If your team is about to pay for an AI assistant, the three names on the shortlist are almost always the same: ChatGPT from OpenAI, Claude from Anthropic and Gemini from Google. All three are good. All three cost roughly the same at the entry level. The differences that matter for a small business are less about raw intelligence and more about where your work already lives, how your data is handled and which tasks your team does every day.
This guide compares them as they stand in late October 2026. Plans and models change often, so treat prices as "from about" and check the vendor page before you buy.
The short answer
- Your company runs on Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Drive, Meet): start with Gemini, because it is already inside the tools you use and is included in most Workspace business plans.
- You want the most all-round assistant, including images, voice and a large ecosystem of add-ons: ChatGPT is the safest general choice.
- Your team writes a lot, works with long documents or writes code: Claude is often the favourite for careful writing, long files and programming work.
- You run on Microsoft 365: look at Microsoft Copilot first, then add ChatGPT or Claude for the tasks Copilot does not cover well.
Many small teams end up with one main assistant for everyone and a second one for one or two power users. That is a perfectly reasonable setup.
Plans and prices compared
Prices below are in US dollars, before tax, as listed in October 2026. Annual billing is usually cheaper than monthly. Local prices vary by country and app-store purchases often cost more.
| Plan type | ChatGPT (OpenAI) | Claude (Anthropic) | Gemini (Google) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Yes, with lighter models and limits | Yes, with usage limits | Yes, in the Gemini app |
| Individual paid | Plus: $20/month | Pro: $20/month, or about $17/month billed yearly | Google AI Pro: $19.99/month |
| Heavy individual use | Pro: from about $100/month | Max: from about $100/month (about $200 for the highest tier) | Google AI Ultra: from about $100/month |
| Small team plan | Business: $25 per user monthly or $20 per user yearly, minimum 2 users | Team: Standard seats $25 per user monthly or $20 yearly, 2 to 150 seats; Premium seats from about $100 per user yearly | Google Workspace: Business Starter from $7 per user yearly ($8.40 flexible), Business Standard from $14 ($16.80 flexible) |
| Large company | Enterprise: custom price | Enterprise: custom price | Workspace Enterprise: custom price |
One point that is easy to miss: with Google, you usually do not buy Gemini separately for a business. It comes inside Google Workspace. Business Starter gives you Gemini in Gmail and the Gemini app, while Business Standard and above add Gemini inside Docs, Meet and other apps. So if you already pay for Workspace, part of the decision is made for you.
Current models, in plain terms
Each company releases new models several times a year, so model names are the least stable part of any comparison.
- ChatGPT: paid plans get OpenAI's main model by default, free users get a lighter version, and a reasoning mode handles harder problems.
- Claude: the current Claude 5.5 generation has Opus, the most capable model, and Sonnet, the faster everyday model. Paid plans can switch between them.
- Gemini: Google's Gemini models power both the Gemini app and Google Workspace, with a fast model for everyday work and a larger one for harder tasks.
Check each vendor's site for the exact model names on the day you buy, as they change every few months.
For most business tasks, all three top models are strong enough. You will feel the difference more in the tools around the model than in the model itself.
Data and privacy on business plans
This is the section to read twice if your team will paste in client emails, contracts or financial data.
- ChatGPT Business and Enterprise: OpenAI says it does not use business inputs or outputs to train its models by default. It lists SOC 2 Type 2 alignment, encryption at rest and in transit, and data residency options for eligible Enterprise customers.
- Claude Team and Enterprise: Anthropic says it will not use chats or coding sessions from commercial plans to train its models, unless you join its Development Partner Program or send feedback.
- Gemini in Google Workspace: for licensed Workspace users, Google says prompts are not reviewed by humans or used to train models, and your content is not used for training outside your domain without permission.
The real risk for small businesses is not the business plans. It is staff using free or personal accounts for work. On individual plans, all three companies may use conversations to improve their models unless the user changes the setting. If you want control, put everyone on a team plan and write a one-page AI policy. Our guide to AI policies and team training covers what to include.
