Creating marketing content can feel like trying to cook four different meals at once—copy, graphics, videos, social posts, all while keeping the flavors balanced. It’s easy to get stuck or burn out. That’s why I’ve started trusting AI to help with creative ideation and to create stunning visuals — especially since almost 80% of consumers say AI-powered ads can influence their purchasing decisions.

I’ve tested dozens of AI tools and found that the right free ones can save hours, spark ideas, and sharpen campaigns, perfect for teams or solopreneurs on a budget.

In this post, I’m sharing the best free AI tools for marketing that every marketer should try, broken down by use case, including writing, designing, video, analytics, and more. Let’s dive in.

What Is AI Marketing Used For?

AI tools can help you create, optimize, and distribute content smarter. Here’s a breakdown of the key ways you can put AI to work in your marketing:

• Content creation: Create blog post ideas or outlines, ad copy, social captions, or video scripts in minutes.
• Visual design: Generate graphics, illustrations, GIFs, and videos from text or images.
• Social media automation: Schedule posts, craft AI-assisted captions, and automate replies to comments.
• Email marketing: Draft campaigns, personalize subject lines, and suggest audience segmentation.
• SEO optimization: Run keyword research, audit pages, and track rankings without wrestling with spreadsheets.
• Audience insights: Spot patterns in behavior, predict trends, and identify which segments matter most.
• Ad optimization: Test ad copy variations, refine targeting, and get AI suggestions for better ROI.
• Video editing and enhancement: Upscale resolution, add subtitles, swap faces, animate elements, and automatically clean up backgrounds.

Best Free AI Marketing Tools at a Glance

Best AI Tools for Design and Visual Content

Design takes a lot of focus, from mockups to social graphics and ads. You can use AI tools to speed up the repetitive parts and give me more room for creative thinking. They help generate visuals and polish designs, but you can still steer the creative decisions.

1. Magic Hour for Scalable AI-Powered Image and Video Generation

Magic Hour

Best for

Scalable AI-powered video and image generation

G2 rating

4.8

Key Features

• AI video-to-video transformation
• Custom templates with smart resizing
• Image repurposing and stylization

Pricing

• Free plan
• Creator: $10/month
• Pro: $49/month
• Business: $249/month

Pros

• High-quality face swap and lip-sync features
• Excellent for repurposing content across multiple social media formats
• Scalable for mass content production with bulk processing capabilities

Cons

• Advanced features require paid plans
• Processing time varies with complexity

Magic Hour is an AI-powered creative platform that makes producing high-quality visuals fast and straightforward. You can use it to turn scripts or images into videos, animate faces, create lip-sync content, and swap faces seamlessly. It also lets you enhance images, upscale resolution, generate professional headshots, and make GIFs or memes — all without juggling multiple tools. 

You can even experiment with changing clothing or styles in photos. Instead of spending hours editing clips, cutting backgrounds, or adjusting lighting and color, you can focus on shaping the story, tone, and visuals exactly how you want them.

For instance, the 'Back to the Golden Years of Telford' exhibition used Magic Hour to recreate 1980s scenes, allowing visitors to step into the past through AI-generated visuals and interactive storytelling. This innovative approach not only captivated audiences but also showcased the power of AI in crafting memorable, experiential marketing campaigns.

My favorite features at a glance:

• Text-to-video and image-to-video: Turn scripts or images into engaging videos quickly.
  Example: Create a product teaser from your marketing copy and static images to share on social media.
• Video-to-video: Transform or enhance existing videos.
  Example: Repurpose long webinar clips into short, punchy ads for Instagram or TikTok.
• Face swaps and talking photos: Animate faces, create lip-sync videos, or swap faces in content.
  Example: Turn a photo into a talking head video delivering a personalized campaign message.
• Editing and upscaling: Polish visuals, enhance resolution, and refine images effortlessly.
  Example: Upgrade low-res product images for a high-end ad campaign or website refresh.
• Headshots and avatars: Generate professional or fun headshots and avatars.
  Example: Produce branded team profiles or virtual brand ambassadors for your campaign.
• GIFs and memes: Make shareable content fast without switching platforms.
  Example: Create quick social memes or reaction GIFs to promote a product launch.
• Clothing and style changes: Upload your selfie and experiment with looks in photos for creative flexibility.
  Example: Test different outfit styles on models or influencers for fashion campaigns without a photoshoot.

