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The best AI chatbots, compared by what you get
ChatGPT is by far the most used AI chatbot, but it doesn’t have the strongest free model. Claude’s free plan includes Sonnet, and its newest version scores higher on Epoch AI’s independent index than any other chatbot’s free model. At about $20 a month, ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro and Google AI Pro all give you a model at or near the top of the rankings. Here is how the main chatbots compare, free and paid.
Checked October 18, 2026 against each company’s plans page; model scores from Epoch AI
The best free AI chatbots
| Chatbot | Model on the free plan | Score | Limits | Also free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude | Sonnet and Haiku (newest: Sonnet 5.5) | 164.4 | Usage limits per five-hour session | Web search, files and code, memory, voice, Claude Design |
| ChatGPT | GPT-6 Luna | 156.3 | Unlimited text chats, within abuse limits; uploads, images and deep research limited | Image creation, study mode, voice |
| DeepSeek | DeepSeek V4.1 Flash | 155.6 | No paid plan at all | Open model weights; data stored in China |
| Google Gemini | Flash-Lite (newest: Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite) | 145.2 | “Standard limits”; reads 32,000 tokens at a time | Images, Deep Research, quizzes and flashcards |
| Microsoft Copilot | Not named | — | Lower usage than paid plans | Image creation |
| Grok | Not named | — | Limited chat and agent requests | Limited image generation |
| Mistral Vibe | Not named | — | Limited messages and web searches | Basic image generation and editing |
Scores: Epoch AI, “Capabilities & benchmarking”, epoch.ai/benchmarks, CC BY 4.0. Claude’s and Gemini’s plans pages name the model family, not the version; we show the score of the newest version.
The best AI chatbots for about $20 a month
| Plan | Price | Top model included | Score | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Pro | $20 | Claude Opus 5.5 | 166.8 | Claude Code, Claude in Chrome, Research |
| ChatGPT Plus | $20 | GPT-6 Astra, GPT-6.1 Sol | 166.4 | Codex, ChatGPT Work, more image creation |
| Google AI Pro | $19.99 | Gemini 4 Argon | 164.6 | 5 TB storage, Gemini in Gmail and Docs, video |
| Microsoft 365 Premium | $19.99 | Not named | — | Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook with Copilot; Researcher and Analyst |
| Mistral Vibe Pro | $14.99 | Not named | — | More messages, $15 a month of API credits |
| Grok Premium | $30 | The latest Grok models (Grok 4.7) | 154.4 | Video, Grok Bot, X and Cursor |
Cheaper tiers: ChatGPT Go $8 (GPT-6 Luna), Google AI Plus $4.99 (Gemini’s Flash model, 157.2 for 3.8 Flash), Grok Plus $8. Microsoft 365 Personal ($9.99) also adds Copilot with more use than free.
The most used AI chatbots
Share of the website visits sent by AI chatbots, September 2026: it measures clicks out of each chatbot, not how many people use it. Source: Statcounter, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Which chatbot to pick
- Best free all-rounder: ChatGPT, for unlimited text chats, image creation and study mode on the free plan.
- Strongest free model: Claude, if you can live with tighter usage limits.
- You live in Google’s apps: Gemini; Google AI Pro adds it to Gmail and Docs with 5 TB of storage.
- You live in Microsoft Office: Copilot through a Microsoft 365 plan, from $9.99 a month.
- Paying $20: Claude Pro and ChatGPT Plus include the top-ranked models; compare them in Claude vs ChatGPT and Gemini vs ChatGPT.
Do chatbots train on your chats?
On their personal plans, both ChatGPT and Claude let you opt out of having your chats used for training. Gemini uses your chats, and photos you upload, to improve Google’s services with the help of human reviewers if your Keep Activity setting is on. DeepSeek stores your data in China, its privacy policy says. Business plans from OpenAI and Anthropic don’t train on your data by default.
Questions
What is the best AI chatbot?
For most people, ChatGPT or Claude. ChatGPT’s free plan is the most generous; Claude’s free plan has the stronger model. Paying $20 a month for either gets you a model tied for the top of Epoch AI’s index.
What is the best free AI chatbot?
ChatGPT for everyday use, with unlimited text chats and image creation, or Claude for the strongest free model. Gemini’s free plan has the most study and research tools.
Is ChatGPT the best AI?
It is the most used by far, about 80.48% of chatbot referrals to websites. On model strength, its top model, GPT-6 Astra, ties with Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6.1 Sol; see the best AI models.
Sources
- ChatGPT pricing, Claude plans, Gemini subscriptions and Gemini limits, DeepSeek on the App Store
- Microsoft 365 plans with Copilot, Grok plans and Mistral pricing
- Epoch AI benchmark data (CC BY 4.0) and Statcounter (CC BY-SA 3.0)