Category
Automation platforms connect the apps you already use — forms, CRM, accounting, email, Slack or Teams — and now add AI steps that classify, summarise and route information. This is where most small businesses find their biggest time savings.
Our top pick: Zapier (9.0/10) — no-code automation across your existing apps.
Zapier • Automation
Zapier is the easiest way to automate work between apps, and its AI steps, agents and chatbots make it the backbone of most small-business AI workflows.
Best for: No-code automation across your existing apps
Xero • Finance & VAT
Xero is one of the most popular accounting platforms among UK small businesses and accountants, with AI-assisted bookkeeping and HMRC-recognised Making Tax Digital support.
Best for: VAT-registered small businesses working with an accountant
Make (Celonis) • Automation
Make is a powerful, visual alternative to Zapier that is usually cheaper at volume and offers EU-hosted zones.
Best for: Complex or high-volume automations on a budget
Intuit • Finance & VAT
QuickBooks Online is a strong Xero alternative with AI-powered categorisation, invoice reminders and HMRC-recognised MTD for VAT and Income Tax.
Best for: Sole traders and SMEs wanting strong mobile bookkeeping
n8n • Automation
n8n is the automation platform of choice for technical teams who want to self-host and keep data on their own UK or EU servers.
Best for: Technical teams wanting self-hosted AI automation
Dext • Finance & VAT
Dext extracts data from receipts, bills and invoices and publishes it straight into Xero, QuickBooks and other ledgers — a big time-saver for bookkeepers.
Best for: Businesses drowning in receipts and supplier bills