2. Canva (Magic Studio) for Template-Based Design Automation

Canva (Magic Studio)

Best for

Template-based design automation

G2 rating

4.7

Key Features

• Canva Sheets, a visually focused spreadsheet tool with AI-generated insights and charts.
• Canva Code generates websites and interactive content via text prompts.

Pricing

• Free plan
• Pro: $12.99/month (Includes a 30-day free trial)
• Teams:$14.99/month for the first 5 users

Pros

• Intuitive drag-and-drop interface suitable for beginners and professionals
• Extensive library of over 60 million photos, videos, and templates
• Real-time collaboration with team members on shared projects

Cons

• Recent global outages have disrupted user access and raised reliability concerns

Canva makes it easy to design professional-looking visuals without needing design software or advanced skills. You can choose from thousands of templates for social media content creation, presentations, and marketing materials, then drag and drop text, icons, and photos to make them your own. 

The free version provides tools for photo editing, basic video creation, and PDF conversion, along with 5 GB of cloud storage and real-time collaboration. If you want to remove backgrounds, resize designs for multiple formats, or access premium stock assets and branding kits, you’ll need Canva Pro.

3. Microsoft Designer for Quick AI Graphic Generation

Microsoft Designer

Best for

Quick AI graphic generation

G2 rating

4.6

Key Features

• Offers a library of over 100 million images and videos.
• Integrates with Microsoft 365 apps like PowerPoint and Word.

Pricing

• Free plan
• Pro: $12.99/month
• Teams: $14.99/month for up to 5 users (US minimum)

Pros

• AI-driven design suggestions enhance creativity and efficiency.
• Seamless integration with Microsoft 365 streamlines workflow.
• User-friendly interface suitable for both beginners and professionals.

Cons

• Limited template variety compared to competitors
• Occasional processing delays during image generation

Microsoft Designer lets you create professional visuals fast with AI. Type a prompt or upload an image, and it instantly builds layouts with matching colors, fonts, and copy suggestions. It also uses DALL·E to generate original images in the editor, saving you from digging through stock photo sites.

You can tweak every element — swap visuals, edit text, or adjust spacing — and the design stays clean automatically. It’s free to use with a Microsoft account, but Microsoft 365 users get access to premium templates, brand kits (including custom logos, fonts, and color palettes), and extra design elements.

4. Adobe Express for Fast Branded Content Creation

Adobe Express

Best for

Fast branded content creation

G2 rating

4.5

Key Features

• Drag-and-drop video editing capabilities
• Brand kit management for consistent branding

Pricing

• Free plan
• Premium: $9.99/month
• Teams: $7.99/person/month
• Adobe Firefly Pro $19.99/month

Pros

• User-friendly interface for quick design creation
• Integrates with Adobe Stock and Adobe Fonts for enhanced design options
• Offers social media scheduling and collaboration features

Cons

• Limited customization options compared to the full Adobe suite.
• The free version lacks access to premium templates and features.

Adobe Express is a simpler way to make graphics and short videos using Adobe’s creative tools. You can start from ready-made templates, remove backgrounds, or resize images with quick AI actions. It also connects with Adobe Stock for free photos and icons.

It’s a good option for creating quick branded content, as you can upload your logo, fonts, and colors to maintain consistent designs. The free plan covers basic templates and tools, while premium templates, stock content, and full brand kits require a paid upgrade.

Best AI Tools for Written Content

Creating blog posts, emails, or ad copy can be smoother with the right AI tools. They generate blog outlines, headlines, and content repurposing ideas that you can shape and refine, letting you focus on writing engaging and on-brand copy.

