Compare Microsoft Copilot, Merlin AI, Google Gemini, and ChatGPT: Which App is the Best?
A helpful AI assistant that can chat, create images, and work with Microsoft Office apps. It is a good alternative to ChatGPT. | Merlin AI combines ChatGPT, Grok AI, DeepSeek, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity AI in one powerful app with 70+ AI tools. Enjoy 102 free daily queries and seamless cross-platform integration. | Gemini is Google’s next-generation AI assistant, offering creative tools, productivity features, and deep integration with Google services. | The official ChatGPT mobile app brings OpenAI's powerful AI assistant to your pocket with voice conversations, image generation, and seamless cross-device sync. | |
| Key Features A summary of the most important features offered by each app. |
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| Our Rating Prod Apps's expert review score for each app, based on hands-on testing and research. | 8.5 Winner in this category | 8.3 | 8.2 | 8.1 |
| Total users Total active users across all major browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total ratings Total number of user ratings received across all supported browsers. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Average rating Average user rating across all browsers, calculated from available store ratings. | — ⭐ | — ⭐ | — ⭐ | — ⭐ |
| Entry Level Price The minimum price required to start using the app. "Free" means a free tier is available. | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Android User rating and stats for the app on Android browser. |  Downloads | Downloads | Downloads | Downloads |
| iOS User rating and stats for the app on iOS browser. |  | | | |
| Features Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Features' aspect of each app. | 9.0 Microsoft Copilot has a lot of useful features. The main thing it does really well is chat with you like a helpful friend. You can ask it questions, get help with writing, or just have a conversation. You don't even need to sign up to start using it. What we really liked:
| 9.0 Merlin AI has everything you'd want in an AI assistant. It brings together seven different AI models - ChatGPT, Grok AI, DeepSeek, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity AI - all in one place. This means you don't need separate subscriptions for each one. We really liked the 70+ AI tools it comes with:
The best part is how easy it is to switch between different AI models - just one tap and you're using a different AI. Plus, everything syncs across your devices so you can start a conversation on your phone and continue it on your computer. | 7.8 Gemini is packed with things you can do:
If you pay for Pro or Ultra, you get even more, like video generation and deep research. But not everything works everywhere. Some features, like video-to-talk, didn’t show up on all our devices. And if you’re used to the old Google Assistant, you might miss a few things. Still, the basics work well and Gemini keeps getting better. Just check if the features you want are available for your phone. We think Gemini’s features are strong, but we’d like to see them work the same for everyone. | 9.5 ChatGPT has a lot of cool features that make it useful for pretty much anyone. It's not just a chat app - it can do a bunch of different things. What ChatGPT Does Best 1. Smart Chatting: This is where ChatGPT really shines. It's better at having natural conversations than any other AI app we've tried. You can ask it anything from "What's the weather like?" to "Help me plan a trip to Japan" and it just gets it. It remembers what you talked about earlier in the conversation, so it feels like talking to someone who's actually listening. You can have long conversations and it keeps track of everything. 2. Voice Chat: This feature is really cool. You just tap the microphone button and start talking. The app shows a little wave animation so you know it's listening. It's like talking on the phone, but with an AI. We tested this a lot and it works really well. It understands what you're saying most of the time, and responds quickly. Great for when you're driving or cooking and can't type. 3. Making Pictures: You can tell ChatGPT to make pictures for you. Just describe what you want to see, and it creates an image. This costs money though - it's only in the paid version. We tried asking it to make pictures of things like:
The results were pretty good. Not perfect, but definitely usable. 4. Works Everywhere: The best part is that your conversations follow you around. Start a chat on your phone, then open it on your computer and it's all there. Really handy when you switch between devices. 5. Photo Help: You can take a picture of something and ask ChatGPT what it is. We tried this with:
It's pretty good at figuring things out. The main downside is that the free version is pretty limited. You only get the older AI model, which isn't as smart as the paid version. A lot of users complained about this - they want the good stuff without paying. Winner in this category |
