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With countless artificial intelligence companions available for the public to use, it can be hard to know which one is the best option for you to use. Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT are two of the most popular options with the first being built into the majority of Windows devices, and the latter being one of the most popular chatbots.

Whether you’re just on the hunt for a chatbot to give you advice, or you want something more intensive to automate mundane tasks like reading emails for you, we have all of the details of two of the most popular AI companions.

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We’ve considered functionality, pricing and platforms to help you decide if you need to be using ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot.

What is Microsoft Copilot?

Microsoft Copilot is an AI companion which can help you with a range of tasks from automating tedious processes down to coding projects. Unlike many other popular artificial intelligence models available to the public, Microsoft Copilot isn’t just a chatbot – though you can use it like one.

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What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an AI chatbot directly from OpenAI, which allows you to ask it a question and it will generate a reply. You can make a range of different requests from just having a general conversation and asking for advice down to asking for image generation.

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Related: 

What is Copilot? Everything you need to know about Microsoft’s AI chatbot
ChatGPT also runs on GPT-5, again giving you enhanced reasoning and extended creation capabilities.

Microsoft Copilot vs ChatGPT: capabilities

Microsoft 365 Copilot works with apps like Word and PowerPoint. Microsoft / Microsoft

Considering they run off of the same generative AI model – GPT-5, the actual performance of Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT is the same. However there are still some key differences between the capabilities of the two thanks to their interfaces.

ChatGPT is a chatbot, meaning it can only be used in a conversation format – you’re able to ask the AI questions or to complete certain tasks like write you an essay, but it cannot be implemented within other software. You get a feature-rich chat experience which allows you to generate images but in order to complete other tasks, you’ll have to use OpenAI’s other products like Sora which allows you to create video from text prompts.

Those who are on the free tier of ChatGPT are limited to a certain number of messages every five hours when using the primary models (including GPT-5 or GPT-4o). This comes out to roughly 10 messages in a five hour window – and you’ll get a notification once you’ve reached this limit.

Microsoft Copilot, on the other hand, can be used as more than just a chatbot. Implement Copilot into your Outlook inbox and it can summarize your emails to save them all stacking up. You can ask the software to analyze data for you in Excel or keep track of your schedule in Teams.

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Microsoft Copilot vs ChatGPT: pricing

The paid edition of Copilot – entitled Microsoft Copilot Pro – costs $20 a month. You will also need to have a separate qualifying Microsoft 365 plan (from $9.99 per month) if you would like to use Microsoft 365 Copilot which unfortunately does not come included in the cost of Copilot Pro.

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You can also upgrade to a paid tier of ChatGPT, which is also $20 a month. This gives you access to OpenAI’s most advanced models and features including the o1 reasoning model and Advanced Voice Mode, as well as unlimited usage.

Microsoft Copilot vs ChatGPT: supported devices

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Microsoft Copilot can be used on a range of devices and platforms and you may notice that it comes built into a range of Windows PCs and laptops.

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Similarly to Copilot, you can use ChatGPT on your browser as well on a range of phones via the mobile app (iOS app / Android app).

Using the app is almost identical to the chatbot in web browser. There’s also an official ChatGPT app for the Mac which is able to be used for free.

Microsoft Copilot vs ChatGPT: privacy

Overall, Microsoft Copilot is more secure thanks to its built-in data security features and nothing leaves your secure tenant. Your data or your businesses data isn’t sent to Microsoft and is not used to train the AI.

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Microsoft Copilot vs ChatGPT: verdict

Overall, Microsoft Copilot offers you more features when compared to ChatGPT but in order to unlock some of them you need to pay for the premium tier. Another major benefit to using Microsoft Copilot is that you get unlimited access to the Chatbot without even having to pay – setting it apart from ChatGPT, where free users are limited in their prompts.

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Use Microsoft Copilot if…

You want to automate tasks within your Microsoft Suite, like Teams or Outlook. The AI can summarize emails or provide you with an overview of a meeting.

You work with Microsoft 365 and want integrated AI. Copilot works with apps like Word, Excel and PowerPoint and can create documents or spreadsheets for you.

You want a more secure AI. Microsoft Copilot doesn’t use your data to train the AI and has built in security features meaning nothing leaves your secure tenant.

Use ChatGPT if…

You don’t want something which is integrated. ChatGPT is more general purpose and isn’t made to integrate with other programs like Microsoft Copilot.

You want a specialized chatbot. While Microsoft Copilot has a chatbot feature, it’s not its primary function meaning this is where ChatGPT excels.

All in all, which AI companion you decide to use will be based on what your needs are and what you are looking for out of artificial intelligence. Both options here are great with benefits to both.