You can still guide the voice and polish the final copy, but these tools speed up the brainstorming and drafting process.

5. ChatGPT (OpenAI) for Versatile Content Brainstorming

ChatGPT (OpenAI)

Best for

Versatile content brainstorming

G2 rating

4.7

Key Features

• AI-powered text generation for marketing, writing, and coding tasks
• Summarizes documents and extracts key points

Pricing

• Free plan
• ChatGPT Plus: $20/month
• ChatGPT Team: $30/user/month

Pros

• Writes blog posts, emails, and social media content quickly
• Can answer questions and provide explanations in natural language
• Supports coding help and debugging for multiple programming languages

Cons

• May produce incorrect or misleading information without verification
• Limited ability to maintain a consistent tone or brand voice across long content

ChatGPT is an AI language model that can help generate ideas, draft copy, and explore different ways to communicate a message. You can ask it to outline blog posts, write email sequences, or come up with social captions — all in plain language. It’s like having a brainstorming partner that never runs out of ideas.

The free tier gets GPT-5 for up to 10 messages and then defaults to GPT-4o, which is capable of most content tasks. You can ask follow-up questions, refine outputs, or try different prompts to get closer to what you need.

6. Copy.ai for Marketing Copy Templates

Copy.ai

Best for

Marketing copy templates

G2 rating

4.7

Key Features

• Quick copy generators (emails, ads)
• Brand voice templates

Pricing

• Free AI tools
• Chat: $29/month
• Agents: $249/month

Pros

• User-friendly interface with minimal learning curve
• Offers a variety of templates for different content types
• Allows customization of tone and brand voice

Cons

• Can be expensive and confusing for beginners who aren’t familiar with all the features
• Content may require significant editing for accuracy and quality

Copy.ai is designed to help generate marketing copy across various formats, including social posts, email campaigns, ad copy, and product descriptions. You can start with a template, enter a few details about your brand or product, and it produces draft text you can tweak. It’s a way to get ideas flowing without staring at a blank page.

The free tier lets you create up to 2,000 words per month, access most templates, and experiment with different tones and styles. Paid plans unlock unlimited words, advanced templates, and team collaboration features.

7. Claude.ai for Long-Form Strategy Development

Claude.ai

Best for

Long-form strategy development

G2 rating

4.4

Key Features

• Handles text, images, and code for a variety of tasks
• Automates workflows with customizable Claude Skills

Pricing

• Free plan
• Pro: $17/month
• Max: $100/user/month

Pros

• Context window for processing large documents
• Writing style is often highly expressive and natural, sounding less robotic

Cons

• Lacks common multimodal features like internet browsing
• Occasional over-cautious responses that may withhold information in complex queries

Claude.ai is an AI assistant designed for tackling longer-form content and strategy planning. You can use it to draft blog post structures, reports, or marketing strategies, and it keeps track of context across multiple prompts so the content stays cohesive. It’s particularly useful when you’re mapping out a big piece or need structured ideas quickly.

The free tier provides access to Claude 1.3 for general use, allowing you to experiment with content generation and strategy drafts. Higher-tier subscriptions give you access to Claude 2.0, which handles more complex requests and larger document inputs.

Best AI Tools for Social Media Management

AI tools can help you plan posts, generate captions, and suggest hashtags that actually reach your audience. They also track engagement trends and provide insights so you can adjust content in real time. You can use them to streamline publishing while maintaining a consistent voice and strategy across channels.

8. Buffer for Streamlined Post Scheduling

Buffer

Best for

Streamlined post scheduling

G2 rating

4.3

Key Features

• Queue scheduling & analytics,
• Simple team workflows
• AI assistant

Pricing

• Free plan
• Essentials: $6/month per channel
• Team: $12/month per channel
• Agency: $100/month

Pros

• The user interface is intuitive and clean, simplifying content scheduling
• Generous free tier allows scheduling for multiple social channels
• Reliable publishing ensures consistent content flow across platforms like Instagram

Cons

• Limited advanced features like social listening and comprehensive brand monitoring
• Analytics are often too basic and lack platform-specific depth for larger teams

Buffer is a social media management tool that helps you schedule posts across multiple platforms in one place. You can queue content, set optimal posting times, and preview how posts will look on each network before they go live.

