AI Productivity Tools: The Stack That Replaces a Team
Manas Takalpati
Founder, Blue Orchid
I run multiple businesses without a team. AI productivity tools are the reason that's possible. Here's every tool in my stack and why it's there.
Development
Claude Code (Primary)
My core development tool. Full agentic coding - reads codebase, implements features, runs tests, fixes bugs. Not an autocomplete. An AI teammate.
- What it does: Everything a junior-to-mid developer does, faster
- Cost: $20/month Claude Pro + ~$5-15/day API usage
- See: Claude Code Complete Guide
Cursor (Secondary)
AI-enhanced code editor for quick edits and real-time suggestions. I use it alongside Claude Code for inline editing.
- What it does: Smart autocomplete, inline chat, quick refactors
- Cost: Free tier, Pro at $20/month
- See: Claude Code vs Cursor
GitHub Copilot
Tab completion for when I'm writing code manually. Good for boilerplate.
- What it does: Line-by-line code suggestions
- Cost: $10/month
Writing and Content
Claude.ai
Primary writing tool. Best at long-form drafting, voice matching, and following complex instructions.
- What it does: Draft content, edit, brainstorm, research
- Cost: Included with Claude Pro ($20/month)
- See: AI Content Creation
Grammarly
Final editing pass for mechanical errors. Catches what human eyes miss after multiple reads.
- What it does: Grammar, spelling, tone, clarity
- Cost: $12/month
Automation
Zapier
Connects AI to non-technical tools. Automate email sequences, CRM updates, and data workflows.
- What it does: Trigger-based workflow automation with AI steps
- Cost: Free tier, Pro at $20/month
GitHub Actions
Development automation - CI/CD, code review, deployment. The backbone of AI-powered development operations.
- What it does: Automated testing, building, deploying, reviewing
- Cost: Free for public repos, generous free tier for private
- See: Claude Code GitHub Actions
Communication
Otter.ai
AI meeting notes. Joins calls, transcribes, and summarizes so I can focus on the conversation.
- What it does: Real-time transcription, summaries, action items
- Cost: $17/month
Superhuman (with AI features)
Email at speed. AI drafts replies, summarizes long threads, and helps maintain inbox zero.
- What it does: AI email drafting, prioritization, scheduling
- Cost: $30/month
My Complete Stack and Monthly Cost
| Tool | Cost | Category | |------|------|----------| | Claude Pro | $20 | Dev + Writing | | Claude API | ~$200 | Dev (Claude Code) | | Cursor Pro | $20 | Dev | | GitHub Copilot | $10 | Dev | | Grammarly | $12 | Writing | | Zapier | $20 | Automation | | Otter.ai | $17 | Communication | | Superhuman | $30 | Communication | | Midjourney | $10 | Design | | Vercel | $20 | Hosting | | Total | ~$360 | |
$360/month replaces what would cost $15K-30K/month in team salaries. That's the math that makes the one-person AI business possible.
What NOT to Buy
Don't stack tools. Two AI writing tools don't make you write better. One tool mastered beats three tools barely used.
Don't buy AI wrappers. Many "AI tools" are thin wrappers around ChatGPT or Claude with a markup. If you can do it directly with the API, skip the wrapper.
Don't automate before understanding. Use tools manually first. Understand the workflow. Then automate. Automating a bad process just makes bad results happen faster.
For the complete tool comparison, see AI Tools for Solo Operators. For the business strategy, see AI Solopreneur Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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