| Performance Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Performance' aspect of each app. | 9.0 Microsoft Copilot works really well. The chat responses come back quickly, and the AI usually understands what you're asking for. We didn't experience any lag or crashes while using it. The image creation feature is surprisingly fast. You describe what you want, and within a few seconds, you get a picture. The quality is usually pretty good too. The voice feature works smoothly. It understands what you're saying most of the time, and the responses are clear and natural-sounding. If you use it with Microsoft Office apps, the integration works seamlessly. You can switch between Copilot and your documents without any problems. The app doesn't drain your battery too much, and it doesn't take up a lot of storage space. Overall, it performs really well for an AI assistant. Winner in this category | 8.0 The app runs smoothly without lag or interruptions when chatting with multiple AI models. The search function works quickly and accurately, so you can easily find your conversations. We tested it on different devices and platforms, and it performed well everywhere. The chat responses are fast, even when switching between different AI models. The cross-device sync works reliably, so you can start a conversation on your phone and pick it up later on your computer. The integration with Gmail and LinkedIn works well without delays. We did notice some occasional loading times when processing complex requests or large documents, but overall the performance is consistent and reliable for everyday use. The best part is that basic features work offline, so you can access your conversations even without an internet connection. | 8.6 Gemini runs smoothly.
Some features aren’t on every device yet, but that’s not a speed issue. For what’s there, everything works as it should. | 8.0 The app runs smoothly most of the time. You can chat with the AI without any delays or problems, and it loads quickly. The voice chat works really well too. There's almost no delay between when you speak and when the AI responds. The voice recognition is accurate, and the conversation feels natural and smooth. However, we did run into some problems during busy times. The app can get slow or even stop working when lots of people are using it at once. This mostly affects free users since paid users get priority access. The sync feature works great - your conversations show up quickly on all your devices. Even with long chat histories, the app stays responsive and doesn't slow down. One area that could be better is the image generation. It can take a while to create images, especially for complicated requests. This makes sense given how much work it takes, but it can be frustrating if you're in a hurry. The app doesn't drain your battery too much, though using voice chat will use more power than just typing. Overall, it runs well and doesn't cause problems with your phone. |
| Design Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Design' aspect of each app. | 8.0 The app looks clean and modern. It's easy to figure out how to use it, even if you've never used an AI assistant before. The chat interface is simple - just type and hit send, like texting a friend. We liked how the image creation feature works. You just type what you want to see, and the app shows you the picture. It's straightforward and doesn't require any special knowledge. The voice feature has nice visual feedback - you can see when it's listening and when it's processing what you said. This makes it feel more natural to use. Overall, the design is good but not perfect. Some parts could use a bit more polish, but it gets the job done without being confusing. | 8.0 The app looks clean and modern. It's easy to find what you need without getting lost in menus. The chat interface is well-designed with clear differences between responses from different AI models. We liked how the app works the same way whether you're on Android, iOS, or desktop. It adapts nicely to different screen sizes. The dark and light theme options are a nice touch, and you can customize the interface to your liking. The mobile version works really well too - you can easily access your AI conversations on your phone without any issues. | 8.5 Gemini looks and feels like a Google app. It’s clean, modern, and easy to use. We liked how simple it was to find what we needed. The colors and icons make it friendly, and everything loads fast. We didn’t run into any design problems, and most people seem to like how it looks. We do wish there were more ways to customize things, but overall, it’s a nice app to use. | 9.0 The app looks clean and simple, which makes it easy to use right away. We really like how it focuses on the conversation instead of trying to look fancy. What we love most is how easy it is to tell who said what:
Simple, but it works really well. The voice chat interface is really nice too. When you're talking, you see a little wave animation that moves with your voice. It's a small thing, but it makes you feel like the app is actually listening. Getting around the app is straightforward. There's a simple menu button that gives you access to settings and your chat history without cluttering up the main screen. Some people said the app looks a bit plain compared to other AI apps. We get that - it's not flashy, but that's actually what makes it work so well. You can focus on talking to the AI without getting distracted by fancy graphics. Winner in this category |
| Value for Money Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Value for Money' aspect of each app. | 8.0 Microsoft Copilot offers good value. You can use it for free, which gives you access to chat with AI and create images. This is actually pretty generous compared to some other AI apps. The free version is good enough for most people. You can ask questions, get help with writing, and create images without paying anything. If you want more features, there's Copilot Pro for $20 per month. This gives you:
It's worth it if you use Office a lot for work. The pricing is reasonable compared to other AI assistants. The free tier is quite good, and the Pro version offers real value for people who need the extra features. | 9.0 Merlin AI offers great value. You can use it for free without creating an account, and you get 102 queries per day across all the major AI models. This free access to ChatGPT, Grok AI, DeepSeek, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity AI in one app saves you from needing multiple expensive subscriptions. The premium plan adds useful features like voice chat, advanced AI tools, and team collaboration. The pricing is reasonable, making it a good choice for students, professionals, and anyone who wants to boost their productivity. When we compared it to individual subscriptions for these AI services, Merlin AI saves you money while offering more convenience. You really can't find another tool that gives you this much value for so little cost. Winner in this category | 8.3 Gemini gives you a lot for free:
The free version is generous, and the paid plans are fair for what you get. There are no hidden fees. | 6.0 ChatGPT has a free version that you can use without paying anything. It gives you basic chat features with the older AI model, which is fine for simple questions and casual conversations. But the $20/month price for the good features is pretty steep. The paid version gives you:
That's a lot of money for an app that many people think should be free. Some users in the reviews were really frustrated about this. They got used to the free features and then found out the good stuff costs money. The paid version is worth it if you use AI a lot for work, school, or creative projects. The better AI model gives much more detailed and helpful responses, and the image generation can be really useful. We think it's most valuable for people who need AI help regularly. If you just want to ask the occasional question, the free version is probably fine. But if you want to do serious work with AI, the paid features are actually worth the money. The voice features and syncing work on both free and paid versions, which is nice. But the way they limit the free version to push people toward paying feels a bit aggressive. |
| Ease of Use Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Ease of Use' aspect of each app. | 9.0 This is probably one of the easiest AI assistants to use. You can start chatting right away without any complicated setup. No account needed for basic features, which is nice. Getting started is simple:
We didn't need to read any instructions to figure out how to use it. The voice feature is really well done. You just tap the microphone button and start talking. It understands what you're saying most of the time, and the responses are clear. Creating images is also super easy. You just describe what you want, and the AI makes it for you. No need to learn complicated settings or options. We give it a 9 out of 10 because it's so easy to use. Even people who aren't tech-savvy should be able to figure it out quickly. Winner in this category | 9.0 Merlin AI is one of the easiest AI assistants we've tried. You can start using it right away without any complicated setup. The free tier gives you 102 queries per day, which is plenty to test everything out. Installing it is simple, and it works great on both Android and iOS. Switching between AI models is super easy - just tap to change from ChatGPT to Grok AI to Claude, and so on. The integration with Gmail and LinkedIn works smoothly. You don't need to configure anything complicated. The free tier lets you explore all the features without committing to anything, which makes it easy to learn at your own pace. We give it a 9 out of 10 because it's really user-friendly, though some of the more advanced features might take a bit of time to figure out. Winner in this category | 8.0 Gemini is easy to get started with.
