Entertainment

I tested the 5 best free AI chatbots — here’s my verdict

AnyFans 2025-09-30

By Thomas Perry

I tested the 5 best free AI chatbots — here's my verdict

Tom’s Guide

Newsletters

View Profile

Search Tom’s Guide

You may like

It’s 2025, stop using ChatGPT for everything: A pro’s guide to picking the right AI for the job

GPT-5 users aren’t happy with the update — try these alternative chatbots instead

I just tried the chatbots you’ve never heard of — here’s how they stack up against ChatGPT

Content creation remains a limited feature on the free version of Gemini, with image creation available but not videos. A subscription to Gemini Pro also provides users with NotebookLM, a research tool with 5x the limit in its search capabilities.
Another benefit of Gemini is its direct access to Google Workspace. Those who want a quick summary of their content from apps such as Gmail, Google Drive, and Docs will be happy. This also extends to Google’s travel service such as Flights, Hotels, & Maps. It’s certainly a quick fix for those who’d prefer not to spend time searching the wider web.
While Gemini Pro affords you greater depth with your projects, such as the ability to understand large books and reports with 1,500 pages of file uploads, the free Gemini plan still offers users a wide array of helpful options.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Do you need to speak to a chatbot that has a certain voice? Then you’ll want to use Grok’s basic plan and check out its personas section. Through this, you can speak with Grok as if it were a companion, loyal friend or homework helper, among others.
Think of it as less of a genuine connection and more of a platform that tailors its responses to the needs of a diverse audience. I found this to be an interesting addition to the chatbot.
What the free Grok plan lacks is unlimited use of its search engine, including DeepSearch and think mode. Your search usage is limited to 10 prompts every 2 hours.

Do you need to speak to a chatbot that has a certain voice? Then you’ll want to use Grok’s basic plan
A subscription to SuperGrok and/or SuperGrok Heavy would grant you enhanced access to Grok 3 and Grok 4 (the latest model) and subsequently higher usage limits for features like DeepSearch and image generator. SuperGrok will also allow you to create an AI companion that isn’t available on the free plan.
But if you’re able to put up with a slightly longer wait time for programs like DeepSearch and image generator, then this will still be a useful chatbot to assist you.
Any regular news readers will also be happy to know that Grok has a dedicated news section (latest news) that filters the top international news stories without having to insert a series of precise instructions into the chatbot.
Overall, while Grok provides similar functions to other chatbots, I found its free plan to be significantly more limited in that it doesn’t contain a section for additional GPTs or Gems. A subscription might be your best bet.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Those who visit Le Chat’s free plan will be missing out if they don’t take advantage of its agents section. Here users will find tools including personal tutor, global summarizer and writing assistant.
Think of these tools as a quick fix for those who need to summarize extensive documents, refine their writing abilities or need a personalized learning companion. Do take into account the document size as larger ones will require you to pay.
One key feature of Le Chat is its Flash Answers setting. This feature enables users to type your request into the chatbot and get high speed replies. Though do be aware that you have a limited number of prompts available and will have to upgrade for the Pro or Team plan to receive up to 250 flash answers a day.
Le Chat’s free plan does not, unfortunately, allow you to connect to Google Workspace. I would advise downloading assignments you plan on scrutinizing via Le Chat as PDFs onto your system before uploading them to this chatbot for inspection.
There is definitely room for expanding the number of agents available, but overall Le Chat is worth a look. Le Chat also maintains a deep research tool. But be aware of how often you use it as you are limited to five prompts until the system resets itself.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)
When using AI chatbots, is it purely for education, work, and/or general convenience? I find that certain chatbots can also offer an outlet to be creative and have a bit of fun for free. Claude’s free plan is one of these options. More specifically, Claude’s artefacts section has enough categories to leave users content.
Claude’s learn something section offers education resources like origin stories and language learning. Alternatively, users can take advantage of the like hacks category where they will be treated to instruments like Claude’s email writing assistant.
Aside from this, the free plan maintains the essential features that come with other chatbots, including conversations, coding support, text generation and analyzing content.
Your daily message limit is not clearly established but rather based on the demand at the time. which could be troublesome if users aren’t aware of the number of prompts they have left. An upgrade to Claude Pro or Max will mitigate this.
Claude may lack video and image generation and the ability to connect to Google Workspace without an upgrade, but you can easily accomplish a great deal in a single day using this platform.
Which free AI chatbot is best?

