Go
$8/mo
Limits More messages with tools, more uploads, image creation and voice than Free; longer memory. May include ads. Exact caps not published.Source: chatgpt.com · checked 2026-10-16
ChatGPT vs Microsoft Copilot: pricing and usage limits (Oct 2026)
ChatGPT starts at $8/mo, Microsoft Copilot at $9.99/mo. Both have a free plan. Every plan from both vendors, the limits each one actually publishes, and what changed recently, with a source on every line.
The short answer
Verdict from the data
- Cheaper to start
- ChatGPT. ChatGPT Go is $8/mo; the cheapest Microsoft Copilot plan, Microsoft 365 Personal, is $9.99/mo ($1.99 more).
- Free plan
- Both have one. What each includes is quoted under Free plans below.
- Top of the ladder
- ChatGPT Pro 500 at $500/mo vs Microsoft 365 Premium at $19.99/mo.
- Paying yearly
- Microsoft Copilot takes up to 17% off (Microsoft 365 Personal); ChatGPT shows no yearly discount on the plans we track.
- Hard numbers
- Neither vendor publishes exact allowances, so the limits below are quoted, not counted.
- Latest move
- ChatGPT, 29 Sep 2026: ChatGPT Pro 500 ($500/mo) launched; Pro 200 reopened with a lower usage allowance.
Pick ChatGPT if you want the lowest monthly bill. Beyond price and free access, the deciding factor is which models and features you need; we track the money, not the model quality.
Head to head
| Fact | ChatGPT | Microsoft Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free tier | Free tier |
| Cheapest plan | Go · $8/mo | Microsoft 365 Personal · $9.99/mo |
| Top plan | Pro 500 · $500/mo | Microsoft 365 Premium · $19.99/mo |
| Plans tracked | 5 | 4 |
| Yearly discount | None shown | up to 17% |
| Allowance periods | Not stated | Not stated |
| Latest change | new tierlimit cut | None logged |
| Last checked |
Closest price match: ChatGPT Go vs Microsoft 365 Personal
Microsoft 365 Personal
$9.99/mo
Annual: $99.99/yr
Limits 1 person; 1 TB; Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote with 'higher usage than free' (not quantified).Source: microsoft.com · checked 2026-10-16
Every plan side by side
| Tool | Plan | Price | Limits as stated & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Go | $8/mo | More messages with tools, more uploads, image creation and voice than Free; longer memory. May include ads. Exact caps not published. Source: chatgpt.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| ChatGPT | Plus | $20/mo | Expanded messages/uploads, advanced reasoning with GPT-6, expanded deep research and Codex. 'Limits apply'; message caps may vary with demand and are not published. Source: help.openai.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| ChatGPT | Pro 100 | $100/mo | Pro reasoning (GPT-6 Astra), longer Codex/Work sessions, 'unlimited' subject to abuse guardrails. Lowest of three Pro tiers; per-model allowances vary by tier and are not published. Source: help.openai.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| ChatGPT | Pro 200 | $200/mo | More usage than Pro 100. New (non-grandfathered) Pro 200 subscriptions get a lower usage allowance than previously offered. Source: help.openai.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| ChatGPT | Pro 500 | $500/mo | Highest included usage; includes GPT-6 Astra Ultrafast and GPT-6.1 Sol Ultrafast. Source: help.openai.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Microsoft Copilot | Microsoft 365 Personal | $9.99/mo | 1 person; 1 TB; Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote with 'higher usage than free' (not quantified). Source: microsoft.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Microsoft Copilot | Microsoft 365 Family | $12.99/mo | 1-6 people (AI for subscription owner only); up to 6 TB; same Copilot usage as Personal. Source: microsoft.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Microsoft Copilot | Microsoft 365 Premium | $19.99/mo | 'Extensive usage'; AI agents (research reports, data analysis); advanced Copilot features. Source: microsoft.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Microsoft Copilot | Microsoft 365 Copilot Business (add-on) | $18/mo billed yearly | Business add-on to existing Microsoft 365 plans. Source: microsoft.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
Free plans
| Tool | Free? | What you get for $0 & source |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Free tier | Free $0: 'Unlimited text chats with GPT-6' subject to abuse guardrails; limited uploads, image creation, voice, deep research, memory, Codex access. Help center says Free users have GPT-5.6 Luna; tools have separate limits. Ads may appear in some countries. Source: chatgpt.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Microsoft Copilot | Free tier | Microsoft Copilot app is free; paid Microsoft 365 plans give 'higher usage than free' (Personal/Family) or 'extensive usage' (Premium). Free usage limits not published on this page. Source: microsoft.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
Recent price and limit changes
-
new tierlimit cutChatGPT Pro 500 ($500/mo) launched; Pro 200 reopened with a lower usage allowance
Pro 500 adds Ultrafast GPT-6 Astra / GPT-6.1 Sol. New, non-grandfathered Pro 200 subscriptions get a lower allowance; grandfathered users keep the old allowance through Oct 29, 2026.
-
new tierChatGPT adds a $100/month Pro tier (5x Plus Codex usage)
New Pro tier between Plus ($20) and Pro ($200); temporary 10x Codex promo through May 31, 2026. Plus Codex usage rebalanced across the week.
Questions people ask
Which is cheaper, ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot?
ChatGPT is cheaper to start: ChatGPT Go costs $8/mo, against $9.99/mo for Microsoft 365 Personal. At the top end, ChatGPT Pro 500 is $500/mo and Microsoft 365 Premium is $19.99/mo.
Is ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot free?
ChatGPT: Yes. Free $0: 'Unlimited text chats with GPT-6' subject to abuse guardrails; limited uploads, image creation, voice, deep research, memory, Codex access. Help center says Free users have GPT-5.6 Luna; tools have separate limits. Ads may appear in some countries. Microsoft Copilot: Yes. Microsoft Copilot app is free; paid Microsoft 365 plans give 'higher usage than free' (Personal/Family) or 'extensive usage' (Premium). Free usage limits not published on this page.
How do the usage limits compare at the closest price?
ChatGPT Go ($8/mo): More messages with tools, more uploads, image creation and voice than Free; longer memory. May include ads. Exact caps not published. Microsoft 365 Personal ($9.99/mo): 1 person; 1 TB; Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote with 'higher usage than free' (not quantified).
Is it cheaper to pay yearly?
ChatGPT: no yearly discount on the plans we track. Microsoft Copilot: up to 17% off when billed yearly (Microsoft 365 Personal: $8.33/mo instead of $9.99).
When did ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot last change their pricing?
29 Sep 2026, ChatGPT: ChatGPT Pro 500 ($500/mo) launched; Pro 200 reopened with a lower usage allowance. 9 Apr 2026, ChatGPT: ChatGPT adds a $100/month Pro tier (5x Plus Codex usage).
Free to cite. All data is CC BY 4.0: quote, embed or republish it with a link to AI Plan Tracker. Raw data: tools.json · changes.json. Spotted an error? Every fact links to its source and the date we checked it.