You do not need an enterprise budget to build a capable content operation.
You need the right tools — most of which have free tiers — and a system for using them consistently.
Here is the full stack.
Recording and transcription
Riverside FM: the best tool for recording podcasts, video interviews, and long-form content with separate audio and video tracks for each participant. Automatic transcription included. The quality of the output is significantly better than a standard video call recording. From $19/month, free trial available.
Whisper Flow: voice-to-text on your phone or desktop, powered by OpenAI's Whisper model. Use it for capturing content ideas, recording voice notes that automatically transcribe, and turning off-the-cuff thinking into usable text for Claude to work with. Best for capturing content ideas and raw thinking on the go without needing to type. Free to start.
Video editing and short-form clips
CapCut: free video editing for mobile and desktop. Auto-captions, trending templates, background removal, speed ramps. The go-to tool for editing short-form video content for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts. Free.
Opus Clip: AI-powered clipping tool that automatically finds the best moments in long-form video and turns them into short-form clips. Essential for repurposing podcast and interview content. From $13/month, free trial available.
Design
Canva: graphic design for everything else. Social posts, carousels, YouTube thumbnails, Story graphics, quote visuals. Free tier is genuinely strong. Pro (£11.99/month) adds Brand Kit, Background Remover, and Magic Resize.
AI content production
Claude: long-form writing, content strategy, repurposing transcripts, editing, and calendar planning. Available at claude.ai — free tier available, Pro plan recommended for heavy users.
Gemini: research, quick ideation, Google Workspace integration. Free at gemini.google.com.
Scheduling and analytics
Metricool (free plan): schedule and analyse multiple platforms in one dashboard. Covers Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, X, Pinterest, and more. One of the most useful free tools available.
Buffer (free plan): scheduling plus basic analytics for up to three channels. Clean interface, simple to use.
Native analytics
Every platform has free built-in analytics. Instagram Insights, LinkedIn Analytics, TikTok Analytics, YouTube Studio — use these before investing in any paid analytics tool. They tell you everything you need to know to start.
£0
Total cost on free plansUsing the free tiers of Metricool, Buffer, Canva, Claude, Gemini, CapCut, and native platform analytics.
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The tools are not the barrier. The system and the consistency are.
Want your tools and systems reviewed by someone who uses them with real clients? Book a free Social Signal Diagnostic.