Affordable ChatGPT, Microsoft 365, and Copilot: Save Money on AI in 2026

There are several ways to pay less for ChatGPT and AI tools in 2026. On the OpenAI side, the new ChatGPT Go plan at €8/month offers an intermediate alternative to the Plus plan (€23/month). As for competitors: Claude Pro at $20/month, Gemini Advanced at €21.99/month, and Perplexity Pro at $20/month. The real deal: Microsoft 365 Family at €129/year, including Copilot—that’s ~€21.50/person/year via a spliiit shared subscription. One of the best shared AI deals of 2026.

Key points to remember

• ChatGPT Free: $0 (GPT-5 limited)
• ChatGPT Go: €8/month (new mid-tier plan for 2026)
• ChatGPT Plus: €23/month ($20), GPT-4o, 32k tokens
• ChatGPT Pro: €229/month ($200), unlimited GPT-5 + Sora
• Microsoft 365 Family: €129/year with Copilot included (6 users, 1 TB per user)
• Premium tier: $100/month: Claude Max 5×, OpenAI tier: $100
• Microsoft 365 Family shared subscription: ~€21.50 per person per year

How much will AI subscriptions cost in 2026?

The market has been structured around three pricing tiers: the standard ChatGPT Plus at $20/month, the premium tier at $100/month for power users, and now more affordable "Go" plans designed to make paid AI more accessible.

• Tool|Plan|Price|Included
• ChatGPT|Free|€0|Limited GPT-5
• ChatGPT|Go|€8/month|Moderate regular use
• ChatGPT|Plus|€23/month (~$20)|GPT-4, 32k tokens, Voice
• ChatGPT|Pro|€229/month (~$200)|Unlimited GPT-5, Unlimited Sora, Operator
• Claude|Pro|$20/month (~€18.50)|Claude Opus, 200,000 tokens
• Claude|Max 5×|$100/month|5× higher volume than Pro
• Perplexity|Pro|$20/month (~€18.50)|Unlimited AI search
• Google AI Pro (Gemini Advanced)|—|€21.99/month|Gemini 3 Pro + 2 TB Drive
• Microsoft 365 | Family | €129/year | Copilot + Office + 1 TB per person × 6

The bottom line: a "standard" AI subscription costs between €18 and €23 per month. Subscribing to multiple tools (ChatGPT Plus + Claude Pro + Perplexity Pro) can quickly add up to €60 per month. That’s where deals come into play.

ChatGPT Go: the new €8/month plan in 2026

OpenAI launched ChatGPT Go in 2026 to offer a plan priced between the Free and Plus tiers at €23 per month. At €8 per month, Go is aimed at regular users who want to exceed the limits of the Free plan without paying the Plus price.

• Higher limits than the Free plan — more GPT-5 prompts per day
• Extended Conversational Memory — vs Free
• Limited voice access — Voice Mode available
• No access to advanced custom GPTs — reserved for Plus users
• No Sora or Operator — Pro-only

Go is a good option for students or casual users who find the Free plan too limited. At €8/month, it’s also nearly three times cheaper than the Plus plan for those who just want regular access without all the advanced features. For a more comprehensive comparison, read our comparison of ChatGPT Free vs. Plus vs. Pro.

Microsoft 365 Home: The Best Shared AI Deal of 2026

The most cost-effective plan for sharing AI in 2026 remains Microsoft 365 Home at €129/year. It includes Copilot (Microsoft’s GPT-4/Claude-based AI), the full Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), and 1 TB of OneDrive storage per person for 6 users, for a total of 6 TB. Microsoft raised its prices in 2026 (+30%), but the offer remains unbeatable in terms of price per person.

• Microsoft 365 Plan | Old Price | New Price (2026) | Price Increase
• Monthly subscription|€6.99|€9.99|+43%
• Annual subscription|—|€99.99|—
• Family Monthly|€9.99|€12.99|+30%
• Family Annual|€99|€129|+30%

Why Microsoft 365 Home Beats the Competition

When split among 6 verified users via spliiit, the Family plan at €129/year works out to €21.50 per person per year. Compared to ChatGPT Plus ($23/month, or $276/year), Claude Pro ($240/year), or Gemini Advanced (~$264/year), it’s about 10 to 12 times cheaper for AI + office productivity + cloud features.

• Copilot included — AI assistant in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• 1 TB of OneDrive per person — 6 TB total, which is huge
• Full Office suite — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher
• 6 separate users — each with their own Microsoft account
• Multi-device — Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, web
• Microsoft Defender family — antivirus included

Microsoft still offers a "Classic" plan without Copilot for existing subscribers who want to keep their old rate. If you don't need Copilot AI, this option saves you about 30% off the current price. For more details, see our guide on Microsoft 365 Copilot pricing and reviews.

Want to enjoy Microsoft 365 Family and Copilot without paying the full price? With a shared subscription, you can split the cost by legally sharing your family plan with up to 6 people, which works out to about €21.50 per person per year. Find out how it works on spliiit

Comparison of AI Pro competitors at $20/month

At the standard $20/month tier, several alternatives to ChatGPT Plus are on par with it or even surpass it in certain areas. The right choice depends on your primary use.

Claude Pro for $20/month

Claude Pro, by Anthropic, offers a 200k-token prompt capacity (equivalent to about 300 pages at once), far exceeding ChatGPT Plus’s 32k limit. It is the tool of choice for in-depth document analysis, creative writing, and coding. Claude 4.7 (the flagship model in 2026) remains highly effective at structured reasoning.

Perplexity Pro for $20/month

Perplexity Pro focuses entirely on AI-powered search with cited sources. Ideal for competitive intelligence, journalism, and academic research. Unlimited search, with access to multiple models (GPT-4, Claude, Sonar) on a rotating basis.

