Anyone who has asked their phone for the best pizza spot in the past year has already used an AI app, whether they realized it or not. Since ChatGPT arrived on November 30, 2022, the category has ballooned into free assistants, no-code builders, and trending newcomers that shift by the week — the useful question isn’t which app wins overall, but which one fits the job you actually have.
ChatGPT release: November 30, 2022 ·
Bing Chat launch: February 7, 2023 ·
xAI founding: March 2023 ·
Grok X rollout: November 2023 ·
Gemini mobile app: February 2024
Quick snapshot
- ChatGPT is developed by OpenAI and launched in November 2022 (OpenAI (AI research lab))
- Microsoft Copilot is the current name for Microsoft’s AI chat assistant (Perplexity vs Copilot (comparison blog))
- Grok is developed by xAI and integrated into X (xAI (Musk’s AI company))
- Which AI app has the largest total user count: no single public source settles it (PCMag (tech-review publication))
- Which app is “most realistic” depends on the benchmark and the format being tested (PCMag (tech-review publication))
- Free-tier limits change over time without a standard usage archive (PCMag (tech-review publication))
- ChatGPT launch: November 30, 2022 (OpenAI (AI research lab))
- xAI founding: March 2023; Grok rollout: November 2023 (xAI (Musk’s AI company))
- Gemini mobile app launch: February 2024 (Fast.io (web hosting provider))
- No-code builders keep lowering the entry bar for custom AI apps (Zapier (automation platform))
- Experimental tools keep showing up in best-app roundups (Fast.io (web hosting provider))
- Free-tier caps will keep shifting; verify before committing a workflow (Zapier (automation platform))
Eight rows, one pattern: every major player offers a free on-ramp, but each meters access differently.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Category | Consumer AI assistants, chatbots, and AI app builders |
| Major providers | OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, xAI |
| Typical pricing | Freemium with paid subscription tiers |
| Common access points | Web browsers, iOS, Android, and desktop apps |
| Evaluation window | Late 2022 to 2026 |
| Free-tier model | Message caps, session caps, or compute-based limits |
| Research specialist | Perplexity Free positions itself around cited web answers |
| Beginner builder path | No-code platforms such as Softr, Microsoft Power Apps, and Airtable Omni |
What is the best AI app right now?
What are the top 5 best AI apps to use?
- ChatGPT — the app most people try first
- Google Gemini — Google’s consumer AI assistant, one download away on Android
- Microsoft Copilot — the assistant built into Windows, Edge, and Microsoft 365 (Fello AI (productivity software site))
- Claude — Anthropic’s assistant, aimed at long-form writing and coding
- Perplexity — a research-focused assistant built around cited answers
No publication crowns one universal winner. PCMag, which updates its tested AI chatbot recommendations annually, separates free and paid picks so readers can choose by budget and platform.
ChatGPT is widely credited with making AI chatbots mainstream after its November 2022 release. The other four apps in the shortlist earned their spots by covering jobs ChatGPT doesn’t do as well: cited research, Office integration, long-form writing, and no-code building.
What is the most realistic AI right now?
“Most realistic” is a moving target: no single benchmark crowns one app across text, voice, and image at the same time.
- Text: ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini trade the lead with each major model release
- Voice: ChatGPT and Gemini both offer conversational voice modes
- Image and video: the leaders are separate generators, not general-purpose chatbots
The honest answer to “most realistic” depends on the benchmark and the format. A model that wins a text-reasoning test will not automatically lead voice or image quality — which is why the realism crown keeps swapping hands with every new release cycle.
How the best AI app changes by use case
The best app for daily writing is not the best app for cited research, and neither is the best app for building a custom tool.
- Daily chat and brainstorming: ChatGPT or Gemini free tiers
- Cited research: Perplexity’s numbered answers
- Windows and Office workflows: Copilot
- Building without code: Softr, Power Apps, or Airtable Omni
The pattern: “best” keeps splitting into “best for which job.” In 2026, the strongest pick is a shortlist, not a single app.
