Of the 4 AI chat assistants we rank, ChatGPT is our top pick at 9.0 out of 10. If you are new to this, start with Gemini. If you are experienced, try Claude. ChatGPT: Free plan with unlimited chats on the standard model and limited uploads.
A good chat assistant is a patient tutor, a first-draft writer and a second opinion. These are the ones worth your time, ranked.
Last checked : free plans and prices on each maker's own pricing page.
Every tool at a glance. Select a name to jump to our full review.
| Rank | Tool | Score | Best for | Learn it free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ChatGPTOpenAI | 9.0 / 10 | Good for everyone | Generative AI for Everyone |
| 2 | ClaudeAnthropic | 8.8 / 10 | Good for everyone | Generative AI for Everyone |
| 3 | GeminiGoogle | 8.4 / 10 | Best for beginners | Introduction to Generative AI |
| 4 | Microsoft CopilotMicrosoft | 7.6 / 10 | Best for beginners | AI For Everyone |
What each tool is good for, the catch, what it costs and the free course that teaches it.
OpenAI
The easiest place to start. Ask it to explain a concept three different ways, quiz you, or check your reasoning, and you'll learn faster than reading alone.
Anthropic
Strong at long documents and careful writing, and good company when you're reading and writing code.
A capable all-rounder, and the obvious pick if you already live in Google's apps. It's a good second opinion next to ChatGPT or Claude.
Microsoft
A sensible choice if your work runs on Windows and Microsoft 365. It's familiar ground rather than the sharpest assistant.
The reviewed free courses that teach the skills behind these tools.
What large language models can actually do for you and your team, without writing a line of code. Andrew Ng teaches it in 6 hours on Coursera, certificate paid.
A short, no-code explainer on what generative AI is and how it differs from other machine learning.
A short course on getting reliable output from an LLM API, with runnable notebooks.
Our top pick is ChatGPT (9.0/10), followed by Claude and Gemini. The easiest place to start. Ask it to explain a concept three different ways, quiz you, or check your reasoning, and you'll learn faster than reading alone.
Start with Gemini, then try Microsoft Copilot. A capable all-rounder, and the obvious pick if you already live in Google's apps. It's a good second opinion next to ChatGPT or Claude.
ChatGPT is our pick for experienced users, with Claude close behind. The easiest place to start. Ask it to explain a concept three different ways, quiz you, or check your reasoning, and you'll learn faster than reading alone.
It sounds as sure when it's wrong as when it's right. Check anything that matters against a real source.
Yes. We recommend Generative AI for Everyone (DeepLearning.AI), Introduction to Generative AI (Google Cloud) and ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers (DeepLearning.AI and OpenAI). Each one is free and reviewed on FreeAICourses.com.
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Microsoft Copilot have a free plan or free version.
Every course we link is free and reviewed. Browse the full catalogue to find one at your level.
