Compare tools

Which AI to start with, then a short list of other tools grouped by the job you need doing.

Deliberately not exhaustive. You can't choose from five hundred options, so this is the shortlist worth knowing about. Nothing here is sponsored and no links pay anything.

Which AI should I start with?

For everyday tasks, these four are more alike than different. All four work in a web browser and on phones, have a free way in, work with files and photos, and can look things up on the web. The most useful difference is what you already use: Gemini connects most closely with Google accounts, and Copilot with Windows and Microsoft accounts. If you don't have a preference, pick any one. If an answer disappoints, try the same request in a second one.

What this means for you

You don't need accounts with four different AI companies because they offer different features. Start with the one closest to what you already use, and learn it before you add another.

ChatGPT

Made by OpenAI

What is it?

A general-purpose AI chat assistant. You type or say what you need, and it writes back. Its name gets used for AI in general, but it's one product among several.

Good starting uses

Drafting and rewording emails and messages
Explaining a document or photo you upload
Planning and brainstorming

Try this first

Paste in a message you already wrote and ask: Make this shorter and friendlier.

Where do I use it?

chatgpt.com in a web browser, or the ChatGPT app. Open ChatGPT

Do I need an account?

Not always. In many countries, though not most of Europe, you can try it without signing in, one conversation at a time, and nothing is saved. A free account keeps your conversations.

Free or paid?

There is a free plan with limits, including a small number of file uploads per day. Paid plans raise the limits. See current plans

Phone or computer?

Apps for iPhone and Android. A desktop app for Mac, and an older desktop app for Windows.

What should I know?

Connecting it to other apps, like Gmail or Google Drive, depends on your plan and your country. Its memory, which carries details between conversations, is limited on the free plan, and you can see it or turn it off in settings.

Last checked

September 14, 2026, against these official pages: Help center, Plans, Downloads

Claude

Made by Anthropic

What is it?

A general-purpose AI chat assistant that works the same basic way: ask in plain language and it writes back. Claude is also the name of the AI models it runs on.

Good starting uses

Understanding a long document or PDF you upload
Drafting and editing writing
Thinking through a plan or a decision

Try this first

Paste in a confusing paragraph from a letter or policy and ask: What does this mean in plain English?

Where do I use it?

claude.ai in a web browser, or the Claude app. Open Claude

Do I need an account?

Yes. You need a free account to use it, and new accounts verify a phone number.

Free or paid?

There is a free plan with usage limits. Paid plans raise the limits and add features. See current plans

Phone or computer?

Apps for iPhone, Android, Mac, and Windows.

What should I know?

Memory is on by default on the free plan, and you can view, pause, or reset it in settings. Every plan can connect to Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive.

Last checked

September 14, 2026, against these official pages: Help center, Plans, Downloads

Gemini

Made by Google

What is it?

Google's general-purpose AI chat assistant. Gemini is also the name of the Google AI models it runs on.

Good starting uses

Asking about a photo you take, like a label or a sign
Working with your Gmail, Calendar, or Drive, if you connect them
Everyday questions and drafting

Try this first

Take a photo of a product label or a set of instructions and ask: Explain this in plain language.

Where do I use it?

gemini.google.com in a web browser, or the Gemini app. Open Gemini

Do I need an account?

Partly. On the web and on iPhone you can try text chat without signing in. Uploading files and the Android app need a Google account.

Free or paid?

Free with a Google account. Paid plans give higher limits. See current plans

Phone or computer?

Apps for iPhone and Android. Desktop apps for Windows and newer Macs.

What should I know?

Connecting it to Gmail, Calendar, and Drive needs you signed in with an activity setting turned on, and availability varies by country. Memory of past chats is for adults with personal Google accounts, and you can turn it off in settings.

Last checked

September 14, 2026, against these official pages: Help center, Plans, Desktop app

Microsoft Copilot

Made by Microsoft

What is it?

Microsoft's general-purpose AI chat assistant, on the web, on phones, and built into Windows 11. Since August 2026 it's one app for personal and work accounts, which stay separate. Copilot inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook comes with some Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

Good starting uses

Everyday questions and drafting on a Windows computer
Working with OneDrive files or Outlook.com email, if you connect them
Describing or explaining an image

Try this first

Give it a rough to-do list and ask: Put these in a sensible order for my day.

Where do I use it?

copilot.com in a web browser, the Copilot app, or built into Windows 11. Open Microsoft Copilot

Do I need an account?

Not to start. Microsoft says signing in unlocks more: your chat history, more image creation, and longer conversations. You can sign in with a Microsoft, Apple, or Google account, but memory and privacy settings need a Microsoft account.

Free or paid?

There is a limited free version, which Microsoft says depends on available capacity, and without a Microsoft 365 subscription you might see ads. Microsoft 365 Personal and Family add Copilot inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, though on Family only the subscription owner gets it. See current plans

Phone or computer?

Apps for iPhone and Android, and built into Windows 11. A Mac app for newer Macs, in the US, the UK, and Canada.

What should I know?

