Choose Gemini if your work already runs on Gmail, Docs and Drive: it is in the window you are in, and the entry tier is the cheapest of any assistant we track. Choose ChatGPT if you want the assistant to be independent of where your files live, or if you need the broadest capability in one place. If you are on Microsoft 365 rather than Google, neither is the obvious answer and Copilot is the comparison you actually want.
These are the two most searched AI assistants by a wide margin, and for most small businesses the honest answer is that the choice was made before you started comparing them. If your email and documents live in Google Workspace, one of these is already in the window you are working in.
The rest is about what you are actually buying, because the two headline prices are not measuring the same thing.
At a glance
| Criterion |  ChatGPT |  Gemini |
|---|---|---|
| Used mainly for | Content writing, research | Drafting in Gmail and Docs, research and summarising |
| Entry price | €8.00/mo · Go | €4.99/mo · Google AI Plus |
| Free plan | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Free trial | Not stated | Not stated |
| Works on | Web, iOS, Android, API | Web, Android, iOS |
| Documented integrations | API, GPT Store, Third-party apps | Gmail, Google Docs, Google Drive, Android |
| Setup | Easy: minutes | Easy: minutes |
| Main limitation | Free tier usage caps | Paid tiers bundle storage you may not need |
| Our evidence level | Vendor documented | Vendor documented |
| Try it | Try ChatGPT ↗ | Try Gemini ↗ |
Every cell comes from the tool's record, built from its official documentation and pricing page. The integrations listed are the ones the vendor documents, not tested by us.
The prices are not comparable, and here is why
ChatGPT Plus is a subscription to an assistant. Google's paid tiers are Google One storage plans with higher Gemini limits attached: you are buying cloud storage and getting assistant capacity with it. That is why the entry figure looks so much lower. If you already pay for storage, the comparison flatters Google; if you do not need it, you are buying something you will not use. Read the generated table below for what each plan actually is.
Where Gemini pulls ahead
Proximity. It is inside Gmail, Docs and Android, so there is no copying text between windows, and for a freelancer whose day is email and documents that friction saving is the whole product. Its free tier also covers a lot of ordinary drafting, which makes it unusually cheap to evaluate honestly.
Where ChatGPT pulls ahead
Breadth and independence. It handles images, data analysis and long-form work in one place, and it does not assume anything about where your files live. If you cannot predict what you will throw at it week to week, that versatility is worth more than integration. It is also the safer choice if you might change email providers.
The limitation each one carries
Google's plan names and limits change often and are genuinely hard to compare year to year, and the storage bundling means the price you see is not the price of an assistant. ChatGPT costs more at entry and sits outside your documents, so you will paste more. Neither is a reason to avoid either: they are the trade you are making.
What’s new in these tools
Gemini added skills, saved instructions you can rerun instead of retyping a prompt, and a Windows desktop app alongside the macOS one. ChatGPT added dots for ongoing tasks on its Pro plan and ChatGPT Space for shared work. The deciding factor has not moved: if your team already lives in Gmail and Docs, Gemini's place inside them is still the stronger argument.
Pricing side by side
| Tool | Verified price | Billing condition | Free | Checked | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | €8.00/mo · Go | Monthly billing only: OpenAI offers no annual billing for Go, Plus or Pro | Yes | 03.11.2026 | Visit ↗ |
| Gemini | €4.99/mo · Google AI Plus | per person/month; the paid tiers are Google One storage plans with Gemini limits attached, not a standalone assistant subscription | Yes | 25.10.2026 | Visit ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
Can I just use the free tiers?
For a lot of small-business work, yes. Both have real free plans rather than trials, and the honest test is a week of your actual work in each. Paying only makes sense once you hit a limit that stops you doing something specific.
Does Gemini being cheaper make it the better value?
Not automatically. The cheaper entry tier is a storage plan with assistant limits attached. If you need the storage it is excellent value; if you do not, you are comparing a bundle against a standalone product and the headline figure misleads.
What if my business runs on Microsoft?
Then this is the wrong comparison. Microsoft 365 Copilot sits inside Word, Excel and Outlook the way Gemini sits inside Google's apps, and the same proximity argument applies. It has no free plan, though, so the evaluation costs money from day one.
Is Gemini better than ChatGPT for a small business?
It is cheaper and closer to where the work already is: €4.99 a month, inside the Google tools most small businesses use for email and documents. ChatGPT is €23 and has the broader capability and ecosystem. The honest split is that Gemini wins on friction and price, ChatGPT on range, and Gemini's paid tiers bundle storage you may not need, which is worth checking before the comparison looks as one-sided as the prices suggest.
Recently at these tools
ChatGPT: Week of 12 October: your dot (the assistant that keeps working between conversations) can be opened from iOS Home Screen widgets and Apple Shortcuts, for accounts with dot access. Source ↗
ChatGPT: Week of 5 October: dots can be created and set up from the ChatGPT mobile app. Source ↗
Gemini: Gemini 4 Argon rolls out worldwide in the Gemini app for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers. Source ↗
Gemini: Skills (reusable instruction sets) arrive in Gemini chat and are set to replace Gems over time. Source ↗
Read on each vendor's official changelog, not tested by us.