Free vs. Paid AI Tools: Why I Never Pay For AI

I constantly hear that the best AI tools are expensive, premium apps that promise the best features and the most accurate responses. However, that's not the case anymore.

I've stopped paying and only use free AI tools, and it doesn't hold me back at all.

How Free AI Tools Compare to Paid Versions

Most AI tools, including ChatGPT, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot (to name a few), have free and premium plans. The free plans usually have limits on usage and features but still offer a great deal of functionality that will suffice for most average users.

However, free plans usually only give you access to older versions of AI models, especially during peak hours. On the other hand, Premium plans provide you with access to the best models capable of advanced reasoning and features around the clock. So, while free versions of AI tools are great for testing the waters and everyday use, you should pay for a premium plan and stop using free AI tools if you want access to advanced features.

In most cases, though, unless you use AI for work, you won't need the additional features that come with a paid plan. For instance, ChatGPT's free plan lets you tinker with custom GPTs. But need to create your own custom GPT that's capable of doing something very specific? You'll want to sign up for ChatGPT Plus. Additionally, ChatGPT Plus and Pro provide access to Sora, but the free version doesn't (there are multiple free Sora alternatives you can try, though).

Other AI tools follow the same pattern. Gemini Advanced, the paid model, has a 1 million token capacity, which allows it to process and analyze a considerable amount of complex data. The free version has a smaller token capacity, which also limits its abilities. Copilot's Pro version (paid plan) allows extended usage of Copilot Voice and can draft emails in Outlook and improve presentations, but the free plan lacks these capabilities.

That said, new features seldom remain behind a paywall for long. Eventually, as the technology matures, once-exclusive features get integrated into free plans. For instance, GPT-4 was initially only available as part of OpenAI's paid plans. Today, you can access GPT-4 for free and even get limited access to o1 and o1-mini (OpenAI's other advanced models). This means you can now reason with ChatGPT without paying for the premium plan. Similarly, Microsoft Copilot rolled out a free version of ChatGPT's premium deep research tool, so you don't have to pay or wait for the expensive subscription features to filter down into the free AI tools.

If you're just having fun with AI and not using these models to get serious work done, you're best off sticking to the free models. Of course, there are things you can do to improve your experience with even the most basic chatbot. For one, it's a good idea to use a few different tools, no matter the task at hand. Exploring and using different tools can help you choose the best response for your needs.

Why I Avoid Paid AI Tools and Stick to Free Versions

Despite how far AI tools have come, especially the paid versions, they're not without limitations. These are just a few you'll want to consider:

They Are Expensive

ChatGPT Plus costs $20 per month, as do Microsoft Copilot Pro and the Google One AI Premium Plan. Advanced models can cost much more. While these tools offer a range of features, the costs can add up, especially if you subscribe to more than one tool.

And unfortunately, they might not always offer the kind of benefits you hope to receive, especially given how capable free models have become in recent months.

You Still Need to Write Good Prompts

Even if you decide to upgrade to premium tools like ChatGPT Plus and Copilot Pro, the quality of responses will depend heavily on your prompts. Buying a premium AI tool doesn't automatically translate to better output. You'll receive similar answers unless you learn new prompting techniques to improve your responses.

Responses Can Be Inaccurate

While paid AI tools offer better reasoning abilities and access to new features, you can't be sure that the responses are always accurate. It's still possible for these models to misinterpret your prompts or provide irrelevant answers. For example, in February 2025, OpenAI launched GPT-4.5, its newest AI model at the time. However, despite being brand new and very expensive to run, OpenAI found it still had a 37 percent chance of hallucination. On the flipside, that figure was a huge reduction from the 60 percent experienced with the previous model, GPT-4o.

I've stopped paying for AI tools, but paid platforms can still be a good option, especially if you need a specific feature. Before you sign up for one, check if there's a free trial. If you're unsatisfied with what it offers, you can always cancel your trial and stick with the free plan, like I did.

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