They're called ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, Grok, Meta AI or DeepSeek — and 80% of the time, they do the same things: chat, write, summarize, translate, explain, help with coding. So why does the directory give each one a profile built around a different problem? Because each profile starts from its most distinctive angle. This page does the opposite: it compares them on the same criteria, so you can choose with full knowledge of the facts.
Our verdict never depends on a commission: affiliate links are disclosed, and they change neither the order of this comparison nor its conclusion. (Our Method)
| Assistant | Free? | Paid entry point | Its distinctive angle | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT (agent mode) | No (agent mode is paid) | Plus $20/month | it carries out tasks on the web for you — browsing, comparing, filling in forms, preparing a booking — instead of just chatting | United States |
| Claude | Yes, limited | Pro $20/month | the quality of its writing and its calm reasoning, with long documents analyzed without losing the thread | United States |
| Gemini | Yes | AI Plus $4.99/month | it's built into the Google ecosystem (Gmail, Docs, Chrome) and its Deep Research digs through hundreds of sources even in the free version | United States |
| Microsoft Copilot | Yes, limited | via Microsoft 365 from $9.99/month | it lives where your documents already are: in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook | United States |
| Grok | Yes, limited | from $8/month | it's plugged in, in real time, to the news and to what's being said on X | United States |
| Meta AI | Yes | — (no subscription) | it's already in your apps — WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger — free, with nothing to install | United States |
| DeepSeek | Yes | — (no subscription) | it's free and very strong at reasoning — with a serious guardrail: your data is hosted in China | China |
| Mistral Vibe (formerly Le Chat) | Yes | Pro €17.99/month | it's the European generalist in the group: published by Mistral (France), it emphasizes privacy and data hosted in Europe | France |
| Claude Cowork | No | via Claude Pro $20/month | it works directly in your computer's files and folders, like a colleague who would take over your mouse | United States |
| Manus | Daily free credits | plans around $20/month | it carries out long missions autonomously, over multiple steps, and comes back with a complete deliverable | Singapore |
| Comet | Yes | — (free base) | it's a browser: it acts in the web pages you visit, as you browse | United States |
| OpenClaw | Yes (open source) | — (cost of the models you connect) | it runs at your place — on your devices, under your control — rather than in a publisher's cloud | Austria |
Prices taken from the publishers' official pages in late October 2026 — check today's price on each agent's profile.
it's already in your tools, and Deep Research is included even in the free version. See the profile.
the best writing in the group, calm and faithful on long documents. See the profile.
it acts inside your documents, without changing your habits. See the profile.
Meta AI is already in WhatsApp; DeepSeek is the most powerful of the free options — but keep in mind that its data is in China, and don't entrust it with anything sensitive. See the profile.
they browse, compare and fill in forms for you — under your supervision. See the profile.
it sorts, renames and organizes inside your folders. See the profile.
the only generalist in the group published in Europe (France). See the profile.
plugged into the feed, to be cross-checked against the press. See the profile.
it works over multiple steps and delivers a complete result. See the profile.
open source, it runs on your devices — and takes a little more setup. See the profile.
80% of the time, yes: chat, write, summarize, translate, explain, help with coding. What really changes is the ecosystem (Google, Microsoft, Meta…), the price, the quality of the writing, and a distinctive angle unique to each one — that's what this page compares.
Meta AI and DeepSeek are free with no subscription (DeepSeek with a serious data guardrail). Gemini, Claude, Copilot, Grok and Mistral Vibe have limited free versions. ChatGPT's agent mode and Claude Cowork are paid ($20/month through their publishers' subscriptions).
For most people, yes: pick the one from your ecosystem (Google → Gemini, Office → Copilot, WhatsApp → Meta AI) and learn it well. A second one becomes useful for a specific task — for example Cowork for files, or Grok for news.
No online assistant is neutral: your conversations go through the publisher's servers. The leanest options are Mistral Vibe (European publisher, France) and, at the extreme, OpenClaw running locally — your data stays on your machine, at the cost of a more technical setup. Avoid DeepSeek for anything sensitive (data hosted in China).
Comparison updated on October 31, 2026 — see what's new in the directory.