AI Index / AI tools for startup founders / History

AI tools for startup founders — AI Recommendation History

What AI assistants recommended for ai tools for startup founders, date by date. Every ranking we publish is frozen the day it publishes, so this is a record of what was said — not a re-computation of what today's data would say about the past.

Record: 26 dated snapshots · Aug 14, 2026 – Sep 8, 2026

Answer archive Methodology Data studies JSON

What changed

Computed by comparing each dated snapshot with the one before it. Share moves smaller than 1pp are treated as noise and left out — the same threshold that suppresses trend arrows on the ranking.

Sep 8, 2026vs Sep 7, 2026

Methodology change: extraction rules 5-7 → 7 between these dates. Differences below may reflect the rule change rather than a change in what AI recommends — see the methodology changelog.

▲ INPowerPoint entered the top 10 (#24 → #10)
▼ OUTBubble left the top 10 (#10 → #15)
▲PowerPoint moved #24 → #10
▼Bubble moved #10 → #15
▲Pitch moved #3 → #1
▼Notion moved #1 → #2
▼Notion AI moved #2 → #3
▲Cursor moved #5 → #4
▼Canva moved #4 → #5
▼Notion -6pp (38.1% → 32.1%)
▼Canva -5.2pp (30.2% → 25%)
▼Notion AI -4.7pp (33.3% → 28.6%)
▼Cursor -3.6pp (28.6% → 25%)
▲PowerPoint +2.8pp (7.9% → 10.7%)
▼Gamma -2.7pp (20.6% → 17.9%)
▼Validator AI -2pp (12.7% → 10.7%)
▼Bubble -2pp (12.7% → 10.7%)
▲Pitch +1.9pp (30.2% → 32.1%)
▲Make +1.2pp (23.8% → 25%)

Sep 7, 2026vs Sep 6, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 6, 2026vs Sep 5, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 5, 2026vs Sep 4, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 4, 2026vs Sep 3, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 3, 2026vs Sep 2, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 2, 2026vs Sep 1, 2026

Methodology change: extraction rules 4-7 → 5-7 between these dates. Differences below may reflect the rule change rather than a change in what AI recommends — see the methodology changelog.

▲Pitch moved #5 → #3
▼Cursor moved #3 → #5
▲Make moved #7 → #6
▼Gamma moved #6 → #7
▲Pitch +3.2pp (27% → 30.2%)
▲Make +3.2pp (20.6% → 23.8%)
▼Cursor -1.6pp (30.2% → 28.6%)

Sep 1, 2026vs Aug 31, 2026

▲ INValidatorAI entered the top 10 (#13 → #9)
▲ INBubble entered the top 10 (#11 → #10)
▼ OUTJasper left the top 10 (#8 → #12)
▼ OUTClay left the top 10 (#10 → #20)
▼Clay moved #10 → #20
▲ValidatorAI moved #13 → #9
▼Jasper moved #8 → #12
▲Gamma moved #7 → #6
▼Make moved #6 → #7
▲HubSpot CRM moved #9 → #8
▲Bubble moved #11 → #10
▼Pitch -4pp (31% → 27%)
▼Clay -3.2pp (14.3% → 11.1%)
▼Jasper -2.8pp (15.5% → 12.7%)
▼Make -2pp (22.6% → 20.6%)
▼Cursor -1.9pp (32.1% → 30.2%)
▼Canva -1.9pp (32.1% → 30.2%)
▼HubSpot CRM -1.2pp (15.5% → 14.3%)

Aug 31, 2026vs Aug 30, 2026

Methodology change: extraction rules 4-5 → 4-7 between these dates. Differences below may reflect the rule change rather than a change in what AI recommends — see the methodology changelog.