Some features only work on certain phones or in some countries, which can be confusing. We also wish you could talk to Gemini without always opening the app. But for most things, it’s simple and quick. | 9.0 This might be the easiest AI app to use. It works right away - no complicated setup or learning curve. Downloading it is simple, and it works on both iPhones and Android phones. Once you open it, you can just start typing or tap the microphone to talk. That's it. The voice feature is really easy to use:
The chat interface looks like any other messaging app you've used - WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc. So it feels familiar right away. Your conversations are organized clearly, and you can easily find old chats. Even though it has lots of features, nothing feels overwhelming. The advanced stuff like making images is there if you want it, but it doesn't get in the way of basic chatting. The only confusing part is figuring out what's free and what costs money. The app could do a better job of showing you what you're missing out on with the free version. That's why we gave it a 9 out of 10. It's super easy to use, though some of the fancier features take a little time to figure out. Winner in this category |
| Security & Privacy Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Security & Privacy' aspect of each app. | 8.0 Microsoft Copilot gets an 8 out of 10 for security and privacy. Since it's made by Microsoft, it uses the same security measures that protect their other products like Office and Windows. Your conversations and the images you create are encrypted, which means they're protected from hackers. Microsoft has a good track record with keeping user data safe. If you sign in with your Microsoft account, you get extra security features like two-factor authentication. This adds another layer of protection to your account. Microsoft is pretty clear about how they handle your data. They don't sell your information to other companies, and you can control what data they collect. Just remember - like with any AI app, don't share really personal or sensitive information. While Microsoft keeps things secure, it's always better to be careful about what you share. | 7.0 For security and privacy, we give Merlin AI a 7 out of 10. The app uses standard encryption for your conversations and personal data, which is good. However, since it connects to multiple AI providers, your data might be shared with these third-party services. This is mentioned in their privacy policy, but it's something to be aware of. The app doesn't ask for unnecessary permissions, but remember that your conversations and any documents you upload are processed by external AI services. While the company is transparent about how they use data, we would have liked more control over what gets shared with which AI providers. They do a good job of being upfront about it, but some users might want more control over their data. | 8.2 Gemini uses Google’s usual privacy and security rules.
Like other Google apps, some data is collected to make things work better. If you care a lot about privacy, it’s worth reading the policy. We like that you can change some privacy settings, but this isn’t an offline or anonymous tool. Winner in this category | 7.0 We gave ChatGPT a 7 out of 10 for security and privacy. It uses standard security practices, which is good, but there are some things to be aware of. The good news is that OpenAI is pretty open about how they handle your data. You can easily find their privacy policy in the app, and they explain what they do with your information. However, there are some concerns. The app collects a lot of your personal data:
OpenAI says they use this to make their AI better, but that means they're storing and potentially using your private conversations. We noticed that some users were worried about the sync feature. Since your conversations are stored on OpenAI's servers (not just on your phone), they can access everything you've said. This is what makes the cross-device sync work, but it also means your chats aren't really private. The voice chat feature is convenient, but it also means your voice is being recorded and stored. You should know that your voice conversations could be used to train the AI. OpenAI does give you some control - you can delete your chat history and opt out of some data collection. But these options are kind of hidden and not easy to find. |
| Conclusion A summary of our findings and final thoughts for each app. | We've been using Microsoft Copilot for a while now and really like it. It's great for chatting with AI, creating images, and getting help with work. The free version is pretty good, but if you use Microsoft Office a lot, the Pro version is worth considering. | Merlin AI stands out as an exceptional all-in-one AI assistant that successfully combines multiple AI models with practical tools. The generous free tier makes it accessible to everyone, while the premium features offer significant value for power users. For anyone looking to consolidate their AI tools into one powerful platform, Merlin AI delivers an impressive and well-rounded experience. | We’ve used Gemini for a while and think it’s a smart, helpful assistant that keeps getting better. There are still a few things missing, but the basics are strong and new features show up often. If you want a free AI assistant that works well with Google apps and can help with lots of tasks, Gemini is a great pick. We’re excited to see how it improves in the future. | ChatGPT is still the best AI chat app out there. It's really good at conversations and has lots of useful features. The free version is okay for basic stuff, but if you want the good features, you'll need to pay for the premium version. |
| Our Recommendation | ||||
