ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Claude vs Copilot: Which Free AI Should You Start With?
A practical comparison of the four best-known AI assistants for everyday work: what each is good at, which apps they connect to, and a simple way to choose without overthinking it.
If you are starting with AI, the number of choices can be confusing. Four names come up most often: ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude and Microsoft Copilot. All four have free plans, all four can write, explain and summarise, and all four improve every few months.
The good news: the skills you need, such as writing clear prompts and checking answers, are the same in all of them. This guide helps you pick one to start with, so you can stop comparing and start using.
The four at a glance
| Made by | Feels most natural if you… | |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | OpenAI | Want the most popular, general-purpose assistant with lots of online tutorials |
| Gemini | Live in Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets and Drive | |
| Claude | Anthropic | Work with long documents or code and like careful, clear writing |
| Microsoft Copilot | Microsoft | Use Windows, Outlook, Word, Excel and Teams at work |
All four can:
- Draft and rewrite emails, posts and documents
- Summarise long text and uploaded files (limits vary by plan)
- Explain concepts, formulas and code
- Answer in Hindi and other Indian languages, with varying quality
Choose by where you work
The best assistant is often the one closest to your daily work, because you will actually use it.
- Your company gives you an approved AI tool? Use that for work. It usually comes with better data protection, and you avoid breaking company policy.
- Your office runs on Microsoft 365? Start with Copilot. Ask IT whether Copilot features are included inside Excel, Outlook and Teams for your account.
- Your office runs on Google Workspace? Start with Gemini.
- You are a student, freelancer or business owner choosing for yourself? Try ChatGPT or Claude first, and see which style of answers you prefer.
Choose by task
| Task | Good starting choice |
|---|---|
| Everyday writing, ideas and explanations | Any of the four |
| Long PDFs, contracts, policies | Claude, or the tool your company approves |
| Gmail and Google Docs work | Gemini |
| Excel, Outlook and Teams at work | Copilot (with a Microsoft 365 plan that includes it) |
| Coding help | Claude or ChatGPT, plus GitHub Copilot inside your editor |
| Recent information with sources | An assistant with web search turned on, or a search-focused tool like Perplexity |
These are starting points, not rules. Each tool updates often, and the gaps between them change.
Free vs paid
All four have free plans with usage limits. Paid plans typically add:
- More messages or longer conversations
- Access to more capable models
- Extra features such as advanced file analysis, image generation or deeper app integration
Prices and plan details change frequently, so check each official website. A sensible approach: use the free plan for two or three weeks on real tasks. Pay only when you keep hitting the limits on work that saves you real time.
A 10-minute test to choose
Pick one real task from your week, such as an email you need to write or a document you need to summarise. Use the same prompt in two assistants:
I am a [job title]. [Describe the task with all the details.]
Give the answer as [format], under [length].
Compare:
- Which answer needed fewer edits?
- Which one followed your format and length?
- Which one sounded more like you?
Keep the winner as your main assistant. Use the other occasionally for a second opinion.
What matters more than the tool
Whichever you choose, the same habits decide whether AI helps or hurts:
- Give context. Role, task, background and format.
- Check facts. Every assistant can be confidently wrong about numbers, rules and dates.
- Protect data. Never paste passwords, ID numbers, bank details or confidential company information.
- Save good prompts. Reuse what works.
Our free course AI for Everyone teaches these habits in seven short lessons, and works with any of the four assistants. You can also see each tool's page in our AI tools directory.