ChatGPT
OpenAI · assistants, writing
€23.00/mo · Plus
Free planWhy it works
- Strong free plan
- Very broad model capability
Watch out
- Free tier usage caps
- Can produce confidently wrong answers on niche topics
Vendor documented · 05.09.2026
CATEGORY
AI Assistants & Research
A short list organized by real work, not product jargon.
Claude
Anthropic · assistants, writing
$20.00/mo · Pro$17.00/mo billed annually
Free planWhy it works
- Excellent nuanced long-form output
- Large context window
Watch out
- Usage limits on free plan
- Fewer native plugins than some rivals
Vendor documented · 06.08.2026
Microsoft 365 Copilot
Microsoft · assistants, writing
$25.20/mo · Microsoft 365 Copilot Business
Paid onlyWhy it works
- Works where the documents already are, with no copy-pasting
- Meeting recap is built into Teams rather than bolted on
Watch out
- No free plan, and the entry price assumes you already pay for Microsoft 365
- The headline annual rate is a promotion, not the standard price
Vendor documented · 05.09.2026
Gemini
Google · assistants, writing
€4.99/mo · Google AI Plus
Free planWhy it works
- Already inside the tools most small businesses use for email and documents
- The free tier covers a lot of everyday drafting
Watch out
- Paid tiers bundle storage you may not need
- Plan names and limits change often, and the tiers are hard to compare
Vendor documented · 08.08.2026
Mistral
Mistral AI · assistants
$14.99/mo · Pro
Free planWhy it works
- Free plan available on web and mobile
- Paid plan includes API credits, not only chat
Watch out
- Smaller third-party ecosystem than the US incumbents
- Message and search limits apply on the free plan
Vendor documented · 12.08.2026
Perplexity
Perplexity AI · assistants
$17.00/mo equivalent · Pro$204.00/year · Annual commitment required
Free planWhy it works
- Cites its sources, which is the whole point for research work
- Free tier is usable for occasional lookups
Watch out
- No monthly price published — annual commitment is the advertised path
- Not built for long-form drafting
Vendor documented · 13.09.2026