What is Microsoft Copilot?
Microsoft Copilot is Microsoft's AI assistant, available as a standalone chat experience and embedded across Windows, Edge, and Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. The free, web-based Copilot offers general chat and image generation with usage limits. Copilot Pro adds priority access and more features for individuals, while Microsoft 365 Copilot is a separate, business-focused subscription that adds deep integration inside Office apps — drafting documents in Word, building slides in PowerPoint, and analyzing data in Excel using your own organizational content (with enterprise data protections). GitHub Copilot, Microsoft's coding assistant, is a related but separately branded and priced product.
Best for
- Microsoft 365 workflows
- Windows-integrated AI assistance
- Business document drafting
Not ideal for
A genuinely good tool can still be a poor fit for a specific situation — this isn't a list of flaws, it's about who this tool doesn't suit best.
- Individuals or teams not already using Microsoft 365
- Anyone wanting one flat subscription rather than navigating separate Copilot, Microsoft 365 Copilot and GitHub Copilot products
Key features
- Office app integration
- Windows integration
- Image generation
- Enterprise data controls
AI Tool Compass Editorial Score
6.6This is a structured editorial/data score based on publicly verifiable information — not a user rating, a Google rating, an absolute ranking, or a popularity score. It's computed from documented features, pricing accessibility, free plan and integrations, following a documented internal methodology. See our full methodology.
Features
6.7/10
Value
8.0/10
Free plan
10.0/10
Integrations
0.0/10
Pros
- Deep Windows and Office integration
- Enterprise data-handling options via Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Free tier available
Cons
- Full Office integration requires a separate Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription
- Feature set varies by which Copilot product/tier you're on
Alternatives
Full comparison →ChatGPT
OpenAI's general-purpose AI chatbot for writing, research, coding and analysis.
Best for: General writing and editing, Coding help
Recommended prompts
User reviews
No reviews yet — real user ratings and ratings only appear here once submitted and moderated. Be the first to review Microsoft Copilot.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Microsoft Copilot the same product as GitHub Copilot?
- No — they're separately branded and priced products from the same company. Microsoft Copilot is a general-purpose assistant built into Windows, Edge and Office; GitHub Copilot is a dedicated coding assistant.
- Do I need Microsoft 365 to use Copilot?
- No — the free, web-based Copilot works standalone at copilot.microsoft.com. Deep integration inside Word, Excel and PowerPoint specifically requires the separate Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription.
- What's the difference between Copilot Pro and Microsoft 365 Copilot?
- Copilot Pro is an individual subscription adding priority access and more features to the standalone assistant. Microsoft 365 Copilot is a separate, business-focused subscription that adds AI features directly inside your organization's Office apps and data.
Sources & Verification
- Official website
- copilot.microsoft.com
- Verification status
- Needs review
- Last verified
- September 2026
- Data source
- General knowledge, not independently re-verified against the vendor's site this session
This tool's pricing and features have not been independently re-verified against the provider's current site. Confirm details on the official website above before relying on them.