ChatGPT vs Bing Chat (Copilot): Which Is Better in 2026?

Bing Chat no longer exists under that name: Microsoft renamed Bing Chat to Copilot on November 15, 2023, and the consumer product is now Microsoft Copilot (Microsoft Bing blog, 2023). In September 2026 both ChatGPT and Copilot have free tiers that search the web with cited sources, create images and handle files. The real difference is where they live: ChatGPT is OpenAI's standalone assistant, with ChatGPT Plus at $20 per month, while Copilot's paid tiers come bundled into Microsoft 365, from Microsoft 365 Personal at $9.99 to Premium at $19.99 per month, with Copilot inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Copilot Pro is no longer sold.

This comparison covers the ChatGPT vs Bing AI question the way it stands today: product names, official plan prices, the models each company says it uses, web search, image generation, integrations, free limits and privacy. Every price and policy below was read on OpenAI's and Microsoft's own pages on September 15, 2026, and they are linked in the sources. Where a company does not publish something, such as Copilot's free usage limits, this page says so instead of guessing.

By Adi Leviim, Co-Founder at Infi Developments. 7+ years building AI productivity tools. Last reviewed September 15, 2026.

Is Bing Chat the Same as Copilot? What Bing AI Is Called Now

Yes. Bing Chat and Bing Chat Enterprise "are becoming Copilot," Microsoft announced on November 15, 2023, and launched copilot.microsoft.com as a dedicated home for the chat experience the same day. When people search "Bing AI vs Copilot" today, they are comparing two names for one product family: Copilot is the assistant, and Bing is Microsoft's search engine.

The Copilot lineup has changed several times since, so three current facts matter for anyone comparing it with ChatGPT in 2026:

• A new Microsoft Copilot app for web, desktop and mobile became available on August 18, 2026, and Microsoft's privacy and transparency documents were rewritten for it.
• Copilot Pro is discontinued. Microsoft's support page states "Copilot Pro is no longer available for purchase," and support for existing subscribers ended on August 1, 2026. Its replacement for heavy personal use is Microsoft 365 Premium.
• Work accounts use Microsoft 365 Copilot. Signing in with a work or school (Microsoft Entra) account gives Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, which Microsoft includes at no additional cost with eligible Microsoft 365 business subscriptions.

ChatGPT is a separate product from OpenAI, with its own accounts, history and plans. A Copilot subscription does not include ChatGPT, and a ChatGPT subscription does not include Copilot.

ChatGPT vs Bing Chat (Copilot): Side-by-Side Comparison

ChatGPT and Copilot overlap on everyday chat, web search, images and files, and differ most on pricing structure, Office integration and how each handles your data. The table uses only what each company publishes for its consumer products in September 2026.

Pricing: ChatGPT Plus vs Microsoft 365 Premium (Copilot Pro Replacement)

At roughly $20 per month, the two flagship personal plans cost almost the same: ChatGPT Plus is $20 per month, and Microsoft 365 Premium is $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year. They buy different things. Plus is an AI subscription only; Premium bundles Copilot with the Office desktop apps, up to 6 TB of OneDrive storage for up to six people and Microsoft Defender, but its AI features are for the subscription owner only.

ChatGPT plans (OpenAI)

• Free: unlimited everyday text chats with GPT-5.6 Luna, limited uploads, images, voice, deep research and memory.
• Go: more uploads, image creation and voice; price shown on OpenAI's pricing page varies by country.
• Plus, $20/month: GPT-5.6 Sol reasoning, expanded messages, uploads, deep research and memory, plus projects, scheduled tasks and existing custom GPTs. Personal plans cannot create new GPTs, and OpenAI plans to retire custom GPTs on December 11, 2026 and move them to plugins.
• Pro, $100 or $200/month: 5x or 20x the usage of Plus and GPT-6 Pro. New sign-ups and upgrades to the $200 tier have been paused since September 10, 2026.
• Business and Enterprise: per-seat workspaces; OpenAI does not train on business data by default.

