ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Claude vs Copilot: Which Free AI Tool Should You Use?

By Ravindra Bagale, trainer · LinkedIn · Last updated: 23 October 2026

Generative AI course · Chapter 3 · Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

1. Suppose we are a fresher with 3 small jobs

Suppose we are Priya. We joined TCS in Pune as a trainee two months ago. Today we have 3 small jobs:

1. Write a polite email to our team lead asking to move a training session.
2. Read a 2-page leave policy PDF and find how many sick leaves we get.
3. Take a photo of a biscuit packet in the pantry and ask how much sugar is in one serving.

A friend says, "Just use ChatGPT, it is the best." Another friend says, "No, Gemini is better, it is from Google." A third says, "Claude writes the best English." Who is right?

Here is what we actually see when we give all 3 jobs to all 4 tools:

So the honest answer is: for everyday work, all 4 are good. The real differences are in the limits of the free plan, the apps they connect to (Gmail, Word, Excel), and small style differences. That is what this chapter teaches you to test.

2. The 4 tools at a glance

All four need you to sign in. All four have a website and a phone app. And all four can be wrong, so you check important facts every time (chapter 1, section on hallucinations).

3. What the free plans give you (checked on 23 October 2026)

These are the main points from each company's own pricing and help pages. Plans and limits change often. Before you depend on a limit, open the pricing page yourself.

Paid plans in India (prices checked in October 2026):

• ChatGPT Go: about ₹399 a month. It gives more messages, uploads, images and longer memory.
• Google AI Plus: ₹399 a month. Google AI Pro: ₹1,950 a month (from Google's India plans page).
• Claude Pro: shown in US dollars on claude.com/pricing ($20 if you pay monthly).
• Copilot: the AI features inside Word, Excel and PowerPoint come with Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and higher plans.

You do not need any paid plan for this course. Every example in this chapter works on the free plans.

4. Worked example 1: one email in 4 tools

Job: Priya wants to move a training session from Thursday to Friday.

1. Open 4 browser tabs: chatgpt.com, gemini.google.com, claude.ai, copilot.microsoft.com.
2. Sign in to each one.

3. Copy this prompt and paste it into all 4 tabs:

   Role: You are a polite trainee at an IT company in Pune.
   Task: Write an email to my team lead asking to move my AWS training session.
   Context:
   - Team lead: Mr. Rakesh Sharma.
   - Current session: Thursday 22 October, 3 pm.
   - Reason: I have a client demo practice at the same time, which my manager asked me to join.
   - I can attend on Friday 23 October at 3 pm or 4 pm.
   Format: A subject line, then under 90 words, then "Regards, Priya". No emojis.
   

4. Press Enter in each tab.

5. Score each answer with this checklist. Put a tick for every "yes".

Expected output (yours will be similar, not the same):

Subject: Request to move my AWS training session to Friday

Dear Mr. Sharma,

My AWS training session is on Thursday 22 October at 3 pm. My manager has asked me
to join a client demo practice at the same time.

Could we please move my session to Friday 23 October, at 3 pm or 4 pm?
Thank you for your understanding.

Regards,
Priya

What you will usually see: all 4 tools pass most checks, because the prompt was clear. One may add an extra line like "Please let me know if another time works better". One may use slightly more formal words. To count the words, paste the email into Google Docs or Word and use the word count.

If one tool misses a check, do not throw it away. Reply in the same chat: You wrote 110 words. Make it under 90 words. Then score again.

5. Worked example 2: one PDF summary in 4 tools

Job: read a short leave policy and answer 3 questions.

We will use a small sample PDF made for this course: leave_policy.pdf (2 pages, a made-up company called Sahyadri Infotech). Download it to your computer or phone first.

1. In each tool, find the attach button. It is usually a + or a paperclip next to the message box.
2. Upload leave_policy.pdf.

3. Paste this prompt with it:

   Role: You are a careful HR assistant.
   Task: Answer my 3 questions using ONLY the attached leave policy.
   Questions:
   1. How many sick leaves do I get in a year?
   2. When do I need a doctor's certificate?
   3. How many days before my leave must I apply?
   Format: A numbered list. After each answer, write the policy point number in brackets, like (point 2).
   If the answer is not in the PDF, write "Not in the policy".
   

4. Press Enter.

The correct answers (from the PDF itself):

5. Open the PDF yourself and check every answer against the policy. This is the most important step.

Expected output (yours will be similar, not the same):

1. You get 8 days of sick leave in a year. (point 2)
2. A doctor's certificate is needed for sick leave of more than 2 days in a row. (point 2)
3. You must apply at least 3 working days before your leave starts. (point 4)

Now test the trap question. In the same chat, ask:

How many days of maternity leave does the policy give?

