NATHAN ROMANO

/tools · the stack

The AI, CRM and automation tools I use and recommend.

A short, curated list: what each tool is for and why it’s here. “In my stack” means I use it today; “Recommended” means I point clients and friends to it.

Some links are affiliate links. If you buy through them I may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate links help support this page.

AI agents & automation

n8n

AI agents & automation
In my stack

Workflow automation that mixes AI steps with your apps, in the cloud or self-hosted.

Why it’s here

The glue between CRM, forms, WhatsApp and AI models when a native integration falls short.

Twin

AI agents & automation
In my stack

Describe a job once and Twin builds an AI agent that works in your tools and on the web.

Why it’s here

Back-office agents described in plain words instead of flows built by hand.

Manus

AI agents & automation
In my stack

An AI agent that carries out multi-step tasks, from research to a finished deliverable.

Why it’s here

For handing off research and multi-step web tasks end to end.

Voice & video

ElevenLabs

Voice & video
In my stack

Lifelike AI voices, voice cloning and voice agents.

Why it’s here

The voice layer behind AI receptionists, voiceovers and dubbing.

HeyGen

Voice & video
Recommended

AI videos with avatars, narration and captions, made from a script.

Why it’s here

Turns a script into a presenter video without a camera or a studio.

OpusClip

Voice & video
Recommended

Cuts long videos into short clips for social media and publishes them.

Why it’s here

A week of shorts out of one long video, webinar or live.

CRM & sales

GoHighLevel

CRM & sales
In my stack

All-in-one CRM: funnels, websites, calendars, pipelines, messaging and payments, white-label for agencies.

Why it’s here

The platform PubliExpert’s CRM and client accounts run on.

Fathom

CRM & sales
Recommended

AI notetaker that records, transcribes and summarizes Zoom, Google Meet and Teams calls.

Why it’s here

Sales-call summaries and next steps ready when the meeting ends.

Outgrow

CRM & sales
Recommended

Interactive calculators, quizzes and assessments that capture leads.

Why it’s here

An interactive lead magnet instead of yet another PDF.

Brevo

CRM & sales
Recommended

Email and SMS marketing, automation, live chat and a light CRM.

Why it’s here

A straightforward option for newsletters, SMS and transactional email.

Websites & design

Lovable

Websites & design
In my stack

Build web apps and sites by chatting with AI.

Why it’s here

For prototyping apps and landing pages by describing them.

Framer

Websites & design
In my stack

Design and publish websites visually, with CMS, SEO and hosting built in.

Why it’s here

Marketing sites that need to look designed, not templated.

Bolt.new

Websites & design
In my stack

Build and deploy full-stack web apps from a prompt, right in the browser.

Why it’s here

Quick prototypes when you want to see and keep the code.

YellowPencil

Websites & design
Recommended

Visual CSS editor for WordPress: restyle any theme in real time, no code.

Why it’s here

Saves paying a developer for small design tweaks. Only useful if your site runs on WordPress.

MagicPath

Websites & design
Recommended

AI design canvas: a shared workspace where people and agents design interfaces and turn them into code.

Why it’s here

From a visual design to working code without a hand-off. Also available inside ChatGPT.

Productivity

Wispr Flow

Productivity
In my stack

Voice dictation that turns speech into clean text in any app.

Why it’s here

Messages, prompts and emails dictated instead of typed.

Granola

Productivity
In my stack

AI notepad for back-to-back meetings, with no bot joining the call.

Why it’s here

Meeting notes that write themselves while you stay in the conversation.

Reclaim

Productivity
In my stack

AI calendar that auto-schedules tasks, habits, meetings and breaks.

Why it’s here

Protects focus time on a calendar full of client calls.

AppSumo

Productivity
Recommended

Marketplace of software deals, many of them lifetime licenses.

Why it’s here

A place to find new tools on lifetime deals before committing to monthly plans.

Open source

OpenInstinct

Open source
Open source

Free, MIT-licensed assistant that lives in your iMessage thread and acts on real websites, with passwords and cards kept encrypted.

Why it’s here

A one-click deploy to build your own iMessage agent. Worth studying if you build personal AI assistants.

arc-cua

Open source
Open source

Superfast action layer for computer-use agents on macOS.

Why it’s here

Lets AI agents operate a Mac quickly. On the radar for agent pilots.

OpenMausBot

Open source
Open source

Desktop app that gives you your own team of AI bots in a chat, with your own provider account or API key.

Why it’s here

Run several AI bots side by side. The app is free; model costs are separate.

Community

Learn these tools with other builders.

Join the PubliExpert AI Guild, my English-speaking community for mastering AI tools and automation.

Join the AI Guild