can go from brainstorming to publishing without missing a beat.
Start your free 30-day Hootsuite trial today and see what OwlyGPT can do.
Save time managing your social media channels with Hootsuite. From a single dashboard, you can create content with an AI assistant, publish and schedule posts, find relevant conversions, engage the audience, measure results, and more. Try it free today.
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