▲ INHubSpot CRM entered the top 10 (#11 → #9)
▼ OUTZapier AI left the top 10 (#9 → #12)
▲Notion AI moved #5 → #2
▼Zapier AI moved #9 → #12
▼Pitch moved #3 → #5
▲HubSpot CRM moved #11 → #9
▼Cursor moved #2 → #3
▲Make moved #7 → #6
▼Gamma moved #6 → #7
▼Zapier AI -2.8pp (15.9% → 13.1%)
▼Pitch -2.3pp (33.3% → 31%)
▲Notion +1.6pp (36.5% → 38.1%)
▲Notion AI +1.6pp (31.7% → 33.3%)
▼Cursor -1.2pp (33.3% → 32.1%)
▲HubSpot CRM +1.2pp (14.3% → 15.5%)

Aug 30, 2026vs Aug 29, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 29, 2026vs Aug 28, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 28, 2026vs Aug 27, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 27, 2026vs Aug 26, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 26, 2026vs Aug 25, 2026

▲ INZapier AI entered the top 10 (#11 → #9)
▼ OUTHubSpot CRM left the top 10 (#9 → #11)
▲Pitch moved #5 → #3
▲Zapier AI moved #11 → #9
▼HubSpot CRM moved #9 → #11
▼Canva moved #3 → #4
▼Notion AI moved #4 → #5
▲Gamma moved #7 → #6
▼Make moved #6 → #7
▼Clay -2.6pp (16.9% → 14.3%)
▼HubSpot CRM -2.6pp (16.9% → 14.3%)
▼Make -2.5pp (24.7% → 22.2%)
▼Jasper -2.3pp (18.2% → 15.9%)
▼Canva -2.1pp (33.8% → 31.7%)
▼Cursor -1.8pp (35.1% → 33.3%)
▼Notion -1.2pp (37.7% → 36.5%)
▼Zapier AI -1pp (16.9% → 15.9%)

Aug 25, 2026vs Aug 24, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 24, 2026vs Aug 23, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 23, 2026vs Aug 22, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 22, 2026vs Aug 21, 2026

▲ INHubSpot CRM entered the top 10 (#11 → #9)
▼ OUTZapier AI left the top 10 (#8 → #11)
▼Zapier AI moved #8 → #11
▲HubSpot CRM moved #11 → #9
▲Jasper moved #9 → #8
▼Zapier AI -2.5pp (19.4% → 16.9%)
▼Clay -1.5pp (18.4% → 16.9%)
▼Notion -1.1pp (38.8% → 37.7%)

Aug 21, 2026vs Aug 20, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 20, 2026vs Aug 19, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 19, 2026vs Aug 18, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 18, 2026vs Aug 17, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 17, 2026vs Aug 16, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 16, 2026vs Aug 15, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 15, 2026vs Aug 14, 2026

▲ INClay entered the top 10 (#11 → #10)
▼ OUTHubSpot CRM left the top 10 (#9 → #11)
▼HubSpot CRM moved #9 → #11
▲Gamma moved #8 → #7
▼Zapier AI moved #7 → #8
▲Jasper moved #10 → #9
▲Clay moved #11 → #10
▼Zapier AI -2.9pp (22.3% → 19.4%)
▼HubSpot CRM -2.3pp (19.6% → 17.3%)
▼Make -1.4pp (25.9% → 24.5%)
▼Notion AI -1.2pp (33.9% → 32.7%)
▼Canva -1.1pp (34.8% → 33.7%)

The ranking, date by date

Top 10 on each archived date, exactly as published. Cite a date and it stays true: snapshots are append-only, and a correction appends a new revision rather than overwriting the original.

Sep 8, 202628 sampled answers · window 2026-08-11 – 2026-09-08 · rules v7

#1Pitch32.1%
#2Notion32.1%
#3Notion AI28.6%
#4Cursor25%
#5Canva25%
#6Make25%
#7Gamma17.9%
#8HubSpot CRM14.3%
#9Validator AI10.7%
#10PowerPoint10.7%

Sep 7, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-10 – 2026-09-07 · rules v5-7

#1Notion38.1%
#2Notion AI33.3%
#3Pitch30.2%
#4Canva30.2%
#5Cursor28.6%
#6Make23.8%
#7Gamma20.6%
#8HubSpot CRM14.3%
#9ValidatorAI12.7%
#10Bubble12.7%

Sep 6, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-09 – 2026-09-06 · rules v5-7

#1Notion38.1%
#2Notion AI33.3%
#3Pitch30.2%
#4Canva30.2%
#5Cursor28.6%
#6Make23.8%
#7Gamma20.6%
#8HubSpot CRM14.3%
#9ValidatorAI12.7%
#10Bubble12.7%

Sep 5, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-08 – 2026-09-05 · rules v5-7