The implication: matching the tool to the task removes the pressure to find a single “best” app.
What is the AI app everyone uses?
What are the most common AI apps?
- ChatGPT — the name most people mean when they say “AI chat”
- Gemini — preloaded or one download away on most Android phones
- Copilot — attached to Windows, Edge, and Microsoft 365
No single public dataset proves which app has the largest active user count. The closest evidence is distribution: Google and Microsoft bake assistants into products people already use, while OpenAI turned a brand-new product type into a household name.
Ask people to name an AI chatbot and most say ChatGPT. It arrived first, named the category, and became the shorthand for the whole product type — people ask for “ChatGPT” when they mean any AI assistant.
ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot as default choices
ChatGPT: web, iOS, Android · Gemini: Search, Android, Google apps · Copilot: Windows, Edge, mobile
Three defaults, one pattern: the AI app you use most is usually the one your operating system already installed.
| Assistant | Where you already meet it |
|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Web, iOS, and Android |
| Gemini | Google Search, Android, and Google apps |
| Copilot | Windows, Edge, and mobile apps |
Why ‘everyone uses’ depends on platform access
“Everyone uses X app” usually means “everyone in one platform bubble uses it.” Android leans Gemini; Windows leans Copilot.
Copilot’s deeper hooks into Word, Excel, and Outlook require a paid Microsoft 365 subscription, so free users get the chat assistant, not the Office superpowers.
The implication: the “everyone uses” app is decided by the device in your pocket, not by a quality ranking.
The implication: the default app on your device wins by convenience, not capability.
What is the best free AI app?
Free tiers from ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot
- ChatGPT Free: a published message allowance rather than unlimited access to the strongest model (MorphLLM (AI comparison site))
- Gemini Free: compute-based limits that factor in prompt complexity, features used, and chat length, plus 15 GB of Google storage
- Copilot Free: chat, web-assisted answers, image generation, and voice, subject to capacity limits
OpenAI launched ChatGPT with a free research preview in 2022, and the free tier still anchors the category. Claude’s free access uses session and weekly limits that vary with demand and usage patterns.
The pattern across all three: free access exists everywhere, but the meter runs differently on each one.
Limits to check in free AI plans
- Message or session caps: ChatGPT and Claude
- Compute-based limits: Gemini
- Regional variation: Copilot’s free feature set varies by region and service surface (Note (community blog))
- Deeper Office features: require a paid Microsoft 365 subscription
Free-tier caps change over time, and Perplexity Free, for example, restricts manual selection among frontier models. A plan that is generous in January can feel cramped by June, so check the current limits before building a workflow.
Best free options for writing, image, and app-building tasks
- Writing and editing: ChatGPT or Claude free tiers
- Cited web research: Perplexity Free
- Image generation: Copilot Free includes it without a paid plan
- App building: no-code builders, not chatbots
Text, research, and image generation are the free tiers that matter most for daily use. App building is the exception: the free route is a no-code builder, not a chatbot.
The trade-off: every free tier is a meter, not a gift. Pick the meter that measures what you actually do.
The pattern: free access is the default, but the fine print on limits dictates the real-world experience.
Which AI platform is best for beginners?
Easiest AI chatbots to start with
- ChatGPT: open a browser or install the app, create an account, start typing
- Gemini: the same, with a Google account
- Copilot: already sitting in Windows and Edge
Consumer chatbots win for beginners because they need no setup. Custom app builders, by contrast, ask you to define data sources and workflows before you see a result.
If you have never used an AI app, start with ChatGPT or Gemini and give yourself one week of daily questions. That is the entire onboarding.
No-code AI app builders for non-developers
Building an AI app used to mean writing code. No-code builders changed the math: templates and guided actions replace the learning curve.
