Copilot free vs paid: What do you get?

Copilot free vs paid: What do you get?

by Sarah MacPherson, a product manager, ai enthusiast trying to find the best and most interesting ways to work with this new frontier

The free version: Copilot

Microsoft offers a free version of Copilot that you can access at copilot.microsoft.com. This is a great way to explore conversational AI without spending money.

What you get with free Copilot:

  • Access to Copilot's conversational AI capabilities powered by OpenAI's models
  • Ability to ask questions, get writing help, and brainstorm ideas
  • Web-connected responses (Copilot can access current information from the internet)
  • Standard response times
  • Limited number of conversations per day (Microsoft may adjust these limits)
  • Access through web browsers and mobile apps

What you don't get:

  • Priority access during high-demand times
  • Faster response speeds
  • Integration with Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
  • Access to the most advanced AI models
  • Increased usage limits

For casual use (a few questions per day, basic writing help, general research), the free version works well. We recommend starting here to see if Copilot fits your needs.

The paid version: Copilot Pro

Copilot Pro costs $20 per month and provides expanded access and integration with Microsoft 365 apps.

What you get with Copilot Pro:

  • Priority access to Copilot even during peak times
  • Faster response speeds
  • Access to the latest and most capable AI models
  • Integration with Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote)
  • Ability to use Copilot within your documents and emails
  • AI-powered image generation (create images with Designer, formerly DALL-E)
  • Higher usage limits

AI prompt for Copilot Pro in Word: "Summarize this 10-page report into a one-page executive summary, highlighting the three most important findings"

Important note: To use Copilot Pro's Microsoft 365 integrations, you need an active Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription (separate cost). Copilot Pro on its own gives you the enhanced web experience but not the app integrations.

Copilot for Microsoft 365 (Enterprise)

Copilot for Microsoft 365 is designed for businesses and organizations. It costs $30 per user per month (on top of existing Microsoft 365 business subscriptions) and includes:

  • Deep integration with Microsoft 365 business apps
  • Enterprise-grade security and compliance
  • Admin controls and usage analytics
  • AI assistance in Teams meetings
  • Organization-wide knowledge integration

Unless you're part of a business or organization with specific enterprise needs, this plan isn't necessary.

Should you upgrade to Copilot Pro?

Consider upgrading to Copilot Pro if:

  • You use Copilot frequently throughout the day and hit the free usage limits
  • You already have a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription and want AI integrated into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
  • You need priority access and faster responses
  • You want to create AI-generated images with Designer
  • You rely on Microsoft apps for work or school and want AI assistance within those tools

Stick with the free version if:

  • You're just exploring conversational AI
  • You use Copilot infrequently (a few times per week or less)
  • You don't use Microsoft 365 apps regularly
  • Your needs are simple (basic questions, short writing tasks)

AI prompt: "What types of tasks would benefit most from having Copilot integrated directly into Microsoft Word?"

Comparing Copilot pricing to competitors

At $20 per month, Copilot Pro is priced the same as ChatGPT Plus and similar to Claude Pro. Key differences:

  • Copilot Pro: Best if you use Microsoft 365 and want AI integrated into those apps (requires separate Microsoft 365 subscription)
  • ChatGPT Plus: Offers plugins, image generation, and a very large user community
  • Claude Pro: Excellent for long document analysis and extended conversations
  • Gemini Advanced ($19.99/month): Includes 2 TB of Google cloud storage and integration with Google services

The right choice depends on which ecosystem you're already using (Microsoft, Google, or neither) and your specific needs.

Combining Copilot Pro with Microsoft 365

If you want the full Copilot Pro experience with app integrations, you'll need:

  • Copilot Pro: $20/month
  • Microsoft 365 Personal or Family: Starts at $6.99/month (Personal) or $9.99/month (Family)

Total cost: Around $27-30/month for full access to both AI capabilities and Microsoft apps. This can be a good value if you use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook regularly.

Free trial

Microsoft occasionally offers free trials of Copilot Pro. Check copilot.microsoft.com to see if a trial is currently available. This lets you test the premium features before committing.

Related resources

Ready to get started? See How to access Copilot. Want to learn more about what Copilot can do? Check out What is Microsoft Copilot?. For detailed usage tips, visit Copilot tips and limitations. Wondering if you should pay for any AI tool? See Should I pay for AI or stick with free?.