Best AI Chatbots & Assistants Tools (2026)

21 hand-picked chatbots & assistants tools, compared on price and features — 20 with a free tier. Each listing covers pricing, key features, pros and cons, and the best alternatives.

Whether you want a free option to start or a paid plan with more power, this list helps you choose. 20 of these chatbots & assistants tools offer a free tier (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek, Microsoft Copilot, Character.AI, Pi, Monica, Sider, Jan, Mistral AI, Together.ai, DeepSeek, Microsoft Copilot, DeepSeek, Grok, HuggingChat, Mistral (Le Chat), Poe, Comet…).

AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

ChatGPT

The most widely used AI chatbot for writing, coding and research.

$20/mo (Plus)
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Claude

AI assistant known for long-context writing, analysis and coding.

$20/mo (Pro)
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Gemini

Google's AI assistant, deeply integrated with Workspace and Search.

$20/mo (AI Pro)
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

DeepSeek

Free, open-weight chatbot with strong reasoning and coding.

Free (web/app); API from $0.14/M tokens
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Microsoft Copilot

AI assistant built into Windows, Edge and Microsoft 365.

$20/mo (Copilot Pro)
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Character.AI

Chat with millions of user-made AI characters.

$9.99/mo (c.ai+)
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Pi

A supportive, conversational AI for everyday chat.

Free
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Monica

All-in-one AI assistant in your browser across models.

$8.3/mo
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Sider

AI sidebar assistant for any webpage and PDF.

$10/mo
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Jan

Open-source, offline ChatGPT alternative that runs locally.

Free (open source)
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Mistral AI

Cost-effective open-source AI models via API.

$0.14/M tokens
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Together.ai

Unified API for accessing open-source and proprietary LLMs.

$0.90/M tokens
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

DeepSeek

Efficient open-source reasoning model via API.

$0.27/M tokens
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft's AI assistant built into Windows, Edge and Microsoft 365.

$20/mo (Pro)
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

DeepSeek

Open, low-cost AI assistant strong at reasoning and coding.

Free / low-cost API
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Grok

xAI's assistant with real-time access to X (Twitter) data.

via X Premium
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

HuggingChat

Free open-source AI chat with multiple community models.

Free
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Mistral (Le Chat)

European open-weight AI assistant, fast and privacy-minded.

$15/mo
AI Chatbots & Assistants Free tier

Poe

One app to chat with many AI models (GPT, Claude, Gemini…).

$20/mo
AI Chatbots & Assistants NewFree tier

Comet

AI-native browser that completes tasks for you

Free
AI Chatbots & Assistants NewPaid

Abacus ChatLLM

Multi-model AI super-assistant with agents

$10/mo

Guides on chatbots & assistants

AI Chatbots & Assistants

ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini: which AI assistant should you use?

The three leading AI assistants compared on writing, coding, research and ecosystem — and who each one is best for.

Guide · updated 2026-05-29
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The best genuinely free AI tools in 2026

AI tools with free tiers that are actually useful — not just trials — across chat, images, writing, video and meetings.

Guide · updated 2026-05-29
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The best AI tools in 2026 (the ones people actually use)

A current, no-hype roundup of the AI tools worth your time in 2026 — across chat, coding, images, video and voice.

Guide · updated 2026-06-19
AI Chatbots & Assistants

ChatGPT Plus vs Claude Pro vs Gemini Advanced: Which $20/mo AI Is Worth It in 2026?

A practical, use-case-driven comparison of the three leading $20/month AI subscriptions in 2026, covering models, context windows, ecosystem fit, and who each one is genuinely best for.

Guide · updated 2026-06-29
AI Chatbots & Assistants

ChatGPT Alternatives That Are Genuinely Free (2026)

The ChatGPT alternatives with genuinely useful free tiers in 2026, what each one's real limits are, and why 'unlimited free' sites are usually too good to be true.

Guide · updated 2026-05-30
AI Chatbots & Assistants

RAG vs Fine-Tuning vs Prompting: How to Customize AI for Your Business

Prompting solves most customization needs cheapest, RAG grounds models in your changing knowledge, and fine-tuning shapes stable behavior for narrow tasks. The 2026 best practice is to layer them in order: prompt, then RAG, then fine-tune only when needed.

Guide · updated 2026-05-30
AI Chatbots & Assistants

Best AI Tools for Customer Support Teams (2026)

How support teams use AI agents and copilots to resolve tier-1 tickets automatically, draft agent replies, and surface knowledge — with realistic resolution rates and deployment advice.

Guide · updated 2026-05-30

AI Chatbots & Assistants FAQ

What is the best chatbots & assistants tool?

It depends on your needs and budget. This page compares all 21 chatbots & assistants tools side by side on price, features and free tiers so you can pick the best fit.

Are there free chatbots & assistants tools?

Yes — 20 of the 21 chatbots & assistants tools listed here have a free tier.

What is the cheapest chatbots & assistants tool?

Pi is among the most affordable, starting from Free. Compare all options above.

How we rate: ToolGlance scores combine pricing, core features, user-review signals and update frequency, compiled from public sources and vendor documentation — see our methodology. Figures are indicative and change often; always verify pricing and features on the vendor site before buying. Last updated 2026-07-13. Compiled by the ToolGlance editorial team.