Which AI tools a solo advisor actually needs

The short answer. You need four things to start: Claude, Notion, a mailing tool and a meetings tool. All of them can be free at the beginning. Claude Pro is the one I would pay for first, once you start building an AI workforce.

Claude: where the work gets done

This is where your AI workforce runs: drafting, preparing, summarising, checking. Free is enough to try it. Pro is recommended once you use it every day, because that is when limits start to cost you time.

Notion: the brain

Clients, sessions, decisions and money in one place, so that the AI has something real to work from. Most of what an assistant gets wrong comes from not knowing your situation. Writing it down once fixes that.

A mailing tool: your list

Your list is the one audience you own. A free tier does the job at the start. I moved to a paid plan only when I needed to.

A meetings tool: one to one calls

Anything that lets a client join a call without friction. A free tier does the job at the start.

What to add later, and only then

My own stack is longer than this, and most of it you should not buy yet. It includes automations, a LinkedIn inbox helper, a note taker, video editing and design tools. Each one was added when something in the practice demanded it, not before. The full list, with what I actually pay, is on What I actually pay to run this: about CHF 276 a month, net of VAT, at August 2026 rates.

The rule I use

Do not buy a tool to feel like you are making progress. Buy it when the same job has annoyed you three times. Until then, the four above are enough.

Where to go next

If you want to set the workforce up yourself, Build your own AI workforce walks you through it. If you want help getting started, see My AI Workforce.

Questions people ask

Which AI tools does a solo advisor actually need?

Four to start: Claude, Notion, a mailing tool and a meetings tool. All can be free at the beginning, and Claude Pro is the first upgrade worth making.

Do I need to pay for any of it?

Not to start. Free tiers cover the first stage. Pay when a limit is costing you time, not before.

How much does a full AI setup cost a solo practice?

Mine is about CHF 276 a month net of VAT at August 2026 rates, and I do not suggest copying it. It was built up over time. The page showing every line is open to read.

Can AI replace an assistant?

It can take on a large part of the filing, drafting, preparing and tracking an assistant would do. It does not decide who your practice is for or sit in the client meeting.