The free tier allows you to manage up to three social accounts and schedule up to ten posts per account, which is enough for small campaigns or testing new content strategies. Paid plans expand the number of accounts and posts, and include analytics and team collaboration features.

9. ManyChat for Automated Social Chat Marketing

ManyChat

Best for

Automated social chat marketing

G2 rating

4.5

Key Features

• Visual bot builder
• Multi-channel automation (IG/FB/WhatsApp)

Pricing

• Free plan
• Pro: Starts at $15/month
• Elite: Custom pricing

Pros

• Visual flow builder is intuitive for non-coders
• Strong growth tools like comment triggers boost social media leads
• Supports multiple messaging channels, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp

Cons

• Users report slow or non-existent customer support for technical issues

ManyChat enables businesses to automate customer interactions across multiple platforms, including Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. You can design chat flows to answer FAQs, deliver content, or guide users through campaigns, all without manual input.

The free plan supports up to 1,000 contacts and includes basic automation tools, live chat, and integrations with social channels. Once you reach 1,000 contacts, automation pauses unless you upgrade to a Pro plan. The Pro plan offers unlimited contacts, advanced analytics, and additional channels like SMS and email.

10. Chatfuel for AI Chatbot Creation

Chatfuel

Best for

AI chatbot creation

G2 rating

4.4

Key Features

• Bot templates, WhatsApp/Facebook automation
• Built-in lead CRM

Pricing

• Free plan
• Business (Facebook): From $23.99/month
• Business (WhatsApp & Instagram): From $39/month
• Enterprise: From $400/month

Pros

• Easy-to-use visual flow builder requires no coding knowledge
• Official Meta partner with seamless integrations for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp
• Built-in tools and templates streamline lead qualification and e-commerce campaigns

Cons

• Primarily focused on Meta channels, lacking a robust website chat widget
• Subscription costs automatically escalate based on conversation volume

Chatfuel is a no-code platform for building AI-powered chatbots on channels like Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and your website. You can create bots that handle FAQs, qualify leads, book appointments, or process payments — all without writing code.

The free plan lets you build and test bots with up to 50 conversations. Paid plans start at $19.50/month, scaling based on the number of conversations and channels you need. For example, the Business plan for Facebook and Instagram is $14.99/month for up to 1,000 conversations; extra conversations are $0.01 each.

11. HubSpot for AI-Assisted Email Campaign Creation

HubSpot

Best for

AI-assisted email campaign creation

G2 rating

4.5

Key Features

• Free CRM, contact management + marketing automation
• AI writer

Pricing

• Free
• Starter: $50/month
• Professional: $800/month
• Enterprise: $3,600/month

Pros

• All-in-one platform unifying CRM, marketing, and sales data
• Industry-leading, user-friendly interface for quick team adoption
• Generous free CRM plan with unlimited users and basic tracking tools

Cons

• Significant cost escalation when needing core features like automation
• Core tools are restricted in lower tiers (e.g., no custom reporting)

HubSpot’s AI email writer lets you draft, design, and track emails all in one platform. You can generate sales outreach emails, marketing blasts, or segmented campaigns in minutes using AI suggestions for subject lines, body copy, and tone. The AI also helps tailor messages for different audience segments to boost engagement.

The tool is completely free — no credit card required. You get access to AI-powered email generation, templates, and CRM integration, so every email you send is tracked and logged automatically. There’s no paid tier required to use the AI email writer itself.

