Marketing
AI assistants tools
AI assistants are general-purpose chat tools built on large language models. You type or speak a request and they draft text, answer questions, summarise documents, analyse files and, increasingly, search the web or act in other apps on your behalf.
ChatGPT
OpenAI's AI chat assistant for writing, research, images, voice and coding
Claude
Anthropic's AI assistant for writing, analysis, research and coding
Google Gemini
Google's AI assistant app, with paid Google AI plans for higher limits
Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft's free consumer AI assistant, with more use in Microsoft 365 plans
Perplexity
AI answer engine that replies with cited sources from the web
Grok
AI assistant from xAI, now part of SpaceX, with real-time web and X search
Meta AI
Meta's AI assistant inside WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and its own app
Mistral Vibe
Mistral AI's assistant for chat, work tasks and coding, now called Vibe
DeepSeek
Free AI chat app and pay-per-token API from Chinese AI company DeepSeek
Side by side
| Tool | Free plan | Starting price | Open source | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | $8/mo | No | Web, iOS, Android, macOS | |
| Claude | $17/mo (annual) | No | Web, iOS, Android, macOS | |
| Google Gemini | $4.99/mo | No | Web, Android, iOS, API | |
| Microsoft Copilot | $9.99/mo | No | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS | |
| Perplexity | $17/mo (annual) | No | Web, API | |
| Grok | See pricing page | No | Web, iOS, Android, API | |
| Meta AI | $7.99/mo | No | Web, iOS, Android | |
| Mistral Vibe | $14.99/mo | No | Web, iOS, Android, API | |
| DeepSeek | Free | No | Web, iOS, Android, API |
How to choose
- 1
Where will you use it? Check the apps, browser extensions and integrations with the tools you already work in.
- 2
Will you paste in work documents? Read the data and training settings on the business plans before you do.
- 3
Do you need web search with sources, file and image analysis, or voice?
- 4
How much will you use it? Free plans limit messages or access to the most capable models.
Also worth a look
Tools listed elsewhere that do this job too.
Manus
General AI agent that carries out research, slides, websites and other tasks
Microsoft 365 Copilot
AI assistant built into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams for business
Gemini in Google Workspace
Gemini AI inside Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet and other Google Workspace apps
Mem
AI notes workspace with an agent that learns from what you save
Guides
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How to Improve Your Brand's Visibility in AI: A 7-Step Checklist
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How to Track Whether AI Mentions Your Brand (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini)
Questions
What are AI assistants and chatbots?
AI assistants are general-purpose chat tools built on large language models. You type or speak a request and they draft text, answer questions, summarise documents, analyse files and, increasingly, search the web or act in other apps on your behalf.
Which AI assistants and chatbots have a free plan?
Of the 9 listed here, 9 have a free plan: ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity, Grok, Meta AI, Mistral Vibe and DeepSeek. Free plans are limited; each tool's page lists the limits.
Which of these AI assistants and chatbots costs least to start?
Of the tools here with a published price, the lowest entry price is Google Gemini's Google AI Plus plan at $4.99/mo, as published on its pricing page on 23 September 2026. The cheapest plan is not always the best value: check what each plan includes.