Updated 2026-06 — AI tools change fast; we re-verify details regularly.

Which AI should you actually use?

ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, DeepSeek… they all claim to be the best. We compare them honestly — pricing, free tiers, real strengths and weaknesses — so you can pick the right one in minutes, not weeks.

Find my AI in 60 seconds → Compare side by side

The big names, compared

We cover 12 AI assistants in depth. These six are where most people start.

ChatGPT

The most-used AI assistant — broadest features, biggest ecosystem.

Free tier $8/mo (Go)

by OpenAI

Claude

The quality pick — leads coding benchmarks and long-document work.

Free tier $20/mo (~£16, $17/mo billed annually)

by Anthropic

Gemini

The best free tier, deepest Google integration, huge context.

Free tier $4.99/mo (AI Plus)

by Google

Microsoft Copilot

AI woven through Windows and Microsoft 365.

Free tier ~$20/mo (Copilot Pro); M365 Copilot ~$30/user for business

by Microsoft

Perplexity

Search-first AI — fast answers with citations you can check.

Free tier $20/mo (Pro)

by Perplexity AI

DeepSeek

Frontier-class reasoning at a fraction of the price — with caveats.

Free tier API-priced (very low per-token costs)

by DeepSeek (China)

See all 12 AI tools →

Three ways to decide

🎯 AI Chooser

Answer five quick questions — what you'll use it for, your budget, how much privacy matters — and get a personalised recommendation.

⚖️ Head to head

ChatGPT vs Claude? Gemini vs Copilot? Put any two side by side on pricing, features, context window and privacy.

💷 Pricing compared

Every free tier and subscription in one table — including what the headline price actually gets you.

Why trust this site?

Because we're independent and we show our working. We're not affiliated with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft or any AI vendor, and we don't declare a single "best AI" — because there isn't one. The right choice depends on whether you're writing, coding, researching, or running a business, what you'll pay, and how much you care about where your data goes.

AI tools also change fast — models, prices and limits shift monthly. Every page shows when its details were last verified, and we re-check the data regularly. If you spot something out of date, tell us and we'll fix it.