A fair hearing for the reluctant
Plenty of the complaints are fair. You can still give it one honest try on a real job, for free, and decide for yourself. Here's how to start, which tool suits you, and the free options and current prices.
Old enough to remember?
Email? I'll just write a letter.Now it's how you get your boarding pass.
A mobile phone? I don't want to be reachable everywhere.Now it's the first thing you look for when you leave the house.
Type my card number into a website? Never.Now half your shopping arrives in a box.
Banking on a computer? I'll go to the branch.Now the branch has closed.
A phone with no buttons? It'll never catch on.Now you're probably reading this on one.
AI? Not for me.Give it a few years.
Not every new thing sticks. But the ones that save people time usually do, and the people who tried them early got the easy learning curve. You can be one of them, starting free.
For the truly reluctant
No download, no card, no commitment. Do this once, then decide whether you ever want to do it again.
Copy one of the prompts on this page, or just type a question the way you'd ask a friend. You don't need special words.
Say "shorter", "simpler" or "that's wrong, try again". See whether your correction improves the answer.
Ask "where does that come from?" and look it up yourself. Compare important claims, dates and numbers with the original source; one correct fact does not prove the whole answer.
That's it. Check the service’s history and data controls if you want to delete the chat or opt out of training where offered. Come back only if it helped.
Copy this starter, or select its text and use your device’s copy command.
Keep passwords and private files out of your first try. Check permission requests in the app itself.
I’m completely new to AI. Explain what you can access in this chat and what needs my permission. Tell me what information to keep private. Then guide me through one simple task, one step at a time. Use plain language and wait for my reply.
Open ChatGPTPick yours
Our starting suggestions. Any of the big chat assistants can do most everyday jobs, so if you already have one, keep it.
Both offer free access with usage limits and work in a browser. Device integrations vary.
Also free: DeepSeek, Meta AI, Copilot
It searches the web and includes source links you can check. A citation is a starting point for verification, not a guarantee that the answer is right.
Runner-up: Gemini, for its Google Search grounding
Careful, natural writing and good at reading long contracts, manuscripts and reports.
Runner-up: ChatGPT
Copilot is included in supported Microsoft 365 plans, with features and limits that depend on your subscription. Check your plan before buying another one.
Google Workspace instead? Gemini
Both can help explain a topic and find starting sources. Check the linked official plan pages for current education offers and eligibility.
Tip: use it to explain, not to write your essay
A starting point for emails, listings, quotes and social posts. Check details before sending anything to a customer.
Runner-up: Claude, for longer documents
Available within supported WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook experiences, depending on your location and account. Check whether it is available to you.
Good for: quick questions and fun images
Connected to live posts on X, so it's quick on breaking stories. Double-check anything that matters.
Runner-up: Perplexity
A tool for exploring image styles and visual ideas. Check the plan terms and your intended use before publishing or selling an image.
Free to experiment: Meta AI or Gemini images
Turns a description or your own lyrics into a full song with vocals. Great for demos and ideas.
Note: check paid-plan commercial terms before releasing a song
Both are strong at writing and explaining code, and both offer coding tools on paid plans.
Free alternative: DeepSeek
These are online services. Read their privacy terms and data controls before you start. A training opt-out does not make them local or remove every retention requirement. Never paste passwords or identifying documents.
Start small: use a question without personal information
The shortlist
Showing all ten tools.
An assistant for writing, questions, documents, images, coding and voice conversations.
US web prices; local prices and taxes may differ. API usage is billed separately. Model and tool allowances vary by plan; ad availability depends on region and account eligibility.
Google's assistant for questions, writing, research and working with files. Eligible paid plans add features in Google apps.
US consumer prices. Availability, ages, languages and features vary by country and plan. These subscriptions are distinct from Gemini API pricing. Turning off Keep Activity does not eliminate all retention or safety review.
CheckedAnthropic's assistant for writing, document analysis, research and coding.
