Summary
After testing more than 100 AI tools for his business, Nate Herk narrows the field to seven that he says have changed how he runs his company every day. The video walks through each pick, how he uses it, and why it earns a place in a working stack.
The list starts with Claude Code and Codex, local AI agents that read files, write code, and build custom apps from natural-language instructions. Herk describes using them as the operating system for his business, including a “second brain” of projects, skills, and meeting transcripts, and says they let him replace paid tools such as Gamma and Loom with homegrown versions. He explains why he pays for both and switches between them depending on the task. Next is OpenRouter, which offers access to more than 500 models from over 80 providers through one account. Herk covers fallback routing, separate API keys per automation for cost tracking, and pairing cheap models with stronger ones in the same workflow.
The rest of the list covers Hostinger one-click VPS hosting for agents such as Hermes and OpenClaw, and Grokbot, a cloud-computer agent platform with scheduled routines and app connectors that automates community posting and content updates. Viewers get a practical look at which tools hold up in real daily use and how to avoid paying for software they can build themselves.
📺 Source: Nate Herk | AI Automation · Published October 19, 2026
🏷️ Format: Roundup
