ChatGPT vs Claude vs Copilot vs Perplexity for small business (2026)
Updated Oct 2026 · Prices as of Oct 2026 · Some links may be affiliate links (disclosure)
All four of these general AI assistants have a free tier, and each paid tier costs about $20 a month. The right one depends on where you already work and what you'll use it for.
| Assistant | Free tier | Paid starting price (Oct 2026) | Good fit when… |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Yes | Plus $20/mo | You want an all-round assistant for emails, quotes, FAQs and planning |
| Claude | Yes | Pro $20/mo ($17/mo annual) | You work with long documents like contracts, manuals and bids |
| Microsoft Copilot | Yes | M365 Copilot Business $21/user/mo (reported) | Your business already runs on Outlook, Word and Excel |
| Perplexity | Yes | Pro $20/mo | You mostly need quick research with sources, like codes, suppliers and competitors |
Practical jobs to try on any free tier
- Turn the last 10 customer questions into a website FAQ.
- Write three text-message templates: running late, job done (with a review ask), and estimate follow-up.
- Paste a messy job note and ask for a clean customer-facing summary.
- Draft a service-area page for your town (check every claim it makes).
Cautions
- AI assistants can be confidently wrong. Verify prices, codes and legal or licensing details.
- Don't paste customer card numbers or sensitive personal data.
- Before paying for more than one, try the free tiers side by side for a week.
We haven't benchmarked these assistants head to head. This comparison covers pricing and positioning, as of Oct 2026.
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