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AI tools, side by side

Pick up to 4 tools and compare who makes them, the free plan, what each is best at and what to watch out for. Every fact comes from the Tool Atlas, sourced and dated. A real table, so you can copy a cell.

Latest check 27 Sep 2026 What has changed

Choose tools to compare (up to 4)
General assistants
Research and study
Create
Work
Automate and agents
Build

If you tick more than 4, the first 4 are shown.

FactChatGPTClaudeGeminiMicrosoft Copilot
Made byOpenAIAnthropicGoogleMicrosoft
Free planYes, with ads in the UKYesYesYes
Paid plans fromGo at $8 a month; Plus at $20 a monthPro at $20 a month, or $17 a month billed yearlyGoogle AI Plus at $4.99 a month (US price; UK price varies)Microsoft 365 Personal at £8.49 a month (includes Copilot in the Office apps)
Best atThe broadest all-rounder, with the biggest community of guidesCareful writing, long documents and codingWorking inside Gmail, Docs and Google apps; makes images and videoWorking inside Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams
Watch out forFree and Go plans show ads in the UK, and consumer chats train models unless you opt outUsage limits reset in rolling five-hour windows, even on paid plansSome chats can be reviewed by people while activity saving is onThe free Copilot and the work version protect your data differently
SuitsEveryoneProfessionals, buildersEveryoneEveryone at work
VerifiedVerified 27 Sep 2026Verified 27 Sep 2026Verified 27 Sep 2026Verified 27 Sep 2026

A dash means we don’t track that fact for that tool (usually because there’s no single published starting price), not that it has none. Every value links back to its source on the tool’s page. Open the Tool Atlas · Download all tools as a spreadsheet →

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A short assessment scores you across five skill areas and builds a path through 18 modules, with lessons that put your tools first. Free, no card.

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