Every other week somebody launches a new "AI marketplace" that promises to help you find the right AI tools for your business. Most of them are glorified link directories with a search bar.

The Promptory launched today and I'll give them credit for trying something different.

What it is

It's a curated marketplace for AI tools aimed at small and mid-sized businesses. The idea is that instead of Googling "best AI tools for [my industry]" and getting 47 listicles that were all written by ChatGPT, you go to one place that's already vetted the options.

The interesting part is "Jordan" - their AI advisor that's supposed to talk you through your business problems and recommend specific tools. Think of it like walking into a hardware store and having someone who actually knows what they're talking about ask you what you're trying to fix before pointing you at a product.

Why I'm cautiously interested

Look, the biggest problem I hear from business owners isn't "there aren't enough AI tools." It's "there are too many and I don't know which ones are worth my money." That's a real problem and it's getting worse, not better.

If The Promptory actually does good curation - meaning they test tools, reject bad ones, and update their recommendations - that could be genuinely useful. A trusted filter in a noisy market has value.

Why I'm not recommending it yet

I haven't tested it. And I have questions:

• Who's paying for this? If the tool vendors are paying to be listed, that changes the recommendations. A lot.
• How does Jordan decide? Is it just matching keywords to a database, or does it actually understand business contexts?
• What's the curation process? Do they test these tools themselves or just aggregate reviews?
• Free tier vs paid? If the good recommendations are behind a paywall, that defeats the purpose for cash-strapped small businesses.

I've been burned by "curated" marketplaces before. When I was running my HVAC business, I used a "vetted contractor tool" platform that turned out to be pay-to-play. The top recommendations were whoever paid the most, not whoever was actually the best fit.

My take

The concept is solid. The execution remains to be seen. I'm going to sign up, test Jordan with some real business scenarios, and report back next week with an honest take.

If you're drowning in AI tool options and don't know where to start, it might be worth bookmarking. But don't sign up for anything paid until we know more about how the recommendation engine actually works.

I'll do the homework so you don't have to.

Sources

• The Promptory Launches First Curated AI Marketplace - Las Vegas Sun, March 17, 2026