Yes, Microsoft Copilot is free. You can chat with it, create images, and upload files at no cost on the web, in the Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android apps, and in Microsoft Edge. You don't even need to sign in for basic chat. The limits show up in two places: free use depends on available capacity, and Copilot inside the Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook desktop apps requires a paid Microsoft 365 plan.
If you remember Copilot Pro, that standalone $20 plan is gone from Microsoft's lineup. Microsoft folded it into Microsoft 365 Premium, and its old Copilot Pro store page now opens the Premium listing. The facts below come from Microsoft's Copilot pricing page, plan comparison, and support articles, checked as of November 2026.
The short answer
- Is Copilot free? Yes. Microsoft says it "offers a limited free version of Copilot subject to available capacity and limits" (Copilot pricing FAQ).
- What's the catch? When you hit a limit, you either wait or upgrade. Microsoft doesn't publish a free message count.
- Is Copilot free in Word and Excel? Not in the desktop apps. That needs Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Premium, or Pro, and only the subscription owner gets the AI features.
- What does paying cost? Microsoft 365 Personal is $9.99 a month, Family is $12.99, Premium is $19.99, and Pro is $99.99, in the US before tax.
Where Copilot is free
According to Microsoft's support article on free Copilot vs Copilot in Microsoft 365, as of November 2026 free Copilot is available:
- On the web at copilot.cloud.microsoft.
- As an app on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
- In Microsoft Edge, where it can summarize the page you're reading.
What you can do for free:
| Free feature | Notes |
|---|---|
| Chat for writing, brainstorming, and summarizing | Works without signing in |
| Answers based on live web search | Yes |
| Image creation | Sign in with a personal account |
| File uploads | Subject to capacity and limits |
| Voice conversations | Sign in with a personal account |
| Chat history and longer conversations | Sign in with a personal account |
| Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook desktop apps | No, needs a Microsoft 365 plan |
| Researcher, Analyst, and Cowork agents | No, Premium and Pro only |
Microsoft's Copilot app update notes confirm you "can continue to chat with Copilot, create images, upload files and more for free, subject to available capacity and limits."
Separately, a free Microsoft account still gets the free web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook (Microsoft 365 for individuals). If your employer has an eligible Microsoft 365 business license, you may also have Copilot Chat through work at no extra cost to you.
Copilot free limits
Microsoft is less specific about free limits than some other AI companies:
- Capacity-based. Free Copilot is "subject to available capacity and limits." When you hit a limit, Microsoft says you can upgrade or come back later.
- No published number. Microsoft doesn't list a daily message count or reset time for free users.
- Some features are gone. Podcasts, Deep Research, and Group Chat were retired from the Copilot app on August 18, 2026, and Copilot on Samsung and LG TVs ends on December 1, 2026 (update notes). Older guides that list Deep Research as a free Copilot feature are out of date.
Paying doesn't remove limits entirely. Microsoft 365 plans use a mix of feature limits and monthly AI credits, which you can check under Services & subscriptions in your Microsoft account (AI credits and limits).
Paid Copilot plans: Personal, Family, Premium, and Pro
Microsoft now sells Copilot for individuals through Microsoft 365. Here are the plans as of November 2026, from the plan comparison, the Microsoft 365 Premium and Microsoft 365 Pro store pages, and the AI limits article. US prices before tax.
| Free | Personal | Family | Premium | Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr | $12.99/mo or $129.99/yr | $19.99/mo or $199.99/yr | $99.99/mo |
| People | 1 | 1 | Up to 6 (AI for owner only) | Up to 6 (AI for owner only) | Up to 6 (AI for owner only) |
| Copilot in desktop Office apps | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chat usage | Limited | Extensive | Extensive | Extensive | Extensive |
| Image creation | Limited | Standard | Standard | Extensive | Extensive |
| Voice and Vision | Voice with sign-in | Standard | Standard | More | Highest |
| Researcher and Analyst | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Cowork (preview, US and Canada) | No | No | No | Limited | Highest |
| Cloud storage | 5 GB | 1 TB | 2 TB shared | 2 TB shared | 5 TB shared |
What this means in practice:
- Personal is the cheapest way to get Copilot inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, along with the desktop apps and 1 TB of storage.
- Family adds sharing for up to six people, but Copilot features stay with the subscription owner. Family members who want Copilot need their own plan.
- Premium is where Copilot Pro went. Microsoft introduced it as combining "everything in our Microsoft 365 Family and Copilot Pro subscriptions" for $19.99 a month (Microsoft 365 blog). It adds the Researcher and Analyst agents and higher limits.
- Pro is the top individual plan, with the highest AI usage and 5 TB of storage.
Microsoft also offers a one-month trial of Personal, Family, and Premium, though availability and whether a card is required vary by region. Students may qualify for discounted plans, and some schools give Microsoft 365 away free.
To weigh these against ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, see the AI pricing comparison or our guide on whether a paid AI subscription is worth it.
Free alternatives to Copilot
If free Copilot keeps hitting its capacity limit, or you don't need Office integration, you have other options.
Other free assistants. ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Grok all have free plans. See is ChatGPT free, is Gemini free, is Claude free, and is Grok free, or browse Microsoft Copilot alternatives and the best free AI chatbots.
A free multi-model app. cutGPT is a free AI chat app for iPhone, Android, and the web, with no subscription. Ads pay for the AI models, and you can chat with several AI models in one place. Eligible users earn small promotional rewards that vary and can be cashed out to PayPal; they're a bonus, not income. The rules are in the platform terms. If you need AI inside Word and Excel, Copilot is built for that and cutGPT isn't. For general chat, cutGPT vs Microsoft Copilot compares the two.
Whichever assistant you pick, double-check facts before you use them. Our guide on how to fact-check AI answers has a simple checklist.
FAQ
Is Microsoft Copilot free to use?
Yes. Free Copilot works on the web at copilot.cloud.microsoft, in the Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android apps, and in Edge. You can chat, create images, and upload files for free, subject to capacity and limits.
Is Copilot free in Word and Excel?
Not in the desktop apps. Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook needs Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Premium, or Pro, and the AI features are for the subscription owner only.
Does Copilot Pro still exist?
Not as a separate plan for new buyers. Microsoft combined Copilot Pro and Microsoft 365 Family into Microsoft 365 Premium at $19.99 a month, and the old Copilot Pro store page now shows Premium.
How much is Microsoft 365 Premium?
$19.99 a month or $199.99 a year in the US as of November 2026. It covers up to six people, but the Copilot features are for the subscription owner.
Do I need to sign in to use Copilot for free?
No. Basic chat works without signing in. Signing in with a personal account adds chat history, image creation, longer conversations, and voice.
Can I use Deep Research in Copilot for free?
No. Microsoft retired Deep Research from the Copilot app on August 18, 2026. The paid Researcher agent in Microsoft 365 Premium and Pro handles in-depth research reports now.