The tools behind AI apps

GitHub is an online home for your software code. It stores every version of your project so your team can work together and never lose track of changes.

Best for

Teams that need a shared, version-controlled home for their code.

Common use case

A development team stores all their app code on GitHub so multiple people can work on it safely at the same time.

Example pairing

Pairs with Vercel + Next.js + Supabase

Vercel is a service that puts your website or web app online and keeps it fast for visitors. It automatically publishes new versions whenever your code changes.

Best for

Modern websites and web apps that need fast, hands-off publishing.

Common use case

A startup connects its GitHub project to Vercel so every code update goes live automatically with no manual steps.

Example pairing

Pairs with GitHub + Next.js + OpenAI

Supabase is a ready-to-use backend that stores your app's data and handles user sign-ups. It gives small teams database and login features without building them from scratch.

Best for

Startups that want a database plus user accounts with minimal setup.

Common use case

A new app uses Supabase to store customer records and let people log in with email and password.

Example pairing

Pairs with Next.js + Vercel + Clerk

Firebase is a Google toolkit that bundles together a database, user logins, file storage, and other building blocks for apps. It is popular for getting mobile and web apps running quickly.

Best for

Mobile and web apps that want many backend features in one place.

Common use case

A mobile app uses Firebase to handle user sign-in and store data that updates on every device in real time.

Example pairing

Pairs with Google Cloud Run + Firestore + Gemini

Google Cloud Run runs your app's behind-the-scenes code on Google's servers and automatically scales it up or down based on demand. You only pay for what you actually use.

Best for

Apps with traffic that rises and falls and need to scale automatically.

Common use case

A company runs its order-processing service on Cloud Run so it handles busy sale days without paying for idle servers the rest of the month.

Example pairing

Pairs with Cloud SQL + Firestore + Vertex AI

Cloud SQL is Google's managed database service for storing structured business data like customers, orders, and invoices. Google handles the upkeep, backups, and security for you.

Best for

Apps that need a reliable, managed database for structured records.

Common use case

A business stores its customer and billing records in Cloud SQL so the data is always backed up and available.

Example pairing

Pairs with Google Cloud Run + BigQuery + Vertex AI

Firestore is a Google database that stores your app's data and instantly syncs it across all users' devices. It is well suited to apps where information needs to update live.

Best for

Apps that need data to update in real time across devices.

Common use case

A team chat app uses Firestore so new messages appear instantly on everyone's screens.

Example pairing

Pairs with Firebase + Google Cloud Run + Gemini

BigQuery is a Google tool for analyzing very large amounts of data quickly. It lets you ask questions about your business data and get answers in seconds, even across millions of records.

Best for

Companies that need fast reporting and analysis over large datasets.

Common use case

A retailer uses BigQuery to analyze years of sales data and spot which products sell best by season.

Example pairing

Pairs with Cloud SQL + Google Cloud Run + Vertex AI

AWS (Amazon Web Services) is Amazon's collection of cloud services that can run almost any part of an app, from servers to storage to databases. It is one of the most widely used platforms for building and running software online.

Best for

Businesses of any size that want a broad, all-in-one cloud platform.

Common use case

A growing company runs its entire app infrastructure on AWS, from the website to the database to file storage.

Example pairing

Pairs with AWS Bedrock + Twilio + Stripe

Azure is Microsoft's cloud platform for running apps, storing data, and building software online. It is a common choice for companies that already use Microsoft tools like Office and Windows.

Best for

Organizations invested in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Common use case

An enterprise that already uses Microsoft 365 runs its custom apps on Azure to keep everything in one ecosystem.

Example pairing

Pairs with OpenAI + Auth0 + Salesforce

OpenAI provides AI models, including ChatGPT, that can understand and write text, answer questions, and analyze information. Businesses connect to it to add smart, language-based features to their apps.

Best for

Apps that need strong general-purpose AI for text and chat.

Common use case

A support tool uses OpenAI to draft helpful replies to customer questions automatically.

Example pairing

Pairs with Next.js + Vercel + Supabase

Claude is a family of AI models from Anthropic that can read, write, and reason with text. It is known for being helpful and careful, and businesses use it to power assistants and analyze documents.

Best for

Apps that need a thoughtful AI assistant for writing and analysis.

Common use case

A law firm uses Claude to summarize long contracts and highlight key terms for review.

Example pairing

Pairs with AWS Bedrock + Next.js + Vercel

Gemini is Google's family of AI models that can work with text, images, and more. Businesses use it to add AI features and it connects easily with other Google services.

Best for

Apps already using Google services that want built-in AI.

Common use case

A marketing app uses Gemini to generate product descriptions and suggest ad copy.

Example pairing

Pairs with Vertex AI + Firebase + Google Cloud Run

Vertex AI is Google's platform for using and managing AI models in business apps, including Google's own Gemini models. It gives companies a controlled, secure way to run AI on Google Cloud.

