Microsoft Copilot vs Perplexity
Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity compared on what matters day to day: price, features, apps and privacy.
Data as of October 22, 2026
Side-by-side comparison
| Criterion | Microsoft Copilot | Perplexity |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Microsoft | Perplexity AI |
| Country | United States | United States |
| Launched | February 2023 | Not disclosed |
| Free version | Yes, limited | Yes, limited |
| Plans | from $9.99 / month | from $10 / month |
| Web search | Yes | Yes |
| Agent mode | Not disclosed | Yes |
| File upload | Yes | Yes |
| Image generation | Yes | Yes |
| Voice mode | Yes | Not disclosed |
| Memory | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Autonomous browsing | Not disclosed | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Not disclosed |
| macOS | Yes | Not disclosed |
| Browser extension | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| French interface | Yes | Yes |
| Spanish interface | Yes | Yes |
| Opt out of training on your chats | Yes | Yes |
| Temporary chat | Not disclosed | Yes |
| EU data residency | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
Who are they?
Microsoft Copilot is made by Microsoft, launched in 2023; Perplexity by Perplexity AI. Both answer questions, write and summarise, but their plans, features and privacy rules differ.
Perplexity runs on Sonar.
Survey carried out on October 22, 2026 from the official pages of both services.
Free or paid?
At a comparable entry plan, Microsoft Copilot is the cheaper one. Higher tiers mostly add usage volume and advanced features.
- Microsoft Copilot: limited free version
- Perplexity: limited free version
- Microsoft Copilot: first paid plan at $9.99 per month
- Perplexity: first paid plan at $10 per month
What they can do
Both offer: web search, file upload, image generation and memory.
Not confirmed for one of the two: agent mode, voice mode and autonomous browsing.
In total, of the 8 features we track, 5 are confirmed for Microsoft Copilot and 6 for Perplexity. A feature may only be available on a paid plan: check before you subscribe.
Where to use them
Both available on: Web, iPhone and Android.
Your data
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 Microsoft Copilot for creating images.
Other comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Microsoft Copilot or Perplexity: which one is free?
Microsoft Copilot: limited free version. Perplexity: limited free version.
Which one is cheaper?
Microsoft Copilot has the cheaper entry-level paid plan. Microsoft Copilot: first paid plan at $9.99 per month. Perplexity: first paid plan at $10 per month.
Which one protects my data best?
Perplexity, with 2 of three safeguards confirmed (training opt-out, temporary chat, EU data residency), versus 1.
Which one should I choose?
Choose Microsoft Copilot for creating images.
Data sources
Data as of October 22, 2026
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