12. Mailchimp for Beginner-Friendly Email Automation

Mailchimp

Best for

Beginner-friendly email automation

G2 rating

4.3

Key Features

• Email templates & automation
• Basic audience segmentation

Pricing

• Free plan
• Essentials: Starts at $13/month
• Standard: Starts at $20/month
• Premium: Starts at $297/month

Pros

• Large library of professional, mobile-responsive email templates
• Powerful audience segmentation based on user activity and tags
• High email deliverability rates due to an established sender reputation

Cons

• Users report poor customer support, sudden account suspensions, and strict anti-spam enforcement, even for legitimate, opted-in lists.
• Limited free plan features (no automations or email scheduling)

Mailchimp's free plan is designed for small businesses and individuals starting with email marketing. It offers essential tools to create, send, and track email campaigns without any upfront cost. The platform includes AI-powered features, including send-time optimization and audience segmentation to enhance campaign effectiveness.

The free plan is ideal for those looking to test the waters of email marketing without financial commitment. As your needs grow, Mailchimp offers paid plans with expanded features and higher sending limits.

13. Beehiiv for Newsletter Audience Growth

Newsletter audience growth

Best for

Newsletter audience growth

G2 rating

4.7

Key Features

• Newsletter growth tools
• Paid-subscription monetization features

Pricing

• Launch: Free
• Scale: Starts at $39/month
• Max: Starts at $99/month
• Enterprise: Contact Sales

Pros

• Built-in growth tools like referrals and boosts
• Zero fee platform for paid subscriptions (plus Stripe fees)
• Excellent all-in-one suite with integrated web hosting and analytics

Cons

• Significant price jump from the free plan to paid tiers
• Limited design flexibility and few native third-party integrations

Beehiiv is a newsletter platform designed to help creators build and grow their audiences efficiently. Its user-friendly interface allows you to customize your newsletter, manage subscribers, and analyze performance — all in one place. Whether you're just starting out or looking to scale, Beehiiv offers tools to support your growth.

The free "Launch" plan includes up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited email sends, a custom website, campaign analytics, and API access. This plan provides a solid foundation for creators looking to establish their presence without immediate financial commitment. As your needs grow, Beehiiv offers paid plans that unlock additional features, including monetization tools, advanced analytics, and team collaboration options.

Best AI Tools for Video Editing and Audio

When producing video or audio content, AI can assist with tedious tasks such as cutting clips, syncing sound, adding captions, and enhancing quality. These voice generator tools handle repetitive work so you can focus on storytelling. 

Here’s a look at some of the tools to make video and audio production faster and smoother.

14. Runway ML for AI Video Editing and Motion Tracking

Runway ML

Best for

AI video editing and motion tracking

G2 rating

4.5

Key Features

• Text to video & image generation
• Fast edit-by-chat video editor

Pricing

• Free plan
• Standard: $12/month
• Pro: $28/user/month
• Unlimited: $76/user/month
• Enterprise: Contact Sales

Pros

• Advanced cinematic controls like motion brush and camera guidance
• All-in-one platform with multiple AI editing tools for video and image

Cons

• High credit consumption makes costs unpredictable and expensive
• Output can suffer from inconsistencies like object morphing and poor physics

Runway ML is a cloud-based creative platform that leverages AI to streamline video editing workflows. It offers tools for tasks like background removal, color grading, and motion tracking, allowing creators to focus more on storytelling and less on manual editing. The platform supports various AI models, including Gen-3 Alpha and Gen-4, for generating and editing video content.

Runway ML provides a free plan that includes 125 credits, which can be used for video generation and editing tasks. While the free tier is suitable for testing and small projects, it has limitations, including watermarked outputs and restricted access to certain features. For more extensive use, paid plans start at $12 per month, offering increased credits and additional functionalities. 

15. Descript for Video Editing with AI Transcription

Descript

Best for

Video editing with AI transcription

G2 rating

4.6

Key Features

• Text-based video/audio editing
• Overdub & transcript tools

Pricing

• Free plan
• Hobbyist: $16/user/month
• Creator: $24/user/month
• Business: $50/user/month
• Enterprise: Contact Sales

Pros

• Text-based editing revolutionizes workflow
• Overdub and AI features correct audio easily
• All-in-one recorder, transcriber, and editor

Cons

• Performance is often slow and unstable, especially with large video projects
• Lacks advanced visual controls like complex color grading or motion graphics

Descript makes video and audio editing feel surprisingly simple. You can edit content like a document — cut, rearrange, and tweak — without needing a ton of editing experience. It also packs in AI tools like automatic video transcription, multi-track editing, screen recording, Studio Sound for audio cleanup, and Overdub for AI voiceovers.

