The State of AI Tools
Quick Answer
Across 402 independently scored AI tools, the average StackScore Tools™ is 60/100. Just 4% clear the 80+ "best-in-class" bar, and infrastructure maturity is the sector's weakest dimension — trailing operational quality by 17 points.
- Tools scored: 402
- Average StackScore: 60/100
- Score 80+: 4%
- Top category: Chat AI (69)
How good are AI tools, really?
Of 402 tools, only 4% score 80 or above (best-in-class). 61% land in the solid 60–79 range, and 35% fall below 60 — a reminder that most AI tools are average, and the gap between leaders and the long tail is wide.
The trust gap
Averaged across every tool, the four StackScore dimensions reveal the sector's defining weakness: AI tools are far stronger on operational quality (66) than on infrastructure maturity (49) — a 17-point gap. The tools can do the work; trusting them with it is the harder problem.
Which categories lead
| Category | Avg StackScore | Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Chat AI | 69 | 20 |
| Dev | 67 | 18 |
| Support | 65 | 17 |
| Business | 64 | 39 |
| Web & SEO | 64 | 12 |
| Creative & Media | 63 | 62 |
| Analytics & Data | 63 | 25 |
| Productivity | 61 | 114 |
| Marketing | 58 | 78 |
| Sales | 58 | 64 |
| Writing | 58 | 30 |
| Research | 49 | 45 |
How AI tools charge
The 10 highest-scoring AI tools
- 1Claude86
- 2ChatGPT86
- 3Ramp83
- 4ElevenLabs83
- 5GitHub Copilot83
- 6Gemini82
- 7Klaviyo81
- 8Perplexity AI81
- 9Synthesia81
- 10n8n81
See the full StackScore Tools™ Top 100 →
How the scores work: StackIndex™ engine · StackScore™ · Browse all tools
FAQ
Frequently asked
What is the average score of AI tools?
Across 402 AI tools independently scored by instawhat.ai, the average StackScore Tools™ is 60/100. 4% score 80 or above, 61% score 60–79, and 35% score below 60.
Which category of AI tools scores highest?
Chat AI tools lead with an average StackScore of 69/100 across 20 tools, followed by Dev (67).
What are AI tools weakest at?
Infrastructure maturity is the weakest dimension across the sector, averaging 49/100 — 17 points below operational quality (66/100). In practice, AI tools are more capable than they are trustworthy or durable.
How are these scores calculated?
Every tool earns a StackScore Tools™ (0–100) from the StackIndex™ engine, blending operational quality, trust & reliability, market traction and infrastructure maturity. Scores are independent and evidence-based.
Source: instawhat.ai StackIndex™ — independent scoring of 402 AI tools. Figures update as scores are re-run. Cite as “instawhat.ai StackScore™ data, October 2026.”