The Solthar blog · Topic
Choosing the right AI tool
Side-by-side comparisons and buying guides for people who want to pick one AI tool and get on with their day. We compare the big chat assistants, coding tools, image generators and the free tools students can use, and say plainly which one we would choose and why.
- ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini? Which AI assistant to use now (). All three got big upgrades in September. Here is what changed, what each one is best at, and how to pick the right one for you without paying for all three.
- The best free AI tools for students this school year (). Free AI tools that help you study, take notes, check your writing and understand maths, plus the simple rules for using them honestly so they help you learn instead of getting you in trouble.
- Open weights or closed API. How to actually decide (). The gap in quality has nearly closed. The gap in what you take on has not. A straight comparison of what each choice costs you.
- The state of AI coding tools in 2026 (). Assistants, editors, agents. The category split three ways this year. Here's which shape fits which developer.
- How to choose an AI image generator (). They all make pretty pictures in the demo. The differences that matter only show up once you're working. Here they are.