The best ChatGPT alternatives in 2026

ChatGPT is a ai assistant: OpenAI's general-purpose AI assistant for chat, research, writing and coding. Here are 8 alternatives, what each costs, and who each one suits.

  1. 1. Full Circle

    AI agent builder · From $39/month

    A self-serve AI agent builder where small businesses hire AI agents that learn the business and send every piece of work for approval.

    Best for: Small-business owners who want ready-to-work AI employees for content, social, leads and reviews without building workflows.

    + Chat-first: you brief an agent like a new hire, no workflow canvas − No free plan

    Full Circle vs ChatGPT →
  2. 2. Claude

    AI assistant · Free plan; paid from $17/month

    Anthropic's AI assistant for chat, writing, analysis, coding and agentic work.

    Best for: Individuals and teams wanting an assistant with projects, connectors and coding tools.

    + Free tier − Usage limits reset every 5 hours and weekly

    Claude alternatives →
  3. 3. Google Gemini

    AI assistant · Free plan; paid from $4.99/month

    Google's AI assistant, available free and via Google AI subscriptions.

    Best for: Individuals in the Google ecosystem wanting an assistant tied to Gmail, Drive and Photos.

    + Free tier − Consumer plans aren't a business agent builder

    Google Gemini alternatives →
  4. 4. Perplexity

    AI assistant · Free plan; paid from $20/month

    An AI answer engine focused on web search with cited answers, plus the Comet browser agent.

    Best for: Researchers and professionals who want cited answers from the web.

    + Answers with citations from web search − Research-focused; limited for running business workflows

    Perplexity alternatives →
  5. 5. Microsoft Copilot

    AI assistant · From $9.99/month

    Microsoft's AI assistant built into Microsoft 365 apps and Windows.

    Best for: People and businesses already using Microsoft 365 apps.

    + Built into Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams − Advanced features require Premium or business add-on

    Microsoft Copilot alternatives →
  6. 6. Lindy

    AI agent builder · From $29.99/month

    An AI assistant platform that connects to your work tools and runs tasks and scheduled routines on your behalf.

    Best for: Individuals and small teams who want an assistant that acts across email, calendar, Slack and other tools without building workflows.

    + Lets you choose a model per task; says most major models are available − Billing is per active user plus credit usage, so cost scales with seats and activity

    Lindy alternatives →
  7. 7. Relevance AI

    AI agent builder · See vendor pricing

    A platform for building an 'AI workforce' of agents and tools, now sold as an enterprise plan.

    Best for: Mid-size and larger companies building multi-agent workforces with sales-led onboarding.

    + Unlimited agents, tools, users and projects on Enterprise − No self-serve or published price on the pricing page

    Relevance AI alternatives →
  8. 8. Gumloop

    AI agent builder · From $37/month

    An AI agent platform for building agents that work across your tools, with a company knowledge base and team collaboration.

    Best for: Teams in operations, marketing and sales that want to build their own agents across many connectors.

    + 35+ models with bring-your-own API keys − Credit-based usage plus an 8% orchestration fee

    Gumloop alternatives →

At a glance

FeatureChatGPTFull CircleClaudeGoogle Gemini
What it isOpenAI's general-purpose AI assistant for chat, research, writing and coding.A self-serve AI agent builder where small businesses hire AI agents that learn the business and send every piece of work for approval.Anthropic's AI assistant for chat, writing, analysis, coding and agentic work.Google's AI assistant, available free and via Google AI subscriptions.
TypeAI assistantAI agent builderAI assistantAI assistant
PriceFree plan; paid from $8/monthFrom $39/monthFree plan; paid from $17/monthFree plan; paid from $4.99/month
Free planYesNoYesYes
Pricing notesFree $0; Go $8/mo; Plus $20/mo; Pro $100, $200 or $500/mo; Business $20/user/mo annual (2+ users) or $25 monthly; Enterprise contact sales.Starter $39/mo (1 agent, 800 credits), Pro $99/mo (3 agents, 2,200 credits), Business $249/mo (10 agents, 6,000 credits); hard monthly limits; extra credits $15; 2 months free yearlyFree $0; Pro $17/mo annual ($200/yr) or $20 monthly; Max $100/mo; Ultra $200/mo; Team $20/seat annual ($25 monthly) standard, $100/$125 premium seat; Enterprise contact sales.Free $0; Google AI Plus $4.99/mo; Google AI Pro $19.99/mo; Google AI Ultra from $99.99/mo ($199.99 tier). Business use via Gemini Enterprise from $21/seat.
Best forAnyone wanting a broad AI assistant; Business plan for teams.Small-business owners who want ready-to-work AI employees for content, social, leads and reviews without building workflows.Individuals and teams wanting an assistant with projects, connectors and coding tools.Individuals in the Google ecosystem wanting an assistant tied to Gmail, Drive and Photos.
Technical skill neededNoneNoneNoneNone
AI modelOpenAIAnthropic ClaudeAnthropicGoogle

Frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to ChatGPT?

It depends on the job. Full Circle suits small-business owners who want ready-to-work AI employees for content, social, leads and reviews without building workflows; Claude suits individuals and teams wanting an assistant with projects, connectors and coding tools; Google Gemini suits individuals in the Google ecosystem wanting an assistant tied to Gmail, Drive and Photos.

Is there a free alternative to ChatGPT?

Claude, Google Gemini, Perplexity have a free plan.

How much does ChatGPT cost?

Free plan; paid from $8/month. Free $0; Go $8/mo; Plus $20/mo; Pro $100, $200 or $500/mo; Business $20/user/mo annual (2+ users) or $25 monthly; Enterprise contact sales.

Sources

Facts were checked against each vendor's own pages on 2026-11-01. Pricing changes often; confirm on the vendor's site before you buy.