Compare free ChatGPT alternatives without a card
Compare each free ChatGPT alternative for non-technical buyers and small businesses. Each row shows the free plan, account or card requirement, free-plan limits and who the tool may suit.
The fact matrix
Read across each row to check the price, sign-in details, stated limits and the use cases that may suit you. Under each cell is the vendor page we read and the date. The order of the rows is not a ranking.
| Assistant | Free plan | Account or card needed | Free-plan limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPTOpenAI · baseline | Yes, there is a Free plan at no charge chatgpt.com checked 2 Oct 2026 | Vendor says the Free plan is available to anyone who signs up for an account. A credit card requirement is not mentioned on the pages read. chatgpt.com checked 2 Oct 2026 | Unlimited text chats (subject to abuse guardrails); limited uploads, image creation, voice, deep research and memory chatgpt.com checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| ClaudeAnthropic | Yes, US$0 claude.com checked 1 Oct 2026 | Creating a Claude account requires verifying a phone number by text message. A credit card requirement for the Free plan is not mentioned on the pages read. support.claude.com checked 2 Oct 2026 | Usage limits apply; the pricing page gives no message count. Free includes web search, file creation, code execution, memory and Artifacts claude.com checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| GeminiGoogle | Yes, US$0/month with a Google Account gemini.google checked 2 Oct 2026 | Free plan is listed as $0 / month with a Google Account. Some web features work without signing in. A credit card requirement is not mentioned on the pages read. support.google.com checked 2 Oct 2026 | Access to the Flash model and varying access to the Pro model; image generation, Deep Research, Gemini Live, Canvas and Gems; 15 GB storage gemini.google checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| Microsoft CopilotMicrosoft | Yes. Microsoft describes Microsoft Copilot (free) as available free of cost, for general questions and answers and web-based tasks, on the web, desktop and mobile apps and in Edge. support.microsoft.com checked 2 Oct 2026 | Sign-in is not required for the free version; signing in with a personal account adds chat history, image creation and longer conversations. A credit card is not mentioned on the pages read. support.microsoft.com checked 2 Oct 2026 | No numeric caps are stated on the pages read. Microsoft says signing in gives chat history, more image creation, longer conversations and longer use of voice. support.microsoft.com checked 2 Oct 2026 |
| Mistral (Vibe)Mistral AI | Yes, free tier on web and mobile mistral.ai checked 1 Oct 2026 | Not verified Not stated on the pages we read mistral.ai tried 2 Oct 2026 | Limited messages and web searches, limited coding sessions; image generation included mistral.ai checked 1 Oct 2026 |
| GrokxAI | Not verified The product page offers 'Try for free'; terms not stated x.ai tried 2 Oct 2026 | Vendor says Grok is free to try on the web and in the apps, and to sign in with an X or email account. A credit card is not mentioned on the pages read. x.ai checked 2 Oct 2026 | Not verified Not stated on the pages we could read grok.com tried 2 Oct 2026 |
| DeepSeekDeepSeek | Not verified Web chat and apps are offered; the site shows no consumer price list deepseek.com tried 1 Oct 2026 | Terms of Use say you must register an account with an email or third-party account before using the service. A credit card is not mentioned on the pages read. cdn.deepseek.com checked 2 Oct 2026 | Not verified Not stated deepseek.com tried 1 Oct 2026 |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
About the prices. Vendor pages were read on 1 and 2 October 2026 from a connection in Australia. Where a vendor shows local prices, we took the US-dollar figure from its United States page or its help centre and link to that page. Where we could not read a US-dollar price, the cell says so and names the currency we saw. Prices in other countries can differ.
Who each one suits, and who it does not
These lines are drawn only from the facts we could read on vendor pages. We have not run our own tests, so nothing here ranks the tools on the quality of their output.
ChatGPTSource: chatgpt.com
- Best for
- The baseline. Its free plan lists unlimited text chats, so the reasons to switch are the limits on everything else.Based on: free-plan limits
- Not ideal for
- People who want a cheap ad-free tier: the plan below Plus is the one the vendor says may include ads.Based on: first paid plan
ClaudeSource: claude.com
- Best for
- Getting file creation and code execution without paying: both are listed on the free plan.Based on: free-plan limits
- Not ideal for
- Anyone who needs a published free message allowance to plan around: the page only says usage limits apply.Based on: free-plan limits
GeminiSource: gemini.google
- Best for
- Households already paying Google for storage: the paid tiers bundle 400 GB to 5 TB with the assistant.Based on: first paid plan, listed features
- Not ideal for
- A small team that only wants a few chat seats at consumer prices: the business edition starts at US$21 a seat.Based on: team seat
Microsoft CopilotSource: microsoft.com
- Best for
- People who live in Word, Excel and Outlook: the assistant comes inside the Microsoft 365 subscription.Based on: first paid plan, listed features
- Not ideal for
- Buyers who only want a chat assistant: every paid tier on the page is a Microsoft 365 bundle.Based on: first paid plan
Mistral (Vibe)Source: mistral.ai
- Best for
- A standalone assistant with a paid plan under US$15 a month: Pro is listed at US$14.99.Based on: first paid plan
- Not ideal for
- Heavy free use: messages, web searches and coding sessions are all described as limited.Based on: free-plan limits
GrokSource: x.ai
- Best for
- Questions about what is happening right now: the product page leads with live web and X search.Based on: listed features
- Not ideal for
- A low-cost paid step: the listed plans run from US$10 to US$300 a month.Based on: first paid plan
DeepSeekSource: deepseek.com
- Best for
- Trying a reasoning mode and search from the web chat once you have signed in.Based on: listed features
- Not ideal for
- A business that needs a team plan with listed terms: none is published on the site.Based on: team seat
How to choose from this table
Start with the free text-chat allowance. ChatGPT is the baseline because its vendor lists unlimited text chats, subject to abuse guardrails. Claude includes file creation, code execution, web search, memory and Artifacts, but the vendor publishes no message count.
Check the route to the free plan. Microsoft says sign-in is not required for its free version, while Claude requires phone verification by text message. ChatGPT and Gemini need an account, and DeepSeek requires registration with an email or third-party account.
Look closely at limits on extra features. ChatGPT limits uploads, image creation, voice, deep research and memory. Mistral Vibe limits messages, web searches and coding sessions, while Microsoft publishes no numeric caps on the pages read.
Match the plan to your working setup. Claude may suit you if you want file creation and code execution without paying. Gemini may suit households already paying Google for storage, while Microsoft Copilot comes inside Microsoft 365 for people who use Word, Excel and Outlook.
Treat not verified as a reason to check, not a mark against the product. It means the vendor page did not show us the detail on the day. Every figure, with its source and date, is also in the fact ledger.
Related: AI tools compared by task, price and usage limits, Find an alternative to ChatGPT for everyday work, Business AI plans compared by cost and limits, Free AI tools and their plan limits.
Questions people ask
Do any free ChatGPT alternatives need a credit card?
The pages read do not mention a credit card requirement for ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Grok or DeepSeek. Mistral Vibe’s account or card requirement was not stated on the pages read.
Which option has unlimited free text chats?
ChatGPT’s vendor lists unlimited text chats, subject to abuse guardrails. Uploads, image creation, voice, deep research and memory are limited on that free plan.
Can I use Microsoft Copilot without signing in?
Microsoft says sign-in is not required for the free version. It says signing in with a personal account adds chat history, image creation and longer conversations.
Does Grok have a free plan?
Grok’s product page offers “Try for free”, but its terms and limits were not stated on the pages read. The vendor says it is free to try on the web and in apps with an X or email account.