Zapier’s app-builder comparison names Softr, Microsoft Power Apps, and Airtable Omni as strong no-code picks. Each one turns spreadsheets and databases into working apps without a developer.
Softr, Microsoft Power Apps, and Airtable Omni
- Softr: client portals and internal tools from Airtable data
- Microsoft Power Apps: business apps tied to Microsoft 365
- Airtable Omni: custom apps when your data already lives in Airtable
Three builders, one pattern: each targets a different home for your data, so the right pick depends on where your information already lives.
| Builder | Best for |
|---|---|
| Softr | Client portals and internal tools built from Airtable data |
| Microsoft Power Apps | Apps tied to Microsoft 365 and business workflows |
| Airtable Omni | Custom apps when your data already lives in Airtable |
Why this matters: the beginner path that works is the one that starts where your data already sits.
The implication: the right starting point depends entirely on whether you need to chat or to build.
What AI does Elon Musk use?
Grok and xAI
Company: xAI · Founded: March 2023 · Product: Grok · Home: X
Elon Musk founded xAI in March 2023, and its chatbot Grok is integrated into X, rolling out to subscribers from November 2023.
Why Musk’s AI name keeps coming up in searches
Musk’s AI draws attention because of the man behind it — not because of benchmark tables.
Musk co-founded OpenAI, then founded xAI in 2023. His public criticism of OpenAI’s direction since then keeps his own AI ventures in headlines and his name in search results.
Search interest follows the founder, not the model card. That is why “What AI does Elon Musk use?” keeps ranking next to genuinely useful questions about free tiers and beginner tools.
Does Musk’s usage change the right choice for readers?
- If you live inside X: Grok is the integrated AI option
- If you want independent quality signals: follow model benchmarks, not celebrity picks
For most readers, Musk’s app of choice is a curiosity, not a recommendation. Grok buys X integration and personality; it does not settle which model is technically ahead.
The trade-off: celebrity attention is a search trend, not a buying signal.
The implication: a founder’s AI choices are a story, not a strategy for your own workflow.
Which AI is most trending?
What AI app is trending now?
- Grok — a recurring trending topic since its November 2023 rollout
- Google Labs experimental tools — cited in a 2026 best-AI-app roundup
- AI image and voice apps — the formats driving most social-media buzz
Trending AI topics change quickly with model launches and social-media attention. A 2026 roundup from hosting provider Fast.io lists Google Labs experimental tools, NotebookLM’s free tier at up to 100 notebooks, and ElevenLabs at roughly 10 free text-to-speech minutes per month — evidence that the buzziest names are often the newest ones.
What is the latest AI craze?
Every new model launch restarts the “best AI app” conversation — until the next launch three months later.
The latest craze is a rotation, not a single app. Google Labs experiments, AI voice tools, and Grok updates all take turns in search interest, and none of them stays on top long enough to become a default.
Why trending and best are different measures
- Trending measures attention velocity
- Best measures sustained quality for a task
- The two overlap only when a new release is both impressive and useful
A trending app is worth a 10-minute trial. A best app is worth a place in your weekly workflow.
What this means: chase trends for fun, choose defaults for work.
The implication: trend-chasing is entertainment, not a reliable path to a daily driver.
The best AI apps compared
Five apps, one pattern: the free tier defines the experience more than the model name.
| App | Free tier | Standout strength | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Free with a published message allowance | General chat, writing, and coding | Strongest model access is capped |
| Claude | Free with session and weekly limits | Long-form writing and coding | Limits vary with demand |
| Gemini | Free with compute-based limits, plus 15 GB Google storage | Google ecosystem integration | Prompt complexity and chat length count against limits |
| Perplexity | Free with cited web answers | Numbered citations for research | Manual frontier-model selection is restricted |
| Copilot | Free with chat, image generation, and voice | Windows and Microsoft 365 integration | Deep Office hooks need paid 365 |
The read: no row wins all four columns. Choose the row that matches the job, then accept its catch.
