Best Free AI Tools: Honest Picks by Task
The best free AI tools organised by task: writing, research, images, transcription, coding and presentations, with what free plans include and privacy tips.
ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini: Which to Use for What
ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini compared by task: writing, analysis, coding, research, images, integrations and privacy, plus a simple way to test which suits you.
Key takeaways
- All three are capable general assistants; differences show up in style, integrations and specific tasks.
- Choose based on where you work: Google users may prefer Gemini; others often pick by writing style and features.
- Run the same three real tasks through each and compare the results yourself.
On this page
ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are the three best-known AI assistants. They are all excellent general tools, and they leapfrog each other with new releases. Rather than chasing benchmark headlines, choose based on the work you actually do.
How they differ
| ChatGPT (OpenAI) | Claude (Anthropic) | Gemini (Google) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strengths often cited | Broad features, large ecosystem, image generation and voice | Long documents, careful writing and analysis, coding | Google Workspace and search integration, multimodal features |
| Works well with | Its own apps and many third-party integrations | Documents, projects and developer tools | Gmail, Docs, Drive and other Google services |
| Plans | Free and paid tiers | Free and paid tiers | Free and paid tiers |
These are broad tendencies, not fixed rules: each assistant improves quickly.
Choosing by task
- Writing and editing: try all three with the same brief and compare tone. Many people have a clear favourite style.
- Long documents: compare how each handles a long report you know well. Check for missed or invented details.
- Coding: test on a real bug or feature in your own codebase; our guide to AI coding assistants covers the tools built on these models.
- Research: use features that cite sources, and open the sources.
- Everyday productivity: pick the one that integrates with the tools you already use.
A simple test
- Pick three tasks you do every week, such as an email, a summary and an analysis.
- Write one good prompt for each, using our prompt engineering guide.
- Run the same prompts in each assistant.
- Score them on accuracy, usefulness and how much editing they need.
Privacy and data
Check each assistant’s data settings, including whether conversations can be used for training and how long they are stored. Business plans usually offer stronger controls. For sensitive material, see running AI locally.
Don’t forget custom assistants
All three let you set up persistent instructions, projects or custom assistants for repeat tasks; see custom assistants explained.
Frequently asked questions
Which AI is the smartest?
Rankings change with every release and depend on the task. Test on your own work.
Is it worth paying for more than one?
Most people only need one paid plan. Some professionals keep a second for specific tasks.
Are the free versions good enough?
For many everyday tasks, yes. Paid plans add higher limits and more capable models.
Sources
Every article is edited by a human and checked against our editorial policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Keep reading
Custom AI Assistants and Projects Explained
What custom AI assistants, custom GPTs and projects are, how to set one up with instructions and files, practical use cases, and the privacy settings to check.
AI Privacy Settings: How to Protect Your Data
How to protect your privacy with AI chatbots: turn off training on your chats, manage history and memory, use temporary chats and know what never to paste in.