Hayz Labs · https://hayzlabs.com/reviews/best/under-20/
reviews · under $20 a month
The best AI under $20 a month
The best-scored option with a plan under $20 a month, free included, for each job. Plans are the cheapest one that unlocks the scored feature.
New to this? What the scores and labels mean
- 0 to 100
- Our score for one job, like writing or coding, compared with everything else out today. 100 is the best available today. For AI models we build it from public data, such as Arena's blind votes and Epoch AI's independent tests; apps and tools are scored on our own checklist. The same tool can score differently for different jobs, and where two likely ranges overlap, we call it a tie.
- Our verdict
- Use it: a top choice for most people. Worth trying: good, and worth a go. Depends: good for some people or one kind of job. Wait: too early to tell, or not out for everyone yet. Skip: something else does the job better.
- First look
- Just released. We say what it is and whether to bother, and give it a score once public results exist.
- No score yet
- None of the public sources we use covers it yet, or the only evidence is from a source whose numbers we can't use, so we describe it in words instead.
- Best buy
- Nothing cheaper scores as well for that job.
- Best free
- The best score for that job that costs nothing, through a free plan or by running on your own computer.
- Pay as you go
- No monthly plan: you pay for each use, usually through a developer account.
- Checked
- The day we last confirmed the score and the price against the sources. Prices change often, so check the date.
- AI model
- The engine underneath, like GPT or Claude. You use it through an app or, if you code, directly.
- Open source
- Free to download and run on your own computer, so nothing leaves your machine.
An answer for 7 of 8 jobs. Where nothing we have scored fits, we say so rather than stretch the rule. 100 is the best available today in that job.
Some picks here are made by Anthropic, whose Claude models help draft our reviews. Each pick also names the best option from another maker.
Writing
Use it Google's top model, first in Arena's text votes, now in Google AI Plus from $4.99/month; votes are still early.
Close to #1 (Claude Opus 5.5, 100), so there is little to gain by looking further.
From another maker: Claude Sonnet 5.5 (85, free)
Research and long documents
Use it Google's top model, first in Arena's text votes, now in Google AI Plus from $4.99/month; votes are still early.
This is also the #1 for research and long documents overall.
From another maker: MiMo-V2.6-Pro (94, free)
Coding
Use it Near-top coding, agents and research for half Opus 5.5's token price; for writing, pick Opus 5.5 or Gemini 3.8 Flash.
Close to #1 (Claude Opus 5.5, 100), so there is little to gain by looking further.
From another maker: LM Studio (with Bionic agent) (80, free)
Data and spreadsheets
Worth trying Low-cost Google model near the top for writing and maths; rankings are preliminary and API prices double in January.
This is also the #1 for data and spreadsheets overall.
From another maker: GLM-5.3-Flash (79, free)
Images
Use it Near-top image quality for about 3 cents an image, free to try in Gemini. Skip only if you need the very best edits.
Clearly better, if you can drop that rule: GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst scores 100 against 73 here, for pay as you go. Worth it if this job is most of your work.
From another maker: Muse Image (59, free)
Voice and audio
Nothing we have scored for voice and audio fits yet. See the full ranking.
Video
Use it Top-rated text to video on arena.ai, from $4.99/month in Google Flow. Skip it if price per clip matters most.
This is also the #1 for video overall.
Agents
Use it Google's top model, first in Arena's text votes, now in Google AI Plus from $4.99/month; votes are still early.
Close to #1 (Claude Opus 5.5, #1 on Arena's Agent board), so there is little to gain by looking further.
From another maker: MiMo-V2.6-Pro (#13 on Arena's Agent board, free)