AI chatbots have multiplied like Star Wars clones, making it hard to know which one to choose. We’ve compared the free and paid versions of the best AI chatbots to help you decide whether it’s worth paying for them.
ChatGPT: Free vs. Paid
ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is the most prominent collection of AI chatbots on the market. Launched in November 2022, it single-handedly redefined our expectations of what computers can do, thanks to its uncanny ability to generate mostly accurate responses to a wide range of queries.
What’s Included in the Free ChatGPT Plan?
- Limited access to GPT-4o
- Chat with older GPT-3.5 model
- Choose custom GPTs from the GPT Store
What’s Included in the Paid ChatGPT Plan?
- Access to the flagship GPT-4 model (alongside GPT-4o and GPT-3.5)
- Send up to five times more messages to GPT-4o
- Full access to certain capabilities, such as data analysis and DALL-E
- $20/monthly
Is ChatGPT Worth Paying For?
Now that GPT-4o is available to free users, the ChatGPT Plus plan has become much more difficult to recommend. In fact, I would argue that most people should stick with the free plan, as it provides a huge value for zero dollars.
However, there are still some specific use cases where the added features and capabilities of this pro bot plan may be worth the cost. For example, if you frequently need to generate images, access to DALL-E alone could justify the $20 per month subscription fee. Similarly, if you’re a developer or researcher, who requires more advanced coding or data analysis capabilities, then GPT-4 is still your best bet.
Copilot: Free vs. Paid
Microsoft Copilot (previously known as Bing Chat), is a ChatGPT alternative that launched on February 7, 2023. It’s impossible to ignore, as it’s now deeply integrated into Microsoft Bing, Microsoft Edge, and Windows 11. In fact, Microsoft has even decided to introduce a new Copilot key on Windows keyboards, marking the first significant change to the PC keyboard in nearly three decades.
What’s Included in the Free Copilot Plan?
- Access GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo during non-peak times
- Access to Designer, Microsoft’s alternative to DALL-E
- Tap into customized versions of Copilot GPTs
What’s Included in the Paid Copilot Plan?
- Priority access to GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo, even in peak times
- Significantly higher daily image generation limits
- Build your own Copilot GPTs
- Integrates into Microsoft Office apps
- $20/monthly
Is Copilot Worth Paying For?
If you’re already a Microsoft 365 subscriber and rely heavily on Microsoft’s Office suite, then the Copilot Pro plan may be worth the investment. The plan offers a range of benefits that could save you time and improve your productivity.
But if you currently don’t have a Microsoft 365 subscription, then the cost of Copilot Pro plus the subscription fee for Microsoft 365 may not be worth it. The Microsoft 365 Personal plan costs $69.99 per year, while the Family plan costs $99.99 per year. You would be paying at least $5.83 per month in addition to the $20/monthly.
Gemini: Free vs. Paid
Gemini, which many remember by its former name, Bard, launched in March 2023, with a limited rollout. Developed as a competitor to OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT, Gemini is built on the namesake large language model (LLM) and has gone through some technical changes under the hood. Initially, it relied on the LaMDA family of LLMs before transitioning to PaLM.pen_spark.
What’s Included in the Free Gemini Plan?
What’s Included in the Paid Gemini Plan?
- 1.5 Pro model, boasting a 1,000,000 token context window
- Ideal for tasks like summarizing large documents
- Upload and work with spreadsheets
- Run Python code within chatbot
- Priority access to new and exclusive features
Is Gemini Worth Paying For?
- Try it for free for up to 2 months
- 2 TB of cloud storage for Google services
- $20/monthly
Which Premium AI Chatbot Should I Choose?
| AI Chatbot | Cost per Month | Free Trial | Main Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Plus | $20 | No | Access to all models, including GPT-4, increased message limits, file uploads, data analysis, custom GPT creation, image generation with DALL-E |
| Copilot Pro | $20 (requires a Microsoft 365 subscription) | 1 month | Priority access to GPT-4, higher image generation limits, integration with Microsoft Office apps |
| Gemini Advanced | $20 | 2 months | Large context window, spreadsheet uploads, Python code execution, priority access to new features, integration with Google apps |
Choosing the right AI chatbot depends on your specific needs and the ecosystem you’re already invested in. If you want to be at the forefront of AI development and have access to the most advanced models, then ChatGPT Plus is the way to go.
However, if you’re a Microsoft 365 subscriber and rely heavily on Microsoft’s Office suite, then Copilot Pro’s deep integration with those apps could be worth the investment. Similarly, if you’re a Google user and need ample cloud storage, then Gemini Advanced’s integration with Google apps and 2 TB of included storage could be a great choice.
It’s also worth noting that you can run artificial intelligence models locally on your own hardware, which can provide greater privacy and no censorship. If you’re interested in learning more about how to do that, check out our article on how to run a large language model on a Raspberry Pi.
Image credit: DALL-E. All screenshots by David Morelo.
