# Copilot vs ChatGPT for Word documents

Built-in Copilot and the ChatGPT for Word add-in, compared on access, how they edit a `.docx`, models, and price

By Artur Sapek. Published 2026-10-07. Updated 2026-10-07.

Summary

- Copilot is built into Word on eligible Microsoft 365 plans. ChatGPT for Word is an add-in that is available on every ChatGPT plan, within its usage limits.
- Copilot is the simpler choice if you already have an eligible Microsoft 365 plan. ChatGPT for Word is a better fit if you have Word but no Copilot, or if you want to know which OpenAI models each plan includes.
- Copilot in Word starts with Microsoft 365 Personal at $9.99 a month, and ChatGPT for Word runs on the ChatGPT Free plan or on Go at $8 a month.

If you write in Word, you can get AI help from Copilot or from ChatGPT. Copilot is built into the ribbon on eligible Microsoft 365 plans, and ChatGPT installs as an add-in tied to your ChatGPT account. They differ in who can use them, how edits show up, which model does the work, and which subscription pays for it.

I have spent the past year building Revise, a word processor that opens and saves Word files. Plans and prices come from Microsoft’s and OpenAI’s own pages, and the edit behavior comes from their help pages and [our August 2026 document review test](https://revise.io/blog/ai-document-review-tools-compared).

## Copilot vs ChatGPT at a glance

|  | [Microsoft Copilot](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/pricing/individuals) | [ChatGPT for Word](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001526-chatgpt-for-word) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free plan | Yes (limited free Copilot, Word integration needs Microsoft 365) | Yes (available on every plan) |
| Paid from | $9.99/mo (Microsoft 365 Personal) | $8/mo (ChatGPT Go, limited Office use) |
| AI models | OpenAI and Anthropic, by plan | GPT |
| Inside Word | Yes (built in on Microsoft 365 plans) | Yes (add-in) |
| AI capabilities | Drafts, rewrites, and summarizes in Word, edits in place with highlight and undo | Drafts, summarizes, revises selections, and adjusts formatting |

Table 1: Copilot in Word and the ChatGPT for Word add-in compared on plans, models, Word integration, and AI capabilities.

## Key differences for Word documents

We compare five areas below. Each one ends with the product that has the edge based on the evidence we have, or says that neither does.

### Who can use it

Copilot is built into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook on Microsoft 365 Personal, Premium, and Pro, and for the subscription owner on Family. Microsoft also offers a limited free Copilot, but its Word integration needs an eligible Microsoft 365 subscription.

[ChatGPT for Word](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001526-chatgpt-for-word) is an add-in shared with Excel and PowerPoint, available on every ChatGPT plan, including Free, subject to that plan’s usage limits. OpenAI’s pricing page lists the Office extensions as limited on Free and Go and expanded on higher plans. You need access to Word itself to run it. In a work account, the ChatGPT workspace admin and the Microsoft 365 admin can both control whether the add-in is available.

Edge: Copilot is better for eligible Microsoft 365 subscribers, because there is nothing to install. ChatGPT for Word is better for anyone who has Word without a Copilot plan, provided their organization allows the add-in.

### How edits appear

In Word, you select text, choose Copilot, and either use Auto Rewrite or describe the change, then pick Replace, Insert below, or Regenerate. In our test, Copilot presented its review findings as cards in the chat pane. When we asked it to fix one, it changed the text directly and marked the change with a blue highlight and an undo button instead of tracked changes.

OpenAI says ChatGPT for Word drafts, summarizes, revises selected text, and adjusts headings, numbering, and formatting, and notes that it can change content you meant to keep, so you should review its edits. Our test covered the standalone ChatGPT app and not the add-in, so we did not see how the add-in marks its edits.

Edge: We can’t say, because we tested Copilot inside Word but tested ChatGPT only through its app.

### Document fidelity

Both work on the open document inside Word, so the file stays a native Word document. In our test, Word preserved the contract file’s formatting through Copilot’s edits and export. OpenAI says ChatGPT for Word can adjust headings, numbering, and formatting, and warns it can change content you meant to keep. We have no equivalent test of the add-in on the same file.

Edge: We can’t say, because we only tested Copilot inside Word.

### Which model does the work

Microsoft describes Copilot’s consumer plans as using “AI models selected by Microsoft” without naming them. OpenAI lists which models each ChatGPT plan includes. Free has GPT-5.6 Luna, Plus has GPT-6 reasoning models, and Pro has GPT-6 Astra. That tells you what each plan offers, but the add-in’s help page does not say which model handles a given edit. In [our model-only proofreading benchmark](https://revise.io/blog/best-ai-model-for-proofreading), which is not a test of either Word integration, GPT-6 Astra with low reasoning fixed 96.1% of seeded errors.

Edge: ChatGPT, because it publishes which models each plan includes. That makes it easier to know what you are getting, but it is not evidence of better edits.