Strengths by task
Writing and editing
All three write well. Many users find Claude the most natural for long-form writing, rewriting in a specific tone and editing without losing the original meaning. ChatGPT is very versatile and good at short marketing copy, emails and brainstorming. Gemini is most convenient when the writing happens inside Gmail or Google Docs, because you never leave the document.
Analysis, documents and spreadsheets
ChatGPT can run calculations on uploaded spreadsheets and produce charts, which suits quick data questions. Claude handles very long documents well, such as contracts, reports and policy files, and is good at summarising them faithfully. Gemini is strongest when the files are already in Google Drive or Sheets, since it can work with them in place.
Coding and technical work
Claude has a strong reputation with developers, and its coding tool, Claude Code, is widely used. ChatGPT offers Codex for similar work. Gemini also supports coding and is often used by teams already on Google Cloud. For a non-technical business, any of the three can write a formula, a small script or a website snippet.
Images and video
This is where the tools differ most. ChatGPT and Gemini both generate images directly in the chat, and Google offers video generation on its paid AI plans. Claude is not built around image generation: it focuses on text, documents, code, charts and diagrams. If social media visuals are a big part of the job, ChatGPT or Gemini will save you a separate tool.
Google Workspace and Microsoft 365
Gemini is built into Google Workspace, which is its biggest advantage. ChatGPT and Claude both offer connectors to common business tools such as Google Drive, Gmail and Microsoft services, depending on the plan, but they work alongside your apps rather than inside them. On the Microsoft side, Microsoft 365 Copilot is the native option, and Microsoft now offers Anthropic's Claude models inside Copilot alongside OpenAI's models.
How to choose: a quick checklist
- Where does your work live? Google Workspace points to Gemini. Microsoft 365 points to Copilot plus one other assistant.
- What do people do all day? Lots of writing and long documents favours Claude. Mixed tasks with images favour ChatGPT.
- Do you need images or video? If yes, choose ChatGPT or Gemini.
- How sensitive is your data? Use a business plan, not personal accounts, whatever you choose.
- Test before you commit. Give two or three staff a free or monthly plan for two weeks, with the same five real tasks, and compare results.
- Train the team. The tool matters less than how people use it. A short session on prompts, checking facts and what not to paste in pays back quickly.
What these assistants will not do for you
A chat assistant helps people work faster, but it does not answer your customers on your website or WhatsApp by itself, and it does not update your CRM automatically. For that you need a chatbot connected to your own information, or automations that link your tools. See our guides on the AI tools a small business actually needs and AI chatbots for websites and WhatsApp if that is your real goal.
If you are in the UAE
ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are all available in the UAE and support Arabic as well as English. If your team handles client personal data, remember that the UAE has its own personal data protection law, and businesses in DIFC or ADGM follow their own data protection rules, so a business plan with clear data controls is the sensible default.
Need help choosing or rolling it out?
dhowly. runs practical AI training for teams on ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, and we can help you pick the right plan for how your business actually works. Book a free 15-minute call through our contact form. We work with businesses worldwide, in English and French.
Frequently asked questions
Is ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini best for a small business?
There is no single winner. Gemini is the easiest choice for teams on Google Workspace, ChatGPT is the most all-round option with images and voice, and Claude is often preferred for long documents, careful writing and coding. Pick based on where your work lives and the tasks your team does most.
How much does a team plan cost?
In October 2026, ChatGPT Business and Claude Team standard seats both cost about $25 per user per month, or $20 per user billed yearly, with a two-seat minimum. Gemini comes inside Google Workspace business plans, which start at $7 per user per month on a yearly plan.
Will these companies train their AI on my business data?
On their business plans, OpenAI, Anthropic and Google all say they do not use your business data to train their models by default. Personal and free accounts can be different, so staff should use a company plan for work.
Which one is best for creating images?
ChatGPT and Gemini both generate images inside the chat, and Google also offers video generation on paid plans. Claude focuses on text, documents, code, charts and diagrams rather than image generation.
Can we use more than one assistant?
Yes, and many teams do. A common setup is one assistant for everyone and a second paid seat for a person with specific needs, such as design or coding. Keep the number small so your AI policy and training stay simple.