#1Notion38.1%
#2Notion AI33.3%
#3Pitch30.2%
#4Canva30.2%
#5Cursor28.6%
#6Make23.8%
#7Gamma20.6%
#8HubSpot CRM14.3%
#9ValidatorAI12.7%
#10Bubble12.7%

Sep 4, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-07 – 2026-09-04 · rules v5-7

#1Notion38.1%
#2Notion AI33.3%
#3Pitch30.2%
#4Canva30.2%
#5Cursor28.6%
#6Make23.8%
#7Gamma20.6%
#8HubSpot CRM14.3%
#9ValidatorAI12.7%
#10Bubble12.7%

Sep 3, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-06 – 2026-09-03 · rules v5-7

#1Notion38.1%
#2Notion AI33.3%
#3Pitch30.2%
#4Canva30.2%
#5Cursor28.6%
#6Make23.8%
#7Gamma20.6%
#8HubSpot CRM14.3%
#9ValidatorAI12.7%
#10Bubble12.7%

Sep 2, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-05 – 2026-09-02 · rules v5-7

#1Notion38.1%
#2Notion AI33.3%
#3Pitch30.2%
#4Canva30.2%
#5Cursor28.6%
#6Make23.8%
#7Gamma20.6%
#8HubSpot CRM14.3%
#9ValidatorAI12.7%
#10Bubble12.7%

Sep 1, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-04 – 2026-09-01 · rules v4-7

#1Notion38.1%
#2Notion AI33.3%
#3Cursor30.2%
#4Canva30.2%
#5Pitch27%
#6Gamma20.6%
#7Make20.6%
#8HubSpot CRM14.3%
#9ValidatorAI12.7%
#10Bubble12.7%

Aug 31, 202684 sampled answers · window 2026-08-03 – 2026-08-31 · rules v4-7

#1Notion38.1%
#2Notion AI33.3%
#3Cursor32.1%
#4Canva32.1%
#5Pitch31%
#6Make22.6%
#7Gamma21.4%
#8Jasper15.5%
#9HubSpot CRM15.5%
#10Clay14.3%

Aug 30, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-02 – 2026-08-30 · rules v4-5

#1Notion36.5%
#2Cursor33.3%
#3Pitch33.3%
#4Canva31.7%
#5Notion AI31.7%
#6Gamma22.2%
#7Make22.2%
#8Jasper15.9%
#9Zapier AI15.9%
#10Clay14.3%

Aug 29, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-01 – 2026-08-29 · rules v4-5

#1Notion36.5%
#2Cursor33.3%
#3Pitch33.3%
#4Canva31.7%
#5Notion AI31.7%
#6Gamma22.2%
#7Make22.2%
#8Jasper15.9%
#9Zapier AI15.9%
#10Clay14.3%

Aug 28, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-07-31 – 2026-08-28 · rules v4-5

#1Notion36.5%
#2Cursor33.3%
#3Pitch33.3%
#4Canva31.7%
#5Notion AI31.7%
#6Gamma22.2%
#7Make22.2%
#8Jasper15.9%
#9Zapier AI15.9%
#10Clay14.3%

Aug 27, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-07-30 – 2026-08-27 · rules v4-5

#1Notion36.5%
#2Cursor33.3%
#3Pitch33.3%
#4Canva31.7%
#5Notion AI31.7%
#6Gamma22.2%
#7Make22.2%
#8Jasper15.9%
#9Zapier AI15.9%
#10Clay14.3%

Aug 26, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-07-29 – 2026-08-26 · rules v4-5

#1Notion36.5%
#2Cursor33.3%
#3Pitch33.3%
#4Canva31.7%
#5Notion AI31.7%
#6Gamma22.2%
#7Make22.2%
#8Jasper15.9%
#9Zapier AI15.9%
#10Clay14.3%

Aug 25, 202677 sampled answers · window 2026-07-28 – 2026-08-25 · rules v4-5

#1Notion37.7%
#2Cursor35.1%
#3Canva33.8%
#4Notion AI32.5%
#5Pitch32.5%
#6Make24.7%
#7Gamma22.1%
#8Jasper18.2%
#9HubSpot CRM16.9%
#10Clay16.9%

Aug 24, 202677 sampled answers · window 2026-07-27 – 2026-08-24 · rules v4-5

#1Notion37.7%
#2Cursor35.1%
#3Canva33.8%
#4Notion AI32.5%
#5Pitch32.5%
#6Make24.7%
#7Gamma22.1%
#8Jasper18.2%
#9HubSpot CRM16.9%
#10Clay16.9%