The PDF does not talk about maternity leave at all. A good answer is "Not in the policy". If a tool invents a number, it fails this test. This is why we always say: use ONLY the attached file, and say "not in the file" if the answer is missing.

About upload limits: on the free plans you can upload only a limited number of files. For example, OpenAI's help page says free ChatGPT users can upload 3 files a day (checked October 2026). If a tool says you have reached the limit, try again later or use another tool for that test.

6. Worked example 3: one photo question in 4 tools

Job: read the nutrition label on a packet of biscuits.

1. Take any packet of biscuits, namkeen or cereal at home.
2. Turn it over and find the nutrition information table.
3. On your phone, open each app (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot).
4. Tap the +, camera or image button and take a clear photo of the table. Make sure there is no glare from a light.

5. Send this prompt with the photo:

   Role: You are a careful food label reader.
   Task: Read the nutrition table in this photo.
   Format: A small table with 3 rows: Energy, Total sugars, Protein.
   Columns: Per 100 g, Per serving. Copy the numbers exactly as printed.
   If a number is not visible, write "not visible". Do not give health advice.
   

6. Press send.

7. Now hold the packet next to your phone and check every number the AI wrote.

Expected output (the numbers come from your own packet):

What you will usually see: with a clear, straight photo, all 4 tools read the printed numbers well. With a blurry or angled photo, any tool can misread a number, for example "18" as "16". The fix is not a different tool. The fix is a better photo.

Score this test:

7. Your total scorecard

Add up the ticks from the 3 tests.

Two things to notice:

1. The scores are usually close. A difference of 1 or 2 ticks comes from small style choices, and it can change if you run the test again tomorrow.
2. The free limits and which apps you already use matter more than the score.

8. Which tool should you open for which task?

Use this table as a starting point. It is based on what each tool connects to and what its free plan includes, not on hype.

Our rule: pick a main tool for daily work, and keep a second tool for checking. When an answer matters (a fact, a number, a policy), ask the second tool too, and then check the original source yourself.

9. When does a paid plan make sense?

Ask yourself these 3 questions:

1. Do I hit the free limit 3 or more times a week on real work (not on fun chats)?
2. Do I need a feature that the free plan does not have, for example more uploads, longer memory, or AI inside Word and Excel?
3. Will this tool save me at least an hour a week?

If the answer to all 3 is "yes", try a paid plan for one month, then decide again. If not, stay free.

Before you pay:

1. Open the official pricing page: chatgpt.com/pricing, gemini.google/subscriptions, claude.com/pricing or Microsoft's Copilot page.
2. Check the price in rupees, and whether tax is extra.
3. Check whether it renews every month automatically, and how to cancel.
4. Never pay through a link that came in a WhatsApp message or an unknown email. Pay only inside the official app or website.

10. Worked example 4: same 3 jobs in DeepSeek, Grok and Perplexity

ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Copilot are not the only free options in India. Traffic trackers in October 2026 also show interest in DeepSeek, Grok and Perplexity (health-check: EXPANDOCT23-DEEPSEEK-GROK-PERPLEXITY). Free limits change — check each site the day you try.

Safety first for DeepSeek: do not paste office client data, Aadhaar, bank details or internal documents. Some Indian guidance has urged caution on official devices; when unsure, use ChatGPT / Gemini / Claude with placeholders instead.

Job A — leave email (same prompt in all three):

Write a short sick-leave email to my manager for tomorrow.
Polite, 4 sentences, office English. Sign as [YOUR NAME].

Job B — PDF / research brief: upload a public sample PDF or paste a public paragraph. Ask for 5 bullet summary. In Perplexity, ask the same question and check the citations — that is Perplexity's strength.

Job C — photo question: upload a product or whiteboard photo (nothing private). Ask what text is on it.

Scorecard (fill while you try):

Expected output (yours will be similar, not the same): three emails that are usable, a Perplexity answer with openable links, and honest notes on which tool you will keep for daily work.

11. Beginner mistakes and quick fixes

12. Try at home

Recap

Tonight, run the email test in two tools and score both. Ten minutes of testing will teach you more than ten reels about "the best AI".

Previous chapter: Prompt Engineering for Beginners: Role, Task, Context and Format (with 5 Examples)

Next chapter: How to Use ChatGPT Step by Step: Chats, Follow-ups, Memory and Projects

Ravindra Bagale, trainer: linkedin.com/in/ravindra-bagale. The people, dates, emails and the Sahyadri Infotech leave policy on this page are made up for learning. TCS is named only to make the situation real; nothing here describes how TCS works. Plans, limits and prices were checked on the official pages on 23 October 2026 and change often. AI answers change every time, so your output will be similar, not the same.