A general-purpose AI chatbot is now the first AI tool most people try. You type a question or a task in plain English, and it drafts, summarizes, explains, brainstorms, or analyzes. The five big names are ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Perplexity. All five have a free tier and a paid plan priced around $20 a month, so on price alone they’re hard to tell apart.
This guide explains how they actually differ, what each paid plan adds, and how to pick one for your work.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. If you sign up through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Our comparison is based on each vendor’s documentation, pricing pages, and published features, not hands-on testing.
The Short Version
- ChatGPT is the widest all-rounder, with the most features in one app: writing, images, video, research, custom GPTs, and agents.
- Claude is a strong fit for long documents, careful writing, and coding, with a paid plan that includes Claude Code.
- Gemini makes the most sense if you live in Google’s world (Gmail, Docs, Drive, Android). The paid plan bundles cloud storage.
- Microsoft Copilot makes the most sense if your business already runs on Microsoft 365. Free Copilot Chat comes with eligible business plans.
- Perplexity is built for researching questions with cited sources, and it lets you pick models from several AI companies.
What a Chatbot Can (and Can’t) Do for You
Before comparing brands, it helps to know what these tools are good at. All of the major chatbots can:
- Draft and rewrite emails, posts, proposals, and product descriptions
- Summarize long documents, PDFs, and web pages
- Explain unfamiliar topics in plain language
- Brainstorm names, ideas, and outlines
- Work with spreadsheets and data files (to varying degrees)
- Search the web for current information (most now do this on free plans)
What they can’t do reliably is guarantee accuracy. All AI chatbots can produce confident-sounding mistakes, sometimes called “hallucinations.” Treat output as a first draft, and check facts, figures, and anything legal, financial, or medical before you rely on it.
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
ChatGPT is the best-known chatbot, and its paid plans include the broadest set of features. Based on OpenAI’s pricing page, the plans as of October 2026 are:
- Free: $0, with access to OpenAI’s models, web search, file uploads, and image generation, within limits
- Go: $8/month, with higher limits than Free. OpenAI notes that this plan may include ads.
- Plus: $20/month, which adds deep research, agent mode, projects, custom GPTs, Codex (OpenAI’s coding agent), and Sora video generation, with higher limits
- Pro: three tiers at $100, $200, and $500 per month for very heavy use
- Business: from $25 per user per month billed monthly, or $20 billed annually, with a two-seat minimum. It adds admin controls, SSO, app connectors, and no training on your business data by default.
Best for: people who want one tool that does a bit of everything, plus teams that want a shared workspace with admin controls.
For a deeper look, see our ChatGPT Review.
Claude (Anthropic)
Claude is Anthropic’s assistant. Anthropic positions it strongly for writing, analysis, and coding. Based on Anthropic’s pricing page, the plans as of October 2026 are:
- Free: $0, with web search, file creation, code execution, memory, connectors, and Artifacts (interactive documents and mini-apps built in the chat)
- Pro: $20/month, or $17/month billed annually. It includes Claude Code, Projects, and integrations such as Claude in Chrome and Microsoft 365.
- Max: $100/month (5x Pro usage) or $200/month (20x Pro usage)
- Team: for 2 to 150 seats. Standard seats are $25/month, or $20 annually. Premium seats are $125/month, or $100 annually.
Anthropic’s paid plans use a rolling usage window plus weekly limits, so very heavy users can hit caps.
Best for: long documents, careful drafting and editing, and people who also want a coding assistant.
Google Gemini
Gemini is Google’s assistant. It’s available free in the Gemini app and comes bundled with Google AI subscriptions. As of October 2026, Google’s plans page lists:
- Google AI Plus: $4.99/month
- Google AI Pro: $19.99/month. It includes Gemini in Gmail and Docs, Deep Research, a large context window for long files, and 5 TB of storage.
