Four assistants cover almost everything most people need: ChatGPT from OpenAI, Claude from Anthropic, Gemini from Google and Grok from xAI (now part of SpaceX, branded SpaceXSI). All four have a useful free tier, a roughly $20 plan and a power tier. They differ in what they do best, what they connect to and what they do with your data. Plans and prices below were checked on the official pages on October 13, 2026. They change often, so confirm before you pay.
1Match each assistant to the job
| Your main job | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Writing (long docs, emails, your voice) | Claude | Strong at long-form writing, with Projects, memory and Claude Docs on every plan. Writing style is taste, so test it on your own sample |
| Research with sources | Gemini or ChatGPT | Gemini includes Deep Research on the free plan. ChatGPT Free has limited deep research. Claude's Research needs Pro |
| Coding | Claude or ChatGPT | Claude Code comes with Claude Pro. ChatGPT includes Codex, limited on Free and expanded on Plus |
| Images and video | Gemini, ChatGPT or Grok | Gemini makes images on the free plan and video on paid plans. ChatGPT makes images on every plan. Grok Imagine does both. Claude doesn't make photos or illustrations, only diagrams, charts and designs |
| You live in Gmail, Docs and Drive | Gemini | Google AI Plus adds Gemini in Gmail, Google AI Pro adds Docs too. See Set up Gemini |
| Real-time X posts and trends | Grok | xAI says Grok searches public X posts and the web in real time |
2Compare plans and prices
US prices for web sign-ups, per month, as of October 2026:
| Assistant | Free | Entry | Standard | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | $0 | Go, $8 | Plus, $20 | Pro, $100, $200 or $500 |
| Claude | $0 | none | Pro, $20 ($17 billed yearly) | Max 5x $100, Max 20x $200 |
| Gemini | $0 | Google AI Plus, $4.99 | Google AI Pro, $19.99 | Google AI Ultra, $99.99 or $199.99 |
| Grok | $0 | Plus, $8 | Premium, $30 | Super $100, Ultra $200 |
Two plans need context. Google's plans include cloud storage (400 GB on Plus, 5 TB on Pro), so check whether you already pay for Google One. Grok's plans are now one "X Subscription" that bundles Grok, X Premium features and Cursor usage. The lineup changed this fall, so older articles quoting SuperGrok prices are out of date. xAI recommends Premium for new AI users.
3Know what free actually gets you
- ChatGPT Free: unlimited text chats with GPT-6 (subject to abuse limits), plus limited uploads, image creation, voice, deep research, memory and Codex. Projects are included.
- Claude Free: Sonnet and Haiku models, web search, file creation and code execution, memory, connectors, artifacts, Claude Design, Slides and Docs, voice, and up to 5 projects. Opus, Claude Code, Research and Claude in Chrome need Pro or higher.
- Gemini free: Google's lighter Flash model, image generation and editing, Deep Research, Gemini Live, Canvas, Gemini Notebook and limited Flow. Limits refresh every 5 hours, up to a weekly cap.
- Grok Free: limited chat and agent requests, plus the X basics (post, reply and follow).
4Pick by goal
| You are a... | Main pick | Free backup | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founder | Claude Pro | ChatGPT Free | Projects for company context, Research for market maps, Claude Code for prototypes |
| Business owner | Google AI Pro if you run on Gmail, ChatGPT Plus if not | Claude Free | AI inside the email and docs you already use, or an all-rounder with images, voice, research and Codex on one plan |
| Creator or marketer | ChatGPT Plus or Google AI Pro | Grok Free | Images, video and copy in one place. Add Grok if X is your channel |
| Developer | Claude Pro or ChatGPT Plus | Gemini Free | Claude Code or Codex for real repos. Upgrade to Max or Pro tiers only if you code all day |
| Beginner | Gemini Free or ChatGPT Free | The other one | No card needed. Learn the basics before paying |
5Install the apps
Use the same account on every device so chats and settings sync.
- ChatGPT: chatgpt.com/download has the desktop app for Mac and Windows, which now combines chat, ChatGPT Work and Codex. On a Mac it needs macOS 14 or later. Phone: ChatGPT for iOS or Android.
- Claude: claude.com/download has Mac, Windows (x64 and Arm) and a Linux beta for Ubuntu and Debian. Phone: open
claude.ai/mobilein your phone's browser. The apps work on every plan, including Free. - Gemini: Mac app at gemini.google/mac (macOS 15 or later, opens with Option + Space). Windows 10 and 11 app at gemini.google/desktop (Alt + Space). Phone: the Gemini app from Google Play (Android 9 or later) or the App Store.
- Grok: use grok.com in your browser on a computer, the Grok app for iOS or Android, or Grok inside X. xAI's site lists no desktop app as of October 2026, so skip the "Grok desktop" apps you find in search. They come from third parties, not xAI.
6Change these privacy settings on day one
Consumer plans on all four can use your chats to improve their models unless you opt out. Business plans (ChatGPT Business, Claude Team, Google Workspace, Grok Business) don't train on your data by default, but your admin's settings still apply.
ChatGPT
- Settings > Data controls > Improve the model for everyone: turn it off. It also covers Codex tasks on personal plans (details).
- Settings > Personalization > Memory: review the memory summary, and decide on Reference saved memories and Reference chat history (details).
- Temporary chat for anything sensitive: open a new chat and select Temporary. It stays out of history and memory and isn't used for training, but OpenAI may keep a copy for up to 30 days for safety.
- Settings > Ad Controls (Free and Go): turn off ad personalization.
Claude
- Settings > Privacy > Help Improve our AI models: turn it off at claude.ai/settings/data-privacy-controls. If it's on, Anthropic may keep de-identified chats for up to 5 years in training pipelines (retention).
- Settings > Memory: read the saved Topics, delete what's wrong, and set Generate memory from chats and Search and reference chats (details).
- Incognito chat: in a new chat outside a project, click the ghost icon in the top right. It isn't saved to history or memory and isn't used for training. Anthropic keeps it for 30 days.
- One chat without memory: open the + menu and turn off Memory before your first message.
Gemini
- Settings & help > Activity > Keep Activity: turn it off, or keep it on and set auto-delete to 3 months. With it off, future chats aren't used for training unless you send feedback, and are still kept for 72 hours (Privacy Hub). The trade-off: memory, tasks and connected Workspace apps like Gmail need it on.
- Human review: with Keep Activity on, some chats are read by trained reviewers and kept up to 3 years, even after you delete them. Never paste anything confidential.
- Settings & help > Personal Intelligence > Memory: decide whether Gemini uses your past chats.
- Temporary chat: click Temporary chat next to New chat for one-offs.
Grok
- Settings > Data Controls > Improve the model (on grok.com: Settings > Data): turn it off (xAI FAQ).
- Personalize Grok using X: turn it off if you don't want your X activity shaping answers. Also check the conversation-history personalization toggle on the same page.
- Private Chat: click the ghost icon in the top right. It isn't used for training and is deleted within 30 days.
- On X: Settings and privacy > Privacy and safety > Data sharing and personalization > Grok & Third-party collaborators, then uncheck the training box.
7Test before you pay
Run the same three real tasks in your top two picks for a week. Use the prompt below in both, then keep the one whose answers you edited least.
Head-to-head test (works in any chatbot)
I'm choosing an AI assistant. Do this task the way you would for a client: [paste a real task: an email to write, a document to summarize, a question to research] Then tell me: what you assumed, what you couldn't verify, and the one thing I should check before using your answer. Link a source for every fact you used.
Day-one setup0/6
What's next
Set up your main assistant properly: Set up Claude or Set up Gemini. Then give it your company context with Claude Projects.