Head-to-head · verified September 25, 2026
Copilot vs Perplexity: price comparison
Perplexity is cheaper to start: Perplexity Education Pro costs $10/mo against $19.99/mo for Microsoft 365 Premium. At the standard tier it's Microsoft 365 Premium ($19.99/mo) against Perplexity Pro ($20/mo).
Plans tier by tier
| Microsoft Copilot | Perplexity | |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Copilot Free Free | Perplexity Free Free |
| Entry (under $15) | — | Perplexity Education Pro $10/mo |
| Standard (~$20) | Microsoft 365 Premium $19.99/mo | Perplexity Pro $20/mo |
| Premium ($90+) | — | Perplexity Max $200/mo |
Key numbers
| Copilot | Perplexity | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest paid plan | Microsoft 365 Premium $19.99/mo | Perplexity Education Pro $10/mo |
| Most expensive plan | Microsoft 365 Premium $19.99/mo | Perplexity Max $200/mo |
| Plans on sale | 2 | 4 |
| Annual discount | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest API model | No public API | No public API |
| Priciest API model | No public API | No public API |
| Both standard plans | $39.99/mo together ($480/yr) | |
Pick Copilot if…
Freelancers, small businesses and households that spend hours a week in Word, Excel and Outlook.
- AI where your documents already live
- M365 Premium bundles Office, storage and AI for $19.99
- Annual plan at $199.99 is shared with up to 6 people (Office + storage)
Buy the ecosystem, not the chatbot. If Office is your day, it earns its price; otherwise look elsewhere.
Microsoft Copilot plans in detail →Pick Perplexity if…
Researchers, students, journalists and careful shoppers, and as a second tool next to any chatbot.
- Citations on every answer
- Strong for current events, shopping research and fact-checking
- Free tier covers casual research
Start free; you may never need to upgrade. Pro is worth it if you research daily.
Perplexity plans in detail →Recent changes
- Copilot Copilot Pro retired
Support ended. Premium Copilot now only via Microsoft 365 Premium ($19.99/month).
Copilot vs Perplexity: questions
Is Copilot cheaper than Perplexity?
To start, yes for Perplexity: its cheapest paid plan is Perplexity Education Pro at $10/mo, versus Microsoft 365 Premium at $19.99/mo.
Do Copilot and Perplexity both have a free plan?
Yes. Copilot Free: copilot in windows, edge and on the web. Perplexity Free: unlimited quick searches with citations, a few pro searches per day.
Should I choose Copilot or Perplexity?
Choose Copilot if you are: freelancers, small businesses and households that spend hours a week in Word, Excel and Outlook. Choose Perplexity if you are: researchers, students, journalists and careful shoppers, and as a second tool next to any chatbot.
Sources
Checked against the official pages below on September 25, 2026. Prices are USD before local tax. See how we verify prices and the change log.