Which AI tools do AI assistants recommend to small businesses?
We asked two Google AI engines the same 15 questions small-business owners ask about AI tools, each in a fresh, logged-out chat. Same company, same questions, different winners.
They agreed on 8 of 13.
Tidio, InVideo AI, Fathom, Wix AI, Canva, Apollo.io, Zapier, and ChatGPT or Claude were the shared top picks.
They split on 4.
Bookkeeping, email marketing, scheduling and SEO got different winners. On bookkeeping, Gemini never named QuickBooks Online, AI Mode's pick.
HubSpot was everywhere.
Named 6 times across 5 categories (marketing content, support, email, CRM and prospecting). No other brand came close.
| Question: “best AI tool for a small business…” | Gemini | Google AI Mode | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1Writing marketing content | ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro | No single pick (table led by Jasper AI) | No clear agreement |
| Q2Customer-support chatbot | Tidio | Tidio | Agreed |
| Q3Bookkeeping and accounting | No pick (QuickBooks not named) | QuickBooks Online | Split |
| Q4Social media videos | InVideo AI | InVideo AI | Agreed |
| Q5Meeting note-taker | Fathom | Fathom | Agreed |
| Q6Email marketing | Omnisend | MailerLite | Split |
| Q7AI-powered CRM | No answer (stalled) | HubSpot | AI Mode only |
| Q8Website builder | Wix AI | Wix AI | Agreed |
| Q9Design and graphics | Canva | Canva | Agreed |
| Q10Appointment scheduling | Carly AI / Lindy | Calendly | Split |
| Q11Sales prospecting and leads | Apollo.io | Apollo.io | Agreed |
| Q12SEO | Diib | SE Ranking | Split |
| Q13All-round AI assistant | ChatGPT or Claude | ChatGPT or Claude | Agreed |
| Q14Hiring and recruiting | No answer (stalled) | Workable | AI Mode only |
| Q15Workflow automation | Zapier | Zapier | Agreed |
Method, stated honestly
- Engines: Gemini (model shown: Flash-Lite) and Google AI Mode, both logged out.
- Questions: 15 fixed questions, asked verbatim, one fresh chat per question, on 23 October 2026.
- Coverage: Gemini answered 13 of 15 (the CRM and hiring questions stalled with no answer). Google AI Mode answered 15 of 15.
- Not tested: ChatGPT, Perplexity and Copilot. They were not reachable or required a sign-in from our test setup.
- Top pick: the tool an answer named or positioned first. Where an answer refused to pick one, we recorded “no single pick”.
- Caveat: a single run. AI answers shift by day, by user and by location. Treat this as a snapshot, not a ranking.
What we'd do this week
Being first on one AI engine is not being first in AI search. Even two engines from the same company send buyers to different brands.
- List the 10 questions your buyers ask before they buy.
- Ask them in 2–3 AI engines, logged out.
- Note who shows up instead of you.
- Publish a plain, quotable answer to each one on your own site.
HubSpot's edge isn't one great page. It's being the obvious answer to many neighbouring questions.