Most people assume running a proper AI-powered business requires a developer, a custom build, and a tech budget that would make your eyes water. The reality at HelloFunnels is quite different.
The entire AI tech stack running our business costs well under $200 a month in extra spend. No N8N. No extra computer humming in the corner of the office. No mystery integrations that only a developer can touch. Just a small handful of tools, most of which you’ve probably already heard of, all talking to each other quietly in the background.
The Centrepiece: Claude (Two Versions)
Claude is where the heavy lifting happens, and there are two versions in play: the web version (browser-based, accessible from any device) and Co-Work (the desktop version that runs tasks autonomously in the background).
The distinction matters. Web Claude handles anything that needs to be accessed on the go. Co-Work handles anything that needs to run on a schedule or operate independently while you’re doing other things. Projects and skills are set up across both, mirroring each other depending on the context.
Cost: $97/month for the bigger plan. Team members run on the $20/month standard plan.
The Business Brain: Airtable + ClickUp
These two tools together form what we call the business brain. Airtable holds all the data: sales, products, marketing, clients, activity. ClickUp holds all the doing: promotion plans, marketing plans, SOPs, operations.
Claude has direct access to both, which means it can pull from either in real time depending on what it needs. If you’re starting from scratch and don’t want two separate subscriptions, Notion can do both jobs in one place (just note the per-user pricing if you have a team).
The Glue: Zapier
Zapier is what gets data into Airtable from all the places that don’t have a direct integration. New sales, new leads, new client activity: all of it flows in through Zapier. The extra cost for the volume needed was around $20/month on top of an existing plan.
The Optional One Worth Knowing About: GoMarble
GoMarble ($60/month) pulls in ads data, ad performance, competitive research, market research, and social media research. It feeds into our daily briefings, weekly briefings, and content creation. If you’re not running ads, it’s skippable for now. If you are, it changes how you approach the whole thing.
The Rest of the Stack
Wispr Flow handles voice-to-text, turning dictated briefs and brain dumps into typed text across the computer. Slack is where all AI agents communicate: every agent has its own Slack user and messages through when a task is done, a question has come up, or something needs attention. It keeps work contained and easy to manage.
The Actual Total
If Airtable, ClickUp, and Zapier are already in the business, the extra cost of the full AI setup is well under $200 a month. Claude, the Zapier bump, GoMarble, Wispr Flow, and Slack. That’s the whole thing.
Click here to listen to the full episode.
See The Whole System In Action
We’ve recorded a free behind-the-scenes video walking through every workflow, every dashboard, and every part of the AI system in real time. It’s only up for a limited time.
