Alternatives
Best ChatGPT Alternatives
The best alternatives to ChatGPT, ranked on independent model scores, free tiers, privacy and price: Gemini, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, Grok, Perplexity, Meta AI, DeepSeek and Le Chat, with the best pick for each reason to switch.
Quick answer: The best ChatGPT alternative for most people is Gemini, because Gemini matches ChatGPT’s breadth (images, voice, video and deep research) and has the most generous free tier from a major Western lab. Gemini’s $19.99 Google AI Pro plan runs Gemini 4 Argon, which scores 53 on the independent Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, level with ChatGPT’s GPT-6 Astra. For writing, coding and careful reasoning, Claude is the better choice, because Claude Opus 5.5 scores 58 on the same index, the highest of any released model. For sourced research, Perplexity, because Perplexity cites every claim and had the lowest citation-failure rate in the Tow Center’s study of eight AI search engines. Gemini and Claude were close; breadth and the free tier decided it. The caveat: the most generous free alternatives after Gemini, DeepSeek and Meta AI, cost you privacy rather than money.
Why people look for a ChatGPT alternative
ChatGPT is the most complete consumer AI assistant, so most people switch for one specific reason rather than for a better all-rounder.
- Ads on the free tier. ChatGPT’s Free and Go tiers show ads in a growing number of markets: the US from 9 February 2026, then markets including Australia, Canada, the UK, 31 European countries and India by late August 2026 (OpenAI, OpenAI). Paid tiers are ad-free, and OpenAI offers a no-ads free option with lower limits where available (OpenAI).
- The free model is the small one. ChatGPT Free and Go run GPT-6 Luna from 8 October 2026 (OpenAI), which scores 37 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index against 48 for GPT-6 Sol on Plus (Artificial Analysis).
- A specific job done better. Each rival on this list beats ChatGPT at something: Claude at writing and coding, Perplexity at cited research, Copilot inside Microsoft 365, Gemini inside Google Workspace.
- Privacy. ChatGPT uses consumer chats for training unless you opt out, and some people want an EU-hosted service or a model that runs on their own machine.
A replacement has to cover what ChatGPT does: chat, web search, file analysis, image generation, voice and agent tasks. No alternative leads on all of them. Gemini comes closest on breadth, and Claude has the strongest model.
Top ChatGPT alternatives compared
Ranked on how well each app replaces ChatGPT for most people: the independent score of the model on its main paid plan, breadth of features, the free tier, and price. Scores are the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index v4.3 at each model’s highest effort setting. “Several models” means the app routes between models from more than one lab, so there is no single score; “n/a” means we hold no current v4.3 score for that app’s model.
| # | Alternative | Maker | Model on the main paid plan | Intelligence Index | Free tier | Entry paid plan (a month) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gemini | Gemini 4 Argon | 53 | Yes, the most generous | AI Pro $19.99 | Closest all-round replacement | |
| 2 | Claude | Anthropic | Claude Opus 5.5 | 58 | Yes, tight limits | Pro $20 | Writing, coding, long documents |
| 3 | Microsoft Copilot | Microsoft | Several (OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft) | Several models | Yes | Microsoft 365 Premium $19.99 | Windows and Microsoft 365 |
| 4 | Grok | SpaceXSI | Grok 4.6 | 44 | Yes, about 10 prompts per two hours | X Subscription Plus $8 | Real-time X posts and news |
| 5 | Perplexity | Perplexity | Several (Sonar 2 and other labs) | Several models | Yes, unlimited Quick Search | Pro $20 | Research with cited sources |
| 6 | Meta AI | Meta | Muse Spark | n/a | Yes, entirely free | None | Free use inside WhatsApp and Instagram |
| 7 | DeepSeek | DeepSeek | DeepSeek V4 | n/a | Yes, entirely free | None | Free reasoning and open weights |
| 8 | Le Chat (now Vibe) | Mistral | Mistral’s own models | n/a | Yes | Pro $14.99 | EU data protection |
For reference, ChatGPT runs GPT-6 Sol (48) in regular chat on Plus and above, with GPT-6 Astra (53) also available on paid plans; Free and Go run GPT-6 Luna (37). ChatGPT Go costs $8 a month and Plus $20.
The alternatives in detail
1. Gemini: the closest all-round replacement
Gemini is Google’s assistant, available as an app on the web, iOS and Android and built into Gmail, Docs, Drive and the other Workspace apps.
