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.
- Gemini's cheapest paid plan is cheaper: $4.99 a month against $9.99.
- Both run on the same kinds of device (web, phone app, computer app).
- Gemini shipped an update more recently (Oct 13, 2026).
Side by side
The details.
| Gemini | Microsoft Copilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Google · United States | Microsoft · United States |
| What it says it is | “more access to our most capable models, like 3.1 Pro, and powerful features, like Deep Research.” | “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: "Access to our Flash-Lite model."; limits not stated in numbers. Footnote: "Your limit refreshes every 5 hours until you reach your weekly limit." | Yes"Limited usage with a free Microsoft account"; Microsoft 365 plans give "higher usage than free" or "extensive usage". |
| Plans | Free: freeGoogle AI Plus: $4.99 a monthGoogle AI Pro: $19.99 a monthGoogle AI Ultra: $99.99 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, mobile, Windows, macOS | web, desktop, mobile |
| Latest update | Introducing Gemini 4 Argon: our frontier model for complex tasks, Oct 13, 2026 | Updated Microsoft Copilot app for web, desktop, and mobile available, Aug 18, 2026 |
| Its terms | “Google uses your activity to provide, develop, and improve its services (including training generative AI models)”What it does with your data · Gemini Apps Privacy Hub | “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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