Updated August 2026 · prices checked against official pages
Every AI subscription, one honest comparison.
Most flagship AI subscriptions cluster around $20 a month, but the value is not the same: some sell one assistant, some sell research, some sell storage, and some sell multi-model access. We compare free tiers, paid tiers, limits and bundles so you buy once, correctly.
Pick by need
If you only have ten minutes, start here.
AI bundles
Multi-model tools can put several assistants in one interface. Good for comparison and switching; weaker if you need a native app feature, high caps, or strict vendor controls.
Judge by limits, not promises
General assistantChatGPT
The most widely used AI assistant. Strong at everyday questions, writing, voice and images. Go at $8 is the underrated sweet spot.
Paid from $8/mo
Writing & codingClaude
The strongest model family for serious writing, long documents and software work. Pro at $20 ($17 annual) is the sweet spot.
Paid from $17/mo
Google bundleGemini
AI inside Gmail, Docs and Drive, plus the best video generation (Veo) and bundled cloud storage. AI Plus at $7.99 is the cheapest paid entry among the majors.
Paid from $7.99/mo
Microsoft 365Microsoft Copilot
Worth it almost exclusively for Microsoft 365 households and workers. The M365 Premium family bundle is quietly the better deal.
Paid from $19.99/mo
Answer enginePerplexity
An answer engine, not a chatbot. The free tier — unlimited cited searches — is arguably the best free AI product on the market.
Paid from $0/mo
X ecosystemGrok
Native to X with real-time timeline access. The priciest mainstream entry point at $30 — a niche pick unless you already know why you want it.
Paid from $30/mo
Free outlierDeepSeek
The outlier: strong reasoning models with no paywall, no ads and no usage tiers. The API costs pennies per million tokens.
Paid from $0/mo
The master table
All eight, side by side.
Prices in USD per month before local tax. Full plan-by-plan detail on the compare page.
| Service | Free tier | Entry paid plan | Top tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI bundles Category, not one provider | Varies by tool; often limited trials or credit pools | Usually $8-30/mo | Often $50-200+/mo for heavy use | People comparing models, consolidating tools, or using mixed workflows |
| MultipleChat AI Multi-model workspace | Check current free/trial limits on official site | Paid workspace tiers; verify current pricing | Higher-usage tiers may exist for heavier users | Users who want normal AI chat, side-by-side model use, AI Collaboration, and one workspace instead of juggling many tabs |
| ChatGPT OpenAI | GPT-5.6 Luna, uncapped text, ad-supported | Go — $8/mo | Pro — $100–200/mo | First-time buyers who want one safe default |
| Claude Anthropic | Claude Sonnet 5, limited daily usage | Pro — $20/mo ($17 annual) | Max — $100–200/mo | Writers, analysts and developers |
| Gemini | Gemini 3.5 Flash, basic features | AI Plus — $7.99/mo | AI Ultra — $99.99–199.99/mo | People who live in Gmail, Docs and Photos |
| Microsoft Copilot Microsoft | Basic Copilot, standard features | M365 Premium — $19.99/mo ($199.99/yr) | Copilot Pro — retired Aug 2026 | People who spend their day in Office apps |
| Perplexity Perplexity AI | Unlimited quick searches + 5 Pro searches/day | Pro — $20/mo ($200/yr) | Max — $200/mo | Researchers, students, careful shoppers |
| Grok xAI | 2 prompts per 2 hours | SuperGrok — $30/mo | SuperGrok Heavy — $300/mo | Heavy X users who want real-time answers |
| DeepSeek DeepSeek AI | Unlimited usage, V4-Flash + V4-Pro | Free — no paid plan | API — from $0.14/1M tokens | Anyone unwilling to pay at all |
Subscription math
What is your AI stack really costing?
Tick the tools you pay for (or are about to). Compare the total against one multi-model workspace.
The consolidation option
A multi-model bundle can make sense when you genuinely use several assistants: one for writing, one for research, one for coding, one for image or file work. It does not automatically beat native plans. Compare actual model access, message caps, file limits, search quality, team controls, privacy terms and refund rules.
Examples in this category include MultipleChat AI, Poe, TypingMind, ChatHub-style workspaces, browser assistants and ecosystem bundles. MultipleChat AI is worth a look if you specifically want AI Collaboration and side-by-side model use; still treat each bundle as a separate product with its own limits.
Read the AI bundle guideSame plan, different price
Where you buy changes what you pay.
App Store prices for the identical plan vary sharply by country (data: June 2026 store listings).
69% gap
≈ $16.23/mo in the Philippines vs $27.37/mo in Denmark.
55% gap
≈ $17.62/mo in Pakistan vs $27.37/mo in Denmark.
84% gap
≈ $14.05/mo in Egypt vs $25.84/mo in Denmark.
448% gap
≈ $7.33/mo in India vs $40.16/mo in the UK.
More detail in the cheapest AI plans guide.
Alternatives and comparison sites
Keep going if price is not the only question.
These related guides help users compare different model families, alternative products and bundle categories before choosing a subscription.
FAQ
Common questions, short answers.
Why does almost every AI plan cost $20 a month?
ChatGPT Plus set the anchor at $20 in early 2023 and competitors followed. The real differences are usage caps, which models you get, and bundled extras like storage or Office integration. Two $20 plans can deliver very different value.
Is a free AI plan enough?
Often, yes. Perplexity's free tier offers unlimited cited searches, DeepSeek is entirely free, and ChatGPT free covers casual questions. Pay only when limits, file uploads or model quality block real work — see our free vs paid guide.
Are the $100–300 tiers worth it?
Only if you hit the caps on a $20 plan daily. ChatGPT Pro ($100–200), Claude Max ($100–200), Gemini AI Ultra ($99.99+) and SuperGrok Heavy ($300) exist for genuinely heavy workflows. For most people they are wasted money.
More on the full FAQ page.
Sources
Where these prices come from.
Every price on this page was checked against the provider's official pricing page on 2026-08-29. Prices are USD, before local tax, and change often — the official page always wins. See how we verify prices.