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The AI Assistants Insider’s Guide

Every one of the 58 AI assistants we grade in one document: the top three, what they cost, the grades and the full list. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

AI Assistants

The Insider’s Guide

General-purpose AI assistants for writing, research, analysis and everyday questions.

  • ChatGPT
  • Gemini
  • Microsoft Copilot
  • Chatbox
  • Gemini Notebook
  • Poe

Every one we grade, what they cost, the best buy at each budget and the three to look at first.

Checked Oct 10, 2026 · toolgpa.com

58graded

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat these tools do, how many we grade and what to know before choosing
  2. 02Our top threeThe three we'd look at first, and who each one suits
  3. 03What they costWhat paid plans start at, the best buy at each budget and the free plans
  4. 04The gradesThe highest graded, and how the whole category does on each subject
  5. 05Keep or make?Which are worth paying for, and which you could make yourself
  6. 06Every toolAll of them, best graded first, with what each costs
  7. 07Quick answersThe questions people ask when choosing, each answered in a line or two
  8. 08About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from each tool’s own pages, their app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on the AI Assistants page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 10, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What these tools do, how many we grade and what to know before choosing

58

AI assistants we grade, from their own pages

General-purpose AI assistants for writing, research, analysis and everyday questions.

Before you choose, here are 8 things to know about AI assistants, worked out from every one we grade.

  1. 1

    We grade 58 AI assistants

    49 of them are free or have a free plan, and 4 more let you try before paying. Everything in this guide comes from their own pages and our grades.

  2. 2

    Paid plans start at $10 a month in the middle

    From $2.42 (Alter) to $50 (AnythingLLM), going by what each one's paid plans start at.

  3. 3

    Best value: Gemini, Poe, Chatbox and Locally AI

    Nothing on our chart scores higher than these without costing more.

  4. 4

    33 of 58 have iPhone and Android apps

    45 run in a web browser and 23 have a Windows app. Check the one you need before you fall for anything.

  5. 5

    The middle GPA is 2.6

    19 score 3.0 or higher. The highest is Gemini, at 3.8.

  6. 6

    Best free option: Gemini

    Gemini has the highest GPA of the free ones, 3.8. Google's AI assistant, tied into Gmail, Docs and other Google apps.

  7. 7

    58 worth keeping, 0 you could make

    By our keep-or-make rules, 58 do something you couldn't reasonably build yourself, 0 are simple enough to make with an AI app builder, and 0 are a close call.

  8. 8

    6 price changes in the past year

    That's how many price moves we've recorded for AI assistants in twelve months. Prices change, so check the maker's page before you pay.

Part 02 · Top three

Our top three

The three we'd look at first, and who each one suits

The three AI assistants we'd look at first. First place suits the most people; second and third are the best picks for the people it leaves out. Each has an Insider's Guide of its own.

  1. 1st

    3.4GPA

    ChatGPT

    Free plan · from $8/mo

    For: Most people

    ChatGPT puts text chat, image generation, spoken conversations, web search and research reports in one assistant, on the web, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android. The Free plan allows unlimited text chats, and paid plans start with Go at $8 a month. Plus, at $20 a month, adds advanced reasoning models, projects and the Codex coding agent. Its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 from about 11 million ratings. Know the limits: the Free plan limits uploads, image creation, voice chats, deep research and memory, OpenAI says the Go plan may include ads, and Pro costs $100, $200 or $500 a month.

    The ChatGPT Insider’s Guide

  2. 2nd

    3.8GPA

    Gemini

    Free plan · from $4.99/mo

    For: People who already use Gmail, Docs and Google Drive

    Gemini is free with a Google Account, and the free plan includes image generation, Deep Research and spoken conversations through Gemini Live. It works with Gmail, Drive, Docs and Calendar and runs on the web, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android. Google AI Plus is $4.99 a month with 400 GB of storage, less than ChatGPT's lowest paid plan. Its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 from about 2.3 million ratings. It is second because it is tied into Google's apps and plans: paid tiers are Google AI plans that bundle storage and other Google services, with no Gemini-only plan listed, and features vary by region. The macOS app needs Apple Silicon and macOS Sequoia (15.0) or later.

    The Gemini Insider’s Guide

  3. 3rd

    3.0GPA

    Microsoft Copilot

    Free plan · from $9.99/mo

    For: People who work in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook

    Microsoft Copilot covers chat, answers grounded in web search, image creation and voice conversations, on the web, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android. Paid Microsoft 365 plans put it inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook: Personal is $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year and includes 1 TB of cloud storage. It is third because its free version is limited and subject to available capacity, with usage limits the pricing page does not give, and its Researcher and Analyst agents need Premium at $19.99 a month, where Gemini includes Deep Research free. On the Family plan the AI features are for the subscription owner only.