Best for

Companies on Google Cloud that want managed, enterprise-grade AI.

Common use case

A company uses Vertex AI to run Gemini securely on its own private business data.

Example pairing

Pairs with Google Cloud Run + BigQuery + Gemini

AWS Bedrock is Amazon's service for using AI models, including Claude and others, inside your AWS setup. It lets companies add AI without managing the underlying technology themselves.

Best for

Companies on AWS that want managed access to multiple AI models.

Common use case

A business running on AWS uses Bedrock to add a Claude-powered assistant to its internal app.

Example pairing

Pairs with AWS + Anthropic Claude + Auth0

Retell AI helps businesses build AI voice agents that can talk to callers naturally over the phone. It handles the speaking and listening so the AI can hold real conversations.

Best for

Businesses that want AI to handle phone calls and conversations.

Common use case

A clinic uses Retell AI to answer routine patient calls and book appointments automatically.

Example pairing

Pairs with Twilio + OpenAI + Supabase

Vapi is a platform for building AI phone agents that can make and take calls and speak with callers. It connects AI models to real phone lines so businesses can automate voice conversations.

Best for

Teams building AI-powered phone agents and call automation.

Common use case

A sales team uses Vapi to build an AI agent that qualifies leads over the phone before handing them off.

Example pairing

Pairs with Twilio + OpenAI + GoHighLevel

Twilio provides the phone and messaging plumbing that apps use to send texts, make calls, and handle phone numbers. It is the connection between software and the real phone network.

Best for

Apps that need to send texts, make calls, or use phone numbers.

Common use case

An app uses Twilio to send appointment reminder texts to customers.

Example pairing

Pairs with Retell AI + OpenAI + Supabase

Make is a visual tool that connects your different apps and automates tasks between them without writing code. You build workflows by linking steps together on a screen.

Best for

Teams that want to automate work across apps without coding.

Common use case

A business uses Make to automatically add new form submissions to its CRM and send a welcome email.

Example pairing

Pairs with HubSpot + Stripe + Twilio

Zapier connects thousands of popular apps and automates repetitive tasks between them. When something happens in one app, Zapier can trigger an action in another automatically.

Best for

Small teams automating routine tasks across everyday apps.

Common use case

A team uses Zapier to save email attachments to cloud storage and notify the right person in chat.

Example pairing

Pairs with HubSpot + Stripe + Salesforce

n8n is an automation tool that connects apps and runs workflows, with the option to host it on your own servers for more control. It is a flexible, developer-friendly way to automate tasks.

Best for

Technical teams that want automation they can self-host and customize.

Common use case

A company self-hosts n8n to automate data syncing between internal systems while keeping data in-house.

Example pairing

Pairs with Supabase + OpenAI + Twilio

HubSpot is an all-in-one system for managing customer relationships, marketing, and sales. It keeps track of your contacts, deals, and conversations in one place.

Best for

Small and mid-sized businesses managing sales and marketing together.

Common use case

A sales team uses HubSpot to track every lead and follow up at the right time.

Example pairing

Pairs with Zapier + Stripe + Make

GoHighLevel is a customer management and marketing platform built especially for agencies and service businesses. It combines contacts, follow-ups, booking, and campaigns in one tool.

Best for

Agencies and local service businesses managing clients and marketing.

Common use case

A marketing agency uses GoHighLevel to manage leads, send follow-ups, and book appointments for its clients.

Example pairing

Pairs with Vapi + Twilio + Stripe

Salesforce is a widely used platform for managing customer relationships, sales, and service at scale. Larger companies rely on it to organize their entire customer operation.

Best for

Larger organizations with complex sales and service needs.

Common use case

An enterprise sales team uses Salesforce to track thousands of accounts and forecast revenue.

Example pairing

Pairs with Azure + OpenAI + Auth0

Stripe handles online payments so businesses can charge customers by card and manage subscriptions. It takes care of the secure, complex parts of collecting money online.

Best for

Any business that needs to accept payments or run subscriptions online.

Common use case

A subscription app uses Stripe to bill customers automatically every month.

Example pairing

Pairs with Next.js + Vercel + Supabase

Auth0 manages user logins and sign-ups for your app, including secure password handling and login with Google or Microsoft. It saves teams from building and securing login systems themselves.

Best for

Companies that need secure, flexible login for many users.

Common use case

A business app uses Auth0 so employees can sign in with their existing Microsoft accounts.

Example pairing

Pairs with Azure + Salesforce + AWS

Clerk provides ready-made sign-up, login, and user management screens for modern web apps. It lets developers add polished, secure user accounts quickly.

Best for

Modern web apps that want fast, attractive login and user management.

Common use case

A new web app uses Clerk to add sign-up, login, and profile pages in a fraction of the usual time.

Example pairing

Pairs with Next.js + Vercel + Supabase