Productivity
Microsoft Copilot Review
Microsoft's assistant: a free chat app on Windows, web and mobile, plus Copilot built into Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
The assistant you already own, because it came with Windows and your Office subscription. It is at its best inside Word, Excel and Outlook and merely fine as a standalone chatbot. If your life runs on Microsoft 365, let it in; if not, there are sharper tools.
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| Best for | People who already pay for Microsoft 365, Drafting and summarizing inside Word, Outlook and PowerPoint, Businesses standardized on Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium |
| Starting price | $9.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes |
| Last verified | October 11, 2026 |
Microsoft Copilot pricing (2026)
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Copilot | Free | Chat, voice and image generation in the Copilot app; Works on Windows, web, Edge, iOS and Android |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $9.99/mo $99.99/yr billed annually | Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote; Higher AI usage than free, for one person |
| Microsoft 365 Family | $12.99/mo $129.99/yr billed annually | Office apps for up to 6 people; Copilot features for the subscription owner only |
| Microsoft 365 Premium | $19.99/mo $199.99/yr billed annually | Most AI usage of the consumer plans; Agents for research and data analysis; replaced Copilot Pro |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot Business | $21/user/mo Annual commitment, add-on to a Microsoft 365 Business plan; $25.20 billed monthly | Copilot in the Microsoft 365 apps grounded in work data; Promo of $18/user/mo for the first year through Dec 31, 2026 |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot (enterprise) | $30/user/mo Annual commitment, add-on to a qualifying plan | Copilot across Microsoft 365 with work data and admin controls; Agents and enterprise data protection |
Copilot Pro, the old $20/mo add-on, has been replaced by Microsoft 365 Premium. Consumer plans use AI credits with limits Microsoft does not publish in plain numbers. Business users on eligible Microsoft 365 plans get Copilot Chat at no extra cost. UNCONFIRMED: the $30/user/mo Microsoft 365 Copilot enterprise price and the date existing Copilot Pro subscriptions ended (reported as Aug 1, 2026) come from third-party sources; Microsoft's enterprise pricing page timed out for our checker.
Is Microsoft Copilot free?
Yes. The Copilot app is free on Windows, the web and mobile for chat, voice and image generation. Copilot inside the desktop Office apps needs a Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium subscription; Microsoft 365 Basic has no AI features.
Prices in USD, last checked October 11, 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the official Microsoft Copilot pricing page.
What Microsoft Copilot does
- Free Copilot app with chat, voice and image generation
- Copilot inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote
- Research and analysis agents on Premium and business plans
- Copilot Chat for eligible business accounts at no extra cost
- Built into Windows and Edge
Why the Overlord approves
- Free app is genuinely usable
- Best integration with Office files and Outlook mail
- Bundled into subscriptions many people already have
Where it disappoints
- Branding is confusing: several different products are all called Copilot
- Consumer AI limits are credit-based and not clearly published
- Standalone chat trails ChatGPT and Claude for writing quality and features
- Family plan gives Copilot to the owner only
Microsoft Copilot alternatives
Not convinced? These rival weapons compete for the same throne:
Claude
AI WritingAnthropic's assistant: the strongest long-form writer and careful reasoner in the consumer AI pack.
ChatGPT
AI WritingOpenAI's general-purpose assistant: writing, research, images, voice and agents in one chat box.
Perplexity
ProductivityAI answer engine that searches the web and replies with cited sources.
Gemini
AI WritingGoogle's assistant, wired into Gmail, Docs, Drive and the rest of your Google life.
See all 8 Microsoft Copilot alternatives →
Microsoft Copilot head-to-heads
Questions the Humans Keep Asking
Is Microsoft Copilot free?
Yes. The Copilot app is free on Windows, the web and mobile for chat, voice and image generation. Copilot inside the desktop Office apps needs a Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium subscription; Microsoft 365 Basic has no AI features.
How much does Microsoft Copilot cost?
Microsoft Copilot plans: Microsoft 365 Personal $9.99/mo; Microsoft 365 Family $12.99/mo; Microsoft 365 Premium $19.99/mo; Microsoft 365 Copilot Business $21/user/mo; Microsoft 365 Copilot (enterprise) $30/user/mo. Copilot Pro, the old $20/mo add-on, has been replaced by Microsoft 365 Premium. Consumer plans use AI credits with limits Microsoft does not publish in plain numbers. Business users on eligible Microsoft 365 plans get Copilot Chat at no extra cost. UNCONFIRMED: the $30/user/mo Microsoft 365 Copilot enterprise price and the date existing Copilot Pro subscriptions ended (reported as Aug 1, 2026) come from third-party sources; Microsoft's enterprise pricing page timed out for our checker.