The evidence. Gemini 4 Argon scores 53 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, level with ChatGPT’s GPT-6 Astra and five points below Claude Opus 5.5 (Artificial Analysis). Gemini 4 Argon reached the Gemini app for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers on 13 October 2026 (9to5Google). The Gemini app is rated 4.7 on the App Store from about 963,000 ratings and 4.6 on Google Play from about 22.8 million.
The free tier. Since 9 October 2026, Gemini Free picks Flash-Lite, Flash or Pro for each prompt automatically, and uses Flash-Lite alone if you switch that off (Google). Gemini Free also includes Gemini Live voice in more than 45 languages, image generation with daily limits, a monthly allowance of Deep Research and the Workspace extensions (Google). Gemini Free has no video generation.
The paid plans. Google AI Pro costs $19.99 a month and adds Gemini 4 Argon, a 1-million-token context window, custom Gems, 1,000 Google Flow credits a month for video and 5 TB of storage. Google AI Ultra costs $99.99 a month.
Where Gemini falls short. Gemini 4 Argon is not on the free tier (9to5Google). Free-tier chats are used for training by default unless you opt out, and Google keeps activity for 18 months by default. For image generation specifically, ChatGPT still leads: OpenAI’s GPT Image 2.5 holds the top places on both the Artificial Analysis and LMArena text-to-image boards (see best AI image generator).
Head to head: ChatGPT vs Gemini.
2. Claude: best for writing, coding and reasoning
Claude is Anthropic’s assistant, available on the web, desktop and mobile. The Claude app also does multi-step work on your own files and, since September 2026, produces editable documents and decks with Claude Docs and Claude Slides (in beta on paid plans).
The evidence. Claude Opus 5.5 scores 58 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, the highest score of any released model, and Claude Sonnet 5.5 scores 56 (Artificial Analysis). Claude Opus 5.5 led LMArena’s human-voted creative-writing board in late September 2026 and is the pick on our best AI for writing page. Claude Code is the most-used coding agent in both the Stack Overflow and JetBrains developer surveys (see best AI for coding). The Claude app is rated 4.8 on the App Store from about 85,000 ratings and 4.6 on Google Play from about 152,000.
The free tier. Claude Free runs Claude Sonnet 5 and Claude Haiku 5.5, with web search, file uploads and voice, at about 30 to 40 messages every five hours.
The paid plans. Claude Pro costs $20 a month and adds Claude Opus 5.5, memory across chats, Claude Code and agent work on your files. Claude Max costs $100 a month for five times Pro’s weekly usage, and Claude Ultra $200 a month for ten times, with no five-hour limit once the account is verified.
Where Claude falls short. Claude does not generate images or video. Claude’s voice mode is built on text-to-speech, so it is less fluid than ChatGPT’s real-time voice. Claude Free has no memory, and its limit of about 30 to 40 messages every five hours is tighter than ChatGPT Free’s unlimited text chats. Since August 2025, Claude’s consumer plans use chats for training by default unless you opt out (Anthropic).
Switching from ChatGPT. Claude’s memory feature can import what ChatGPT or Gemini has remembered about you (Anthropic). Head to head: ChatGPT vs Claude.
3. Microsoft Copilot: best for Windows and Microsoft 365
Microsoft Copilot is both a free consumer assistant (on the web, Windows, Edge and mobile) and Microsoft 365 Copilot, the paid version inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams.
The evidence. Microsoft Copilot draws on OpenAI’s GPT models, Anthropic’s Claude and Microsoft’s own MAI models rather than one model of its own. Microsoft began rolling out GPT-6 Astra in Copilot Cowork and Copilot Studio, the business products, on 4 September 2026.
The plans. The consumer app is free. Microsoft 365 Premium costs $19.99 a month for individuals. Microsoft 365 Copilot for business costs $18 per user a month on a promotion to 31 December 2026, then $21, and $30 per user for enterprise.
Where Copilot falls short. Microsoft is merging the consumer and business Copilot apps, and consumers lost Group Chats, AI-generated podcasts, Copilot Labs and Deep Research by 18 August 2026 (TechCrunch). Microsoft Copilot’s real advantage is inside Microsoft 365, where it works with your own email, documents and Teams chats; outside that, Gemini and Claude offer more.
Head to head: Copilot vs ChatGPT vs Gemini.
4. Grok: best for real-time X and news
Grok is SpaceXSI’s assistant, available on the web, iOS, Android, inside X and in Tesla cars.
The evidence. Grok 4.6, the newest model confirmed in the Grok app, scores 44 on the re-based Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index (Artificial Analysis). Its successor, Grok 4.7, scores 46 and was released on 21 September 2026 on SpaceXSI’s API, in Cursor and in Grok Build; SpaceXSI has not said when Grok 4.7 reaches the Grok app. Grok is rated 4.9 on Google Play from about 1.7 million ratings.
