Azimut AI
The confusion is understandable: Microsoft is OpenAI's biggest partner and Copilot runs on its models. But comparing ChatGPT and Copilot isn't comparing two models; it's comparing two ways of bringing AI to work. On top of that, "Copilot" is several products with the same name. This page sorts them out and compares what matters to a company, with official prices in Spain as of October 6, 2026.
First: what each Copilot is
- Microsoft Copilot (the free app): Microsoft's consumer assistant, on the web, in Windows and on mobile. The equivalent of free ChatGPT.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat: included at no extra cost with eligible Microsoft 365 business licenses, through the work account. It chats with web information and the files you upload, but doesn't access the company's email, documents or meetings.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot: the paid license that does work with company data (Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive) and appears inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams. This is the one to compare with ChatGPT for business.
- GitHub Copilot: a coding assistant, a different product altogether. If you're comparing developer tools, it isn't what this page covers.
The differences that matter
| Item | ChatGPT (Business) | Microsoft 365 Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Where it's used | Its own app on web, desktop and mobile. | Inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams, and in its own app. |
| Company data | Through connectors to Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, GitHub and others. | Microsoft 365 email, calendar, meetings and files, with each person's existing permissions. |
| Models | OpenAI's. | OpenAI's; also Anthropic's if admins enable them. |
| No-cost version | Free ChatGPT, a personal plan with ads. | Copilot Chat, included with Microsoft 365 business licenses, without company data. |
| Price per user per month, billed annually | €21 (standard seat). | €15.60 up to 300 users (first-year promotion, until December 31, 2026; regular €18.20). Over 300: €26.00. |
| Prerequisite | None. | An eligible Microsoft 365 business license. |
| Users | 2 to 200; above that, Enterprise. | No published minimum. |
| EU data protection | European residency only on Enterprise and Edu. | Microsoft's EU Data Boundary, with exceptions (see below). |
Sources: microsoft.com/es-es/microsoft-365-copilot/pricing and /enterprise (prices excluding VAT, checked on October 6, 2026); learn.microsoft.com (Copilot FAQ and enterprise data protection, August 2026; AI subprocessors); chatgpt.com/es-ES/pricing (October 6, 2026); help.openai.com.
When Copilot makes sense
Copilot has an advantage ChatGPT can't match: it's inside the apps where people already work and sees the company's email, meetings and documents with existing permissions, without setting up connectors. Summarizing a Teams meeting, drafting from an Outlook thread or analyzing a spreadsheet without leaving Excel are tasks where Copilot is genuinely convenient.
It's also cheaper per user while the promotion lasts and the company has fewer than 300 users. It fits companies that work almost entirely in Microsoft 365 and want a rollout with a single provider and a single contract.
When ChatGPT makes sense
ChatGPT makes sense when work doesn't live only in Microsoft: teams on Google Workspace, Slack or GitHub, or a mix. Also when you want the most complete assistant as a standalone tool, with image generation, Codex for coding and a work mode that acts on apps. And when there are no eligible Microsoft 365 licenses, because Copilot requires them.
What to know about Copilot before buying
The price changes in January
The €15.60 is a first-year promotional price, valid until December 31, 2026. The regular price is €18.20 billed annually, and for more than 300 users, €26.00 with no promotion. Do the math for the following years, not just the first.
Agents are paid separately
According to Microsoft's documentation, some agent features are billed by consumption on top of the license, such as Copilot Cowork, and users without a paid license pay per use for agents that work with company data. If the plan is to use agents, ask for a consumption estimate.
Anthropic models and the EU
Microsoft offers Anthropic models inside Copilot, but in the EU they're off by default and fall outside Microsoft's EU Data Boundary. If admins turn them on, that data is processed outside the boundary. Bing web searches aren't covered by it either.
Adoption doesn't come with the license
Buying licenses doesn't guarantee they'll be used. Before extending it to the whole workforce, measure who uses it after three months and for what.
What if the company needs both?
It's common: sales lives in Outlook and Teams, while engineering, marketing or legal prefer other models and tools. Paying for Copilot and ChatGPT at once doubles the cost and splits knowledge across two places. The alternative is a model-agnostic work layer such as Azimut, designed to work on the company's systems whether or not they're Microsoft's, with models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Mistral chosen per task. It costs more per seat than Copilot, €29 billed annually, so it only pays off if the company needs that independence and that connection. We compare them in detail in Microsoft 365 Copilot or Azimut.
Frequently asked questions
Does Copilot use ChatGPT?
Copilot uses OpenAI models, the same ones behind ChatGPT, but it's a separate Microsoft product. It can also use Anthropic models if admins turn them on.
Is Copilot free?
There are no-cost versions: the Microsoft Copilot app and Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, included with Microsoft 365 business licenses. The version that works with company data, Microsoft 365 Copilot, is paid: €15.60 per user per month billed annually on promotion until December 31, 2026, and €18.20 at the regular price, in Spain.
Which is better for a company, ChatGPT or Copilot?
Copilot, if the company works almost entirely in Microsoft 365 and wants AI inside Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams. ChatGPT, if it uses other tools, wants a standalone assistant or doesn't have eligible Microsoft 365 licenses.
What are the downsides of Microsoft Copilot?
It requires Microsoft 365 licenses, its promotional price ends on December 31, 2026, some agent features are billed by consumption on top, and its value drops if part of the work happens outside Microsoft.
Can I use ChatGPT and Copilot at the same time?
Yes, and many companies do, paying for two licenses. An alternative is a multi-model platform that brings together several providers' models and works on the company's systems, Microsoft or not.