Go Deeper Guide • Companion to Issue #20
ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot and Grok, side by side: what each is good at, what free really gets you, and where the privacy switches live
There are dozens of AI chatbots out there, but these five are the ones you're most likely to hear about.
"Which AI should I use?" is the question I hear most, in every class I teach. I answered it back in Issue #6, but the answer keeps moving. Just this October, two of the five tools changed what their free versions include.
So here's the updated version. I'll give you my honest picks, but the goal is for you to understand the differences well enough to choose for yourself.
All five are good, and the top paid versions are close enough that the "who's smartest" rankings change every few months. The difference that matters is which one fits the way you already live: the email you use, the computer you have, and what you'll actually ask it to do.
The Five, Side by Side
Best for: just about everything. It's the easiest place to start and the most versatile. Writing, planning, explaining, making images, talking out loud with voice mode.
Watch out for: ads. Free ChatGPT in the U.S. has shown sponsored suggestions below some answers since February. The $20 Plus plan is ad-free.
Best for: anyone who lives in Google. Gmail, Google Docs, Google Photos and Android phones all connect to it.
Watch out for: the free version got lighter on October 9. Free users now get only Google's smallest model, called Flash-Lite. It's fine for everyday questions, but noticeably less capable on hard ones.
Best for: writing that sounds like a person, and long documents. Paste in a 40-page HOA document or a stack of medical bills and ask it questions. No ads on any plan.
Watch out for: tighter limits. Free users hit the "come back later" message sooner than on the others, especially with long conversations.
Best for: quick questions if you're on a Windows computer and don't want another app. Sign in with a Microsoft account and you get chat history, voice and image making for free.
Watch out for: the free version doesn't work inside Word, Excel or Outlook. That takes a paid Microsoft 365 plan. Worth checking: if you already pay for Microsoft 365 Personal or Family, Copilot may already be included for the account owner.
Best for: what people are saying on X (formerly Twitter) right now. That's its real edge.
Watch out for: it has drawn steady criticism for weaker safety guardrails than the others. Unless you're on X every day, most of you can skip this one.
What "Free" Really Gets You
Here's the part most comparisons skip. Every free version runs a smaller, lighter model than the paid one. The name on the app is the same, but what's under the hood isn't.
| Tool | Free version | Ads? | Paid version | Ads? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | GPT-6 Luna, OpenAI's lighter model | Yes | Plus, $20/mo | No |
| Gemini | Flash-Lite only (as of Oct 9) | No | Google AI Pro, $19.99/mo | No |
| Claude | Haiku 5.5, Anthropic's lighter model | No | Pro, $20/mo | No |
| Copilot | OpenAI models, chosen automatically | No | M365 Premium, $19.99/mo | No |
| Grok | Grok's "Fast" model | No | SuperGrok, $30/mo | No |
Prices are U.S. monthly prices as of late October 2026. These change often, so check before you buy.
A lighter model is fine for recipes, emails and trivia. On harder questions, like reading a contract or working through numbers, it makes more mistakes. That's not a reason to pay. It's a reason to remember last month's rule: the higher the stakes, the more you verify. Our How to Check AI Answers guide walks through exactly how.
Is it worth paying?
For most of you, not yet. Free is plenty if you use AI a few times a week. Consider paying $20 a month when:
- You keep hitting the limit. If "you've reached your limit, come back later" shows up every week, that's the signal.
- You work with long documents. Paid plans handle much longer files and conversations.
- You're using it for things that matter, like a small business, a book, or managing a family member's affairs, and want the strongest model.
Pay for one, not three. Pick the tool you already reach for most and upgrade that one. Paying for several at once is the most common waste of money I see.
Which One for Which Job
These are my picks, based on how I use them. Any of the five can do most of these jobs. These are just the ones that tend to do it best or most easily.
| If you want to… | Try |
|---|---|
| Write an email, letter or toast that sounds like you | Claude or ChatGPT |
| Read and ask questions about a long document | Claude |
| Plan a trip or a party | ChatGPT or Gemini |
| Find something in your Gmail or Google Calendar | Gemini |
| Make a picture or a card | ChatGPT or Gemini |
| Work on a spreadsheet | ChatGPT for Excel (see Issue #13), or Copilot if your Microsoft 365 plan includes it |
| Talk it through out loud | ChatGPT or Gemini voice mode |
| A quick fact or today's news | Google's AI Mode (Issue #19's tool) or any of them with web search on |
| See what people are saying on X | Grok |
Where Each Privacy Switch Lives
All five can use your conversations to improve their AI. For most of them, that's turned on unless you change it. Whether to turn it off is your call. If you're asking about recipes, it may not matter to you. When you want more privacy, here's where to look:
| Tool | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Settings → Data controls → Improve the model for everyone. Or start a Temporary Chat for one private conversation. |
| Gemini | The AI activity controls in your Google Account. Google notes that free-version chats may be read by human reviewers, so that's the setting to check. |
| Claude | Settings → Privacy → Help improve Claude. Check whether yours is on. |
| Copilot | Settings → Privacy → Training on conversation activity. |
| Grok | Settings → Data Controls → Improve the Model. If you use X, there's a separate Grok setting under X's Privacy and safety. |
Two things to know: turning a switch off only protects your future chats. And no setting replaces common sense: never type your Social Security number, bank account numbers or passwords into any AI tool.
Try It Yourself: The Taste Test
No comparison, including this one, beats five minutes of your own testing. Pick a real question from your week and ask it in two tools, word for word. Here's one to start with:
Then compare. Which one sounded more like you? Which one would you actually send? That's your answer.
If you're not sure, start with ChatGPT. If you live in Google, use Gemini. If you write a lot or hate ads, try Claude. You don't have to pick just one, and you don't have to pay for any of them to get real value.
Choosing Your AI: A Quick Checklist
- I know which email and computer I use most (Google? Microsoft? Apple?)
- I've tried at least two tools with the same real question
- I picked one to be my "go-to"
- I checked its privacy setting and made my choice
- I know I'm using the lighter free model, so I double-check important answers
- Before paying, I'll wait until I'm hitting the free limit regularly
- If I pay, I'll pay for one tool, not several
Facts and prices checked October 27, 2026. AI tools change quickly, so details may differ by the time you read this.
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