The plans. Grok Free allows about 10 prompts every two hours and no image generation. Since 13 October 2026 Grok is sold in The X Subscription, which bundles X Premium, Grok and Cursor: Plus costs $8 a month, Premium $30 (the cheapest tier with the newest Grok models), Super $100 and Ultra $200 (TechCrunch). Existing SuperGrok subscribers can keep their plans, including SuperGrok Heavy at $300.
Where Grok falls short. Grok’s model scores below Gemini 4 Argon, Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6 Astra on the independent index. Grok applies fewer content filters to image and video generation than its rivals, and Grok Free has no image generation.
Head to head: ChatGPT vs Grok.
5. Perplexity: best for research with sources
Perplexity is an answer engine rather than a chatbot: every answer carries inline citations to its web sources.
The evidence. Perplexity recorded the lowest citation-failure rate, 37 per cent, of the eight AI search engines in the Tow Center for Digital Journalism’s study, and it is the top pick on our best AI search engines and best AI for research pages.
The plans. Perplexity Free gives unlimited Quick Search on Perplexity’s own Sonar model and a limited number of Pro Searches. Perplexity Pro costs $20 a month or $200 a year and Max $200 a month. Paid plans can switch between Sonar 2 and models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, xAI, Moonshot AI, Z.ai and NVIDIA. Perplexity’s Comet browser is free.
Where Perplexity falls short. Perplexity is built for questions with sourced answers, not long creative conversations, and it has no video generation.
Head to head: Perplexity vs ChatGPT.
6. Meta AI: best free option inside apps you already use
Meta AI is free and built into WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger and Threads, as well as the meta.ai website and Meta’s AI glasses.
The evidence. Meta AI has run Muse Spark, the first model from Meta Superintelligence Labs, since April 2026, with Meta’s Muse Image model generating images since 7 July 2026.
The plans. Meta AI is free. Meta is testing optional Meta One Plus ($7.99) and Premium ($19.99) plans in a few countries, including Singapore, Guatemala and Bolivia.
Where Meta AI falls short. Meta AI is tied to your Meta accounts and draws on your public Facebook and Instagram content, and Meta AI has no enterprise tier that excludes your data from training.
7. DeepSeek: best free reasoning, and open weights
DeepSeek is the Chinese lab whose app gives free, unlimited chat on DeepSeek V4 with a 1-million-token context window and a DeepThink reasoning mode.
The evidence. DeepSeek’s open-weight DeepSeek V4.1-Flash scores 39 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index under an MIT licence (Artificial Analysis), the top pick on our best open-source LLMs page. The DeepSeek app is rated 4.3 on Google Play from about 290,000 ratings and 4.0 on the App Store from about 10,000.
The plans. DeepSeek’s app is free with no paid consumer plan.
Where DeepSeek falls short. DeepSeek stores data on servers in China. In October 2026 the US Department of Homeland Security barred DeepSeek products from every federal civilian agency (The Register), and Australia banned DeepSeek on federal government devices in February 2025 (Al Jazeera). The app has no image generation or voice. Self-hosting DeepSeek’s open weights avoids the data-residency problem.
Head to head: DeepSeek vs ChatGPT.
8. Le Chat (Vibe): best for EU data protection
Le Chat is the assistant from Mistral, based in Paris, rebranded as Vibe on 28 May 2026 (Mistral).
The evidence. Le Chat is rated 4.6 on Google Play from about 33,000 ratings. Mistral’s newest model, Mistral Large 4, released with open weights on 29 October 2026, scored 38 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index v4.3.2 as a preview (Artificial Analysis), well below the US frontier models above.
The plans. Le Chat Pro costs $14.99 a month ($5.99 for verified students), below the $20 most rivals charge, and Team costs $24.99 per user a month (Mistral).
Where Le Chat falls short. Le Chat is EU-hosted, and paid, Team and Enterprise conversations are excluded from training by default, but its models trail the US frontier on independent scores and it has no video generation.
