5 best AI content tools alternatives to try in 2026

Since the introduction of large language models, many AI content tools have emerged. While these tools can be helpful, a common challenge is that they can produce generic-sounding drafts.

This often means users plug in a keyword, receive a text output, and then spend significant time rewriting, researching, finding images, and formatting to prepare the content for publication. This can sometimes feel like it creates more editing work than it saves.

This guide explores AI content tools that offer a more complete solution, moving beyond basic text generation to help create content that is ready to publish. For example, at eesel AI, we used our own eesel AI blog writer to grow our blog from 700 to 750,000 daily impressions in three months.

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What are AI content tools alternatives?

AI content tools are not just general chatbots like ChatGPT with a different logo. They are specialized platforms built from the ground up for creating content.

Their main job is to help with the entire content process, from coming up with ideas and drafting articles to optimizing them for search engines. The leading tools have moved beyond simple text. They can analyze what is already ranking, learn your brand's unique voice, and even create the visuals you need to make your post stand out.

The best tools today are also built for both traditional search (SEO) and the new wave of AI Answer Engines (AEO). This means they help you create content that not only ranks on Google but also appears in places like Google’s AI Overviews, which is becoming more prominent.

How we chose the best AI content tools alternatives

To make this list useful, we tested these tools based on what matters to content teams. Here’s a look at our criteria:

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• Output Quality: Is the content well-written? We looked for a human-like tone, accuracy, and writing that’s interesting to read, not just stuffed with keywords.
• SEO & Research Features: How well does the tool set you up for search visibility? We checked its ability to analyze competitors, incorporate SEO best practices, and use real-time information.
• End-to-End Workflow: We favored tools that do more than just write. A platform that can also handle visuals, tables, and formatting saves time and gets content published faster.
• Ease of Use: How quickly can you get from an idea to a finished article? A clunky interface can be a productivity killer, so we looked for tools that are easy to understand.
• Value for Money: Is the price fair for the features provided? We weighed the cost against the tool's overall impact on the content creation process.

Comparison of the top AI content tools alternatives

If you're in a hurry, here's a quick side-by-side comparison of the tools we're about to cover.

Tool	Best For	Key Differentiator	Starting Price (Annual)
eesel AI blog writer	Complete, publish-ready SEO blogs	Generates full articles with assets & media	Credit-based ($99 for 50 blogs)
Jasper AI	On-brand marketing copy at scale	Jasper IQ and Content Pipelines	$59/month per seat
Copy.ai	Automating GTM & sales workflows	AI Agents and Workflow Builder	Free plan available; Paid from $24/month
Surfer SEO	Data-driven on-page SEO optimization	Real-time Content Score & Audits	$79/month
Writesonic	SEO & AI search (GEO) visibility	AI Visibility Tracking for AI answers	$39/month

5 best AI content tools alternatives in 2026

Alright, let's get into the details. Here’s a closer look at the five platforms that stood out.

1. eesel AI blog writer

__ The eesel AI blog writer is designed to address a common challenge with AI content: the amount of editing and production needed after the initial draft is generated. It functions as a complete content engine that takes you from a single keyword to a fully-formed, publish-ready blog post.

Its entire process is built for efficiency. You provide it with a keyword and your website URL so it can learn your brand's context, and it generates an entire article that’s researched, structured, and optimized for both SEO and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization). The result is a more finished product rather than a rough draft.

Pros: A key feature is the completeness of the output. It doesn't just provide a block of text. Each article comes with AI-generated images, infographics, and tables. It also finds relevant YouTube videos and real Reddit quotes to add social proof and depth. The context-aware research is another notable feature; it automatically pulls in relevant data, like pricing for comparison posts, which reduces manual research time. It's designed to create content that can perform well in Google's AI Overviews.

Cons: It is a specialist tool. The eesel AI blog writer is focused on creating high-quality, long-form blog posts. If your team's primary need is generating short ad copy or social media captions, a more general tool might be better suited for those specific tasks.

Pricing:

• It's free to try, so you can see the quality for yourself.
• Paid plans are credit-based, starting at $99 for 50 blog posts.

2. Jasper AI

__ Jasper AI is known as a platform for what it calls "AI Content Automation." It's a solid choice for marketing teams that need to produce a high volume of content across different formats while maintaining a consistent brand voice.

Its main strength is its ability to learn and adapt to your brand. With Jasper IQ, you can input your brand guidelines, product details, and company information to create a central knowledge base that helps ensure every piece of content sounds like your team. Its Content Pipelines feature helps automate the content process, from brainstorming to distribution.

Pros: Jasper is effective at maintaining brand consistency across marketing channels, including emails, social media, ads, and web copy. The platform is built for collaboration, with a flexible Canvas for brainstorming and drafting. It also has a no-code Studio for building custom AI applications for specific workflows. For larger companies, its SOC 2 compliance is a security benefit.

Cons: While Jasper is versatile, it isn't a one-click solution for a complete blog post. The output is mainly text, though it does have AI image generation. This means you will still need to find your own videos, build tables, and source other media, which adds manual steps to the process.

Pricing:

• Pro Plan: Starts at $59/month per seat when billed annually.
• Business Plan: Custom pricing for larger teams needing API access and more advanced controls.

3. Copy.ai

__ Copy.ai has positioned itself as a "GTM AI Platform." It focuses less on pure content creation and more on automating the sales and marketing tasks that support growth. It can be thought of as an AI engine for your go-to-market strategy.

