What ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot give you free
You do not need to pay to start with AI. ChatGPT's free plan has unlimited everyday text chats, but uploads, images and voice have separate limits. Gemini without a plan has standard limits that refresh every 5 hours. Copilot is free at copilot.cloud.microsoft, with extra features when you sign in with a personal account.
What you need
| Apps | ChatGPT, Gemini and Microsoft Copilot. Check only the ones you use |
|---|---|
| Cost | Free. No paid plan needed |
| Time | About 5 minutes |
| You need | A personal account for each app. Work and school accounts follow different rules |
Step by step
Step 1: ChatGPT: everyday chats are free, tools have their own limits
OpenAI's help page says free users have unlimited everyday text chats, subject to abuse-prevention safeguards. It lists web search, file and image uploads, image creation and Library with 500 MB of storage as included. Uploads, image generation, voice and data analysis have separate usage limits, and ChatGPT notifies you when you reach one. The page also says creating a new GPT is not available on personal accounts, and that ads may appear in the free tier in certain countries.
Tip: OpenAI's page says the default model and the limits can change over time.
Step 2: Gemini: standard limits that refresh every 5 hours
Google's help page says Gemini Apps have compute-based usage limits. Without a Google AI plan you get the standard limits, and your limit refreshes every 5 hours until you reach your weekly limit. Without a plan the context window is 32k tokens, against 1 million tokens for Google AI Pro. To check where you stand, go to gemini.google.com and at the bottom left select Settings, then Usage Limits.
Tip: Google's page says to start a new chat when you move to a new topic, because Gemini then does not have to re-read a long conversation.
Step 3: Copilot: free on the web, more when you sign in
Microsoft's help page says Microsoft Copilot is available at no cost at copilot.cloud.microsoft. Signing in is not required, but with a personal account you get chat history, image creation, longer conversations and voice interactions. The page describes the free version as ideal for general questions and answers, people trying AI for the first time, and web-based tasks. It does not list a usage number for the free version.
Tip: Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps is a separate paid product. Microsoft's page explains the difference.
Common mistakes
- Assuming free means unlimited. OpenAI's help page says uploads, images and voice have separate limits, and Google's says limits can change without notice.
- Paying before you have hit a limit. Use the free plan for a week and see whether you reach one.
- Using a work or school account. Google's page says its limits article is for personal Google Accounts, and Microsoft separates Copilot in Microsoft 365.
Questions people ask
Is ChatGPT free?
Yes. OpenAI's help page says ChatGPT is free to use and that free users have unlimited everyday text chats, subject to abuse-prevention safeguards. Tools such as uploads and image generation have separate limits.
How often do Gemini's limits refresh?
Google's help page says your limit refreshes every 5 hours until you reach your weekly limit. Limits may change without notice.
Do I need to sign in to use Copilot?
No. Microsoft's help page says signing in is not required, but with a personal account you get chat history, image creation, longer conversations and voice.
What about Claude?
This list covers only what we could confirm on an official help page today. We left Claude out for that reason.
Checked against
- OfficialOpenAI Help: ChatGPT Free Tier FAQ
- OfficialGemini Apps Help: Gemini Apps limits & feature availability
- OfficialMicrosoft Support: What's the difference between Microsoft Copilot (free) and Copilot in Microsoft 365
AI apps change their buttons often. If a step no longer matches what you see, email hello@openloopnews.com and we will update this guide.
