In short
How they differ.
Worked out from the makers' own pages, read Oct 20, 2026. Prices change; check before you pay.
- Only Gemini has 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.
| Microsoft Copilot in Word | Gemini | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Microsoft · United States | Google · United States |
| What it says it is | “AI-powered tools to draft, edit, and summarize documents and emails1” | “more access to our most capable models, like 3.1 Pro, and powerful features, like Deep Research.” |
| Free plan | NoCopilot inside the Word desktop apps comes with a Microsoft 365 subscription; a free Microsoft account gets "Limited usage" of Copilot overall. | YesFree: "Access to our Flash-Lite model." Paid plans give 2x to 20x higher usage limits. |
| Plans | Free (Microsoft account): freeMicrosoft 365 Personal: $9.99 a monthMicrosoft 365 Family: $12.99 a monthMicrosoft 365 Premium: $19.99 a monthMicrosoft 365 Copilot Business (add-on): $18 a monthMicrosoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot: $23.50 a monthMicrosoft 365 Business Premium with Copilot: $32 a month | Free: freeGoogle AI Plus: $4.99 a monthGoogle AI Pro: $19.99 a monthGoogle AI Ultra: $99.99 a month |
| Runs on | Windows, macOS, web, mobile | web, mobile, Windows, macOS |
| Latest update | Use voice for Q&A during Read Aloud in Word, Aug 25, 2026 | Introducing Gemini 4 Argon: our frontier model for complex tasks, Oct 13, 2026 |
| Its terms | “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 | “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 |
| 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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