Free ChatGPT alternatives
Every app on this list has a free tier. Gemini Free is the best free ChatGPT alternative, which matches our best free AI tools pick.
| Free tier | What you get | Main limit |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT (for reference) | GPT-6 Luna, unlimited text chats | Ads in a growing number of markets |
| Gemini | Automatic Flash-Lite, Flash or Pro, voice, image generation, limited Deep Research | No video; Gemini 4 Argon is paid-only |
| Claude | Claude Sonnet 5 and Haiku 5.5, web search, files, voice | About 30 to 40 messages every five hours; no memory |
| Microsoft Copilot | Chat, web search, images, voice | Deep Research removed for consumers in August 2026 |
| Perplexity | Unlimited Quick Search with citations | Limited Pro Searches |
| Meta AI | The full assistant, images and voice | Tied to your Meta accounts |
| DeepSeek | Unlimited chat on DeepSeek V4 | Data stored in China; no images or voice |
| Grok | About 10 prompts every two hours | No image generation |
| Le Chat | Chat, web search, image generation | Lower limits than Pro |
Open-weight and self-hosted alternatives
If the reason to leave ChatGPT is that you want nothing to leave your own machine, an open-weight model is the alternative. DeepSeek V4.1-Flash is the strongest open model on our best open-source LLMs page, with an MIT licence and a 1-million-token context window. Qwen 3.6 27B is the best model to run on a single 24GB graphics card, per our best local LLMs page. OpenAI publishes open weights too, as gpt-oss. Running a model yourself trades convenience for control: you need capable hardware, and the strongest open models score below the frontier apps above.
Feature comparison
What each app can do. “Paid” means the feature needs a paid plan.
| App | Web search | Images | Video | Voice | Agent tasks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Yes | Yes | Yes (Sora) | Yes, real-time | Yes |
| Gemini | Yes | Yes | Paid (Flow credits) | Yes, real-time | Yes |
| Claude | Yes | No | No | Yes, text-to-speech | Paid |
| Microsoft Copilot | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Grok | Yes | Paid | Paid (Imagine) | Yes | Yes |
| Perplexity | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Meta AI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| DeepSeek | Yes | No | No | No | Limited |
| Le Chat | Yes | Yes | No | Limited | Limited |
Best ChatGPT alternative by use case
- Overall replacement: Gemini, the closest match to ChatGPT’s breadth, from free.
- Free: Gemini Free, the most generous free tier from a major Western lab.
- Writing: Claude, running Claude Opus 5.5, the pick on our best AI for writing page.
- Coding: Claude, because Claude Code is the most-used coding agent in the Stack Overflow and JetBrains surveys.
- Research with sources: Perplexity, because Perplexity had the lowest citation-failure rate in the Tow Center study.
- Microsoft 365 and Windows: Microsoft Copilot, because Microsoft 365 Copilot works with your own email, documents and Teams chats.
- Google Workspace: Gemini, built into Gmail, Docs and Drive.
- Real-time news and X: Grok, because Grok reads X posts as they happen.
- EU data protection: Le Chat, EU-hosted, with paid plans excluded from training by default.
- Free inside messaging apps: Meta AI, already in WhatsApp and Instagram.
- Run it yourself: DeepSeek V4.1-Flash on a server, or Qwen 3.6 27B on a single 24GB graphics card.
- Image generation: no alternative leads here. ChatGPT’s GPT Image 2.5 tops both independent text-to-image boards, so keep ChatGPT for images or see best AI image generator.
Pricing comparison
Monthly prices in US dollars.
| App | Free | Entry paid plan | Top paid plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Yes, with ads in a growing number of markets | Go $8 / Plus $20 | Pro $100, $200 or $500 |
| Gemini | Yes | Google AI Pro $19.99 | Google AI Ultra $99.99 |
| Claude | Yes | Pro $20 | Max $100, Ultra $200 |
| Microsoft Copilot | Yes | Microsoft 365 Premium $19.99 | Microsoft 365 Copilot $30 per user (enterprise) |
| Grok | Yes | X Subscription Plus $8 / Premium $30 | X Subscription Ultra $200 |
| Perplexity | Yes | Pro $20 | Max $200 |
| Meta AI | Yes | Free | Meta One plans in testing |
| DeepSeek | Yes | Free | None |
| Le Chat | Yes | Pro $14.99 | Team $24.99 per user |
The $20 tier is the standard: ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, Google AI Pro, Microsoft 365 Premium and Perplexity Pro all cost $19.99 to $20 a month.
How users rate them
App store ratings, with the number of ratings behind each, as listed on the App Store and Google Play.
| App | App Store | Google Play |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT (for reference) | 4.9 (about 4.4 million) | 4.75 (about 32 million) |
| Gemini | 4.7 (about 963,000) | 4.6 (about 22.8 million) |
| Claude | 4.8 (about 85,000) | 4.6 (about 152,000) |
| Grok | 4.9 | 4.9 (about 1.7 million) |
| DeepSeek | 4.0 (about 10,000) | 4.3 (about 290,000) |
| Le Chat | 4.7 | 4.6 (about 33,000) |
Of the alternatives listed here, Gemini has by far the most ratings behind its score, and DeepSeek has the lowest scores.
