Short answer: don't pick the best model; pick the one that fits how your company works. If you mainly want AI in email, documents and spreadsheets, Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini is the natural choice, depending on which office suite you use. If you need a standalone assistant for writing, analysis and working through long documents, Claude or ChatGPT. We work primarily with Anthropic's Claude ourselves.
Most managers ask the question as "which one is best?" The differences between models shift month by month, and on everyday business tasks (emails, summaries, translation, analysis) all four perform well. What stays different is the packaging: where it's built in, what it costs, what it commits to about your data, and where it stores it.
The four tools in brief
Claude (Anthropic). A standalone AI assistant. In our experience it's strong with long texts and documents, analysis and careful writing. The Claude Team business plan also connects to Microsoft 365 (Claude for Microsoft 365 and Outlook).
ChatGPT (OpenAI). The best-known standalone assistant, with a broad feature set. Its business plan is ChatGPT Business (formerly Team).
Microsoft Copilot. Built into the Microsoft 365 apps (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams), and sees company email and documents according to each user's permissions.
Google Gemini. Built into Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet), and part of Workspace business plans since 2025.
What they cost
| Business plan | Price per user per month | Minimum | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude | Team (Standard) | $20 billed annually, $25 monthly | 2 users (for teams of 2 to 150) |
| ChatGPT | Business (Standard) | $20 billed annually, $25 monthly | 2 users |
| Microsoft Copilot | Copilot Business | $21 ($18 from July to December 2026) | Microsoft 365 subscription, up to 300 users |
| Google Gemini | included in Workspace | no extra charge | Workspace business plan |
Both standalone assistants also offer a pricier "premium" seat with higher usage limits ($100 or $125 per month). Anthropic's Enterprise plan starts at 20 users. Microsoft 365 customers also get Copilot Chat for free, which is more limited than the full Copilot built into the apps.
Local prices depend on your reseller and exchange rates, so these are the official dollar prices.
What they commit to about your data
This is the most important question, and the good news is that in business plans all four providers commit to something similar.
- Anthropic: by default, inputs and outputs from its commercial products (Claude for Work, the API) aren't used to train models. The exceptions are when a user explicitly sends feedback or a bug report, or chooses to allow use of their data.
- OpenAI: by default, data from ChatGPT Business, Enterprise, Edu and the API platform isn't used to train or improve its models.
- Microsoft: Copilot prompts, responses and company data accessed through Microsoft Graph aren't used to train foundation models, and Copilot only shows what the user has rights to.
- Google: Workspace customer data isn't used for training without prior permission or instruction, and Gemini conversations aren't reviewed by humans.
So the difference isn't here; it's in free personal accounts. Their terms differ, which is why company data should only go into business plans.
Where they store data
If your customers require EU data storage in their contracts, this can be decisive, and here there are differences.
- Microsoft Copilot: part of the EU Data Boundary, so EU customers' data is stored and processed within the EU. The exception is the Anthropic models available within Copilot, which are currently excluded.
- Google Gemini: Google makes no separate EU data residency commitment for Gemini.
- ChatGPT: European data residency is available to eligible Enterprise, Edu, Healthcare and API customers, not to the Business plan.
- Claude: according to Anthropic, its own apps and API don't offer EU data residency. If you need it, Claude models are available in European regions through AWS Bedrock and Google Vertex.
For most SMEs this rarely decides the choice, but if you have healthcare, financial or public-sector customers, clarify it up front.
Which one fits you?
Copilot, if: your company runs on Microsoft 365 and you want AI mainly in Outlook, Word, Excel and Teams. Advantage: it reaches company documents through existing permissions, without uploading anything.
Gemini, if: your company runs on Google Workspace. Advantage: it's already in the price and available right away in Gmail, Docs and Sheets.
Claude, if: the main work is writing, analysis, working through long contracts, proposals and tenders, or if you'd also use AI for development and automation. It's what we use most, because for long, complex documents and careful writing it fits our work best.
ChatGPT, if: you want a widely known, versatile standalone assistant, and part of your team already knows it from personal use.
A note on integrations
Beyond the chat window, ask how the tool connects to the systems you already use. Copilot and Gemini read company files through the office suite. Claude Team connects to Microsoft 365 and Outlook, and both standalone assistants offer connectors and an API that can be used to build automations, for example summarising incoming documents or drafting replies inside a workflow. If you expect AI to become part of your processes rather than a separate tab, this matters more than small differences in chat quality.
