Bottom line
For most people, ChatGPT Free is the best place to start. If you live in Gmail, use Gemini (free). If you use Outlook or Windows, use Microsoft Copilot (free). For research with sources, use Perplexity (free). You only need to pay if you keep running into the daily limit.
| Plan | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Free | $0/month | Free covers everyday questions, quick writing help and some images. |
| Gemini (free) | $0/month | Free and already tied to your Google account, so it fits right in with Gmail and Docs. |
| Microsoft Copilot (free) | $0/month | Free with a Microsoft account and handy if you already use Outlook or Windows. |
| Claude Free | $0/month | Careful writing help, with low usage that resets every 5 hours. |
| Perplexity (free) | $0/month | Quick answers with sources you can check, which is great for school and research. |
Top safety switches
- Turn off the setting that uses your chats to train the AI. Each plan page says where it is.
- Use a temporary or private chat for anything sensitive.
- Never paste passwords, card numbers or health records.
Key terms
- Free plan
- No card needed. You get a daily or hourly limit on messages.
- Usage limit
- How much you can use before you have to wait or upgrade.
- Temporary chat
- A chat that isn't saved to your history or used for training.
- Training on your chats
- Some plans may use what you type to improve their AI. Most let you turn that off; business plans are off by default.
Official pricing pages: ChatGPT ↗ · Google AI ↗ · Claude ↗ · Perplexity ↗
Prices checked daily. US prices before tax. Always confirm on the official site before you buy.
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