ClaudevsMicrosoft Copilot
Two general assistant tools, the same questions. Every answer comes from the official pages, with the date we checked. Nothing here is ranked.
last check 2026-10-11
Claude
by Anthropic
Claude is Anthropic's AI assistant on the web, desktop and mobile; a beginner might try it for writing and editing text, asking about an uploaded PDF or image, or questions that need a web search.
Good for: Writing, Learning, Office work, Research
All Claude factsMicrosoft Copilot
by Microsoft
Microsoft Copilot is Microsoft's AI chat assistant for personal Microsoft accounts on the web, desktop and mobile; a beginner might try it for everyday questions, web-based answers, or asking about an uploaded file or image.
Good for: Writing, Learning, Office work, Research
All Microsoft Copilot factsWhere they differ
- AI modelsClaude: Claude Fable 5.1, Claude Fable 5, Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Sonnet 5.5, Claude Haiku 5.5, Claude Opus 5Microsoft Copilot: GPT-5
- AccountClaude: Account required (log in with Google or with an email link)Microsoft Copilot: Account required: the free tier needs a signed-in Microsoft account
- Where it is availableClaude: Available in the countries listed on the official 'Where can I access Claude?' pageMicrosoft Copilot: Available in over 170 markets; not available or not supported in China (excluding Hong Kong SAR) and embargoed markets
- Usage limitsClaude: Session-based usage limit that resets every five hours, Session-based usage limit that resets every five hours. Weekly usage limit across all models, 5x the Pro plan's per-session usage. 20x the Pro plan's per-session usage. Weekly usage limit across all models. Larger per-session allowance than Pro. Significantly more usage than Standard seats. No per-seat usage limits; all usage billed at API ratesMicrosoft Copilot: Feature limits per time period plus monthly AI credits, Signing in adds chat history, more image creation, longer conversations and longer voice sessions
- Agent modeClaude: SupportedMicrosoft Copilot: Limited
- Runs code and analyses dataClaude: SupportedMicrosoft Copilot: Supported
- Connects toClaude: Linear, Slack, Google Drive, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Canva, Microsoft 365, Notion, Figma, HubSpot, Asana, monday.comMicrosoft Copilot: OneDrive, Google Drive
Same answer, but for different plans or with different conditions: file upload, image input, web search, projects, deep research. The table below shows the conditions.
Confirmed for only one of the two so far: context window, used to train AI, can switch off training, how long data is kept. The table below shows which.
Same answer for both: free plan, platforms, memory, voice conversation.
Plans and prices
As listed on each official pricing page, in the currency we were shown. No conversion, no rounding.
Claude
- Free Free plan$0.00 / month, plus tax
- Pro Paid, individual$20.00 / month, plus tax
- Max Paid, individual$100.00 / month, plus tax
- Team Team$20.00 / month, billed annually, plus tax
Through the API: about $0.16 – $16 a month for 30 short chat messages a day, across 4 models. Each model is in the full comparison below.
