Today, numerous AI companies have introduced platforms to help users explore this new technology. From OpenAI to Google to Anthropic, their chatbots offer a wide range of features. While most advanced capabilities remain locked behind premium tiers, the free versions of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Grok still provide ample functionality for beginners and casual users.
In this article, we break down the unique benefits of each platform. These free plans offer everything from specialised study and scripting tools to real-time web access and advanced image generation.
Here’s a look at the free plans and offerings of ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Claude, and Perplexity:
ChatGPT
OpenAI’s reasoning model offers a free subscription, which provides access to GPT-5, their latest model. It searches the web and the internet in real time for information. The free plan includes limited file and image uploads, restricted image generation, and the ability to access voice mode to speak with the chatbot.
Claude
Anthropic’s free subscription plan allows you to use any platform—web, iOS, Android, or desktop—to access Claude. This plan enables the generation of code and visual data for professionals, as well as editing and creating content. The reasoning model can analyse text and images, surf the internet, and offer additional benefits when accessed via their desktop extension.
Gemini
Google AI’s free plan provides access to their Reasoning model 2.5 Flash and limited access to the new 2.5 Pro model. It also includes access to their image generation platform, Imagen 4, along with Deep Research, Gemini Live, Canvas for projects, and Gems for coding. Additionally, it grants access to their NotebookLM for research and writing assistance, as well as 15 GB of total storage in Photos, Drive, and Gmail.
Perplexity
The Perplexity plan offers access to your search history, helping users find older information. Free plans allow unlimited basic searches and three Pro and three Research searches daily. Perplexity automatically selects the best model for user queries, permits limited basic file uploads and three file attachments per day, and allows five file uploads per space.
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Grok
Elon Musk’s reasoning model, Grok, has a free plan that provides limited access to Grok 3 and its context memory. It also offers access to their image generation platform, Aurora Image, along with projects, tasks, and voice features.
| ChatGPT | Claude | Gemini | Perplexity | Grok |
| Access to GPT‑5 | Chat on web, iOS, Android, and on your desktop | Access to 2.5 Flash | Search history access | Limited access to Grok 3 |
| Real-time data from the web with search | Generate code and visualize data | Limited access to 2.5 Pro | Unlimited basic searches | Limited context memory |
| Limited access to file uploads, data analysis, image generation, and voice mode | Write, edit, and create content | Image generation with Imagen 4 | 3 Pro searches per day | Aurora image model |
| Code edits with the ChatGPT desktop app for macOS | Analyze text and images | Deep Research | 3 Research uses per day (advanced planning, reasoning) | Voice access |
| Ability to search the web | Gemini Live | We pick the best model to use for your query | Projects | |
| Unlock more from Claude with desktop extensions | Canvas & Gems | Basic file uploads (limited) | Tasks | |
| NotebookLMResearch and writing assistant | 3 file attachments per day. | |||
| Storage15 GB of total storage for Photos, Drive and Gmail | 5 File uploads per Space. |
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