### Price

Copilot in Word comes with Microsoft 365 Personal at $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year, which also pays for Word and the other Office apps. Usage runs on AI credits with feature limits. Family is $12.99 a month (AI for the owner only), and Premium is $19.99. ChatGPT for Word is available on every ChatGPT plan, including Free. The cheapest paid plan is Go at $8 a month, and individual plans are billed monthly. OpenAI says Word usage is priced in tokens at the API rates for the model you use, counts against your plan’s token limits, and draws from the usage allowance shared with Codex and other premium features on plans that include one.

Edge: Copilot is better if you already have an eligible Microsoft 365 plan. ChatGPT for Word is better if you have Word through another license and want to start on the ChatGPT Free plan, within its token limits.

## Which should you choose?

Choose Copilot if

- you already have an eligible Microsoft 365 plan
- you want nothing to install
- you want one assistant across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

Choose ChatGPT for Word if

- you have Word but no Copilot plan
- you want to try AI in Word on the ChatGPT Free plan, within its limits
- you value a published model lineup for each plan

## Other options for Word files

If you want tracked changes without leaving Word, [Claude for Word](https://claude.com/docs/office-agents/word) applies its edits as native Word revisions when Track Changes is on. It also cites sections of the document, edits selections, and works in comment threads. It needs Claude Pro or higher.

Revise, which we build, is a browser word processor with an AI agent that runs GPT, Claude, Gemini, and Grok models. It imports a `.docx`, proposes text and formatting edits as tracked changes, and exports unresolved suggestions back to Word as tracked changes. It is not an add-in, so the document leaves Word while you edit it, and its higher-end models need a paid plan.

## What each costs

| Tool | Cheapest paid plan | Monthly | Per year | AI on that plan |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft Copilot | Microsoft 365 Personal (or $99.99/year) | $9.99/mo | $99.99 | Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook with AI credits and feature limits |
| ChatGPT for Word | ChatGPT Go (monthly billing, Office extensions limited on Go) | $8/mo | $96 | Included with limited usage, expanded on Plus and up |

Table 2: Cheapest paid plan for one person, monthly and per year, and what AI that plan includes. ChatGPT for Word is available on every ChatGPT plan, including Free, subject to token limits and a usage allowance shared with other premium features. US dollars before tax.

## The bottom line

If you have an eligible Microsoft 365 plan, start with Copilot. If you have Word but no Copilot, add ChatGPT for Word to your ChatGPT plan. If you want native revisions inside Word, consider Claude for Word.

Sources

Prices and plan details were checked against each vendor’s own pages on October 4, 2026. Prices are in US dollars as each vendor lists them, and some include local tax. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the linked page before you buy.

