Are you curious about which AI tools are actually worth your hard-earned startup cash? Forget the hype and flashy demos – it’s time to follow the money trail! Andreessen Horowitz just dropped their bombshell AI Spending Report that analyzed real transaction data from Mercury’s 200,000+ startup customers, revealing where entrepreneurs are putting their dollars when it comes to AI tools.
The results might surprise you. While everyone’s talking about the latest AI trends, actual spending patterns tell a completely different story about what tools deliver real business value.
The Big Picture: Where Startup Dollars Actually Flow
Based on three months of Mercury transaction data (June-August 2025), the report identified the top 50 AI-native application companies that startups are genuinely paying for – not just trying out, but consistently investing in. Unlike consumer traffic rankings that show what’s popular to browse, this data reveals what tools are so valuable that growing companies are willing to spend precious funding on them.
Key findings that shocked the industry:
- Horizontal tools dominate: 60% of spending goes to tools anyone can use across teams
- Human augmentation beats replacement: Startups prefer “copilots” over full AI automation
- Creative tools are everywhere: Visual and design tools made up the largest category
- Vibe coding went enterprise: Four coding platforms cracked the top 50
The Complete Top 50 AI Tools List
- OpenAI — General AI models & tools for chat, vision, and APIs. – https://openai.com/
- Anthropic — Claude models for safe, long-context reasoning & coding. – https://www.anthropic.com/
- Replit — In-browser IDE with AI to write, run, and host code. – https://replit.com/
- Freepik — AI-powered stock assets, image/video generators, and design tools. – https://www.freepik.com/
- ElevenLabs — Ultra-realistic AI voices, cloning, dubbing, and TTS APIs. – https://elevenlabs.io/
- Cursor — AI coding editor that completes, refactors, and ships code. – https://www.cursor.com/
- Fyxer — Inbox triage, smart email drafting, and meeting notes. – https://www.fyxer.com/
- Lorikeet — AI support concierge across chat, email, and voice. – https://www.lorikeetcx.ai/
- micro1 — Hire vetted AI/ML engineers and teams faster. – https://micro1.ai/
- Notion — All-in-one docs/wiki with built-in AI writing & search. – https://www.notion.com/
- Delve — AI-native compliance (SOC2, HIPAA, ISO) automation. – https://getdelve.com/ (Y Combinator)
- Perplexity — Answer engine & AI browser for sourced, live results. – https://www.perplexity.ai/
- Instantly — Cold email outreach with AI copy, warmup, and tracking. – https://instantly.ai/
- Customer.io — Lifecycle marketing automation with AI content & journeys. – https://customer.io/
- Kling AI — Text-to-video generation from Kuaishou. – https://klingai.com/ (Clay)
- Retell AI — Voice agents that talk on calls and handle workflows. – https://www.retellai.com/
- Canva — Quick design, slides, and video with AI assist. – https://www.canva.com/
- Lovable — “Vibe-coding” app builder that generates full-stack code. – https://lovable.dev/
- Metaview — AI notetaker & recruiting analytics for interviews. – https://www.metaview.ai/
- Adept — Agents that take actions across your enterprise tools. – https://www.adept.ai/
- Glean — Work AI: search, assistant, and agents over company data. – https://www.glean.com/
- Photoroom — Background remover and product images at scale. – https://www.photoroom.com/
- Solve Intelligence — Agentic automation platform for complex tasks. – https://solve-intelligence.com/
- Gamma — AI presentation/website maker from a simple prompt. – https://gamma.app/
- Clay — Relationship/lead intelligence with live enrichment. – https://clay.earth/
- Cluely — Real-time meeting coaching & prompts on calls. – https://cluely.com/ (Cluely)
- Crosby — Hybrid AI law firm that negotiates contracts fast. – https://www.crosby.legal/ (TechCrunch)
- Midjourney — High-quality AI image generation for creatives. – https://www.midjourney.com/
- Combinely — AI coworker that automates accounting workflows. – https://combinely.ai/ (Startup Hub)
- Merlin — Browser/desktop AI assistant for research and writing. – https://www.getmerlin.in/
- Descript — Edit video/audio by editing text; record & transcribe. – https://www.descript.com/
- Grammarly — AI writing, tone, rewriting, and document tools. – https://www.grammarly.com/
- Manus — General-purpose AI agent that executes tasks end-to-end. – https://manus.im/
- Cognition — Makers of Devin, the AI software engineer. – https://www.cognition.ai/
- OpusClip — Auto-clips long videos into viral shorts. – https://www.opus.pro/
- Happy Scribe — AI notetaker, transcription, subtitles, translation. – https://www.happyscribe.com/
- 11x — “AI employees” for SDR/ops tasks and GTM. – https://www.11x.ai/
- PLAUD — AI voice recorder + instant transcription & summaries. – https://www.plaud.ai/
- Serval — AI-native IT help desk & workflow automation. – https://www.serval.com/
- Ada — AI customer service agents for enterprise CX. – https://www.ada.cx/
- Otter.ai — Meeting transcriptions, summaries, and action items. – https://otter.ai/
- Alma — AI platform for immigration legal workflows. – https://www.tryalma.com/ (LinkedIn)
- Applaud — Employee experience & HR portal with AI. – https://www.applaudhr.com/
- CapCut — All-in-one AI video editor for web & mobile. – https://www.capcut.com/
- Motion — AI scheduling, calendar, and project planning. – https://www.usemotion.com/
- Crisp — All-in-one AI customer messaging & helpdesk. – https://crisp.chat/
- Arcads — AI avatar videos to produce ad creatives fast. – https://www.arcads.ai/
- Emergent — Conversational “vibe-coding” to ship full apps. – https://app.emergent.sh/
- Read AI — Meeting notes, insights, and follow-ups across platforms. – https://www.read.ai/
- Tavus — Personalized/interactive AI video and digital humans. – https://www.tavus.io/
What this tells us (quick takeaways)
- Assistants & agents are mainstream. General chat models dominate, but startups also buy task-specific agents (sales, support, IT, legal).
