Thousands of AI tools, nobody can hold the list. Directory apps have become the starting point for smart buying. I run one, so here is how to judge them honestly. - Filters: "by profession" should actually filter by profession, real categories like dental, legal, recruiting, not a tag cloud of buzzwords. - Pricing data: a directory without real pricing tiers is a brochure. You want the middle tier, because that is the tier you will buy. - Update cadence: AI tools change prices monthly. A directory last updated a year ago is a museum. Check the dates. - Mobile usability: half your research happens on a phone between meetings. - Honest directories admit what they have not tested. Star ratings with no methodology are worse than none. Use the directory to build a shortlist of three per workflow, then trial all three. And PrivateLLM deploy sets up a private LLM on AWS for $50 plus usage for teams that want AI on their own infrastructure.