Microsoft Copilot: what it does, who it is for and alternatives
Updated · By Robert Breen
Microsoft’s free assistant for chat, writing, web answers and images. A good everyday option for teams that already work in Windows and Edge.
Official site: copilot.microsoft.com
What Microsoft Copilot does
Copilot also works inside Microsoft 365 apps: it drafts a Word document from a prompt and notes, builds a PowerPoint from an outline, turns raw Excel data into insights and summarizes an Outlook inbox. Paid plans add research and analysis tools and visual help based on your screen or camera.
Who Microsoft Copilot is for
- Office administrators
- Small business owners
- Analysts
- Project managers
Key features
- Drafts Word documents from a prompt, notes or referenced files
- Builds PowerPoint presentations from an outline
- Turns raw Excel data into insights (file saved to OneDrive)
- Summarizes your Outlook inbox to help you prioritize
- Researcher and Analyst tools for research and data analysis
- Image creation and visual help based on your screen or camera
Privacy and data
Microsoft says consumer Copilot conversations may be used to train its models unless you opt out (Microsoft 365 Personal/Family and work accounts are excluded), and conversation history is stored for 18 months by default and can be deleted. Source: Microsoft Copilot’s own page. Before you put client data in, check your company’s AI rules and the plan’s data settings.
Learn Microsoft Copilot free on Stepthrough
- Free lesson: Choose the AI Assistant Your Team Should Use, Tested on ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Copilot (8 min)
- Comparison: ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini vs Copilot for work
- Comparison: Copilot vs ChatGPT for work: which should your team use?
- Comparison: Free vs paid AI plans: what you actually get
- Comparison: How to Compare AI Assistants for Work: A 7-Point Checklist
- Comparison: Microsoft Copilot Chat vs Microsoft 365 Copilot (2026)
- Comparison: The best AI email assistants for a busy work inbox in 2026
- Comparison: The best AI for accountants and bookkeepers in 2026
- Comparison: The best AI for recruiters and HR teams in 2026
- Comparison: The best AI for small business in 2026
- Comparison: The best AI presentation makers for work decks in 2026
- Comparison: The best no-code AI agent builders for business teams in 2026
- Comparison: Which AI Should I Use? A Plain-English Guide (2026)
- Guide: Microsoft Copilot in Teams: Meeting Recap Explained
Alternatives to Microsoft Copilot
Other AI chat assistants in the directory.
- ChatGPT Free plan OpenAI’s chat assistant drafts emails, summarizes documents, analyzes spreadsheets and answers questions in plain English. Projects keep your instructions and files in one place, and on Pro and Business Premium plans, dots are always-on agents that keep working between chats.
- Claude Free plan Anthropic’s assistant is strong at long documents, careful writing and analysis. Projects, artifacts and skills let it reuse your files, brand rules and templates.
- Gemini Free plan Google’s assistant answers questions, writes and researches, with Deep Research for cited reports. It connects to Gmail, Docs and Drive when you allow it.
- Jinxo Free A group chat for people and their AI bots. Add bots such as ChatGPT, Claude, Grok or Gemini to one room and ask them together. Free right now, but its terms say that may change.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot Paid Copilot inside Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Teams, grounded in your work files and email. It drafts documents, recaps meetings and finds information across your tenant.
- Gemini for Google Workspace Paid Gemini built into Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Meet for business accounts. It drafts, summarizes and organizes work inside the apps your team already uses.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Microsoft Copilot?
- Microsoft’s free assistant for chat, writing, web answers and images. A good everyday option for teams that already work in Windows and Edge. Copilot also works inside Microsoft 365 apps: it drafts a Word document from a prompt and notes, builds a PowerPoint from an outline, turns raw Excel data into insights and summarizes an Outlook inbox. Paid plans add research and analysis tools and visual help based on your screen or camera.
- Who is Microsoft Copilot for?
- Microsoft Copilot fits office administrators, small business owners, analysts and project managers, and other office teams with the same job to do.
- Is Microsoft Copilot free?
- Microsoft Copilot has a free plan; paid plans add more usage or features. Plans change often, so check the official pricing page before you commit.
- What are some alternatives to Microsoft Copilot?
- Other AI chat assistants include ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Jinxo and Microsoft 365 Copilot.
- Is Microsoft Copilot safe for work data?
- Microsoft says consumer Copilot conversations may be used to train its models unless you opt out (Microsoft 365 Personal/Family and work accounts are excluded), and conversation history is stored for 18 months by default and can be deleted. Check your own company’s rules, and use a business plan with training turned off for client data.
“Listed on Stepthrough” badge
Add this badge to the Microsoft Copilot website, press page or docs. It links to this page, so your visitors can see the listing.
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Checked against Microsoft Copilot’s official site on October 20, 2026: source 1, source 2. Spotted something out of date? Email rbreen@ynteractive.com. Listings are free; submit your AI tool.
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