Yes, Microsoft Copilot is free to use in your browser, as a desktop or mobile app, and in Microsoft Edge, with usage limits. What isn't free is Copilot inside the Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook desktop apps, which needs a Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium subscription.
Microsoft has a lot of things called Copilot, which is why this question confuses people. There's the free chat assistant, there's Copilot inside Microsoft 365 apps, there's Copilot for businesses, and there's GitHub Copilot for developers, which is a separate product altogether. This page is about the first two, the ones most small business owners mean.
What the free version of Copilot includes
Microsoft's support page describes the free version as available at no cost and ideal for general questions and answers, people trying AI for the first time, and web-based tasks. It lets you:
- chat with AI for help with writing, brainstorming and summarising
- get real-time answers based on web search
- use Copilot in Edge to summarise the web page you're on
- use it on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and in Edge
You don't even have to sign in. Microsoft says sign-in isn't required, but signing in with a personal Microsoft account gives you chat history, image creation, longer conversations, voice and other features. So if you tried Copilot once without logging in and thought it was basic, that's why.
Free Copilot vs paid Microsoft 365 plans
| Copilot (free) | Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Copilot chat in browser and app | Yes, with usage limits | Yes, with higher usage than free |
| Copilot inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook | No | Yes |
| Image creation | Yes when signed in, with limits | Higher usage than free |
| Sharing AI features with family | Not applicable | No, AI features are for the subscription owner only |
| Trial | Not needed | One-month trial of Personal, Family and Premium, where offered |
Microsoft no longer sells Copilot Pro. Its own launch post says Microsoft 365 Premium combines everything in the Family and Copilot Pro subscriptions, and that Copilot Pro subscribers can switch to Premium. Prices vary by country, so check Microsoft's plan page for your region before you buy.
The catch: family plans don't share Copilot
This is the one that surprises people. If you pay for Microsoft 365 Family so the whole household gets Word and Excel, you might assume everyone gets Copilot in those apps too. Microsoft's plan pages say AI features are only available to the subscription owner and can't be shared. Microsoft's support page adds that if Family or Premium is shared with you, you can use Copilot Chat at microsoft365.com, but other AI benefits, such as Copilot in the desktop apps, are limited to the subscription owner.
There's a second, smaller catch. Microsoft notes that Copilot in Excel needs AutoSave turned on, which means the file has to be saved to OneDrive. If you keep spreadsheets on your desktop, Copilot in Excel won't work on them until you move them. I've covered the details in how to use Copilot in Excel.
What happens when you hit the free limit
Microsoft says it offers a limited free version of Copilot subject to available capacity and limits, and that when you hit a limit you can upgrade to a paid option or come back later. In practice that means the free version is fine for occasional writing help and research, but it isn't something to build a daily business process on.
Which version should you use?
- Start with free Copilot in your browser or the app, signed in with your Microsoft account so you get history and image creation.
- Use it for a couple of weeks on real tasks: emails, summaries, ideas, research.
- If you find yourself wanting it inside Word or Excel, or you keep hitting limits, take the one-month Microsoft 365 trial where it's offered.
- Before you pay for a Family plan for Copilot, remember only the owner gets the AI features in the apps.
- If you're comparing assistants, my ChatGPT vs Copilot comparison covers where each one is stronger.
If you write code, the product you want is different again: here's whether GitHub Copilot is free.
Free Copilot for a small business: what it's good at
Used well, the free version covers a surprising amount of everyday business work. It's good for drafting emails and social posts, summarising a long web page in Edge before you read it, brainstorming blog ideas and getting quick answers grounded in a web search. Because Microsoft says free Copilot is ideal for web-based tasks, it's strongest when the information you need is already online.
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Where it falls short is working with your own files. Free Copilot can't sit inside your Word documents or Excel spreadsheets, so anything that needs it to read your business data is a paid feature. Business subscriptions are different again: Microsoft says users with a business subscription get AI chat grounded on the web, pay-as-you-go agents, built-in IT controls and enterprise data protection.
If you're still deciding which assistant to commit to, my Copilot vs Gemini comparison is worth a read before you pay for either.
My advice
For most small business owners, free Copilot is enough to find out whether you'll use it. Sign in, use it on real work for a fortnight, then decide. The paid plans are worth it when you want Copilot working inside your documents, but go in knowing that a Family plan gives the AI to one person, not the whole household.
Frequently asked questions
Is Microsoft Copilot free?
Yes. Microsoft says the free version of Copilot is available at no cost in the browser, as a desktop or mobile app and in Edge, subject to usage limits and available capacity.
Do I need to sign in to use Copilot for free?
No. Microsoft says sign-in isn't required, but signing in with a personal account gives you chat history, image creation, longer conversations and voice.
Is Copilot in Word and Excel free?
No. Copilot inside the Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook desktop apps comes with Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium.
Does Microsoft 365 Family give everyone Copilot?
No. Microsoft says AI features are only available to the subscription owner and can't be shared. People the plan is shared with can use Copilot Chat at microsoft365.com.
Can I still buy Copilot Pro?
Microsoft says it no longer sells Copilot Pro. Microsoft 365 Premium combines the Family plan and Copilot Pro, and Copilot Pro subscribers can switch to it.
