# ChatGPT vs Claude vs Microsoft 365 Copilot vs Gemini for a small UK firm: business plans compared on price, data terms and admin controls
> Compare business AI plans by workflow, seat minimums, quoted currency, supplier terms and review effort, with current primary sources and a pilot checklist.
- Page to cite: https://aeolookup.com/ai-for-small-firms/chatgpt-vs-claude-vs-copilot-vs-gemini-small-uk-firm-business-plans-compared/
- Publisher: AEO Lookup (https://aeolookup.com/)
- Section: AI for small firms, Choosing an AI assistant
- Published 1 October 2026, last checked 30 October 2026
- Key fact: The comparison keeps published currencies separate. At the checked £13.80 promotional add-on reference, five Copilot Business seats are £828 for a year before VAT, with an eligible base plan still required.
- Sources: OpenAI official pricing and Work security documentation; Claude Help Center Team plan; Microsoft UK Copilot pricing and offer footnotes; Google Workspace pricing; first-party comparative-budget method; checked 30 October 2026. No purchase or checkout was completed.
Choose an AI business plan by the work it supports, the software your team already uses, the account controls and the complete cost of a reviewed pilot. Compare current written quotes on the same billing and tax basis before calling one cheaper.
This 30 October 2026 update replaces the older single-currency price ranking. The sources served different currencies and offers, so the table keeps those differences visible.
## Which workflow should each plan be assessed against?
Give the candidates the same small set of approved tasks. A comparison of product names alone cannot establish which one saves your firm time.
| Candidate | A useful pilot question | What to confirm in the quote |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Business | Does the team get accepted results from its recurring tasks? | Seat types, usage, workspace controls and the local price |
| Claude Team | Does it handle the team's document and drafting work well? | Seat mix, allowances, access controls and local billing |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot | Does assistance within the existing Microsoft workflow reduce handling? | Add-on versus bundle, base licence and usage charges |
| Google Workspace with Gemini | Does assistance within the Workspace tools used by the team help? | Required edition, included features and the local renewal price |
These are test questions, rather than measured results or a ranking. Use [the time-savings pilot](https://aeolookup.com/ai-for-small-firms/measure-ai-time-savings/) to compare complete tasks, including checking and rejected outputs.
## What do the current primary sources actually establish?
| Provider reference | Observation on 30 October 2026 | Budget consequence |
|---|---|---|
| [OpenAI pricing](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/pricing) | Business: $20 per user per month annually or $25 monthly; minimum two | Verify the UK quote and seat types |
| [Claude Team help](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/9266767-what-is-the-team-plan) | Standard: $20 annually or $25 monthly; minimum two; US prices exclude tax | Verify local currency and billing |
| [Microsoft UK pricing](https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/copilot/pricing/business) | Copilot Business add-on starting at £13.80 per user per month, paid yearly, excluding VAT | Check eligibility, offer term and the base-plan cost |
| [Google Workspace pricing](https://workspace.google.com/pricing) | Edition and promotion details depend on the quote served | Get the UK currency, edition and renewal price before comparing totals |
The Google page returned a different currency and a future-dated promotion during our check, so it does not establish a current UK price here. We have not converted foreign prices into pounds or completed a checkout.
The Claude source explicitly directs buyers to their local upgrade screen. Microsoft's checked discount applies to eligible existing Business customers, requires an annual commitment and covers the first year; its published offer window runs from 1 July to 31 December 2026. Recheck the live terms.
## What does the Microsoft add-on example leave out?
Five seats at the observed £13.80 monthly equivalent are 5 × £13.80 × 12 = £828 before VAT. That figure covers the add-on at the stated reference, with the qualifying base subscription still needed.
If the firm already pays for that base service, record both the existing cost and the additional commitment. If it needs a new base subscription, include it in the new-purchase comparison. Check bundles separately instead of adding an add-on to a bundle that already includes the relevant entitlement.
Use [the ChatGPT budget guide](https://aeolookup.com/ai-for-small-firms/how-much-does-chatgpt-cost-small-business-uk/) for a seat-count example and [the ROI method](https://aeolookup.com/ai-for-small-firms/calculate-ai-roi/) to include implementation and review effort.
## Which data and admin questions matter before a pilot?
Confirm who controls the business account, who can add or remove users, which tools can access company information and how the service handles that information. Verify the controls on the exact edition being purchased.
[OpenAI's Work security documentation](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/enterprise/chatgpt-work-cloud-security) describes business-workspace protections and configuration-dependent access. Apply the same habit of reading the relevant provider terms to every candidate; a product family name does not establish every control.
For personal information, use the [customer-data questions](https://aeolookup.com/ai-for-small-firms/can-customer-data-go-into-ai-assistant-five-questions-uk/) with the person responsible for data protection. Record the actual supplier role, purpose, terms and approval.
## How should a small UK firm make the final choice?
Run a bounded trial using approved material and a common acceptance checklist. Keep a record of preparation, processing, review and final handling time.
A UK retailer might compare draft product descriptions against its approved catalogue. An accountancy firm might compare a summarisation task using approved, suitable material. These are illustrative trial designs, with no claim of a customer result.
Use the AI readiness score to identify preparation work. Extend the trial when the accepted outputs, review effort and actual budget justify it. Confirm any trial-to-paid conversion and renewal conditions before starting a subscription.
## Which questions come up most often?
### Which plan is cheapest?
Compare current local quotes for the required edition, seat minimum, base subscriptions, tax and usage. A mixed-currency reference table does not establish a cheapest option.
### Should I compare only the subscription?
Include setup, required related licences and the human work needed to produce an accepted result. Measure the pilot before extending it.
### Does a business plan settle customer-data approval?
The firm still needs to review the purpose, supplier role, applicable terms, access and other data-protection obligations for the intended work.
## Short answers from this page
**Which is cheapest for a small UK firm: ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot or Gemini?** On prices read on 1 October 2026, five seats for a year before VAT cost £708 on Google Workspace Business Standard with Gemini, £828 on the Microsoft 365 Copilot Business add-on at its offer price (a Microsoft 365 plan is extra), and £900 on both ChatGPT Business and Claude Team, all on annual billing.
**Do ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Gemini train on my business's data?** On their business plans, not by default: OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft and Google each said so on their own pages, read on 1 October 2026. Personal plans differ. OpenAI may train on individuals' content unless they opt out, and Anthropic uses Free, Pro and Max chats if the user allows it. Feedback buttons are an exception on ChatGPT and Claude.
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General information for UK small firms, not legal, tax or financial advice.