Short answer
If you want AI inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, use Copilot. For general conversation, such as asking questions, drafting and analyzing material, ChatGPT is the broader tool. The confusing part is that there are three Copilots: the free one you get by signing in, the one bundled with a personal Microsoft 365 subscription, and Microsoft 365 Copilot, which your employer buys. They are not the same product.
Three products with one name
Prices are in US dollars from Microsoft's pages, checked November 5, 2026. At work, an administrator assigns the license, so individuals rarely buy it themselves.
Names are also moving. Microsoft's pages mention renamed features, for example Deep Research becoming Researcher. Older articles online may use menu names that no longer match.
Who it is for
- Free Copilot
- Individuals
- Personal Microsoft 365 plans
- Individuals and families
- Microsoft 365 Copilot (work)
- Companies and small businesses
Price
- Free Copilot
- Free with a Microsoft account. Some features have usage limits
- Personal Microsoft 365 plans
- Personal $9.99 a month, Family $12.99, Premium $19.99, Pro $99.99
- Microsoft 365 Copilot (work)
- Add-on to a Microsoft 365 Business plan. Copilot Business is $25.20 a month billed monthly, or $21 billed yearly (listed at $18 for the first year during a 2026 promotion)
What you get
- Free Copilot
- Chat, search and image creation on web, Windows, Mac and mobile
- Personal Microsoft 365 plans
- Copilot in the Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook desktop apps. Higher tiers get more usage
- Microsoft 365 Copilot (work)
- Copilot inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams, working with your company data
Data
- Free Copilot
- Your personal account
- Personal Microsoft 365 plans
- Your personal account
- Microsoft 365 Copilot (work)
- Handled within your organization’s protections. Microsoft states prompts and responses are not used to train the underlying models
One scene: meeting notes and a messy spreadsheet
Say you have a long email thread in Outlook and need a summary and a first slide deck. The advantage of Copilot is that it works inside the apps. No copying files out and pasting text back in.
Excel is the same story. You ask for a formula or an analysis in the sheet and the result lands in the sheet. With ChatGPT, you upload the file, get an answer and bring it back.
ChatGPT is better for work that has nothing to do with Office: open questions, brainstorming, coding help. I didn't compare model quality, because Microsoft's pages don't say which models Copilot uses.
Four rules of thumb
- Your company uses Microsoft 365 and has assigned you a Copilot license: Copilot is the default, ChatGPT is the backup.
- You're an individual who barely touches Office: start with free ChatGPT.
- You're an individual who lives in Word and Excel: try free Copilot first, then Microsoft 365 Personal or Premium if it isn't enough.
- You need to put company material into an AI: use only the tool your employer approves. Don't paste it into a personal ChatGPT account.
Ways to spend less
If you already pay for Microsoft 365, Copilot is part of it. Check what your subscription includes before you buy anything new.
The cheapest setup is usually free Copilot plus free ChatGPT, paying for one only when you keep hitting limits.
Billing and security gotchas
Microsoft's page says that on the Family plan the AI features apply to the subscription owner only. Not everyone in the family gets Copilot.
Copilot signed in with a work account and Copilot signed in with a personal account handle data differently. The windows look alike, so check which account you're in at the top right.
Some advanced work features, such as Copilot Cowork, Code and Autopilot, are billed by usage through Copilot Credits on top of the license. Administrators can set limits.
Why your login matters
The most common confusion is the account. Sign in with a work email and Copilot runs under your company's data and protection rules. Sign in with a personal Microsoft account and it's a consumer app. Same logo, different abilities.
That is why “Copilot doesn't show up at my job” usually comes down to licensing. The work version is an add-on to a Microsoft 365 business plan, and if the admin hasn't assigned it, the menu isn't there. You can't fix that yourself.
After hours, a simple line works: use free Copilot or ChatGPT on your personal account and keep company files out of them.
A prompt to compare them yourself
Summarize the meeting notes below into three parts: 1) a one-line conclusion, 2) decisions made, 3) tasks with no owner or deadline. Don't invent owners or dates. If the notes don't say, write “TBD.” [Paste invented meeting notes here. For example: Alex Kim and Jordan Lee discuss the launch announcement for a new product...]
Don't paste real company minutes into a personal ChatGPT account. Made-up notes are enough for a fair comparison.
FAQ
Is free Copilot really free?
Microsoft's page says it is free with a Microsoft account. Some features have usage limits, and heavier use needs a paid plan.
Are Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot the same thing?
No. The first is a work license that handles company data inside the apps. The second is a chat app tied to a personal account.
Is Copilot smarter than ChatGPT?
There is nothing to base that on, since Microsoft's pages don't name the models. Ask both the same question and judge for yourself.
Is my data safe with Copilot at work?
Microsoft says prompts and responses in the work version are not used to train the underlying models and stay within your organization's protections. Your company's policy still comes first, so follow your security team's guidance.
Keep going
Checked against sources on 2026-11-05. Sources: Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft Copilot for individuals, Microsoft 365 Copilot for business. How we write