GSA SER and Ranker X both support various platforms like articles, bookmarks, forums, and wikis. Both tools are up to date and work fine. Success totally depends on the user who uses those tools. After all, they are just automation tools.
If you load them up with very good content, decent anchor text ratios, and a decent setup, they can be used for any tiers, including tier 1.
Just make sure to use high-quality engines and uncheck all the well-known spam platforms like indexers. By using a good link list specialized for tier 1, GSA can be used perfectly for any tiers.
However, since GSA is advanced and you are at a beginner level, I would suggest you use Ranker X for the first tier and then pump it up with GSA SER.
I occasionally use Ranker X for tier 1, and since GSA is a one-time purchase tool, I use GSA for all tiers. I purchase link lists monthly, so I don't have to pay monthly for Ranker X.
No matter what, just make sure to arrange high-quality content. Nowadays, this can easily be done with content generators and AI. SEO Content Machine or GSA Content Generator is a lifesaver when arranging content for any SEO tools.