The free plan gives you one hour of media minutes per month, which is perfect for testing features or handling small projects. If you need more, you can opt for one of the paid plans, which gives you extra media minutes, AI credits, watermark-free exports, and access to advanced AI tools.

16. ElevenLabs for Realistic AI Voice Generation

ElevenLabs

Best for

Realistic AI voice generation

G2 rating

4.5

Key Features

• High-fidelity TTS & voice cloning
• Speech-to-text features

Pricing

• Free plan
• Starter: $5/month
• Creator: $22/month
• Pro: $99/month
• Scale: $330/month
• Business: $1,320/month
• Enterprise: Contact Sales

Pros

• Best-in-class voice quality
• Powerful voice cloning
• Multilingual AI dubbing

Cons

• High credit burn rate
• Pronunciation inconsistencies exist

ElevenLabs lets you turn text into speech for audiobooks, videos, podcasts, or games. You can use existing voices or create custom ones using text prompts, and it supports over 5,000 voices in 70+ languages.

The free tier gives you 10,000 credits per month, which covers about 10 minutes of audio. Paid plans start at $5 per month and add more credits, commercial use, and features like voice cloning and dubbing studio access. There’s also an API if you want to integrate AI voices into your apps or tools. Use it to quickly generate voiceovers without having to record everything manually.

How To Choose Free AI Tools for Marketing

Picking the right AI tools comes down to matching them with your goals, budget, and workflow. The right tool should save time and fit seamlessly into what you’re already doing.

• Review free plan limits: Check what the free plan actually allows. Some tools cap usage, add watermarks, or restrict features — testing these limits helps you see if the tool can handle your needs.
• Define your marketing goals: Be clear about what you need the tool for. Be it content creation, analytics, or automation. Knowing your priorities makes it easier to pick the right fit.
• Evaluate ease of use: Look for simple interfaces, templates, and automation. The less time you spend figuring out the tool, the faster you can get results.
• Check integration options: Tools that connect to CRMs, ad platforms, or social schedulers streamline your workflow and reduce manual work.
• Compare upgrade costs: Understand the pricing tiers and when it makes sense to move from free to paid. This helps avoid surprises later.
• Assess scalability: Choose tools that can grow with you, handling more users, bigger workloads, or advanced features as your marketing expands.

Try Out Magic Hour’s Free AI Tools for Marketing

Finding the right tools can make a big difference in how efficiently you create content, manage campaigns, and track results. The best free AI tools for marketing help you test ideas, automate repetitive work, and focus on the creative side of your strategy.

Start experimenting with Magic Hour’s free AI tools for all your visual content needs and see how they fit into your workflow. 

Best Free AI Tools for Marketing FAQ

I get asked all the time which AI tools are actually free, which ones are worth using, and how to tie them together into a workflow. Here are my quick answers:

What Are the Free AI Tools for Social Media Content Creation?

For visuals, you can use Magic Hour and Canva. These tools let you create scroll-stopping graphics and videos fast. For scheduling and AI-assisted copy, Buffer and ManyChat have solid free tiers that make publishing easier without juggling multiple tools.

What’s the Best Way To Build an Automated AI Marketing Workflow?

Start simple: Use ChatGPT or Claude to brainstorm ideas, Canva or Magic Hour to create content, and then schedule or automate posts with Buffer or ManyChat. Integrations like Zapier or native app connections make it easy to move content from one step to the next without manual work.

Are There Any Free AI Tools for SEO Keyword Research and Tracking?

Ubersuggest is great for keyword research and SERP insights, and Google Analytics (GA4) helps you track performance once content is live. If you want deeper insights, you can layer in tools like Frase, but the free versions are enough to get started and test ideas.