- Google AI Ultra: $99.99/month or $199.99/month tiers for the heaviest users and advanced video tools
For businesses, Gemini features are included in paid Google Workspace plans. We compare that with Microsoft’s offer in Microsoft 365 Copilot vs Gemini for Google Workspace.
Best for: Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Android users, especially anyone who would pay for Google storage anyway.
Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft uses the Copilot name for several products, which can be confusing:
- Copilot (consumer app): free for personal use
- Microsoft 365 Personal and Family: consumer subscriptions that include Copilot features in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Microsoft notes that on Family plans, the AI benefits apply to the subscription owner.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat: free with eligible Microsoft 365 business plans. It’s grounded in the web, but on its own it doesn’t work across your organization’s files.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot (business): a paid add-on or bundle that works with your work email, files, and meetings
Best for: businesses already paying for Microsoft 365, and people who spend their day in Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams.
Perplexity
Perplexity calls itself an answer engine. You ask a question, it searches the web, and it answers with numbered citations to sources. Paid subscribers can pick from models made by several AI companies. As of October 2026, Perplexity Pro is $20/month, or $17/month billed annually, and Max is $200/month, or $167/month billed annually. Paid plans add higher limits, a research mode, and file and app creation. Perplexity also makes Comet, an AI-powered web browser.
Best for: research, fact-finding, and anyone who wants to see where an answer came from.
Read more in our Perplexity Review.
Comparison Table
Prices are as of October 2026. Check each vendor’s site for current pricing.
| Chatbot | Free plan | Main paid plan | Business/team plan | Stands out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Yes | Plus, $20/mo | Business, from $20/user/mo annual (2-seat min) | Broadest feature set |
| Claude | Yes | Pro, $20/mo ($17 annual) | Team, from $20/seat/mo annual (2-seat min) | Writing, long documents, coding |
| Gemini | Yes | Google AI Pro, $19.99/mo | Included in paid Google Workspace plans | Google apps and storage bundle |
| Microsoft Copilot | Yes | Via Microsoft 365 Personal/Family | Copilot Chat free with eligible M365 plans; paid Copilot add-on | Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams |
| Perplexity | Yes | Pro, $20/mo ($17 annual) | Check vendor’s site | Cited research answers |
How to Choose: A Quick Checklist
- [ ] Where do you already work? Google users should look at Gemini first, and Microsoft 365 users at Copilot. Both can save you a separate subscription.
- [ ] What’s your main task? For research with sources, choose Perplexity. For long documents and writing, Claude. For all-round use plus images and video, ChatGPT.
- [ ] Will you share it with a team? Compare business plans, not personal ones. Business plans add admin controls and usually don’t train on your data by default.
- [ ] Have you tried the free tier for a week? Use your real tasks. Most people can tell quickly which one suits them.
- [ ] Have you read the data settings? See Are AI Tools Safe for Business Data? before pasting in customer information.
FAQ
Is the free version of ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini good enough?
For occasional use, often yes. Free plans now include web search and file uploads on most services. You pay for higher limits, more capable models, and extras like deep research, agents, and video.
Should I pay for more than one chatbot?
Most individuals don’t need to. Pick one paid plan for daily work and use the free tiers of the others to get a second opinion on important questions.
Which AI chatbot is the most accurate?
No chatbot is accurate all the time, and results vary by task. Perplexity’s citations make it easier to check answers, but you still need to open the sources. For anything important, verify independently.
Are my chats used to train AI models?
It depends on the plan and your settings. Business plans from OpenAI and Anthropic, and Gemini in Google Workspace, don’t train on your data by default, according to each vendor. Consumer plans generally give you a setting to control this. Check the privacy settings for your plan.
Related Reading
- Head-to-head: ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini
- Get better answers from any chatbot: How to Write Better AI Prompts
- Build a full toolkit: The Best AI Tools for Small Business
Prices and features change often. Everything here is as of October 2026, so check the vendor’s site before you buy. This article is general information, not professional advice.