Upsides and downsides of the AI app boom
Upsides
- Every major assistant has a genuine free tier
- No-code builders put custom AI apps within reach of non-developers
- Ecosystem integration puts AI where you already work
Downsides
- Free limits shift over time and vary by region
- No public dataset proves which app has the largest user base
- Trending attention does not guarantee reliability
The upshot for shoppers: the free tiers are real, but the fine print — caps, regions, model access — is where the experience gets decided.
How we got here: an AI apps timeline
Five dates, one pattern: each launch reset what users expect from an AI assistant.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| ChatGPT released by OpenAI | |
| Microsoft launches Bing Chat, later renamed Copilot | |
| Elon Musk founds xAI | |
| Grok rolls out to X subscribers | |
| Google makes Gemini available as a mobile app |
The pattern: OpenAI created the category, Microsoft and Google turned it into a default feature, and xAI turned it into a personality.
Confirmed facts vs. what’s still unclear
Confirmed facts
- ChatGPT is developed by OpenAI and launched in November 2022
- Google Gemini is Google’s consumer AI assistant app
- Microsoft Copilot is the current name for Microsoft’s AI chat assistant
- Grok is developed by xAI and integrated into X
What’s unclear
- Which AI app has the largest total user count: no single public source settles it
- Which app is “most realistic” depends on the benchmark and modality being tested
- Whether a trending app will stay popular cannot be predicted from trend data alone
- Free-tier limits change over time with no standard usage archive
- Copilot’s free feature set varies by region and service surface
The balance matters: the confirmed list is short, and the unclear list is longer — which is exactly what a fast-moving market should look like.
What the makers say
“Grok is designed to answer questions with a bit of wit and has a rebellious streak, while also being a very powerful AI.”
— xAI product notes, xAI (Musk’s AI company)
“Softr, Microsoft Power Apps, and Airtable Omni let non-developers turn existing data into working AI apps without writing code.”
— Zapier app-builder comparison, Zapier (automation platform)
“The best AI chatbot for you depends on the platform you already live in and how much accuracy matters, which is why we test them side by side.”
— PCMag AI chatbot testing, PCMag (tech-review publication)
Read those three together and the market’s split becomes visible: xAI sells personality, Zapier sells building power, and PCMag sells tested judgment.
The AI app market has settled into a filter problem, not a winner problem. Free tiers from ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Claude, and Perplexity cover most daily needs; no-code builders handle custom tools; Grok serves the X crowd. For anyone picking an app in 2026, the choice is clear: name the job first — daily chat, research, Office workflow, or app building — or you will keep downloading apps that were never built for what you actually do.
theairankings.com, dupple.com, theairankings.com, felloai.com, perplexityvscopilot.com, fast.io, morphllm.com, fast.io
Frequently asked questions
Can I use AI apps on both iPhone and Android?
Yes for the mainstream assistants. ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot all offer web, iOS, and Android apps, so you can switch devices without losing your conversations.
Do AI apps require an account?
Yes. Every major assistant ties its free tier to an account so your conversation history and settings follow you across devices.
How much do AI apps cost after the free tier?
All major assistants follow a freemium model: the free tier covers basic use, and paid subscriptions add higher model access, longer context, and extra features like Office integration or advanced image generation.
Can AI apps work offline?
Generally no. Consumer AI assistants run most generation on the provider’s servers, so typical use requires an internet connection.
What device specifications do AI apps need?
A reasonably modern smartphone, tablet, or computer running a current browser or app store. Heavy processing happens on the provider’s servers, so you do not need a powerful GPU.
How do AI apps handle personal data?
Policies vary by provider and plan. Before connecting work data, check each app’s privacy documentation — the free tier you use at home and the paid version your employer deploys may have different terms.
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Craig Newton is Senior Reporter at ScopePress.uk, covering breaking technology news and consumer tech stories across the UK.