The short answer
Yes, you can still chat with a good AI without making an account. As of November 2026, ChatGPT, Google Gemini on the web, Duck.ai, and Perplexity all let you type a question and get an answer while signed out, according to each company's own help pages.
Two big names have closed that door. Microsoft's Copilot terms, effective August 18, 2026, say you must be logged in with a Microsoft account to use Copilot. Claude has always needed an account, and new users verify a phone number.
The trade-off is the same almost everywhere: without an account, your chats usually aren't saved, some features are switched off, and limits are tighter. Below is what each one allows, what you give up, and what to watch for on privacy.
AI chatbots you can use without an account
Checked against each company's own pages as of November 2026:
| Chatbot | Where | What you get signed out | Main limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | chatgpt.com | Text chat in supported countries | One conversation at a time; chats vanish after the browser session |
| Gemini | gemini.google.com (and the iPhone/iPad app on some devices) | Some Gemini features | No chat history, image generation, Gems, or file uploads; the Android app needs a Google account |
| Duck.ai | duck.ai | Chat with several models for free | Daily usage limit with no published message count |
| Perplexity | perplexity.ai | Basic AI search and answers | Pro Search, file uploads, and saved sessions need an account |
ChatGPT without logging in
OpenAI's help page for the ChatGPT home page says you can use ChatGPT before creating an account in supported countries, including Europe and the UK. Just open chatgpt.com and type. Access can vary by location or network, so some people will still be asked to log in before sending a message.
While logged out you get one conversation at a time. Starting a new chat makes the old one inaccessible, and chats only last for the current session in the same browser. Creating a free account adds saved history, data export, chat sharing, and custom instructions. If you want to know what the free account itself includes, see Is ChatGPT free?.
Gemini without a Google account
Google's Gemini Apps help page says you can use some Gemini features without signing in, depending on your location and device. The web app at gemini.google.com and the iPhone/iPad app on some devices allow it. The Gemini app on Android requires a Google account.
Signed out, you lose past chats, personalized responses, connections to Gmail, Photos, and other Google services, and features like image generation, Gems, and file upload.
Duck.ai
DuckDuckGo says Duck.ai and its search answers are free with no account required. As of November 2026, the free models listed on its help page are Claude 4.5 Haiku, Mistral Small 4, GPT-6 Luna, GPT-5.4 mini, gpt-oss-120b, and Gemma 4 31B. Recent chats are stored on your own device, not on DuckDuckGo's servers.
There is a daily usage limit. DuckDuckGo doesn't publish an exact number because each model costs a different amount per prompt. If you hit the limit right away on a VPN or cellular connection, DuckDuckGo suggests switching networks. We compare it with our own app in cutGPT vs Duck.ai.
Perplexity
Perplexity's account help page says it can be used without signing in, with some features held back: you need to sign in for Pro Search, file uploads, and saved sessions. Signed-out sessions are anonymous and, per its sessions page, disappear permanently after 14 days.
Ones that now need an account
- Microsoft Copilot. Older Microsoft support pages still say sign-in isn't required, but the current Copilot terms of use (effective August 18, 2026) say you must be logged in with a Microsoft account. Copilot itself is still free; see Is Copilot free?.
- Claude. Anthropic's help center says new users create an account and verify a phone number, with no way to skip it. The free plan is covered in Is Claude free?.
- Meta AI. Meta's help center says you need a Meta account to log in to the Meta AI app and website. We couldn't confirm a logged-out option on Meta's own pages, so it isn't in the table.
Where cutGPT fits
cutGPT is a free AI chat app for iPhone and Android with no subscription. It is not ChatGPT and isn't made by OpenAI. The iPhone and Android apps have a guest mode, so you can start chatting without creating an account. Signing in with Apple or Google keeps your chats across devices and is needed for eligible users to earn promotional rewards paid out to PayPal.
If you want to try something with no account at all, cutGPT's free tools work without signing up for a first result. The writing tools, like the paragraph rewriter and prompt optimizer, work right on the page, with a cap on how many runs each visitor gets per hour. To keep going in a full chat, you move to the app.
What you lose without signing in
Skipping the account is fine for a quick question. For anything longer, these are the gaps you'll notice:
- History. ChatGPT keeps a logged-out chat only for the current browser session. Gemini shows no past chats. Perplexity deletes anonymous sessions after 14 days. Duck.ai is the exception, since it saves recent chats on your device.
- Uploads and images. Gemini turns off file upload and image generation when you're signed out, and Perplexity requires an account for file uploads.
- More than one thread. Logged-out ChatGPT gives you one conversation at a time.
- Personalization. Memory, custom instructions, and preferences need an account on ChatGPT and Gemini.
- Limits. Usage caps still apply. Duck.ai has a daily limit, and signed-out access anywhere can change by country or network.
Privacy notes
Not signing in doesn't make you invisible. A few specifics from each company's own pages:
- Gemini: Google says signed-out use is handled under its general privacy policy, including data like your IP address and browser type. It just isn't tied to a Google account.
- ChatGPT: Whether chats help train OpenAI's models depends on your location and settings. You can turn off "Improve the model for everyone" in Settings even while logged out. The choice is stored in your browser, so check it again if you clear browser data or switch devices.
- Duck.ai: DuckDuckGo says in its privacy terms that it strips personal metadata such as your IP address before sending prompts to model providers. Its agreements say providers can't use your prompts to train models and must delete them once they're no longer needed, within 30 days at most, with limited exceptions.
- Perplexity: Signed-out threads are anonymous by default, so there's no separate incognito step.
Whichever you use, don't paste passwords, ID numbers, health records, or anything you wouldn't post publicly. And treat answers as a first draft: how to fact-check AI answers shows a quick way to check them.
When a free account is worth it
If you're using AI every day, a free account usually pays off in saved history and fewer missing features, and it still costs nothing. For a side-by-side look at the free tiers, see the best free AI chatbots and ChatGPT Free vs Plus.
FAQ
Can I use ChatGPT without logging in?
Yes, in supported countries. Go to chatgpt.com and type a prompt. You get one conversation at a time, and it disappears when your browser session ends unless you create an account.
Which free AI chat needs no sign-up at all?
As of November 2026, ChatGPT, Gemini on the web, Duck.ai, and Perplexity all work without an account. Duck.ai is built around anonymous use and keeps recent chats on your device.
Is Microsoft Copilot still usable without an account?
Not under its current terms. Microsoft's Copilot terms, effective August 18, 2026, say you must be logged in with a Microsoft account. Copilot is still free with a sign-in.
Do no-login AI chats save my conversations?
Mostly no. ChatGPT keeps a logged-out chat only for the current session and Gemini keeps no history. Perplexity deletes anonymous sessions after 14 days. Duck.ai stores recent chats locally on your device.
Does cutGPT need an account?
No. The iPhone and Android apps have a guest mode. Signing in with Apple or Google is free and is needed to sync chats across devices and to earn promotional rewards. cutGPT's free tools at /tools/ also give you a first result without signing up.