Applicable tax is extra. Pro is a consumer subscription, not an API usage package. Max currently advertises monthly API credits; their separate conditions apply. Paying does not remove every usage limit.
CheckedAn assistant with web and X search, voice, and image and video tools. Check news claims against their original sources.
Consumer subscription prices, not API token rates. Features and limits vary by tier. The former seven-day-trial mention was removed because current terms and eligibility were not verified.
CheckedA free chat assistant, with additional AI features in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook for qualifying Microsoft 365 subscribers.
Annual plans are charged yearly. Not every Microsoft 365 plan includes the same Copilot features. AI benefits cannot be shared with other family members; app, account, region and usage restrictions apply.
CheckedAn answer engine that searches the web and provides source links. Open the citations and check that they support the answer.
Max annual billing is available on the web. API usage is separate. Citations make checking easier but do not guarantee that every statement is correct.
CheckedA chat assistant for questions, writing, coding, web search and working with uploaded text.
No fixed daily quota or unlimited-use promise is made here. A free hosted chat service is not local processing; avoid sharing confidential information.
CheckedAn assistant for questions and creative images, available through Meta AI and supported Meta apps.
US prices. Meta says plans are rolling out gradually; pricing, features and availability vary by country, app and account. No assumption that the paid bundle is offered to every reader.
CheckedAn image and video generator for exploring visual ideas, styles and compositions.
Basic includes 3.3 hours of Fast GPU time per month. Generations are not private by default; Stealth is a Pro/Mega feature. Contractual commercial permission does not itself guarantee copyright protection.
CheckedCreates music, including songs with vocals, from descriptions or lyrics you supply.
Terms changed on 3 September 2026. Some of your earlier free creations can qualify through paid downloads; other users' remixes have restrictions. Rights to lyrics and other inputs still matter, and commercial permission does not guarantee copyright protection.
At a glance
| Tool | Free tier | Starting price | Main plan | Savings & conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPTOfficial pricing 11 Oct 2026 | Yes. Everyday text chat is free; uploads, images, voice and other tools have limits. Ads may appear for eligible users. | $8/month (Go) | $20/month (Plus) | No verified current introductory offer listed. Go costs less than Plus; Plus and Pro are ad-free. No annual billing for these consumer plans. Sources & conditions |
| Google GeminiOfficial pricing 11 Oct 2026 | Yes. A free Gemini plan with usage limits, plus 15 GB of shared Google storage. | $4.99/month (AI Plus) | $19.99/month (AI Pro) | AI Pro includes 5 TB of shared Google storage. This is a regular plan benefit; no student trial or limited-time discount is claimed here. Sources & conditions |
| ClaudeOfficial pricing 11 Oct 2026 | Yes. Free chat and tools with usage limits that vary with the work and available capacity. | $200/year upfront (Pro; about $16.67/month) | $20/month (Pro) | Pro annual billing saves $40 against twelve $20 monthly payments: about 16.7%. The $200 is charged upfront; this is regular annual pricing. Sources & conditions |
| GrokOfficial pricing 11 Oct 2026 | Yes. Free access with limits; paid plans increase the available usage and features. | Check plans for the lowest available tier | $30/month (SuperGrok) | No verified current trial listed. The public comparison also names SuperGrok Lite without displaying its price, so we do not claim $30 is the minimum. Sources & conditions |
| Microsoft CopilotOfficial pricing 11 Oct 2026 | Yes. Free chat, file and image features are subject to capacity and usage limits. | $99.99/year upfront (Personal; about $8.33/month) | $19.99/month (M365 Premium) | Regular annual pricing costs less than twelve monthly payments. Premium includes Office apps and up to 1 TB each for up to six people in total; its AI benefits are for the subscription owner. Sources & conditions |
| PerplexityOfficial pricing 11 Oct 2026 | Yes. Basic search, with limited Pro searches and file uploads. | $10/month (Education Pro; eligibility required) | $20/month (Pro) | Education Pro requires SheerID verification. Otherwise, Pro is $200/year upfront, about $16.67/month. No carrier or payment-app promotion is claimed here. Sources & conditions |