Copilot plans (Microsoft)

• Microsoft Copilot (free): sign in to upload files, use voice and turn on memory.
• Microsoft 365 Personal, $9.99/month or $99.99/year: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook desktop apps with Copilot and "higher usage than free" for Copilot chat, image creation and vision.
• Microsoft 365 Family, $12.99/month or $129.99/year: the same for up to six people, with AI for the subscription owner only.
• Microsoft 365 Premium, $19.99/month or $199.99/year: extensive Copilot usage and the Researcher and Analyst agents.
• Microsoft 365 Pro, $99.99/month (monthly only): the highest Copilot usage limits.
• Business: Microsoft 365 Copilot Business add-on from $21 per user/month paid yearly ($18 promotional through December 31, 2026), Business Standard with Copilot $23.50, Business Premium with Copilot $32; enterprise Microsoft 365 Copilot $30.

For ChatGPT's own tier-by-tier breakdown, see ChatGPT pricing in 2026 and whether ChatGPT Plus is worth it.

Models: What Powers ChatGPT and Bing AI

OpenAI names the exact models in ChatGPT; Microsoft describes Copilot's consumer models more generally, as models from Microsoft, OpenAI and other developers. That difference matters if you want to know precisely which model answered.

In ChatGPT, Free and Go use GPT-5.6 Luna, including for the Think button. Paid plans use GPT-5.6 Sol for Instant and the Medium, High and Extra High thinking levels (Plus gets Medium and High), and GPT-6 Pro, powered by GPT-6 Astra, is available on Pro, Business and Enterprise with weekly or monthly message allowances. The details are in ChatGPT models explained.

Microsoft's August 18, 2026 Transparency Note for Microsoft Copilot says the app uses "language and multi-modal models from Microsoft, OpenAI, and other model developers," decides per prompt which model responds, and lets you "choose between leading AI models for different kinds of work." For organizations, Microsoft's pricing page lists "Latest OpenAI models: GPT-5.X" and model choice. Microsoft does not publish a per-plan model list for consumer Copilot, so any article naming a single model behind free Copilot is guessing.

Web Search and Citations: Is Bing AI Better Than ChatGPT for Research?

Neither has a clear edge on basic web research anymore: both search the live web and attach citations you can click, on free and paid plans. The old argument that Bing Chat had the web and ChatGPT did not stopped being true when ChatGPT search reached every plan.

• ChatGPT: web search is available on Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu, and even signed out. ChatGPT may search automatically, or you can pick Search from the tools menu. Answers include citations and a Sources panel, and OpenAI's own article warns that results "can be incomplete, outdated, or incorrect." OpenAI lists Microsoft's privacy statement among its search providers' policies.
• Copilot: for information-seeking conversations, Copilot is "grounded in web search results" and "provides hyperlinked citations following generated text responses." You can turn web search off under Settings, Personalization.
• Deeper research: ChatGPT has deep research on every plan with a task allowance (limited on Free and Go). Copilot's Researcher agent is included with Microsoft 365 Premium and Pro, and not with Personal or Family.

Accuracy on any given question depends on the sources found, not the brand. Both companies tell you to open the citations and check them, and that is the right habit on either tool. For comparisons with other research assistants, see Perplexity vs ChatGPT.

Image Generation, Voice and Files

Both assistants create and edit images, talk by voice and analyze uploaded files, and both cap those features by plan.

• Images: ChatGPT Images 2.5 is available on all ChatGPT tiers, with "images with thinking" on Plus, Pro and Business; OpenAI does not publish per-plan image counts. Copilot creates and edits images in chat; Microsoft lists image generation as standard usage on Personal and Family and extensive on Premium and Pro.
• Voice: ChatGPT Voice gives Plus 3 hours and Pro $100 15 hours of GPT-Live-1 per rolling 24 hours, unlimited on Pro $200. Microsoft lists Copilot voice as standard on Personal and Family, more on Premium and highest on Pro, without hour figures.
• Files: ChatGPT allows up to 80 file uploads every 3 hours (3 per day on Free) and 512 MB per file. Copilot supports file upload and can reference OneDrive and Google Drive files with your permission; Microsoft does not publish upload counts.

Every ChatGPT cap, and where OpenAI leaves the number out, is collected in ChatGPT limits by plan.

Integrations: Microsoft 365 Copilot vs ChatGPT Apps

Copilot's strongest advantage is that it sits inside the Office apps many people already pay for; ChatGPT's is a broader, app-agnostic set of plugins and connected sources.

Copilot integrations

• Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote desktop apps with Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Premium or Pro (Copilot in Excel requires AutoSave to OneDrive).
• Researcher and Analyst agents on Premium and Pro; Copilot Cowork for multi-step tasks.
• Copilot in Teams, Forms and select Windows apps such as Photos, Paint and Notepad.
• For work accounts, Microsoft 365 Copilot grounds answers in your organization's data through Work IQ.

