WhichBot › Alternatives › Alternatives to Claude
Last checked Oct 28, 2026 · plain English · no paid picks
Best alternatives to Claude
Stay with Claude if you mostly write, edit or work through long documents and want the most natural-sounding writing.
Try ChatGPT if you want one app that does a bit of everything: chat, voice, images, files and deep research.
Try Gemini if you live in Gmail, Docs and Android and want a generous free plan.
Try Perplexity if you want answers with sources you can check, especially on current events.
The alternatives
Chat assistants
ChatGPT
Chat app from OpenAI · OpenAI
Pick it if you want one app that does a bit of everything: chat, voice, images, files and deep research.
Price: Free $0; Go $8/mo (US); Plus $20/mo; Pro 100 $100, Pro 200 $200, Pro 500 $500 /mo
Free plan: Yes
Watch out for: Go plan may include ads (OpenAI pricing page)
Claude vs ChatGPT · Alternatives to ChatGPT · Checked Oct 28, 2026
Chat assistants
Gemini
Chat app from Google · Google
Pick it if you live in Gmail, Docs and Android and want a generous free plan.
Price: Free; Google AI Plus $4.99/mo; Google AI Pro $19.99/mo; Ultra $99.99/mo (5x Pro limits) or $199.99/mo (20x). US prices on Google's plans page, checked Oct 17, 2026. Gemini 4 Argon is on Pro and Ultra
Free plan: Yes
Claude vs Gemini · Alternatives to Gemini · Checked Oct 28, 2026
Research
Perplexity
Answer app from Perplexity that cites its sources · Perplexity
Pick it if you want answers with sources you can check, especially on current events.
Price: Free $0; Pro $17/mo billed annually; Max $167/mo billed annually
Free plan: Yes
Watch out for: Free plan has limited Pro Search and Research
Claude vs Perplexity · Alternatives to Perplexity · Checked Oct 28, 2026
Chat assistants
Microsoft Copilot
Chat app from Microsoft, also built into Microsoft 365 · Microsoft
Pick it if you already pay for Microsoft 365 and want help inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
Price: Microsoft 365 Personal $9.99/mo; Family $12.99/mo; Premium $19.99/mo; Pro $99.99/mo (monthly billing only; highest Copilot limits)
Free plan: Yes
Watch out for: On Family plans, AI features are only for the subscription owner
Claude vs Microsoft Copilot · Alternatives to Microsoft Copilot · Checked Oct 28, 2026
Chat assistants
Mistral Vibe
Chat app from Mistral · Mistral
Pick it if you want a lower-cost paid plan, and the free plan already includes Mistral's latest models.
Price: Free; Pro $14.99/mo; Team $24.99
Free plan: Yes
Alternatives to Mistral Vibe · Checked Oct 28, 2026
Chat assistants
Grok
Chat app from xAI, sold with the X Subscription · xAI
Pick it if you want real-time context from X, or you already pay for the X Subscription.
Price: X Subscription (replaces SuperGrok for new subscribers): Free (limited Grok chat); Plus $8; Premium $30 (adds Grok Bot, video); Super $100; Ultra $200 /mo
Free plan: Yes
Watch out for: Grok Bot and video need Premium ($30)
Claude vs Grok · Alternatives to Grok · Checked Oct 28, 2026
Claude next to the top alternatives
| Claude | ChatGPT | Gemini | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Chat app from Anthropic | Chat app from OpenAI | Chat app from Google |
| Made by | Anthropic | OpenAI | |
| Price | Free $0; Pro $20/mo ($17/mo annual); Max from $100/mo | Free $0; Go $8/mo (US); Plus $20/mo; Pro 100 $100, Pro 200 $200, Pro 500 $500 /mo | Free; Google AI Plus $4.99/mo; Google AI Pro $19.99/mo; Ultra $99.99/mo (5x Pro limits) or $199.99/mo (20x). US prices on Google's plans page, checked Oct 17, 2026. Gemini 4 Argon is on Pro and Ultra |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Good at | Natural-sounding writing; good with long documents; Best for: writing, long documents, coding, homework | Broadest feature set in one app: voice, images, files, deep research; Best for: all-rounder, data analysis, images, voice | Built into Gmail, Docs, Drive, Android; generous free plan; Best for: Google Workspace, research, images, voice, homework |
| Watch out for | No built-in image generation | Go plan may include ads (OpenAI pricing page) | Not listed in our data |
| Privacy | Consumer (Free/Pro/Max): model training is opt-out, meaning it's on unless you turn it off. Team/Enterprise: no training by default | Personal accounts: chats may train models by default; turn off 'Improve the model for everyone' in Data Controls. Business/Enterprise: no training by default | Keep Activity is on by default (18+): chats may be used to train AI and a subset reviewed by humans (kept up to 3 years). Turning it off stops future training; chats kept up to 72 hours |
| Where it runs | web, desktop, iOS, Android | web, iOS, Android | web, Android, iOS |
| Status | Current | Current. Custom GPTs retire Dec 11, 2026 (Enterprise workspaces with an approved delay: Feb 11, 2027); OpenAI says move them to Plugins. Existing chats with GPTs stay accessible. New Oct 20, 2026: locked chats (hide a chat behind a 4-digit PIN or device unlock) rolling out to Free, Go, Plus and Pro | Current |
| Sources | claude.com · claude.com (2) · support.claude.com | chatgpt.com · openai.com · help.openai.com · help.openai.com (2) · help.openai.com (3) · help.openai.com (4) | gemini.google · support.google.com |
Related pages
- ChatGPT vs Claude
- Claude vs Gemini
- Claude vs Grok
- Claude vs Microsoft Copilot
- Claude vs Perplexity
- Alternatives to ChatGPT
- Alternatives to Gemini
- Alternatives to Microsoft Copilot
- Alternatives to Grok
- Alternatives to Mistral Vibe
Questions people ask
What is the best alternative to Claude?
It depends on what you need. Try ChatGPT if you want one app that does a bit of everything: chat, voice, images, files and deep research. Try Gemini if you live in Gmail, Docs and Android and want a generous free plan. Try Perplexity if you want answers with sources you can check, especially on current events.
Is there a free alternative to Claude?
Yes. These have a free plan: ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot, Mistral Vibe, Grok.
Is Claude still worth using?
Yes, if you mostly write, edit or work through long documents and want the most natural-sounding writing. Its status in our directory: current.
Are these picks paid for?
No. There are no paid picks, sponsors are always labeled, and WhichBot never takes sponsorship from AI labs.
Facts come from the companies' own pages, linked above, and were last checked Oct 28, 2026. Prices are US and can change. Picks are Hector's: no paid picks, sponsors always labeled, and no sponsorship from AI labs. Our policy.