Recent developments
- ChatGPT moved to GPT-6 on 7 and 8 October 2026. GPT-6 Sol now runs regular chat on paid plans and GPT-6 Luna on Free and Go (OpenAI).
- Gemini 4 Argon reached the Gemini app on 13 October 2026 for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers (9to5Google).
- SpaceXSI bundled X Premium, Grok and Cursor into one subscription on 13 October 2026 (TechCrunch).
- Claude Opus 5.5 launched in the Claude apps on 22 September 2026 with the highest Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index score yet recorded (Anthropic).
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to ChatGPT?
Gemini is the best ChatGPT alternative for most people, because Gemini matches ChatGPT’s breadth (images, voice, video and deep research), has the most generous free tier from a major Western lab, and runs Gemini 4 Argon, which scores 53 on the independent Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, level with ChatGPT’s GPT-6 Astra, on the $19.99 Google AI Pro plan. For writing, coding and careful reasoning, Claude is the better choice, because Claude Opus 5.5 scores 58, the highest on that index.
What is the best free alternative to ChatGPT?
Gemini Free is the best free ChatGPT alternative: it picks Flash-Lite, Flash or Pro for each prompt and includes Gemini Live voice, image generation and a monthly allowance of Deep Research, with no video generation. Meta AI and DeepSeek are entirely free, but Meta AI is tied to your Meta accounts and DeepSeek stores data in China. Perplexity Free gives unlimited cited answers through Quick Search.
Is Gemini better than ChatGPT?
Gemini 4 Argon and ChatGPT’s GPT-6 Astra both score 53 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, so the paid models are level on independent testing. Gemini is better inside Google Workspace and has the more generous free tier; ChatGPT has the stronger image generator and real-time voice. See ChatGPT vs Gemini.
Is Claude better than ChatGPT?
Claude is better for writing, coding and long documents: Claude Opus 5.5 scores 58 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index against 53 for ChatGPT’s GPT-6 Astra, and Claude Code is the most-used coding agent in the Stack Overflow and JetBrains developer surveys. ChatGPT is better for images, video and voice, which Claude does not generate or does less fluently. Both cost $20 a month for the entry paid plan. See ChatGPT vs Claude.
Is there a ChatGPT alternative without ads?
Yes. Claude has publicly committed to staying ad-free on every tier, including Claude Free (see ChatGPT vs Claude). ChatGPT’s own paid plans are ad-free too, while ChatGPT Free and Go show ads in a growing number of markets, including the US, the UK, India and much of Europe (OpenAI). OpenAI also offers a no-ads free option with lower limits where available (OpenAI).
Which ChatGPT alternative is the most private?
Le Chat is the most private hosted alternative: Mistral is based in Paris, Le Chat is EU-hosted, and paid, Team and Enterprise conversations are excluded from training by default. For full control, run an open-weight model such as DeepSeek V4.1-Flash or Qwen 3.6 on your own hardware. Avoid the China-hosted DeepSeek app for sensitive work.
Can I move my ChatGPT memory to another app?
Yes, to Claude. Claude’s memory feature can import what ChatGPT or Gemini has remembered about you (Anthropic). Memory is on Claude’s paid plans only.
Is there a ChatGPT alternative that runs offline?
Yes. Open-weight models run on your own computer with no internet connection. Qwen 3.6 27B runs on a single 24GB graphics card, and our best local LLMs page covers the options for laptops and smaller cards.
Are Chinese ChatGPT alternatives safe to use?
DeepSeek, Qwen and Kimi are capable and mostly free, but their hosted apps store or process data on servers in China, and the US barred DeepSeek products from every federal civilian agency in October 2026 (The Register). Self-hosting the open weights avoids sending data to China.
Conclusion: how to choose
Start with the reason you want to leave ChatGPT. If you want one app that does everything ChatGPT does, switch to Gemini, on its free tier or Google AI Pro at $19.99. If you mostly write, code or work through long documents, switch to Claude Pro at $20, and keep ChatGPT or Gemini Free for images. If you mostly ask questions and want sources, use Perplexity. If you work in Microsoft 365, Microsoft Copilot is already where your documents are. If privacy is the reason, choose Le Chat or run an open-weight model yourself. For the full consumer ranking with ChatGPT included, see best AI apps and best AI chatbots.