In short
How they differ.
Worked out from the makers' own pages, read Oct 20, 2026. Prices change; check before you pay.
- Both have a free plan.
- ChatGPT's cheapest paid plan is cheaper: $8 a month against $9.99.
- Both run on the same kinds of device (web, phone app, computer app).
- ChatGPT shipped an update more recently (Oct 16, 2026).
Side by side
The details.
| ChatGPT | Microsoft Copilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | OpenAI · United States | Microsoft · United States |
| What it says it is | “Try ChatGPT Plus and unlock advanced intelligence that goes beyond answering questions to get things done for you.” | “Copilot is the AI for work, helping you create, research, analyze, and get things done in the Microsoft 365 apps you use every day.1” |
| Free plan | YesFree: "Unlimited text chats with GPT-6"; "Limited messages with uploads", "Limited image creation", "Limited deep research", "Limited memory and context". | Yes"Limited usage with a free Microsoft account"; Microsoft 365 plans give "higher usage than free" or "extensive usage". |
| Plans | Free: freeGo: $8 a monthPlus: $20 a monthPro: $100 a monthBusiness: $25 a month | Free (Microsoft account): freeMicrosoft 365 Personal: $9.99 a monthMicrosoft 365 Family: $12.99 a monthMicrosoft 365 Premium: $19.99 a month |
| Runs on | web, desktop, mobile | web, desktop, mobile |
| Latest update | Create and collaborate on slides in ChatGPT, Oct 16, 2026 | Updated Microsoft Copilot app for web, desktop, and mobile available, Aug 18, 2026 |
| Its terms | “When you use our services for individuals (Free, Plus, Pro), we may use your content to train our models.”What it does with your data · OpenAI Help Center: How your data is used to improve model performance | “If you are logged into Copilot with a Microsoft Account or other third-party authentication, you can control whether your conversation activity is used for training Microsoft's generative AI models.”What it does with your data · Microsoft Support: Privacy FAQ for Microsoft Copilot |
| Disputes | None on file | None on file |
| Sources | Prices, Oct 20, 2026 · Description · company-reported | Prices, Oct 20, 2026 · Description · company-reported |
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