Microsoft Copilot vs Gemini
Two strong options — here's where they genuinely differ, and which one fits what you're trying to do.
| Microsoft Copilot | Gemini | |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Microsoft | |
| Current model | OpenAI models + Microsoft fine-tunes | Gemini 3.1 Pro / Flash |
| Free tier | Yes — Copilot chat free with a Microsoft account, including in Windows and Edge | Yes — generous: Gemini Flash with Google Search grounding, image generation and Workspace integrations |
| Paid from | ~$20/mo (Copilot Pro); M365 Copilot ~$30/user for business | $4.99/mo (AI Plus) — AI Pro $19.99/mo |
| Plan ladder | Free · Pro ~$20 · Microsoft 365 Copilot ~$30/user (business) | Free · AI Plus $4.99 · AI Pro $19.99 · AI Ultra $200; included in Workspace plans |
| Context window | Varies by surface | 1M tokens (Gemini 3.1 Pro) |
| Multimodal | Text, images, image generation, voice; embedded in Office apps | Text, images, audio, video understanding, image generation, live voice |
| Public API | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Open weights | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Data & privacy | Commercial data protection on business tiers; consumer tier tied to Microsoft account | Tied to Google account; review activity settings — free-tier conversations may be reviewed/used to improve services |
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The verdict
Choose Microsoft Copilot if your priority is microsoft 365 users, business & teams, writing & content.
Choose Gemini if you care more about best value / free use, google workspace users, research & cited answers, real-time information, good at everything.
Both offer free tiers — the genuinely sensible move is to try each on a task you actually do, then pay for the one that earned it.