Plan details and sources for ClaudeMicrosoft Copilot
- Copilot (free) Free planPrice not confirmed
- Microsoft 365 Personal Paid, individual$9.99 / month
- Microsoft 365 Family Paid, individual$12.99 / month
- Microsoft 365 Premium Paid, individual$19.99 / month
- Microsoft 365 Pro Paid, individual$99.99 / month
Full comparison with sources
| General assistant | ||
| What it is for | ||
| What it is for | Claude is Anthropic's AI assistant on the web, desktop and mobile; a beginner might try it for writing and editing text, asking about an uploaded PDF or image, or questions that need a web search. | Microsoft Copilot is Microsoft's AI chat assistant for personal Microsoft accounts on the web, desktop and mobile; a beginner might try it for everyday questions, web-based answers, or asking about an uploaded file or image. |
| Good for | ||
| Editor's suggestion |
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| Cost | ||
| Free planA free plan that is not time-limited. Trials are listed separately. |
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| Plans and pricesOriginal currency and billing period. No conversion. |
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| Through the APIPer 1 million tokens, and about what 30 short chat messages a day cost a month. |
| Not in our API price list |
| AI models | ||
| AI modelsThe AI models the official pages name for this product. Line-ups change often, so check the date. |
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| Input and output | ||
| File uploadYou can give it files such as PDFs or documents. |
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| Image inputYou can give it an image to describe or analyse. |
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| Voice conversationTalk to it out loud and hear it answer. |
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| Runs code and analyses dataRuns code to work with numbers, spreadsheets or charts, not only text. |
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| Checking facts | ||
| Web searchIt can search the web while answering. |
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| Deep researchA mode that searches many sources step by step and writes a report with citations. |
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| Workflow | ||
| PlatformsWhere the product is offered: web, desktop app, mobile app, or editor extension. |
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| MemoryRemembers things you told it in earlier chats. |
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| ProjectsGroup chats and files for one piece of work, with their own instructions. |
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| Agent modeCan take actions for you in a browser or on a computer, such as filling in forms. |
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| Connects toApps and services it can read from or work in, as the official pages name them. |
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| Requirements | ||
| AccountWhether you need to sign up before using it. |
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| Where it is availableCountries or regions where the provider says it can be used. |
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| Not yet confirmed | ||
| Custom assistantsMake your own assistant with fixed instructions and files, such as GPTs or Gems. |
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| Sources and confidence | ||
| Confidence | Last checked 2026-10-11 Not yet confirmed: Custom assistants | Last checked 2026-10-11 Not yet confirmed: Context window, Used to train AI, Can switch off training, How long data is kept, Custom assistants |
What it is for
What it is for
Claude:
Claude is Anthropic's AI assistant on the web, desktop and mobile; a beginner might try it for writing and editing text, asking about an uploaded PDF or image, or questions that need a web search.
Microsoft Copilot:
Microsoft Copilot is Microsoft's AI chat assistant for personal Microsoft accounts on the web, desktop and mobile; a beginner might try it for everyday questions, web-based answers, or asking about an uploaded file or image.
Editor's suggestion
Claude:
- Editor's suggestion: Try summarising a document you are allowed to share, then check the summary against the original.
- Editor's suggestion: Try a question about something recent, and open the linked sources before relying on the answer.
Microsoft Copilot:
- Editor's suggestion: Try summarising a document you are allowed to share, then check the summary against the original.
- Editor's suggestion: Try a question about something recent, and open the linked sources before relying on the answer.
Cost
Free plan
A free plan that is not time-limited. Trials are listed separately.
Claude:
- Supportedclaude.comchecked 2026-10-10
Free plan
Microsoft Copilot:
- Supportedmicrosoft.comchecked 2026-10-10
Copilot (free) plan
Plans and prices
Claude:
- Free (Free plan)$0.00 / month, plus tax
- Pro (Paid, individual)$20.00 / month, plus tax
- Max (Paid, individual)$100.00 / month, plus tax
- Team (Team)$20.00 / month, billed annually, plus tax
- All plan details and sources
Microsoft Copilot:
- Copilot (free) (Free plan)Price not confirmed
- Microsoft 365 Personal (Paid, individual)$9.99 / month
- Microsoft 365 Family (Paid, individual)$12.99 / month
- Microsoft 365 Premium (Paid, individual)$19.99 / month
- Microsoft 365 Pro (Paid, individual)$99.99 / month
- All plan details and sources
Through the API
Per 1 million tokens, and about what 30 short chat messages a day cost a month.
Claude:
- Claude Haiku 5.5$0.10 in · $0.50 out · about $0.16 a month
- Claude Sonnet 5.5$2.00 in · $10.00 out · about $3.12 a month
- Claude Opus 5.5$4.00 in · $20.00 out · about $6.24 a month
- Claude Fable 5.1$10.00 in · $50.00 out · about $16 a month
- Official price pageHow we count
Microsoft Copilot:
Not in our API price listAI models
AI models
The AI models the official pages name for this product. Line-ups change often, so check the date.
Claude:
- Claude Fable 5.1, Claude Fable 5, Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Sonnet 5.5, Claude Haiku 5.5, Claude Opus 5support.claude.com +1checked 2026-10-10
Microsoft Copilot:
- GPT-5support.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-10
Input and output
File upload
You can give it files such as PDFs or documents.
