ChatGPT vs Microsoft Copilot

ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are both AI Chat & Assistants tools (Chatbots). Below: what each costs, what it does well, its biggest catches, and who should pick which, all from public sources rather than our own testing.

Side by side

ChatGPTMicrosoft Copilot
CategoryAI Chat & Q&A · ChatbotsAI Chat & Q&A · Chatbots
PricingFree tier: yes. Go $8/mo (US, may include ads), Plus $20/mo, Pro from $100/mo. (checked Oct 10, 2026)Free tier: yes. Microsoft 365 Premium $19.99/mo. Microsoft 365 Copilot Business $18/user/mo paid yearly (discounted from $21), $25.20 on monthly billing. (checked Oct 10, 2026)
Pros
  • The free tier is real: unlimited everyday text chats, with uploads, images, voice and deep research included in limited amounts
  • Go at $8/mo gets you more messages, uploads and memory for well under half the price of Plus
  • Plus bundles reasoning models, projects, scheduled tasks, custom GPTs and Codex in one subscription
  • Free Copilot chat on the web and in the app is genuinely usable
  • Microsoft 365 Premium bundles Office apps, storage and expanded Copilot
  • Works across Word, Excel and Outlook on paid plans
Catches
  • Free and Go may show ads. Plus ($20/mo) is the cheapest ad-free plan
  • No annual billing on Go, Plus or Pro, so no discount for committing
  • Most limits say 'limited' or 'expanded' rather than giving a number, so it's hard to know when you'll hit the wall
  • The free version lacks deep Office-app AI and agents
  • On Premium, AI benefits apply only to the subscription owner, not family members
  • For business, Microsoft 365 Copilot is an add-on: $18/user/mo yearly is a discounted price (regular $21), and it sits on top of a Microsoft 365 plan
Best forPeople who want one assistant for writing, research, images and light coding.Microsoft 365 households and businesses.
Skip it ifYou need predictable, published usage caps, or ads are a dealbreaker on a budget.You mainly need free chat. You don't have to pay.

Which should you pick?

Pick ChatGPT if…

you fit this: people who want one assistant for writing, research, images and light coding.

But not if: you need predictable, published usage caps, or ads are a dealbreaker on a budget.

Watch out for: Free and Go may show ads. Plus ($20/mo) is the cheapest ad-free plan.

Pick Microsoft Copilot if…

you fit this: microsoft 365 households and businesses.

But not if: you mainly need free chat. You don't have to pay.

Watch out for: The free version lacks deep Office-app AI and agents.

More options

Sources

ChatGPT

Microsoft Copilot

Pros, catches and prices are compiled from public sources (official pricing and docs pages, published reviews, user reports), not hands-on testing. Prices change often, so check the vendor page before you buy.