| DeepSeekOfficial pricing 11 Oct 2026 | Yes. DeepSeek advertises its official chat app as free. Availability and service limits still apply. | Free chat | Free chat | Free access is the regular offer, not a temporary discount. Download only through DeepSeek's official links. Sources & conditions |
| Meta AIOfficial pricing 11 Oct 2026 | Yes. Everyday Meta AI use remains free; creative features have usage limits. | $7.99/month (Meta One Core) | Free for everyday use | Core bundles additional AI usage with Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook subscription features. This is regular bundle pricing, not a verified temporary sale. Sources & conditions |
| MidjourneyOfficial pricing 11 Oct 2026 | No free plan or trial on the Midjourney website or Discord at this check. | $96/year upfront (Basic; $8/month equivalent) | $30/month (Standard) | Annual plans charge the full year upfront. Commercial use has conditions: businesses grossing over $1 million/year need Pro or Mega; another creator's upscaled image remains theirs. Sources & conditions |
| SunoOfficial pricing 11 Oct 2026 | Yes. 50 generation credits/day; up to seven lifetime trial song downloads for personal, non-commercial use. | $96/year upfront (Pro; $8/month equivalent) | $10/month (Pro) | Annual billing saves 20%. Pro includes 20 song downloads/month; Premier 60. Commercial use requires an eligible download through Suno, not merely a paid subscription. Sources & conditions |
Annual equivalents require payment for the full year. Education offers have eligibility rules. Free access, annual savings and temporary offers are different; check the linked official terms before paying.
Something useful to try
Pick a prompt, copy it into your chosen AI service, and change the details to suit you. Keep private information out and check the result before using it.
If copying is unavailable, select or long-press the prompt text and use your device’s copy command.
Keep passwords and private files out of your first try. Check permission requests in the app itself.
I’m completely new to AI. Explain what you can access in this chat and what needs my permission. Tell me what information to keep private. Then guide me through one simple task, one step at a time. Use plain language and wait for my reply.
Open ChatGPTThis asks for help setting things up. It doesn’t change the privacy of the chat you’re using.
I want to use AI but keep my private information on my computer. Can you help me set that up? I’m a complete beginner, so ask me one simple question at a time.
Help me write a short, polite email turning down an invitation without sounding rude. Keep it under 80 words.
Use a made-up example first. For a real letter, remove private details and check every action and deadline against the original.
Explain this letter in plain language. List any actions and deadlines stated in it, and quote the wording for each: [paste a copy with names, addresses, account numbers and other private details removed]
I have chicken, rice, a lemon and some spinach. Give me one easy dinner I can make in 30 minutes, with steps.
Use simple task names without private details.
Help me plan my day. First ask how much time I have and what my three most important tasks are. Then suggest a realistic order, with breaks. Ask one question at a time.
Open the sources yourself; an answer with links can still be wrong.
Help me check this claim: [paste the claim]. Separate what you can verify from what is uncertain. Link to original sources where possible, and tell me what I should check myself. If you cannot check something, say so.
Remove any private information before sharing your text.
Proofread this text: [paste the text]. Keep my voice and meaning. Fix spelling, punctuation and grammar, then briefly explain each change. Ask before rewriting whole sentences.
The fine print
These links go directly to the providers. We receive no referral commission. Our shortlist and recommendations are editorial choices. Any advertisements are labeled separately.
US list prices in US dollars, checked 11 October 2026. AI companies change plans often, and prices and taxes differ by country. Always confirm the price at checkout.
A consumer-focused shortlist of ten services, not a worldwide usage ranking. It includes chat, search, images and music. Product names belong to their owners. About this guide.
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