ChatGPT integrations

• A plugin directory and connected apps; Library connections to Google Drive, Box, Dropbox and SharePoint.
• Excel, PowerPoint and Google Sheets extensions, projects, scheduled tasks, ChatGPT Work and Codex, with more access on paid plans.
• Apps on web, iOS, Android, macOS and Windows, and developer access through the separate OpenAI API.

If you write code, the more relevant comparison is ChatGPT vs GitHub Copilot, which is a different product from Microsoft Copilot.

Chose ChatGPT? AI Toolbox (formerly ChatGPT Toolbox) adds folders, full-text search across your whole ChatGPT history and export to TXT, Markdown, JSON and PDF. It works on ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Grok, not on Copilot. 40,000+ users, 4.7/5 on the Chrome Web Store. Compare AI Toolbox plans ->

Privacy: How ChatGPT and Bing Chat (Copilot) Use Your Conversations

The biggest policy difference is model training: Microsoft states that in the new Copilot app, "Prompts, responses, and your file contents when using the Microsoft Copilot app aren't used to train foundation models," while ChatGPT consumer conversations can be used to improve OpenAI's models unless you turn that off.

ChatGPT

• On Free, Go, Plus and Pro, turn off "Improve the model for everyone" in Settings, Data Controls; your chats stay in your history but are not used for training.
• Temporary Chats are not saved to history unless you save them and are deleted from OpenAI's systems within 30 days.
• Deleted chats are permanently deleted within 30 days and cannot be recovered.
• Business, Enterprise and Edu content is not used for training by default.

Microsoft Copilot

• Memory can be turned off and saved memories deleted under Settings, Personalization.
• A "One shared experience" setting lets Copilot, Bing, Edge and MSN personalize each other; it can be turned off.
• Individual chats can be deleted in the app, and all Copilot activity exported or deleted from the Microsoft privacy dashboard.
• Without a Microsoft 365 subscription you may see ads, and personalized ads can use chat history unless you turn them off.
• With a work or school account, enterprise data protection applies instead.

ChatGPT's retention and recovery rules are covered in detail in ChatGPT history missing and where ChatGPT conversations are stored.

Which Should You Choose: Bing Chat (Copilot) or ChatGPT?

Choose by where your work happens, not by which chatbot sounds smarter; on everyday questions both are capable and both cite the web.

Choose Microsoft Copilot if you:

• Already pay for Microsoft 365, or want Office apps, OneDrive storage and AI in one bill
• Draft and analyze inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook every day
• Work in an organization that already licenses Microsoft 365 Copilot or Copilot Chat
• Prefer a policy where your consumer prompts are not used to train foundation models

Choose ChatGPT if you:

• Want to pick a specific model and thinking level, including GPT-6 Pro on Pro
• Use projects, deep research, scheduled tasks, plugins or existing custom GPTs (until their December 11, 2026 retirement)
• Work across Google Workspace, Box, Dropbox and other non-Microsoft tools
• Want a standalone assistant independent of an Office subscription

Use both if you:

• Write documents in Microsoft 365 with Copilot, but run research and long projects in ChatGPT
• Have Copilot Chat at work and a personal ChatGPT account for everything else (keep work data in the tool your employer approves)

If You Choose ChatGPT: Keep Your History Organized

ChatGPT saves every conversation, but its sidebar is a single list with keyword search and projects; AI Toolbox (formerly ChatGPT Toolbox) adds nested folders, full-text search and multi-format export on top of it. AI Toolbox is a browser extension for ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Grok on Chromium browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, Arc). It does not work on Microsoft Copilot, and it is not an AI subscription: you keep using your own ChatGPT account.

1. Install AI Toolbox from the Chrome Web Store and open chatgpt.com.
2. Search your history with Cmd+Shift+F or Ctrl+Shift+F, and add chats to folders by searching for them.
3. Export any conversation as TXT for free, and upgrade when you need bulk export or unlimited folders.

If you use more than one assistant, All Access unlocks the ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Grok modules in one purchase and saves $197 against buying each module's Lifetime plan. Step-by-step guides: advanced ChatGPT search, how to export ChatGPT conversations, and how to organize ChatGPT conversations.

