Copilot Free vs Pro

Discover which Microsoft Copilot tier fits your work style. Get the right AI assistant for your productivity needs.

Compare Features Which One for Me?

The Core Difference

Copilot Free

A capable AI assistant available through your web browser, Edge sidebar, and mobile app.

  • ✓ Answers questions using public web information
  • ✓ Helps with writing and content generation
  • ✓ Access to AI models (GPT-4o during non-peak)
  • ✓ 15 image generation boosts per day
  • ✓ Copilot Voice and Think Deeper features
  • ✕ No M365 app integration
  • ✕ Cannot access your documents or emails

Copilot Pro

Works inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote using your actual documents and data.

  • ✓ Everything in Free, plus:
  • ✓ Embedded in M365 desktop and web apps
  • ✓ Priority access to latest AI models (GPT-5)
  • ✓ 100 image generation boosts per day
  • ✓ Deep Research for complex research tasks
  • ✓ Copilot Actions to complete web tasks
  • ✓ Draft from up to 20 of your files
  • ✓ Early access to experimental features

Feature Comparison

A detailed look at what each tier offers.

Capability Free Pro
Where it works Web, Edge, mobile + Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote
AI model access Standard (non-peak GPT-4o) Priority access including GPT-5
Image generation 15 boosts/day 100 boosts/day
File uploads Up to 50MB 50MB + in-app document access
Deep Research ✕ ✓
Copilot Actions ✕ ✓
Draft from your files ✕ ✓ Up to 20 files
Excel data analysis ✕ ✓
Create presentations from docs ✕ ✓
Email thread summaries ✕ ✓

See App-by-App Features

Which One Is Right for You?

Use this guide to determine which tier fits your workflow.

📋 Copilot Free is enough if you:

  • Primarily need quick answers to general questions
  • Don't need to reference internal documents or emails
  • Are comfortable copying/pasting between browser and apps
  • Use AI occasionally for ad-hoc tasks
  • Don't need AI help during Excel data analysis

🚀 Copilot Pro makes sense if you:

  • Want AI assistance inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Outlook
  • Need to synthesize information from emails, documents, or meetings
  • Regularly summarize long documents or email threads
  • Analyze data in Excel with natural language queries
  • Create presentations from existing documents
  • Miss meetings and need quick catch-ups
  • Want priority AI access during peak hours
  • Need Deep Research for complex research tasks

Quick Decision Guide

Your Situation Recommendation
Light user, occasional web questions Free
Heavy email volume, need summaries Pro
Regular Excel data analysis Pro
Create presentations from documents Pro
Frequently miss meetings Pro
Need fastest AI responses Pro

Why Does Copilot Pro Exist?

Copilot Free is excellent for general tasks—drafting from scratch, answering questions, generating creative content. But it hits a wall when the answer requires your specific context.

Copilot Free

"Help me write an email about project updates"

Copilot Pro

"Summarize the last 10 emails about Project Atlas and draft an update for my manager"

Pro exists because modern knowledge work drowns in information. Employees spend hours searching emails, creating presentations from documents, and catching up on missed meetings. Copilot Pro eliminates this friction by working with your data, inside your apps.

Explore Pro Features

Official Microsoft Documentation

Learn more from official sources.

🔗 Which Copilot Plan Is Right for You? 🔗 About Microsoft Copilot Pro 🔗 Copilot FAQ for Microsoft 365 🔗 Microsoft Copilot Blog & Updates