AI Tool Statistics 2026: Pricing, Scores & Market Data (118 Tools Analyzed)
AI tool statistics for 2026: median price $20/mo, 40% offer free plans, average score 75.8/100 across 118 reviewed AI tools. Free to cite with attribution to WriteTested.
AI Tool Statistics 2026: Pricing, Scores & Market Data from 118 Reviewed Tools
Independent analysis · WriteTested editorial team · Last updated: October 2026
How much do AI tools really cost in 2026? How many offer a free plan? We pulled the numbers straight from WriteTested's review database of 118 AI writing, video, SEO, and productivity tools — every figure below is from our own editorial reviews, free to cite with a link back.
The category landscape
AI tooling in 2026 is no longer "just writing." Here's how our 118-tool database breaks down — writing and video lead by a wide margin:
Highest-rated tools
The top performers across all 12 categories (editorial score out of 100):
Pricing & the affiliate landscape
Methodology
These statistics come from WriteTested's editorial review database as of October 2026. Scores reflect our published evaluations based on features, output quality, pricing transparency, and documented capabilities. Pricing reflects publicly listed plans at the time of review and may change. We refresh the index as we review new tools.
“As of 2026, the median AI tool costs $20/month, 40% offer a free plan, and the average editorial score across 118 independently reviewed tools is 75.8/100.” — WriteTested AI Tool Statistics 2026