- Microsoft Copilot: [Pricing for individuals](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/pricing/individuals), [Revise's AI review test](https://revise.io/blog/ai-document-review-tools-compared#copilot), [Edit and rewrite in Word](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/copilot/edit-rewrite-content), [Copilot Pages](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/get-started-with-microsoft-365-copilot-pages), [Supported file formats](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/file-formats-supported-by-microsoft-365-copilot), [Choosing a model in Copilot in Word](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/copilot/draft-and-add-content-with-copilot-in-word), [Copilot licenses](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/what-copilot-license-do-i-have), [Copilot business pricing](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/pricing), [Copilot enterprise pricing](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/enterprise), [Anthropic models in Copilot (admin controls)](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/connect-to-ai-subprocessor), [Anthropic models in Copilot apps](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/copilot-anthropic-apps), [Copilot button in Word](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/40db4cef-3d59-474d-9dec-f649b5bfab8e), [Missing Copilot button](https://support.microsoft.com/office/how-to-find-and-enable-missing-copilot-button-in-microsoft-365-apps-c8482b93-4b96-4bb8-8ec9-5148f4d42441), [Turn off Copilot](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/bc7e530b-152d-4123-8e78-edc06f8b85f1), [AI credits](https://support.microsoft.com/office/understanding-ai-credits-68530f1a-4459-4d02-9818-8233c1f673b8), [File upload in Copilot](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot/file-upload-in-microsoft-copilot), [Copilot in Word on mobile](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/copilot-in-word-on-mobile-devices-6b578cc5-5c45-47a9-9cf6-06c4b51cbc87), [Long documents](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/66de2ffd-deb2-4f0c-8984-098316104389)
- Microsoft Word: [AI capabilities and access](https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/word/welcome-to-copilot-in-word), [Previous versions](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/collab-files/view-previous-versions-of-office-files), [Track Changes](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/track-changes-in-word-197ba630-0f5f-4a8e-9a77-3712475e806a), [Navigation pane](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/use-the-navigation-pane-in-word-394787be-bca7-459b-894e-3f8511515e55), [Real-time co-authoring](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/collaborate-on-word-documents-with-real-time-co-authoring-7dd3040c-3f30-4fdd-bab0-8586492a1f1d), [Save as PDF](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/save-or-convert-to-pdf-or-xps-in-office-desktop-apps-d85416c5-7d77-4fd6-a216-6f4bf7c7c110), [Compare documents (legal blackline)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/compare-document-differences-using-the-legal-blackline-option-dbfc7351-4022-43a2-a0c4-54d1898702a0), [Microsoft 365 plans](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/buy/compare-all-microsoft-365-products), [Word for the web](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/free-office-online-for-the-web), [Revise's AI review test](https://revise.io/blog/ai-document-review-tools-compared#copilot), [Copilot in Word](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/welcome-to-copilot-in-word-2135e85f-a467-463b-b2f0-c51a46d625d1), [Track Changes in Word for the web](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/can-i-use-track-changes-in-word-for-the-web), [Word options: General](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/word-options-general), [Print a document](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/Word/print-a-document-in-word), [Office for the web in OneDrive](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/using-office-for-the-web-in-onedrive), [Microsoft 365 mobile apps](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/microsoft-365-mobile-apps-0ffcba82-380f-43dd-ab96-dbac0894b542), [Removed Windows features (WordPad)](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/removed-features), [Word for the web service description](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/servicedescriptions/office-online-service-description/word-online), [Similarity checking](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/check-your-document-for-similarity-to-online-sources), [Editing with Copilot and Track Changes (Microsoft 365 Copilot)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/copilot/transcript-for-copilot-with-word-with-screen-reader), [Copilot and document length](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/how-reference-and-document-lengths-affect-copilot-responses), [When you need a Microsoft 365 subscription](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-activation-licensing/when-do-i-need-a-microsoft-365-subscription)
- ChatGPT: [Pricing](https://chatgpt.com/pricing), [Free tier FAQ](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/9275245-chatgpt-free-tier-faq), [File uploads FAQ](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8555545-file-uploads-faq), [Writing blocks](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001246-working-with-writing-blocks-and-code-blocks-in-chatgpt), [ChatGPT for Word](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001526-chatgpt-for-word), [Capabilities overview](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/9260256-chatgpt-capabilities-overview), [ChatGPT for Word](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001526-chatgpt-for-word), [Creating documents with ChatGPT Work](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001278-creating-and-editing-documents-spreadsheets-and-presentations-with-chatgpt-work), [Google Drive app](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10929079-google-drive-app-and-setup-in-chatgpt), [Google app data controls](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10408842-google-app-data-controls-faq), [Supported file types](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8983675-what-types-of-files-are-supported), [ChatGPT for Google Sheets](https://workspace.google.com/marketplace/app/chatgpt/870214997678)
- ChatGPT for Word: [ChatGPT for Word](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001526-chatgpt-for-word), [Pricing](https://chatgpt.com/pricing), [ChatGPT Plus](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6950777-what-is-chatgpt-plus)
- Claude for Word: [Claude for Word](https://claude.com/docs/office-agents/word), [Pricing](https://claude.com/pricing)
- Revise: [Pricing](https://revise.io/pricing), [Supported models](https://revise.io/articles/supported-ai-models), [Agent capabilities](https://revise.io/articles/agent-capabilities), [Word compatibility](https://revise.io/articles/docx-compatibility), [Import and export](https://revise.io/articles/import-export), [MCP server](https://revise.io/articles/mcp-server), [Suggesting mode](https://revise.io/articles/suggesting-mode), [AI usage limits](https://revise.io/articles/ai-usage-limits)

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Copilot better than ChatGPT for Word documents?

Neither is better in every case. Copilot is built into Word on Microsoft 365 Personal, Premium, and Pro, and for the owner on Family, with nothing to install. ChatGPT for Word is an add-in available on every ChatGPT plan, and OpenAI publishes which models each plan includes. We have not tested the two Word integrations side by side on the same file.

### Does Copilot in Word use tracked changes?

Not in our test. Copilot changed the text directly and marked each edit with a blue highlight and an undo button. Microsoft's instructions describe choosing Replace, Insert below, or Regenerate after a rewrite.

### Is ChatGPT for Word free?

It is available on every ChatGPT plan, including Free. OpenAI prices Word usage in tokens at the API rates for the model you use, and it counts against your plan's token limits and, on plans that have one, the usage allowance shared with Codex and other premium features. OpenAI lists Office extensions as limited on Free and Go. You still need Microsoft Word to run it.

### Do I need Microsoft 365 to use Copilot in Word?

Yes. Microsoft's free Copilot does not include the Word integration. Copilot in Word comes with Microsoft 365 Personal ($9.99 a month or $99.99 a year), Premium, and Pro, and with Family for the subscription owner.

### Can I get AI edits on a Word file as tracked changes?

Yes. Claude for Word applies edits as native Word revisions when Track Changes is on, on Claude Pro or higher. In our test, Copilot in Word edited the text directly instead of using tracked changes, and we have not tested how the ChatGPT for Word add-in marks its edits.