aitoolsguide

An independent AI tools guide

AI tools, explained like a person — not a press release.

What do Claude, Copilot, ChatGPT and Gemini actually cost? Which license do you need? Why isn't Copilot showing up in your Excel? One real question per page, answered straight, with the steps that actually work.

The one thing to know first

The short answer: you almost certainly don't need the most expensive plan. Most people land on a $20/month tier — Claude Pro, ChatGPT Plus, Copilot Pro, or Google AI Pro — and the differences between them matter less than whether the tool fits the work you actually do. The pages below help you figure that out before you pay.

AI pricing changes fast and the vendors love confusing names. Every price on this site was checked against live sources in September 2026, but treat the numbers as a map, not a contract — confirm at checkout before you buy.

Start with your situation

Pricing

What do Claude, Copilot, ChatGPT and Gemini actually cost?

Every plan, tier by tier, in plain English. The pricing index.

Which Copilot license do I actually need?

Copilot Pro vs. Microsoft 365 Copilot vs. the free version, decoded.

AI credits and usage limits, explained

Why "unlimited" never means unlimited, and how the caps actually work.

Comparisons

Claude vs. Copilot vs. ChatGPT: which should you pay for?

An honest comparison by what you actually do, not by marketing.

Is Microsoft Copilot actually worth paying for?

The honest assessment: who it's for, who should skip it.

Copilot in Excel

Copilot isn't showing up in my Excel. How do I fix it?

The consolidated troubleshooting guide: license, update channel, privacy settings, blank pane.

What can Copilot actually do in Excel?

Practical examples: cleaning data, formulas, PivotTables, dashboards.

Copilot skills in Excel: the new SKILL.md feature

Teach Copilot your repeatable processes with a simple text file.

Copilot everywhere else

Copilot in Word: a practical guide

Drafting, rewriting, summarizing — and where it falls short.

Copilot in Outlook and Teams: a practical guide

Meeting recaps, email triage, and catching up without reading everything.

How this site works

Every guide answers one real question — the kind people actually type into a search box — in plain English, with the answer first and the depth after. No vendor talking points, no affiliate links, no "revolutionize your workflow" fluff.

Written from the trenches, not the press kit These guides are written by someone who uses these tools every day across real work — spreadsheets, documents, email — and has hit the same blank panes, confusing licenses, and surprise limits you're hitting. When Microsoft's own answer is a forum thread from 2024, we say so.
Informational only — prices and features change.

AI plans, prices, and features change frequently. Every price here was verified against live sources in September 2026, but always confirm current pricing on the vendor's site before purchasing. This site is not affiliated with Microsoft, Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google.