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide/Shutterstock)
So, if you’re not willing to part with your hard-earned cash, which free AI chatbot is best for you?
Arguably, ChatGPT has the best overall package. It offers a lot of the same features found on its paid versions, just with limits in place. If you are mainly using AI to ask questions, research, and occasionally make an image or graph, ChatGPT’s free version has all you need. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to pay for features like advanced thinking capabilities and video generation.
Equally, Gemini crams a lot of features in without asking you to pay. You can do a lot of the same stuff as you can with ChatGPT’s free plan, as well as use helpful tools like NotebookLM. Both Gemini and ChatGPT arguably offer the most capable interaction without you having to pay.
So, should you skip Le Chat, Claude or Grok? These tools do have their benefits. Grok will especially appeal to users who like their chatbot with some personality, or anyone who is using the tool for coding.
Le Chat’s biggest benefit is its fast searches, but outside of that, it might feel limited compared to its competitors. And Claude, like Gemini and ChatGPT, simply offers a limited version of its full service, while lacking functions like memory and image generation.
Overall, you can’t go wrong with any of these free AI tools. However, ChatGPT and Gemini are our clear recommendations.
Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
More from Tom’s Guide

OpenAI is now testing ChatGPT against humans in 44 different occupations, from lawyers and software developers to registered nurses — here’s the full list of jobs affected
ChatGPT Pulse is here — now the AI proactively starts the chat and creates a daily brief
The new battle against ‘AI Slop’ — Spotify will now label synthetic music and punish abusers

Back to Laptops

Intel Core i3

Intel Core i5

Intel Core i7

Storage Size

Screen Size

Refurbished

Storage Type

Showing 10 of 297 deals

Apple 13″ MacBook Air M4 (2025)

(256GB SSD)

Apple 15″ MacBook Air M4 (2025)

(15-inch 1TB)

$1,599View

Dell XPS 13 (2016)

(13.3-inch 256GB)

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 9)

(512GB OLED)

$858.11View

Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14

(14-inch 256GB)

$757.23View

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025)

(14-inch 1TB)

$1,688.99View

Apple 13″ MacBook Air M4 (2025)

Apple 15″ MacBook Air M4 (2025)

(15-inch 256GB)

$1,099View

Dell XPS 13 Plus

$869.99View

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 9)

$979.99View

Thomas Perry

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

It’s 2025, stop using ChatGPT for everything: A pro’s guide to picking the right AI for the job

GPT-5 users aren’t happy with the update — try these alternative chatbots instead

I just tried the chatbots you’ve never heard of — here’s how they stack up against ChatGPT

I tested ChatGPT-5 vs Claude with 7 challenging prompts — here’s the winner

ChatGPT Plus explained — is this the right plan for you?

I tested ChatGPT-5 vs Grok 4 with 9 prompts — and there’s a clear winner

Latest in AI

Google Gemini was down — live updates on outage

Get ready to ‘vibe work’ in Microsoft Office with new AI agents — here’s how

Claude Sonnet 4.5 can code for 30 hours straight — and it could change the future of work forever

YouTube Music just got a big AI upgrade with hosts that give commentary and trivia — here’s how to try it

AI billionaire’s advice to teens: Master ‘vibe coding’ — here’s 5 prompts to get started

ChatGPT just launched Parental Controls — here’s my advice to parents

Latest in Features

7 reasons why I’d buy the iPhone 17 over the iPhone 17 Pro

Tom’s Guide Coffee Week: expert brewing advice, brought to you by pro testers and qualified baristas

I shot over 200 photos with the iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S25 Ultra — here’s the winner

I sit hunched over a desk all day and my back pays the price — here’s how I use the Hyperice Venom 2 Back to ease the pain

A yoga teacher says you can fire up your deepest core muscles using this one essential exercise

How to paint your IKEA furniture for a flawless finish — decorating experts share their top tips

Hot News_tariffs news_big country news_anyfans news

I tested the 5 best free AI chatbots — here’s my verdict

7 Controversial Late-Night Show Moments

7 Jude Law Movies and Shows to Watch if You Loved Him in ‘Black Rabbit’

Pakistani child star Umer Shah dies after cardiac arrest at 15, celebrities express shock and grief

Full winners from National Television Awards – live updates

I tested the 5 best free AI chatbots — here’s my verdict

You Might Also Like

7 Controversial Late-Night Show Moments

7 Jude Law Movies and Shows to Watch if You Loved Him in ‘Black Rabbit’

Pakistani child star Umer Shah dies after cardiac arrest at 15, celebrities express shock and grief

Full winners from National Television Awards – live updates