Why does it feel like I’m drowning in AI subscriptions?

Seeking Advice
1

Alright, here’s the situation:

  • Gemini Advanced: $20/month (family promo for now). Thanks, Google, for helping me keep up my AI habit. But honestly, this one feels more like a toy than a tool compared to the rest. Think of it as a car with a broken speedometer—looks fancy, but you’re not sure if it’s doing the job.
  • ChatGPT Plus: $20/month. This one? Totally worth it. It’s my main helper and fixes the mess Gemini makes.
  • Claude Pro: Got a yearly discount, but it’s… complicated. It’s like hiring a genius who second-guesses everything and gets overwhelmed. Still, when it works, it’s a gem.
  • Perplexity Pro: Free trial thanks to LinkedIn Premium. Feels like a better search engine, but I haven’t fully figured out how to make it a daily thing.

And now xAI is teasing us with promises of being the ultimate AI. Let’s be real—I’ll probably sign up.

When does this madness stop? Am I supposed to start adding “AI expenses” to my monthly budget, right after groceries? Anyway, who’s joining me on the xAI waitlist?

2

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3

You should check out Hoody AI. It’s way cheaper—$65 for a whole year—and gives you access to models like Claude and ChatGPT. The only downside is no image generation yet, but the interface is super clean.

4

Why do you even have so many subscriptions? It sounds like a headache.

5

If you’re tired of paying so much, why not set up your own system at home?

You can buy a used workstation for about $200 and a secondhand RTX A4000 for $600. Add some free AI models from Meta, and you’ll have everything you need for less than $1,000. Once it’s set up, you won’t need constant internet or have to deal with limits.

6

I just stick to using Merlin AI or OpenRouter. Works well for me!

7

For anyone considering ChatGPT Pro for creative work like Sora… meh. Runway Gen 3 Alpha’s unlimited plan is cheaper and honestly more useful.

I gave it a shot for a month, but Sora’s just not hitting the mark yet.

8

@Nate
Hey, can you check your messages? I really need to ask you something.

9

Why would anyone need more than one AI chatbot? It sounds like overkill.

10

Perplexity’s ‘Pages’ feature is actually really fun and useful. Worth exploring!

11

It’s a bottomless pit, honestly. I’m already paying for Perplexity Pro, Abacus ChatLLM, two work-related assistants, and some creative tools like MidJourney and DaVinci AI. Don’t even get me started on video AI. This is turning into an expensive hobby.

12

@West
Totally out of hand, I agree. If I had to pick just one, it’d be ChatGPT. It’s reliable and actually useful.

Gemini? A total waste—it’s like using a faulty GPS. Claude’s alright, but the limits are annoying. Let’s see if xAI lives up to the hype.

13

@West
Why so many tools? I use the OpenAI API and spend only a few bucks a month. It does everything I need without breaking the bank.

14

Jane said:
@West
Why so many tools? I use the OpenAI API and spend only a few bucks a month. It does everything I need without breaking the bank.

For work. I need it for generating designs, product videos, and so on. It’s super helpful, but yeah, the costs add up quickly.

15

You can run open-source AI models on a gaming PC. It’s free and solves most of the problems regular users have.

16

It’s starting to feel like the streaming wars, but instead of shows, we’re collecting AI bots.