Claude:
- Supportedsupport.claude.comchecked 2026-10-10
Plan not specified
Microsoft Copilot:
- Supportedsupport.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-10
All current plans
Image input
You can give it an image to describe or analyse.
Claude:
- Supportedsupport.claude.comchecked 2026-10-10
Plan not specified
Microsoft Copilot:
- Supportedsupport.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-10
All current plans
Voice conversation
Talk to it out loud and hear it answer.
Claude:
- Supportedsupport.claude.comchecked 2026-10-11
Plan not specified
Microsoft Copilot:
- Supportedsupport.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11
Plan not specified
Runs code and analyses data
Runs code to work with numbers, spreadsheets or charts, not only text.
Claude:
- Supportedsupport.claude.comchecked 2026-10-11
Plan not specified
Microsoft Copilot:
- Supportedsupport.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11
Plan not specified
- Supportedmicrosoft.comchecked 2026-10-11
Plans: Microsoft 365 Premium, Microsoft 365 Pro
Checking facts
Web search
It can search the web while answering.
Claude:
- Supportedclaude.comchecked 2026-10-10
Plans: Free, Pro, Max
Microsoft Copilot:
- Supportedsupport.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-10
Plan not specified
Deep research
A mode that searches many sources step by step and writes a report with citations.
Claude:
- Supportedsupport.claude.comchecked 2026-10-11
Plans: Pro, Max, Team
Microsoft Copilot:
- Supportedsupport.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11
Plans: Microsoft 365 Premium, Microsoft 365 Pro
Workflow
Platforms
Where the product is offered: web, desktop app, mobile app, or editor extension.
Claude:
- Web, Desktop app, Mobile appclaude.comchecked 2026-10-10
Microsoft Copilot:
- Web, Desktop app, Mobile appcopilot.comchecked 2026-10-10
Memory
Remembers things you told it in earlier chats.
Claude:
- Supportedsupport.claude.comchecked 2026-10-11
Plan not specified
Microsoft Copilot:
- Supportedsupport.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11
Plan not specified
Projects
Group chats and files for one piece of work, with their own instructions.
Claude:
- Supportedsupport.claude.comchecked 2026-10-11
Plan not specified
Microsoft Copilot:
- Supportedsupport.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11
Plans: Microsoft 365 Personal, Microsoft 365 Family, Microsoft 365 Premium, Microsoft 365 Pro
Agent mode
Can take actions for you in a browser or on a computer, such as filling in forms.
Claude:
- Supportedsupport.claude.comchecked 2026-10-11
Plans: Pro, Max, Team
Microsoft Copilot:
- Limitedsupport.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11
Plans: Microsoft 365 Premium, Microsoft 365 Pro · Region: US, Canada
Cowork for personal accounts is in Preview (same page). The AI credits page lists it for Premium and Pro only, currently in the US and Canada.
Connects to
Apps and services it can read from or work in, as the official pages name them.
Claude:
- Linear, Slack, Google Drive, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Canva, Microsoft 365, Notion, Figma, HubSpot, Asana, monday.comsupport.claude.com +2checked 2026-10-11
Microsoft Copilot:
- OneDrive, Google Drivesupport.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11
Requirements
Account
Whether you need to sign up before using it.
Claude:
- Account required (log in with Google or with an email link)support.claude.comchecked 2026-10-10
Microsoft Copilot:
- Account required: the free tier needs a signed-in Microsoft accountcopilot.comchecked 2026-10-10
Where it is available
Countries or regions where the provider says it can be used.
Claude:
- Available in the countries listed on the official 'Where can I access Claude?' pagesupport.claude.comchecked 2026-10-10
Microsoft Copilot:
- Available in over 170 markets; not available or not supported in China (excluding Hong Kong SAR) and embargoed marketssupport.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-10
Not yet confirmed
Custom assistants
Make your own assistant with fixed instructions and files, such as GPTs or Gems.
Claude:
- Not yet confirmed
Microsoft Copilot:
- Not yet confirmed
Sources and confidence
Confidence
Claude:
Last checked 2026-10-11
Not yet confirmed: Custom assistants
Microsoft Copilot:
Last checked 2026-10-11
Not yet confirmed: Context window, Used to train AI, Can switch off training, How long data is kept, Custom assistants