Best AI alternatives to Microsoft Copilot
Compare the best options to switch to that you can use instead, by pricing, features and popularity share. We picked free alternatives and tools with strong language support.
OpenAI's AI chat — the default choice, leading the global AI chatbot market share by a wide margin.
Google's AI chat — strong at search and Google-service integration; share is rising fast, especially in Japan.
An AI search engine that answers with citations; very popular for search use cases.
xAI's AI chat — known for X (formerly Twitter) integration, real-time info and image generation.
Anthropic's AI chat — praised for long-form writing, coding and careful prose; share is trending up.
A high-performance, low-cost AI from China — free web chat and very cheap API.
What changes if you switch from Microsoft Copilot?
The price difference of the cheapest paid plan, plus features Microsoft Copilot lacks and features you would lose (features are reference values compiled by our editors from official information).
| Switch to | Cheapest paid plan | vs Microsoft Copilot (monthly) | Features you gain | Features you lose | Market share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Go $8 | -$11.99 | API | — | 68.4% |
| Google Gemini | Google AI Plus $4.99 | -$15 | API | — | 18.5% |
| Perplexity | Pro $20 | +$0.01 | API | Image generation, Code generation | 9.6% |
| Grok | Plus $8 | -$11.99 | API | — | — |
| Claude | Pro $20 | +$0.01 | API | Image generation | 1.5% |
| DeepSeek | — | — | API | Image input, Image generation, Voice chat | <0.1% |
Common reasons to switch from Microsoft Copilot
Work outside Office
Copilot's strength is its integration with Windows and Microsoft 365. If most of your work happens outside Office, a standalone AI chat may offer more choice.
Using it via an API
To build AI into your own systems, other vendors with general-purpose APIs give you more options.
How you pay
Paid consumer features are bundled with Microsoft 365 plans. If you only want to pay for AI, compare standalone paid plans.
Source: StatCounter (popularity share) + official sites (pricing & features) ／ Captured: 2026-10 （provisional） ／ Editorial reference ranking (Oct 2026)
The current month is a provisional, month-to-date figure. Month-over-month change and risers/fallers are based on the latest completed month.
Frequently asked questions
What's a free AI that can replace Microsoft Copilot?
If I switch from Microsoft Copilot, which should I choose?
Which alternatives are cheaper than Microsoft Copilot?
Which alternatives offer api, which Microsoft Copilot lacks?
Related
⚠ These rankings are reference values based on public market-share data, web-traffic estimates and editorial research, and do not represent a complete count of every user of each AI tool. Rankings change with the measurement method (web-visit share vs. market share, etc.). Always check each official site for the latest information.