Claude or Microsoft Copilot: which to choose?
Claude and Microsoft Copilot compared on what matters day to day: price, features, apps and privacy.
Data as of October 22, 2026
Side-by-side comparison
| Criterion | Claude | Microsoft Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Anthropic | Microsoft |
| Country | United States | United States |
| Launched | July 2023 | February 2023 |
| Free version | Yes, limited | Yes, limited |
| Plans | from $20 / month | from $9.99 / month |
| Web search | Yes | Yes |
| Agent mode | Yes | Not disclosed |
| File upload | Yes | Yes |
| Image generation | Not disclosed | Yes |
| Voice mode | Not disclosed | Yes |
| Memory | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | Not disclosed |
| Autonomous browsing | Yes | Not disclosed |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Browser extension | Yes | Not disclosed |
| French interface | Yes | Yes |
| Spanish interface | Yes | Yes |
| Opt out of training on your chats | Yes | Yes |
| Temporary chat | Yes | Not disclosed |
| EU data residency | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
Who are they?
Claude is made by Anthropic, launched in 2023; Microsoft Copilot by Microsoft, launched in 2023. Both answer questions, write and summarise, but their plans, features and privacy rules differ.
Claude runs on Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Sonnet 5.5 and Claude Haiku 5.5.
Survey carried out on October 22, 2026 from the official pages of both services.
Price and free version
At a comparable entry plan, Microsoft Copilot is the cheaper one. Higher tiers mostly add usage volume and advanced features.
- Claude: limited free version
- Microsoft Copilot: limited free version
- Claude: first paid plan at $20 per month
- Microsoft Copilot: first paid plan at $9.99 per month
Features compared
Both offer: web search, file upload and memory.
Not confirmed for one of the two: agent mode, image generation, voice mode, code execution and autonomous browsing.
In total, of the 8 features we track, 6 are confirmed for Claude and 5 for Microsoft Copilot. A feature may only be available on a paid plan: check before you subscribe.
Where to use them
Both available on: Web, iPhone, Android, Windows and macOS.
Privacy
Both allow: opt out of training on your chats.
In short
The best way to decide is still to try both free versions on the same task. To widen the choice, use the AI assistants comparison or the which-AI quiz.
- Choose Claude for writing and rewriting and coding.
- Choose Microsoft Copilot for finding sourced information and creating images.
Other comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Claude or Microsoft Copilot: which one is free?
Claude: limited free version. Microsoft Copilot: limited free version.
Which one is cheaper?
Microsoft Copilot has the cheaper entry-level paid plan. Claude: first paid plan at $20 per month. Microsoft Copilot: first paid plan at $9.99 per month.
Which one protects my data best?
Claude, with 2 of three safeguards confirmed (training opt-out, temporary chat, EU data residency), versus 1.
Which one should I choose?
Choose Claude for writing and rewriting and coding. Choose Microsoft Copilot for finding sourced information and creating images.
Data sources
Data as of October 22, 2026
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