Instead of just writing long articles, it uses Workflows and AI Agents to handle operational tasks at scale. For example, you can set up a workflow to research new prospects, pull lead data from a CRM, and then draft personalized outreach emails for your sales team automatically.

Pros: Copy.ai is effective at automating detailed GTM tasks that can be time-consuming. It's LLM-agnostic, meaning it uses the most suitable AI model for any given job, which helps maintain high-quality output. It also offers a generous free plan, making it easy to try and see if its workflow-based approach works for you.

Cons: This is not a dedicated blog writing tool. While it can generate text, the content is intended to serve its main GTM function. The output can be a decent first draft, but it often requires editing, extra research, and asset sourcing to become a competitive, publish-ready blog post.

Pricing:

• Free Plan: Includes 2,000 words per month.
• Chat Plan: Starts at $24/month for 5 seats when billed annually, which is affordable for small teams.

4. Surfer SEO

__ Surfer SEO is more of an SEO optimization tool than a writer. It is a powerful platform that provides a data-driven plan to help the content you create have the best possible chance of ranking.

It works by analyzing the top-ranking pages for your target keyword. From there, it creates a detailed brief outlining the ideal structure, word count, and topics to cover. Its primary feature, the Content Editor, gives you real-time feedback as you write, with a "Content Score" that increases as you add its suggested keywords and structure.

Pros: Surfer provides a data-backed guide for creating content that meets on-page SEO standards, removing guesswork from optimization. It’s also continuously improving, with newer features like Brand Knowledge to help it understand your niche and an AI Humanizer to polish text. With a community of over 150,000 users, it is a trusted name in the SEO industry.

Cons: Surfer is mainly an assistant, not a creator. It tells you what to write about and how to structure it, but it doesn't do the actual writing or generate visuals for you. It is excellent for optimizing content, but it does not create that content from scratch.

Pricing:

• Essential Plan: Starts at $79/month when billed annually.
• Scale Plan: Starts at $175/month when billed annually for teams with higher content output.

5. Writesonic

__ Writesonic is a platform that looks beyond traditional SEO. It focuses on what it calls Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), which is about ensuring your brand appears in AI-powered search answers on platforms like Google, ChatGPT, and Gemini.

It offers a full suite of tools, but its most interesting feature is AI Visibility Tracking. This lets you monitor how and where your brand is being mentioned across different AI platforms, giving you insight into a new area of search. Alongside this, it has its AI Article Writer 6.0 and a dedicated SEO AI Agent to help create and optimize content.

Pros: The dual focus on both traditional SEO and the new field of GEO is a key advantage. It helps marketers prepare for the future of how people will find information. Writesonic packs a lot into one platform, including SEO analytics, content creation tools, and AI search monitoring, making it a powerful all-in-one option.

Cons: While it is a strong platform, it doesn't fully automate the creation of a complete set of assets like YouTube videos or social proof quotes in the way a specialized blog generator might. The output is mainly high-quality text and AI-generated images, so there is still some manual work needed to assemble a truly media-rich post.

Pricing:

• Free Trial: You get 10,000 premium words when you sign up.
• Lite Plan: Starts at $39/month when billed annually.

Tips for choosing the right AI content tools alternatives

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the options? Here are a few simple tips to help you pick the right tool.

• Focus on Your Main Goal: What is the biggest problem you're trying to solve? If your goal is to scale your blog with articles, a specialized tool like the eesel AI blog writer is designed for that purpose. If you're trying to automate sales outreach, Copy.ai is a better fit. Choose a tool that aligns with your primary need.
• Look Beyond the Text: The best tools are moving beyond just words. Think about your entire workflow. Do you need a tool that also handles research, formatting, and creating assets? A tool that delivers a more complete package can save you more time.
• Test the Free Trials: Output quality can be subjective. Before you purchase a subscription, use the free trials. Generate a few pieces of content on topics you know well and see if the quality, tone, and accuracy meet your standards.
• Prioritize Brand Context: A generic AI tool may produce generic content. The most valuable platforms are those that can learn your brand's voice and naturally include mentions of your own product. Look for features that let you add this context, like Jasper's Brand IQ or eesel AI's website URL input.

To see how different tools stack up in action, check out this video review of top AI tools for content creators. It provides a great visual overview that can help you understand the user experience of various platforms.

This video review of top AI tools for content creators provides a great visual overview that can help you understand the user experience of various platforms. ## Finding the right AI content tools alternatives

The world of AI content tools has come a long way from the simple text generators of a few years ago. The best platforms today are true content partners, helping with everything from research and writing to optimization and asset creation.

Whether you need the brand consistency of Jasper, the data-driven SEO insights of Surfer, or the future-focused GEO tools of Writesonic, there's a powerful tool out there for you.

But if your goal is to scale your blog content without sacrificing quality, the key is to find a tool that delivers a complete, publish-ready article. For instance, the eesel AI blog writer is one tool that does just that. By handling the writing, research, SEO, and asset creation in one step, it can dramatically cut down the time from an idea to a published blog post that's ready to bring in traffic.

Try an AI content tool for free

The eesel AI blog writer combines drafting, research, SEO, and visuals into one platform. Instead of editing basic drafts, you can generate more complete content. Generate your first blog post for free to see the difference.