- Coding is going “vibe.” Tools like Replit, Cursor, Lovable, Emergent show strong demand for faster, AI-assisted shipping.
- Creative wins big. Freepik, Photoroom, Midjourney, CapCut, OpusClip, Canva are everywhere because they speed daily content work.
- Meetings still matter. Note-takers and meeting agents (e.g., Otter, Happy Scribe, Read AI) keep climbing.
What This Data Really Reveals About AI Adoption
Copilots Win Over Full Automation
Despite all the hype about AI replacing human workers, startups are primarily investing in tools that augment human capabilities rather than replace them entirely. Only five companies on the list offer true “AI employees” that can complete workflows end-to-end.
This suggests that successful AI adoption is about making humans more productive, not eliminating jobs. The tools getting the most investment help people do their existing jobs better and faster.
Creative Tools Have Gone Enterprise
One of the biggest surprises in the data is how creative AI tools have made the transition from consumer toys to enterprise necessities. Tools like Midjourney and CapCut, originally designed for individual creators, are now being adopted by startup teams for marketing, presentations, and brand building.
The Vibe Coding Revolution Is Real
“Vibe coding” – the practice of building software through natural language descriptions rather than traditional coding – has officially moved beyond hobbyists. Four major platforms (Replit, Cursor, Lovable, and Emergent) made the list, proving that AI-assisted development is becoming mainstream in professional environments.
No Single Winner in Most Categories
Unlike traditional software categories where one or two players dominate, AI tool adoption remains fragmented. Multiple note-taking apps, several coding platforms, and numerous creative tools all made the list, suggesting the market is still evolving rapidly.
The Speed of Change Is Unprecedented
Perhaps the most important insight from this report is how quickly the AI tools landscape is changing. As the researchers noted, “legacy” in AI might mean a product launched just 12 months ago. This creates both opportunities and challenges for startups:
Opportunities:
- Early adoption of the right tools can provide significant competitive advantages
- Consumer-first AI tools can transition to enterprise faster than ever before
- New categories are emerging constantly
Challenges:
- Tool selection is becoming increasingly complex
- Integration and training costs can add up quickly
- What works today might be obsolete in six months
What This Means for Your Startup
Based on the spending patterns of 200,000+ startups, here are the key takeaways for choosing AI tools:
- Focus on human augmentation: Invest in tools that make your team more productive rather than trying to replace team members entirely.
- Don’t ignore creative tools: Visual content and design capabilities are becoming essential across all business functions, not just marketing.
- Consider vibe coding platforms: If you need to build software quickly, AI-assisted development tools can dramatically accelerate your timeline.
- Prioritize integration: Choose tools that work well with your existing workflow rather than forcing team members to learn completely new systems.
- Expect rapid change: Build flexibility into your tool selection process and budget for regular evaluation and switching costs.
The Bottom Line
The AI tools that startups actually spend money on tell a different story than the ones generating the most headlines. Real businesses are investing in practical solutions that solve immediate problems and integrate smoothly into existing workflows.
Rather than chasing the flashiest new AI announcement, focus on tools that have proven their value with actual paying customers. The Mercury spending data provides unprecedented insight into which AI investments deliver real business value.
As the AI landscape continues to evolve at breakneck speed, following the money trail remains one of the best ways to identify which tools are worth your time and investment. The startups spending their precious funding on these 50 platforms have done the hard work of testing and validation – now you can learn from their experiences.
Want to stay ahead of AI tool trends? Bookmark this list and check back regularly – with the speed of change in AI, next quarter’s spending patterns might look completely different!
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