Do you have to pick just one?
Not necessarily, but keep it to a few. A common setup that works in an SME:
- everyone gets the AI that comes with the office suite (Copilot Chat or Gemini), because it's free or cheap and helps with daily email;
- a few people get a standalone assistant's business plan (for example Claude Team) when their work is mostly writing, analysis or document processing.
What to avoid: everyone using a different tool with personal accounts. With that kind of "shadow AI" you can't build shared rules, training or data protection controls.
What to check in the contract
The difference between business plans is often not the model but the administration. Points worth checking:
- data processing agreement (DPA): required under the GDPR if you process personal data with the tool;
- central administration: adding and removing users in one place;
- single sign-on (SSO): a leaver's access should end with their company account;
- data retention: how long conversations are kept, and whether you can configure it;
- exit: how data can be exported if you want to switch.
According to Anthropic, Claude Team includes central administration and single sign-on, and Enterprise adds audit logs and custom data retention controls. For other standalone assistants, check the current plan description. Copilot and Gemini fit into your office suite's existing administration.
Four common misconceptions
"The free version is enough." The model may be the same, but the terms aren't. Free personal accounts have no company administration and no data processing agreement, and different rules apply to training.
"The AI knows everything about our company." It only knows what you give it or connect it to. Copilot and Gemini see company documents according to permissions; a standalone assistant only sees what you upload or link.
"If it sounds confident, it's true." Every model can be wrong, and it sounds just as confident when it is. Anything going outside should be reviewed by a person.
"You choose once." The market moves fast. Once a year, check whether your chosen tool is still the best fit for your tasks.
Is a seat worth the price?
A standalone assistant's business seat costs $20 to $25 per user per month. It pays off if the person saves at least a few hours a month and spends that time on something more valuable. For someone writing proposals, contracts or long emails, that usually happens quickly. In a role that rarely works with text, it probably won't.
So not everyone needs the same thing. Go through it role by role, and buy standalone seats only where the benefit is clear. For everyone else, the office suite's AI is usually enough.
How to try them
The best way to decide is a small two-week trial with real tasks:
- Pick three real, frequent tasks (for example a proposal draft, a summary of a long contract, an email in another language).
- Have two or three people do the same tasks with two tools, using company trial accounts.
- Rate them on simple criteria: time taken, how much needed fixing, how usable the result was.
- Check the cost with the real number of users.
- Decide, and write down the rules for the chosen tool.
Trials often surprise: the team doesn't necessarily pick the tool management expected. More importantly, by the end of the trial you know whether the team will actually use it.
What to do now
- Check which office suite you use, and switch on its AI.
- Decide who needs a standalone assistant, and for what.
- If you need EU data residency, settle the plan up front.
- Use company accounts, not free personal ones.
- Run a two-week trial with real tasks.
- Write down the usage rules and run a short training session.
If you'd like help organising a short trial and setting up the rules, have a look at our AI solutions and our modern workplace and cloud service.
FAQ
Which is the best AI tool for an SME?
There's no single best. If your company runs on Microsoft 365, Copilot fits best; on Google Workspace, Gemini. As standalone assistants, Claude and ChatGPT are the two main choices; we primarily use Claude ourselves.
How much do Claude and ChatGPT business plans cost?
Both standard seats cost $20 per user per month billed annually or $25 monthly, from two users. Premium seats with higher usage limits cost $100 or $125 per month.
Do they train their models on our company data?
Not by default in business plans, according to the providers: Anthropic, OpenAI, Microsoft and Google all commit to this. Free personal accounts have different terms.
Which one stores data in the EU?
Microsoft Copilot is part of the EU Data Boundary. ChatGPT offers European data residency in Enterprise and API plans, not in Business. Claude does through AWS Bedrock or Google Vertex. Gemini makes no separate EU commitment.
Can we use several AI tools at once?
Yes, but keep it to a few and be deliberate: for example, everyone gets the office suite's AI and a few people get a standalone assistant. Avoid everyone using a different tool with personal accounts.
Sources
- Anthropic – Claude plans and pricing
- Anthropic Privacy Center – Is my data used for model training?
- Anthropic – Regional compliance
- OpenAI – Enterprise privacy at OpenAI (business data)
- OpenAI Help Center – ChatGPT Business general FAQ
- Microsoft Learn – Data, Privacy, and Security for Microsoft Copilot
- Microsoft – Copilot Plans and Pricing for Business
- Google – Generative AI in Google Workspace Privacy Hub
