Copilot (free) consumer web
Free source (opens in a new tab)
Month
For: Trying Copilot
Limits
- Some capabilities subject to usage limits
Includes
- Chat, search and image creation
- File upload, voice and memory when signed in
Chat assistantsDocumented overviewLast checked Oct 1, 2026
Microsoft Copilot: Pricing, Features & Best Use Cases
Microsoft's AI assistant app on web, Windows, Mac, iOS and Android, connected to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams.
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Our take: Choose it if you already live in Microsoft 365 and want a free assistant that can step up to higher usage through a paid Microsoft 365 plan.
Main limitation: Free-tier usage limits are not quantified; higher usage requires a paid Microsoft 365 plan.
Is Microsoft Copilot right for you?
Choose it if you already live in Microsoft 365 and want a free assistant that can step up to higher usage through a paid Microsoft 365 plan. Based on the vendor's documentation, not on a hands-on test.
Best for: Existing Microsoft 365 users
Also a good fit for
- Office document and email productivity
- Households wanting AI plus Office apps
Consider another tool if file uploads, unlimited voice and memory require signing in
Or if
- Higher usage limits require a paid Microsoft 365 plan
- Mac app requires macOS Sonoma 14 or later
Microsoft Copilot in the news
Headlines from US outlets, selected automatically — not endorsements. Updated Oct 12, 2026
Microsoft Copilot pricing and usage limits
Prices checked Oct 1, 2026 on the official US pricing page. Official pricing ↗ Prices and limits change often.
Free access and trial conditions
Free tier with a signed-in Microsoft account; Word, Excel and PowerPoint free on the web
Try free for 1 month on Personal, Family and Premium; none listed for Pro
Paid plans: what changes as you upgrade
Microsoft 365 Personal consumer web
$9.99/mo source (opens in a new tab)
Month
For: One person using Office plus AI
Limits
- 1 person
- 5 devices at once
1 more
- 1 TB cloud storage
Includes
- Higher usage than free for chat, images and audio
- Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook
Microsoft 365 Family consumer web
$12.99/mo source (opens in a new tab)
Month
For: Households
Limits
- 1-6 people (AI for subscription owner only)
- 6 TB total storage
Includes
- Everything in Personal
Microsoft 365 Premium consumer web
$19.99/mo source (opens in a new tab)
Month
For: Heavy AI and productivity use
Limits
- Extensive chat, image and audio usage
- Limited agentic AI usage
Includes
- Researcher, Analyst and Premium/Pro exclusives
Microsoft 365 Pro consumer web
$99.99/mo source (opens in a new tab)
Month
For: Power users
Limits
- Monthly billing only
- Highest usage limits
Includes
- Highest agentic AI, chat, visual and audio usage
Microsoft 365 Personal (yearly) consumer web
$99.99/yr source (opens in a new tab)
Year, annual commitment
Yearly: Family $129.99, Premium $199.99; Pro monthly only
For: Annual payers
Limits
- Same as monthly Personal
Includes
- Yearly billing
Usage caps, credits and extra costs
None stated on fetched pages
Not stated
What is Microsoft Copilot, and how does it work?
Microsoft Copilot is Microsoft's AI assistant, available on the web at copilot.microsoft.com and as apps for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. Users can sign in with a Microsoft, Apple or Google account to upload files, use voice and personalize Copilot with conversation memory. The Copilot app connects to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams, lets users switch between OpenAI and Anthropic models, and offers Cowork for handing off multi-step projects. Separately, Microsoft 365 consumer subscriptions raise Copilot usage limits and add features like Researcher and Analyst.
What you provide and what you get back
You provide
- Text prompts
- Uploaded files (signed in)
- Voice
- Screen or camera for visual assistance
You get back
- Chat answers
- Drafts in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
- AI-generated images
- AI-generated audio (English only)
Where you can use it
- Platforms
- Web, Desktop, Mobile
- Account
- Required
- Models / versions
- GPT-5 with real-time router (M365 Copilot); Sonnet 5 in models menu (Word)
- Files
- Upload when signed in
- Apps
- Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams
- Audio
- AI audio English only
- Models
- OpenAI and Anthropic
What people use Microsoft Copilot for
Scenarios are worked out by our editors from the documentation; the actual result depends on your input and plan.