Aug 23, 202677 sampled answers · window 2026-07-26 – 2026-08-23 · rules v4-5

#1Notion37.7%
#2Cursor35.1%
#3Canva33.8%
#4Notion AI32.5%
#5Pitch32.5%
#6Make24.7%
#7Gamma22.1%
#8Jasper18.2%
#9HubSpot CRM16.9%
#10Clay16.9%

Aug 22, 202677 sampled answers · window 2026-07-25 – 2026-08-22 · rules v4-5

#1Notion37.7%
#2Cursor35.1%
#3Canva33.8%
#4Notion AI32.5%
#5Pitch32.5%
#6Make24.7%
#7Gamma22.1%
#8Jasper18.2%
#9HubSpot CRM16.9%
#10Clay16.9%

Aug 21, 202698 sampled answers · window 2026-07-24 – 2026-08-21 · rules v4-5

#1Notion38.8%
#2Cursor34.7%
#3Canva33.7%
#4Notion AI32.7%
#5Pitch31.6%
#6Make24.5%
#7Gamma21.4%
#8Zapier AI19.4%
#9Jasper18.4%
#10Clay18.4%

Aug 20, 202698 sampled answers · window 2026-07-23 – 2026-08-20 · rules v4-5

#1Notion38.8%
#2Cursor34.7%
#3Canva33.7%
#4Notion AI32.7%
#5Pitch31.6%
#6Make24.5%
#7Gamma21.4%
#8Zapier AI19.4%
#9Jasper18.4%
#10Clay18.4%

Aug 19, 202698 sampled answers · window 2026-07-22 – 2026-08-19 · rules v4-5

#1Notion38.8%
#2Cursor34.7%
#3Canva33.7%
#4Notion AI32.7%
#5Pitch31.6%
#6Make24.5%
#7Gamma21.4%
#8Zapier AI19.4%
#9Jasper18.4%
#10Clay18.4%

Aug 18, 202698 sampled answers · window 2026-07-21 – 2026-08-18 · rules v4-5

#1Notion38.8%
#2Cursor34.7%
#3Canva33.7%
#4Notion AI32.7%
#5Pitch31.6%
#6Make24.5%
#7Gamma21.4%
#8Zapier AI19.4%
#9Jasper18.4%
#10Clay18.4%

Aug 17, 202698 sampled answers · window 2026-07-20 – 2026-08-17 · rules v4-5

#1Notion38.8%
#2Cursor34.7%
#3Canva33.7%
#4Notion AI32.7%
#5Pitch31.6%
#6Make24.5%
#7Gamma21.4%
#8Zapier AI19.4%
#9Jasper18.4%
#10Clay18.4%

Aug 16, 202698 sampled answers · window 2026-07-19 – 2026-08-16 · rules v4-5

#1Notion38.8%
#2Cursor34.7%
#3Canva33.7%
#4Notion AI32.7%
#5Pitch31.6%
#6Make24.5%
#7Gamma21.4%
#8Zapier AI19.4%
#9Jasper18.4%
#10Clay18.4%

Aug 15, 202698 sampled answers · window 2026-07-18 – 2026-08-15 · rules v4-5

#1Notion38.8%
#2Cursor34.7%
#3Canva33.7%
#4Notion AI32.7%
#5Pitch31.6%
#6Make24.5%
#7Gamma21.4%
#8Zapier AI19.4%
#9Jasper18.4%
#10Clay18.4%

Aug 14, 2026112 sampled answers · window 2026-07-17 – 2026-08-14 · rules v4-5

#1Notion39.3%
#2Cursor34.8%
#3Canva34.8%
#4Notion AI33.9%
#5Pitch32.1%
#6Make25.9%
#7Zapier AI22.3%
#8Gamma20.5%
#9HubSpot CRM19.6%
#10Jasper18.8%

Read any date directly

Every archived date is machine-readable at /api/index/ai-tools-for-startup-founders/as-of/<YYYY-MM-DD>, which returns the ranking as it stood, with the extraction version and revision it was published under. Dates before the record begins return no_record rather than a recomputation — we do not reconstruct history on demand and present it as what we said. See what the engines actually said.

[ORBATOR]