Gemini Advanced (Google AI Pro) for €21.99/month

Google has bundled Gemini 3 Pro into its Google AI Pro subscription (2 TB of Drive storage + AI). For €21.99/month, you get Gemini 3 Pro with 100 prompts per day, 1 million tokens of context, and Google VPN. This storage-plus-AI combo is unique on the market. For more details, see our overview of Google One and Google AI Pro.

• Claude Pro — 200k tokens, ideal for a feature-length documentary
• Perplexity Pro — AI-powered search with sources, ideal for market intelligence
• Gemini Advanced — AI + 2 TB of storage + VPN
• ChatGPT Plus — the go-to choice for the general public, a custom GPT ecosystem

To learn more about how AI assistants compare, check out ChatGPT vs. Perplexity and our top 8 free alternatives to ChatGPT.

The $100/month Premium Plan: Who is it for, and why?

In 2026, several providers launched premium plans priced at $100/month for power users. Anthropic offers Claude Max 5× for $100/month (five times the volume of the Pro plan). OpenAI added a $100/month tier in April 2026, positioned between the Plus ($20) and Pro ($200) plans.

• Claude Max 5× — $100/month, 5× the Pro plan’s data allowance, aimed at developers
• OpenAI Tier 100 — Enhanced Access to GPT-5, launching in April 2026
• ChatGPT Pro — $200/month, unlimited GPT-5 + unlimited Sora + Operator

These tiers are overkill for 95% of users. They’re aimed at power users, creative studios, and AI agencies. For standard use, the $20 tier more than covers your needs. If you’re torn between the Solo and Premium tiers, a shared subscription to an Office + AI Family plan (such as Microsoft 365 Family) is often a better value.

How can you combine multiple AI systems without breaking the bank?

Combining ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, and Perplexity Pro costs about €60 per month (€720 per year). To cut costs while keeping multiple tools, here’s the strategy that works in 2026.

• Microsoft 365 Family shared subscription — Copilot + Office + 1 TB, ~€21.50 per person per year
• Free plans from 2–3 AI services at the same time — ChatGPT Free, Claude Free, and Gemini Free for occasional use
• One Pro plan for $20/month — choose the one that best fits your core needs
• Switching depending on the task — Perplexity for research, Claude for long-form writing, ChatGPT for brainstorming
• API on demand — for professionals, more cost-effective than a subscription for moderate usage

A combined subscription to Microsoft 365 Family (including Copilot) plus one additional Pro tool costs ~€30–40/month, which is 50% less than the combined cost of the three Pro plans. See how to share Microsoft 365 Family and Microsoft 365 vs. Google Workspace.

Save up to 70% on your AI subscriptions with co-subscription. spliiit verified users so they can legally share Microsoft 365 Family with Copilot, ChatGPT, and other tools. See how it works.

Which AI subscription should you choose based on your profile?

There's no one-size-fits-all solution. The right choice depends on your line of work, how much you use it, and the tools you already have.

• Students or occasional users — ChatGPT Go for €8/month or Free
• Family / Shared Housing — Microsoft 365 Family via spliiit ~€21.50 per person per year)
• General freelancer — ChatGPT Plus for €23/month or Claude Pro for $20
• Journalist / researcher — Perplexity Pro for cited sources
• Intensive Developer — Claude Max 5× or ChatGPT Pro
• Heavy Google user — Google AI Pro (Gemini + 2 TB + VPN)
• College student — Free Microsoft 365 for Students through your school (if eligible); see Microsoft 365 for Students

And always remember to consider free options when they’re sufficient: see Microsoft 365 Free for the terms and conditions, and the best free alternatives to ChatGPT.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest AI subscription in 2026?

ChatGPT Free is free, but with limitations. For an affordable paid plan, ChatGPT Go at €8/month is the new mid-tier option. For the most cost-effective shared AI plan, Microsoft 365 Family at €129/year, split among 6 people via spliiit to about €21.50 per person per year, with Copilot included.

Is ChatGPT Plus worth €23/month in 2026?

Yes, if you use ChatGPT for several hours a week for work. The Plus plan gives you access to GPT-4o, 32k context tokens, Voice Mode, custom GPTs, and the Dall-E 3 image generator. For occasional use, the Go plan at €8/month or the Free plan is more than enough.

Does Microsoft 365 Family really include Copilot?

Yes, starting in 2026, Copilot is included in the Family plan for €129/year. Microsoft has raised its prices by 30% by including Copilot by default. The "Classic" option without Copilot is available for existing subscribers who want to keep the old rate.

How many people can share Microsoft 365 Family?

The Family Plan covers 6 users, each with their own separate Microsoft account, and 1 TB of OneDrive storage per person. spliiit the subscription through spliiit , the annual cost spliiit divided among 6 people, bringing the price down to about €21.50 per person per year.

Claude Pro vs. ChatGPT Plus: Which One Should You Choose?

Claude Pro ($20/month) offers a 200,000-token limit, making it ideal for analyzing long documents. ChatGPT Plus (€23/month) remains more versatile thanks to its ecosystem of custom GPTs and Dall-E 3. For code and long-form content, choose Claude. For visual creativity and the ecosystem, choose ChatGPT.

What is ChatGPT Go, launched in 2026?

ChatGPT Go is a new mid-tier plan priced at €8/month, launched in 2026 to offer an alternative between the Free plan and the €23/month Plus plan. It includes higher usage limits than the Free plan and limited voice access, but does not include advanced custom GPTs, Sora, or Operator (which are reserved for Plus and Pro plans).

Is there a student discount for AI tools?

OpenAI does not offer a direct student discount, but Microsoft 365 is often available for free through universities (Microsoft 365 Education). For other tools, a shared subscription remains the best way to save money by splitting the cost among 4 to 6 verified users.