Everyday questions and chat
- Who
- Anyone with a Microsoft account
- You provide
- A question or brainstorm prompt
- Expected result
- Answer or ideas in chat
- Plan needed
- Free
- Limitation
- Some capabilities are subject to usage limits source (opens in a new tab)
Drafting documents in Word
- Who
- Microsoft 365 subscribers
- You provide
- Task description plus notes
- Expected result
- First draft refined in chat
- Plan needed
- Microsoft 365 Personal or higher
- Limitation
- Desktop Word/Excel/PowerPoint apps are Windows/Mac; web and mobile versions vary by plan source (opens in a new tab)
Summarizing Outlook email
- Who
- Outlook users
- You provide
- Inbox
- Expected result
- Clear summaries of mail
- Plan needed
- Microsoft 365 plan with Copilot
- Limitation
- Availability varies by market source (opens in a new tab)
What Microsoft Copilot does, and where it stops
Chat assistant on web, desktop and mobile
Answers questions, creates content and completes tasks in chat Saves switching between tools
File uploads, voice and conversation memory when signed in
Lets signed-in users upload files, use voice and keep memory Personalizes answers
Integration with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams
Works inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams Drafts, analyzes data and summarizes mail in place
Choice of OpenAI and Anthropic models
Lets users choose between OpenAI and Anthropic models Match model to task
Microsoft Copilot pros and cons
Reasons to choose Microsoft Copilot
- Web app plus Windows, Mac, iOS and Android apps Same assistant across devices documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Sign-in with Microsoft, Apple or Google account No new account needed if you already have one documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Paid Microsoft 365 plans offer a one-month free trial (except Pro) Lets you test Personal, Family or Premium for a month before paying documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Personal plan includes 1 TB cloud storage Storage comes with the plan, so no separate storage purchase documented source (opens in a new tab)
Check before paying for Microsoft Copilot
- File uploads, unlimited voice and memory require signing in Cannot upload files or use full voice and memory anonymously documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Higher usage limits require a paid Microsoft 365 plan Free users hit caps sooner documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Mac app requires macOS Sonoma 14 or later Older Macs cannot run the app documented source (opens in a new tab)
- Mobile app and feature availability vary by country/region Some features missing in your country documented source (opens in a new tab)
How to use Microsoft Copilot for drafting a document with Copilot
Set up Microsoft Copilot
- Open copilot.microsoft.com or install the app
- Sign in with a Microsoft, Apple or Google account
- Optionally subscribe to Microsoft 365 for higher usage
Example: drafting a document with Copilot
- Open Chat
- Describe the task and upload notes
- Review the draft
- Refine in the chat
Review and export the result
- Verify facts against sources
- Check the output matches your notes
Draft a one-page project update from the attached notes, in a neutral tone.
Microsoft Copilot API
API access and separate billing
Microsoft Copilot has no public API in its official documentation. Not stated on fetched pages
Privacy, data use and commercial rights
Summarized from the vendor's current policies; this is not legal advice and a vendor's badge is not an independent audit.
How your inputs and outputs are handled
Copilot responds only when you choose to use it; existing privacy settings continue to apply
Policies: privacy.microsoft.com/
Other tools to consider instead of Microsoft Copilot
"Better suited" is based on documented features and pricing, not on a head-to-head test.
ChatGPT: better suited to
Google Gemini: better suited to
Claude: better suited to
Notion AI: better suited to
Explore Microsoft Copilot further
Related to Microsoft Copilot
More chat assistants tools
Microsoft Copilot user reviews
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Microsoft Copilot FAQ
Is Microsoft Copilot free?
Yes, a free tier is available with a Microsoft account; some capabilities have usage limits. source (opens in a new tab)
How much do paid plans cost?
Microsoft 365 Personal $9.99/mo, Family $12.99/mo, Premium $19.99/mo, Pro $99.99/mo. source (opens in a new tab)
Is there a free trial?
Yes, 1 month on Personal, Family and Premium; Pro lists none. source (opens in a new tab)
Does Family share Copilot?
No, AI is for the subscription owner only. source (opens in a new tab)
What was renamed?
Deep Research is now Researcher, Tasks is Cowork, Project is Notebook. source (opens in a new tab)
Sources and review methodology
Official sources and verification dates
- Microsoft Copilot Plans for Individuals | Microsoft 365 homepage · checked Oct 1, 2026
- Microsoft Copilot homepage · checked Oct 1, 2026
- Download Microsoft Copilot App on Windows, Mac, Android & iOS homepage · checked Oct 1, 2026
- Microsoft Copilot | Sign in help · checked Oct 1, 2026 · FAQ
- Models / engine, vendor page docs · checked Oct 11, 2026 · what_it_is.models_versions
Not verified: Free-tier usage limits; Training use of data; Data retention; API availability; Commercial use terms; Changelog.
How we documented and maintain this page
Every fact about Microsoft Copilot above comes from the 5 official pages listed here, last compared on Oct 1, 2026; we have not run Microsoft Copilot ourselves, so it has no editorial score. How we check and re-check pages.
Article updated Oct 2, 2026; prices checked Oct 1, 2026. Outbound links to vendors are plain links; we do not earn commissions. How we review · Report an error