8 Free AI Tools Every Claude User Must Use

Summary

The video presents eight tools intended to improve how people work with Claude—not to change which AI model they use. The tools focus on planning, reducing unnecessary tokens, managing parallel work, finding information, reviewing files, applying business skills, and dictating by voice.

1. Lavish — Visual planning: Turns a plan into a visual document that users can comment on. Comments can request changes, which are then sent back to the agent to update the plan. The speaker says it can also show design mockups before development and is useful for both technical and non-technical projects.

2. RTK (Rust Token Killer) — Reducing input tokens: Filters unnecessary command output before it is sent back to Claude. The speaker gives an example of output shrinking from about 15,000 tokens to 1,800 and cites the documentation’s claimed 60–90% reduction. He cautions that savings depend on the task and apply to tool output sent to Claude—not total token use.

3. Ponytail and Caveman — Shorter outputs: Ponytail encourages Claude to write simpler, less overcomplicated code. Its project documentation is cited as claiming reduced code and faster, cheaper work, though the speaker emphasizes simplicity over the exact figures. Caveman prompts Claude to respond more briefly, removing unnecessary wording and potentially reducing output tokens.

4. Claude Code Projects — Parallel work: Described as distinct from the similarly named Claude Projects feature. It lets a user work through one conversation while Claude splits tasks into parallel cloud sessions, shares context between them, and continues working after the user exits. The feature was rolling out to Pro and Max users; the speaker also mentions an open-source alternative called First Mate.

5. BuildPartner.ai — Finding relevant information: Lets Claude retrieve content from platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube without leaving the terminal. The speaker uses it to find current discussions and receive a curated weekly news roundup. He notes that it is his product, starts free, and may become paid depending on usage.

6. Obsidian — Viewing local files: A free local file viewer and note-taking tool for reading and editing Markdown files created or modified by Claude. The speaker compares it to a more capable Apple Notes for local files, says it complements rather than replaces his team’s use of Notion, and explains that setup involves creating a vault—a folder on the computer.

7. Anthropic’s small-business plugin — Business skills: Includes skills for areas such as sales funnels and email management. The speaker values it not only for those functions, but also as an example of how to apply Claude skills across business operations.

8. Hex — Voice dictation: A free, open-source, system-wide voice input tool presented as an alternative to products such as Whisper Flow. A hotkey starts recording and inserts the transcription into the active application, so it can be used beyond Claude. The speaker also says dictation helps him develop ideas through speaking and review his speech habits over time.

Sponsor Mention

The video also includes a sponsored segment for Whop (rendered inconsistently in the subtitles as “Wopp” or “Wopster”). The speaker describes payment processing with flexible checkout options, traffic and conversion analytics, and business recommendations based on sales data. This is separate from the eight tools.

Main Speaker and Source

Austin Marchese is the video’s presenter and creator of BuildPartner.ai.