Guide · Choosing a tool
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A plain-English comparison of the four mainstream AI assistants for small teams, with plan prices checked on the official pages on 15 October 2026, and a neutral guide to who should pick which.
By the Airkick team · Updated 15 October 2026
Short answer
There isn't one best AI assistant for every small business. The right choice mostly depends on where your work already lives.
If your business runs on Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams), start with Copilot, because it works inside those apps. If you run on Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Drive), check what Gemini already does in your plan before you buy anything else. If neither matters much, or your team uses a mix of tools, a standalone assistant (ChatGPT or Claude) is the simplest place to start. Their team plans are priced almost the same.
Whichever you choose, pick one, set it up properly for a few repetitive jobs, and only add a second tool when a specific job needs it.
Prices
These are the listed prices on each provider's official pricing page on 15 October 2026. OpenAI and Anthropic list prices in US dollars before tax. Microsoft and Google list Australian-dollar prices excluding GST.
| Tool | Plan | Listed price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Plus (one person) | US$20/month, billed monthly only | OpenAI Help Center |
| ChatGPT | Business, Standard seat | US$25/user/month monthly, or US$20/user/month billed annually. 2-seat minimum, for teams of 2 to 200 | OpenAI business pricing |
| Claude | Pro (one person) | US$20/month monthly, or US$200/year billed up front | Claude pricing |
| Claude | Team, Standard seat | US$25/seat/month monthly, or US$20/seat/month billed annually. For teams of 2 to 150 | Claude pricing |
| Microsoft | 365 Business Standard with Copilot | AU$35.20/user/month, annual subscription paid yearly, ex GST | Microsoft 365 Australia |
| Microsoft | 365 Business Premium with Copilot | AU$47.90/user/month, annual subscription paid yearly, ex GST | Microsoft 365 Australia |
| Workspace Business Starter | A$9.90/user/month with a one-year commitment, or A$11.80 flexible, ex tax | Google Workspace Australia | |
| Workspace Business Standard | A$19.80/user/month with a one-year commitment, or A$23.60 flexible, ex tax | Google Workspace Australia |
A few things to know when you compare them:
To add these up for your own team, in Australian dollars with GST, use our free AI tools cost calculator.
Personal vs business plans
The personal plans (ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro) are built for one person. The business plans add the things that matter once staff are involved: one bill, an admin who can add and remove people, and single sign-on.
The other difference is how your data is treated. OpenAI's business pricing page says ChatGPT Business doesn't train on your business data by default. Claude's pricing page lists model training as 'None by default' on Team, and as an opt-out setting on the Free and Pro plans. On a personal plan, check the data settings yourself before anyone pastes in work material.
Microsoft says prompts and responses in Microsoft 365 Copilot aren't used to train the underlying models. Gemini in Google Workspace comes as part of your Workspace plan rather than as a separate subscription.
Each one in plain English
A general-purpose assistant for writing, research, data analysis, image creation and voice conversations. On the Plus and Business plans you can set up projects and custom GPTs for repeated jobs. OpenAI's business page lists connections to Google Workspace, Slack, GitHub and Microsoft 365 on Business.
A general-purpose assistant from Anthropic for writing, research, file creation and data analysis. Paid plans include Projects for keeping a job's documents and instructions together, plus Claude for Microsoft 365 and Claude in Chrome, according to its pricing page.
AI built into the Microsoft apps your team already opens: drafting in Word, analysis in Excel, slides in PowerPoint, email in Outlook and meeting recaps in Teams. It can draw on your work files and email, which is the main reason to choose it. You need a qualifying Microsoft 365 business plan.
Google's AI inside Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet and Drive, plus the Gemini app for chat. On the current Business plans it's included in the price: Starter covers Gemini in Gmail and the Gemini app, and Standard and above add Gemini in Docs, Meet and more.
Who should pick which
A one-week test. Pick three jobs you do every week, such as replying to a tricky email, summarising a long document and turning rough notes into a quote. Run the same three in two tools, with the same instructions. Keep the one that needed less fixing. That's a better guide than any feature list.
Before anyone pastes anything
Keep this out
Tax file numbers, bank and card details, passwords, health information, and anything that identifies a customer or staff member's personal circumstances. Use initials or placeholders, and fill the real details in yourself.
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) recommends, as a matter of best practice, that organisations don't enter personal information, and particularly sensitive information, into publicly available generative AI tools. Its guidance on commercially available AI products is worth ten minutes. This isn't legal advice; check how the Privacy Act applies to your business.
Next step
The AI Starter Kit (A$29) is our general guide: a 20-minute setup that works in ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, with copy-and-paste workflows for the emails and admin most small businesses have. It opens straight away and comes with a 7-day refund.
If you'd rather have a recommendation written for your business, the AI Audit (A$399) names the tools, what they'll cost you and the order to set them up, within 72 hours of an online form. No meetings.
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Questions
There isn't one best for everyone. If you already use Microsoft 365, Copilot works inside those apps. If you use Google Workspace, Gemini is included in the current Business plans. Otherwise ChatGPT and Claude are both strong general assistants with similarly priced team plans. Test two of them on three real weekly jobs and keep the one that needs less fixing.
On 15 October 2026 the official pages listed ChatGPT Plus at US$20/month and ChatGPT Business at US$25/user/month monthly (US$20 billed annually); Claude Pro at US$20/month (or US$200/year) and Claude Team at US$25/seat/month monthly (US$20 billed annually); Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot at AU$35.20/user/month paid yearly, ex GST; and Google Workspace Business Standard, which includes Gemini, at A$19.80/user/month with a one-year commitment, ex tax.
Plus is for one person. Business adds a shared workspace, central billing and admin, single sign-on, and OpenAI says it doesn't train on your business data by default. It needs at least two seats. Once staff are using AI for work, a business plan is the sensible baseline.
For Microsoft 365 Copilot in Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams, yes: you need a qualifying Microsoft 365 business plan. Microsoft says Copilot Chat is available at no additional cost with an eligible Microsoft 365 subscription.
On the current Business plans, yes. Business Starter includes Gemini in Gmail and the Gemini app, and Business Standard and above add Gemini in Docs, Meet and more.
Microsoft and Google list Australian-dollar prices excluding GST. OpenAI and Anthropic list prices in US dollars before tax, so what you pay depends on the exchange rate, any card fees, and GST. Our free cost calculator converts them for you.