Free AI Toolbox — 64 personally tested recommendations

Info: Machine translation This post was machine-translated from the Chinese original. Wording may be rough in places — the Chinese version is authoritative.

Free AI Toolbox — 64 personally tested recommendations

AI Tools · Personal Tests and Recommendations · 8 Major Categories · Free Quotas · VPN Explanations · Recommended to Bookmark

It’s 2026, and if you haven’t started using AI tools in your daily work, you’re really wasting your time.

The question isn’t ‘whether to use it,’ but 'which one to use—there are tons of recommendations online, but which ones are truly free? Which ones require VPN access? Is the free version enough?

I spent two months personally testing 64 AI tools, organizing this list into 8 major scenarios. Each tool is marked with free limits, whether you need a VPN, and what suits you best.

All information is based on actual testing in April 2026, and the free policy may be adjusted at any time.

1. AI Writing / Chat (8 models)

This is the first step for most people to get involved with AI. Choosing the right chatbot can instantly double your writing efficiency.

For domestic users, DeepSeek + Kimi are the first choices—completely free, no need to bypass the firewall, and excellent Chinese skills. Use Claude or ChatGPT when you need to write English.

2. AI Image Generation (7 models)

No worries if you don’t know how to draw—AI will help you draw. From logos to illustrations to photo-quality images, these tools can handle it all.

For image quality, use Midjourney; for freedom, use Stable Diffusion for local deployment; for domestic users, use Tongyi Wanxiang or Wenxin Yige.

3. AI Video Generation (5 models)

Text-to-video, image-to-video—AI video tools will be available by 2026.

Domestic users should choose Keling (produced by Kuaishou), with ample free credit and good Chinese comprehension. Runway is a global benchmark, with the best graphics but requires VPN access.

4. AI Programming Assistants (5 models)

A productivity tool for programmers. Can’t write code? AI helps you write. Can write code? AI helps you write faster.

For daily programming, I recommend Cursor for the free version—the most complete experience. If you don’t want to bypass the firewall, use Codeium or Tabnine, but the features are sufficient.

5. AI Music Generation (2 models)

Writing a song is no longer just musicians’ domain. Enter a description, and AI will generate the complete song—with vocals and arrangement.

Suno has excellent Chinese support, with 10 free tracks per day, more than enough for background music or entertainment. Udio’s sound quality is more refined but requires a VPN to use.

6. AI Translation (3 models)

Machine translation is no longer enough. AI translation understands context, and the translation quality approaches human level.

Install ‘immersive translation’ for English web pages, use DeepL for document translation, and use Tencent Translate for Chinese-related scenarios. Installing all three is still not a loss.

7. AI PPT / Office (4 models)

Making PPTs is the most time-consuming. AI can help you generate everything from outline to design with one click, saving 80% of the time.

For Chinese PPTs, iFlytek Zhiwen is the first choice—free and easy to use. For English presentations, use Gamma or Beautiful.ai, which has a stronger sense of design.

8. AI Search (3 models)

Traditional search engines give you a bunch of links, but AI search gives you the answer directly. This is a generational upgrade in search methods.

In China, using Mita AI search is free and unlimited, and you can also search academic papers. If you need to search for English materials, use Perplexity, which offers the highest quality answers.

Summary: Recommended by scenario

• ✍️ Writing articles / chatting :D eepSeek (preferred in China) + Claude (preferred in English)

• 🎨 Drawing / Design: Tongyi Wanxiang (Domestic) + Midjourney (Best Image Quality)

• 🎬 Video Making: Keling (the strongest in China) + Runway (global benchmark)

• 💻 Coding: Cursor (best experience) + Codeium (no VPN required)

• 🎵 Making Music: Suno (Best Chinese songs, free every day)

• 🌍 Translation: Immersive Translation (Webpage) + DeepL (Document)

• 📊 Making PPTs: iFlytek Zhiwen (Chinese) + Gamma (English)

• 🔍 Search: Mita AI Search (Domestic) + Perplexity (Global)

64 tools across 8 major scenarios, all with free plans. **Pick the one that best suits your needs and try it out first—it’s more useful than collecting 100 tools. **

HyphenTech · Let AI Be Your Superpower · hyphentech.top

🧰 Tools I build

I maintain all of these tools myself. Preview builds are clearly labeled; the release pages are the source of truth for downloads, updates and known limits.

Info: HyphenBox Status: Official releases

A radar for free LLM APIs: availability is re-tested continuously, one local interface for all of them, and keys stay on your machine

Downloads & updates

Info: LocalBrain Status: Official releases

A multimodal MCP toolbox for local models: TTS, Whisper and video generation in one place

Downloads & updates

Info: ScreenLex Status: Official releases

Learn new words while you watch shows. Free, for Mac and Windows

Downloads & updates

Info: HyphenScreen Status: Official releases

Screen recording and smart editing in one: a DaVinci-style timeline, automatic redaction and a check of the finished video before export. Free

Downloads & updates

Quote: HyphenTech Make AI your superpower Local deployment · Free resources · Self-made software https://hyphentech.top