Best free AI tools
A recommended ranking of AI chat tools usable on a free plan, compared by free-tier value and popularity share.
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.
A high-performance, low-cost AI from China — free web chat and very cheap API.
xAI's AI chat — known for X (formerly Twitter) integration, real-time info and image generation.
Source: StatCounter (market share) + each official site (features, pricing) ／ Captured: 2026-10 （provisional） ／ Reference ranking by our editors
The current month is a provisional, month-to-date figure. Month-over-month change and risers/fallers are based on the latest completed month.
How to choose an AI for free
Popularity is a start, but the points below are where tools actually differ for this use case.
1. Which features the free plan includes
Whether web search, image generation and file reading are available for free differs by tool. Check that the features you need are in the free tier first.
2. Usage and model limits
Free plans typically cap how often you can use the top model and switch to a lighter model once you hit the limit.
3. How your data is used
On free plans, using your inputs to improve the model is sometimes on by default. Check the setting before entering work information.
Features and pricing of every tool for free
Including tools outside the ranking, this table lists the features and prices that matter for this use case.
| Tool | Japanese support | Web search | Free plan | Cheapest paid plan | Market share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | ○ | ○ | ○ | Go $8 | 68.4% |
| Google Gemini | ○ | ○ | ○ | Google AI Plus $4.99 | 18.5% |
| Perplexity | ○ | ○ | ○ | Pro $20 | 9.6% |
| Grok | ○ | ○ | ○ | Plus $8 | — |
| Microsoft Copilot | ○ | ○ | ○ | Microsoft 365 Premium $19.99 | 2.0% |
| Claude | ○ | ○ | ○ | Pro $20 | 1.5% |
| DeepSeek | ○ | ○ | ○ | — | <0.1% |
What the free plans include
The models and main features of the free plans of 7 AIs, based on official information. △ = limited, — = not stated officially.
| Tool | Models | Web search | Image generation | File & image upload | Voice chat | Deep Research | Training on your inputs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | GPT-6 Luna | ○ | △ | △ | △ | △ | On by default; can be turned off in settings |
| Google Gemini | Gemini Flash-Lite | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | △ | Can be turned off in settings (default not stated officially) |
| Perplexity | Best (auto) | ○ | × | △ | — | △ | On by default; can be turned off in settings |
| Grok | — | — | △ | — | — | — | Can be turned off in settings (default not stated officially) |
| Microsoft Copilot | GPT-5 (Smart) | ○ | △ | ○ | △ | × | On by default; can be turned off in settings |
| Claude | Claude Sonnet / Haiku | ○ | × | ○ | ○ | × | You choose at sign-up and can change it later |
| DeepSeek | DeepSeek V4 Pro (Expert Mode) | — | — | — | — | — | Used; opting out requires an email request |
Source: Each vendor's official pricing and help pages ／ Captured: 2026-10-17
Checked on each vendor's official pages on 2026-10-17. Free plans can change without notice.
Frequently asked questions
Which AI is the best for Free?
Which AI can I use for free for free?
For free, should I choose an AI chat or a dedicated tool?
Which AI can generate images for free?
Are my inputs on a free plan used to train the AI?
What is this ranking based on?
Other rankings by use case
⚠ 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.