Limitations of This Comparison

This page compares published plans and policies, not a benchmark, and both products change monthly. Microsoft does not publish free Copilot usage limits or a consumer model list, and OpenAI does not publish image generation counts or the Plus thinking allowance, so neither side's exact capacity can be compared number for number. Features vary by country, age, account type and plan, and the prices quoted are US prices. Microsoft's own "Copilot vs ChatGPT Enterprise" page and OpenAI's pricing page are both vendor material. AI Toolbox makes an extension for ChatGPT and not for Copilot, which is why this page states it plainly and keeps the product section separate from the comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bing Chat the same as Microsoft Copilot?

Yes. Microsoft renamed Bing Chat and Bing Chat Enterprise to Copilot on November 15, 2023, and launched copilot.microsoft.com the same day. In 2026 the consumer product is Microsoft Copilot, a new version of the app arrived on August 18, 2026, and work accounts use Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat.

Is Bing AI better than ChatGPT?

Neither is better for everyone. Both free tiers search the web with citations, create images and read files. Copilot (formerly Bing AI) is better if you work inside Word, Excel and Outlook with Microsoft 365. ChatGPT is better if you want named model choices, projects, deep research on every plan and non-Microsoft integrations.

Does Copilot use ChatGPT?

No, Copilot is a separate Microsoft product with its own accounts and history. Microsoft says consumer Copilot uses models from Microsoft, OpenAI and other developers, and its business plans list the latest OpenAI GPT-5.X models with model choice. Using Copilot does not give you a ChatGPT account or ChatGPT's features.

Is Copilot free?

Yes. Microsoft Copilot is free to use, and signing in with a Microsoft, Apple or Google account adds file uploads, voice and memory. Microsoft does not publish the free usage limits. Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Premium and Pro give higher usage and Copilot inside the Office desktop apps, and ads may appear without a subscription.

How much is Copilot Pro in 2026?

Copilot Pro is no longer sold. Microsoft states it is no longer available for purchase, and support for existing subscribers ended August 1, 2026. The closest replacement is Microsoft 365 Premium at $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year, which includes extensive Copilot usage and the Researcher and Analyst agents.

Which is better for research, ChatGPT or Bing Chat?

For quick sourced answers they are close, because both ground responses in web search and show clickable citations. For long reports, ChatGPT's deep research is available on every plan with a task allowance, while Copilot's Researcher agent requires Microsoft 365 Premium or Pro. Always open the cited sources before relying on either.

Does Copilot work with Microsoft Office?

Yes, with a subscription. Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Premium and Pro include Copilot in the Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote desktop apps, and Copilot in Excel requires AutoSave to OneDrive. For businesses, Microsoft 365 Copilot costs $30 per user per month paid yearly, and Copilot Chat is included with eligible Microsoft 365 plans.

Can ChatGPT search the web like Bing AI?

Yes. ChatGPT web search is available on Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu, and even when signed out. ChatGPT may search automatically when a question needs current information, or you can choose Search from the tools menu. Responses include citations and a Sources panel, just as Copilot's grounded answers do.

Bottom Line

Bing Chat is Copilot, and in 2026 the ChatGPT vs Bing AI decision is less about raw answer quality than about ecosystem. If Microsoft 365 is already your workspace, Copilot adds AI where you write and calculate, and Microsoft 365 Premium has replaced Copilot Pro. If you want a standalone assistant with explicit model choices, projects and deep research, ChatGPT is the stronger fit, and it pays to keep that growing history organized.

Related reading: Gemini vs ChatGPT and Claude vs ChatGPT.

Sources

• Microsoft Bing Blog, Our vision to bring Microsoft Copilot to everyone, and more (November 15, 2023)
• Microsoft Support, About Microsoft Copilot Pro
• Microsoft, Copilot in Microsoft 365 plans for individuals
• Microsoft, Microsoft 365 Copilot plans and pricing
• Microsoft Support, AI credits and limits for Microsoft 365 subscriptions
• Microsoft Support, Transparency Note for Microsoft Copilot (for individuals)
• Microsoft Support, Microsoft Copilot for individuals: your privacy controls and choices
• Microsoft Support, Microsoft Copilot for individuals: your activity history
• OpenAI, ChatGPT pricing
• OpenAI Help Center, GPT-5.6 and GPT-6 Pro in ChatGPT
• OpenAI Help Center, Searching the web with ChatGPT
• OpenAI Help Center, Data Controls FAQ

Last updated: September 16, 2026