    The Microsoft Copilot Insider’s Guide

Part 03 · Pricing

What they cost

What paid plans start at, the best buy at each budget and the free plans

$10

A month to start, in the middle of those that charge

Going by our grades, Gemini, Poe, Chatbox and Locally AI give the most for the money among AI assistants: no tool on this chart scores higher without costing more.

Paid plans start at a middle price of $10 a month across the 39 that charge, from $2.42 (Alter) to $50 (AnythingLLM). 6 more cost nothing at all.

11 of the 45 score above the category's average while starting at or below its middle price. 8 cost more than the middle price and score below the average.

The best buy at each budget

  • Free

    Locally AI

    Costs nothing. Nothing at that price or less scores higher.

  • Up to $5 a month

    Gemini

    Starts at $4.99 a month. Nothing at that price or less scores higher.

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 45 AI assistants. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. The green line is the best score at each price.

C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$2$5$10$20$50More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessGeminiPoeChatboxLocally AIChatGPTMicrosoft CopilotElephasLM Studio

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

The best free ones

  • Gemini

    Free plan · Free plan · from $4.99/mo

    3.8

  • Chatbox

    Free plan · Free plan · from $3.50/mo

    3.4

  • ChatGPT

    Free plan · Free plan · from $8/mo

    3.4

  • Gemini Notebook

    Free plan · Free plan · from $4.99/mo

    3.4

  • Poe

    Free plan · Free plan · from $4.17/mo

    3.4

  • AnythingLLM

    Free plan · Free plan · from $50/mo

    3.2

Part 04 · Grades

The grades

The highest graded, and how the whole category does on each subject

3.8

The highest GPA, Gemini's

Every tool gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. Here are the 12 highest graded AI assistants, then how the whole category does on each subject.

ToolValueFreeFeaturesEasePlatformsGPA
GeminiABAAA3.8
ChatboxAACBA3.4
ChatGPTCBAAA3.4
Gemini NotebookAACAB3.4
PoeACBAA3.4
AnythingLLMAACBB3.2
Cherry StudioAABCB3.2
Locally AIAACAC3.2
MonicaBCBAA3.2
Open WebUIAAADB3.2
ClaudeCCBAA3.0
DeepSeekAACCB3.0

How the whole category does

Each bar is every AI assistant we grade, cut by the letter it got on that subject.

  • Value for moneyavg 2.7
  • Free plan and trialavg 2.5
  • Featuresavg 2.6
  • Ease of useavg 2.8
  • Platforms and integrationsavg 2.8

Part 05 · Keep or make

Keep or make?

Which are worth paying for, and which you could make yourself

0

Simple enough to make yourself, of 58

Some software does something you couldn’t reasonably build yourself. Some is simple enough that an AI app builder could make the core of it in an afternoon. Here’s where AI assistants land, by the same rules for every tool.

  • 58

    Keep it

    It does something you could not reasonably make for yourself, or it costs nothing.

  • 0

    Your call

    You could make the core of it, and you would give something up.

  • 0

    You could make this

    What it does is the kind of thing an AI app builder makes well, and it charges every month.

Worth keeping

  • Gemini

    To replace Gemini you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

  • Chatbox

    To replace Chatbox you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

  • ChatGPT

    To replace ChatGPT you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

  • Gemini Notebook

    To replace Gemini Notebook you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

Part 06 · Every tool

Every tool

All of them, best graded first, with what each costs

58

Tools, best graded first

Every AI assistant we grade, with its GPA and what it costs. Each one has a page of its own on toolgpa.com, with its Insider’s Guide.