Connecting it to OneDrive, Outlook.com, Gmail, or Google Drive needs you signed in, on the website or the phone app. To see or delete what it remembers, go to Settings, then Personalization, then Manage next to Saved memories. Turning memory off there doesn't delete what's already saved.

Last checked

September 15, 2026, against these official pages: Getting started, Plans, Privacy controls, App changes, Connecting other services

Side by side

Can I...	ChatGPT	Claude	Gemini	Microsoft Copilot
Use it in a web browser	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
iPhone and Android apps	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Computer app	Mac, plus an older Windows app	Mac and Windows	Windows and newer Macs	Built into Windows 11; newer Macs in some countries
Try it without an account	Yes, limited, in many countries	No	Text chat only, on the web and iPhone	Yes; signing in unlocks more
Free plan	Yes, with limits	Yes, with limits	Yes, with limits	Yes, limited, and may show ads
Upload a file, like a PDF	Yes; a few per day on the free plan	Yes	Yes, when signed in	Yes
Understand a photo	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Search the web for current information	Yes, including the free plan	Yes, including the free plan	Some answers use Google Search	Yes; you can turn it off when signed in
Connect to email, calendar, or files	Yes, depending on plan and country	Yes, including Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive	Gmail, Calendar, and Drive, with a setting turned on	Outlook.com, OneDrive, Gmail, and Google Drive, when signed in
Memory you can see or turn off	Yes	Yes	Yes, for adults with personal accounts	Yes, when signed in
Connects most closely with	No single company’s apps	No single company’s apps	Google: Gmail, Drive, Android	Microsoft: Windows, Outlook, OneDrive

Checked against each company's own help, plans, and download pages, on the date shown in each profile above. These features change often and can differ by plan, country, and device, so confirm on the official site before you rely on one. This isn't a ranking, and no company pays to appear here.

More tools, grouped by the job they do

Chat assistants

General-purpose. Where most people start.

Name What it does Cost

ChatGPT Ask questions, draft text, work through a problem in conversation. Free tier

Claude Same shape as ChatGPT: ask questions, draft text, and work through documents you paste in. Free tier

Gemini Google's assistant, closest to hand if your work already lives in Google Workspace. Free tier

Microsoft Copilot Microsoft's assistant, closest to hand on Windows. Some Microsoft 365 plans add it inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. The version bundled with a work Microsoft 365 account behaves differently from the free one. Free tier

Writing & editing

Drafting, tightening, and checking your own words.

Name What it does Cost

Grammarly Catches errors and awkward phrasing as you type, in most apps. Free tier

Notion AI Drafting and summarizing inside documents you already keep in Notion. Paid

Data & analytics

Spreadsheets, charts, and questions about your own numbers.

Name What it does Cost

Julius AI Upload a spreadsheet and ask questions about it in plain English; it makes the charts. Free tier

Rows A spreadsheet with AI built in, for people who think in spreadsheets already. Free tier

Copilot in Excel Writes formulas, explains existing ones, and builds charts inside your own workbook. Needs a Microsoft 365 plan that includes Copilot. Check with IT before assuming you have it. Paid

NotebookLM Load your own documents and ask questions answered only from those documents. Answers stay grounded in what you uploaded, which makes it easier to check. Free tier

Meetings & notes

Recording, transcribing, and summarizing what was said.

Name What it does Cost

Otter.ai Records and transcribes meetings, then produces a summary and action items. Free tier

Fireflies.ai Joins your calls as a participant and writes up what happened. Free tier

Granola Takes notes alongside your own typing rather than replacing them. Free tier

Fathom Meeting recorder and summarizer aimed at sales and customer calls. Free tier

Research & search

Finding things and reading long documents.

Name What it does Cost

Perplexity Search that answers in sentences and shows the sources it used. Free tier

Elicit Finds and summarizes academic papers on a question. Free tier

Consensus Searches research literature and shows where studies agree and disagree. Free tier

Images & design

Making or editing visuals without a designer.

Name What it does Cost

Canva Design tool with AI generation and editing built in; the gentlest starting point. Free tier

Adobe Firefly Image generation and editing, trained on licensed material. The licensing story matters if the output is going in front of clients. Free tier

Midjourney Image generation with the strongest results and the steepest learning curve. Paid

Ideogram Image generation that handles text inside images better than most. Free tier

Audio & video

Editing recordings, voice, and clips.

Name What it does Cost

Descript Edit video and podcasts by editing the transcript, like a document. Free tier

ElevenLabs Turns written text into natural-sounding speech, and clones voices. Free tier

HeyGen Creates presenter-style videos from a script without filming anything. Free tier

Opus Clip Cuts long videos into short vertical clips for social. Free tier

Automation

Connecting tools together so steps happen on their own.

Name What it does Cost

Zapier Connects apps so an action in one triggers something in another. No code. Free tier

Make Same job as Zapier with a visual canvas; more capable, more to learn. Free tier

n8n Automation you can run on your own server, if that matters to your IT department. The self-hosted route needs someone technical. The hosted version does not. Free tier

Last checked July 30, 2026. Pricing and free tiers change often, so treat the cost column as a hint, not a promise, and confirm on the tool's own site. Something out of date or missing? Tell me and I'll fix it.