  1. 1GeminiFree plan · from $4.99/mo3.8
  2. 2ChatboxFree plan · from $3.50/mo3.4
  3. 3ChatGPTFree plan · from $8/mo3.4
  4. 4Gemini NotebookFree plan · from $4.99/mo3.4
  5. 5PoeFree plan · from $4.17/mo3.4
  6. 6AnythingLLMFree plan · from $50/mo3.2
  7. 7Cherry StudioFree plan3.2
  8. 8Locally AIFree3.2
  9. 9MonicaFree plan · from $8.3/mo3.2
  10. 10Open WebUIFree plan3.2
  11. 11ClaudeFree plan · from $17/mo3.0
  12. 12DeepSeekFree3.0
  13. 13JanFree3.0
  14. 14KimiFree plan · from $15/mo3.0
  15. 15LM StudioFree plan · from $20/mo3.0
  16. 16Microsoft CopilotFree plan · from $9.99/mo3.0
  17. 17Mistral VibeFree plan · from $14.99/mo3.0
  18. 18PyGPTFree3.0
  19. 19SiderFree plan · from $9.99/mo3.0
  20. 20FeloFree plan · from $12.50/mo2.8
  21. 21LibreChatFree2.8
  22. 22MerlinFree plan2.8
  23. 23Meta AIFree plan · from $7.99/mo2.8
  24. 24NextChatFree plan2.8
  25. 25PerplexityFree plan · from $17/mo2.8
  26. 26PiFree2.8
  27. 27PocketPal AIFree plan · from $0.99 one-time2.8
  28. 28TypingMindFree plan · from $39 one-time2.8
  29. 29AlterFree plan · from $29/yr2.6
  30. 30ChatHubFree plan · from $14.99/mo2.6
  31. 31GrokFree plan · from $10.002.6
  32. 32LangdockFree trial · from €23.20/mo2.6
  33. 33MstyFree plan · from $149/yr2.6
  34. 34VeniceFree plan · from $18/mo2.6
  35. 35Z.aiFree plan · from $12.60/mo2.6
  36. 36Alexa+Free plan · from $14.99/mo2.4
  37. 37Big-AGIFree plan · from $9/mo2.4
  38. 38BoltAIFree trial · from $79 one-time2.4
  39. 39ChatLLMFrom $10/mo2.4
  40. 40ChatOnFree plan · from $6.992.4
  41. 41DolaFree plan · from £7.49/mo2.4
  42. 42Duck.aiFree plan · from $9.99/mo2.4
  43. 43Fello AIFree plan · from $11.99/mo2.4
  44. 44Maple AIFree plan · from $20/mo2.4
  45. 45NovaFree plan · from $4.992.4
  46. 46Qwen StudioFree plan2.4
  47. 47ConferFree plan · from $34.992.2
  48. 48FluentFree trial · from $49 one-time2.2
  49. 49HuggingChatFree plan · from $9/mo2.2
  50. 50Kagi AssistantFree trial · from $5/mo2.2
  51. 51LumoFree plan · from $9.99/mo2.2
  52. 52MammouthFrom $10/mo2.2
  53. 53NanoGPTFree plan · from $12/mo2.2
  54. 54T3 ChatFree plan2.2
  55. 55AI FiestaFrom $12/mo2.0
  56. 56Private LLMFrom $4.99 one-time2.0
  57. 57ElephasFree plan · from $15.83/mo1.8
  58. 58MagaiFrom $20/mo1.8

Part 07 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask when choosing, each answered in a line or two

9

Questions, each answered in a line or two

What are the best AI assistants?

ChatGPT first, Gemini second, Microsoft Copilot third. ChatGPT is for most people.

Which AI assistants give the most for the money?

Gemini, Poe, Chatbox and Locally AI. Each is the highest-scoring tool at its price or below: Locally AI scores 2.7 out of 4 and is free; Chatbox scores 3.0 out of 4 and starts at $3.50 a month; Poe scores 3.7 out of 4 and starts at $4.17 a month; Gemini scores 4.0 out of 4 and starts at $4.99 a month.

Which are the best free AI assistants?

Of the 6 AI assistants here with no paid plan at all, Locally AI scores highest, at 2.7 out of 4.

Which AI assistants are best for under $5 a month?

Gemini, with a score of 4.0 out of 4: the highest among the 14 that start at $5 a month or less.

Which AI assistants are best for under $10 a month?

Gemini and ChatGPT, with a score of 4.0 out of 4: the highest among the 28 that start at $10 a month or less.

Which AI assistants cost the most for what they offer?

On this chart, Elephas (starts at $15.83 a month, scores 2.0 out of 4, and 33 tools score higher for less), LM Studio (starts at $20 a month, scores 2.3 out of 4, and 28 tools score higher for less) and AnythingLLM (starts at $50 a month, scores 2.7 out of 4, and 20 tools score higher for less).

How much do AI assistants cost?

The middle starting price is $10 a month: half of the 39 AI assistants with a recurring price start below that and half above.

How is the score on this chart worked out?

It is the average of three of the five grades ToolGPA gives every tool: features, ease of use, and platforms and integrations, with an A worth 4 and an F worth 0.

How does ToolGPA grade AI assistants?

Five grades, A to F, for value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them.

Part 08 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

3,189

Tools graded, in 94 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 3,189

    tools graded

  • 94

    categories

  • 426

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "AI Assistants: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 10, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/categories/ai-assistants

Know someone choosing between AI assistants?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/categories/ai-assistants/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The top three AI assistants have guides of their own, and so does every category near this one.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what each tool’s pages, app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Product names are trademarks of their owners, and no maker made, paid for or approved this guide. Prices and plans change: check each maker’s own site before you buy.