Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered assistant.
But you probably already know that. You may have even seen a video or two in which someone generates a PowerPoint presentation, including images, animations and speaker notes, from a Word document (here’s a link to a one-minute Microsoft video doing exactly that).
And, if you’re like me, you quickly open-up PowerPoint to have a go yourself.
Only to be disappointed!
Because the CoPilot button isn’t there.
So, what’s going on?
There are in fact, 3 primary versions of CoPilot (for the full list, check out this Microsoft guide).
- Microsoft Copilot Chat (Free): A web-based tool that works similarly to ChatGPT, using data from the public internet.
- Microsoft CoPilot Pro (Paid): a premium version with access through web apps.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot (Paid): A premium version integrated into your Microsoft 365 environment, capable of accessing your private business data like emails, files, meeting notes, and more. Full admin controls and enterprise-grade security.
In short: if you just need an AI helper for writing posts or generating ideas, the free version is a great place to start. But if you want to seriously boost productivity and make use of your business’s internal data, Microsoft 365 CoPilot is well worth the cost -especially when you consider it costs less than a fancy coffee every day.
Contact us if you would like to discuss your upgrade options.
Summary Table of the Primary CoPilot Versions
| Feature | Copilot Free | Copilot Pro (Paid) | Copilot for Microsoft 365 (Paid + M365 license) |
| Target Audience | General public | Power users, individuals | Businesses, enterprises |
| AI Model Access | GPT-4 (limited, non-peak hours) | GPT-4 Turbo (priority access) | GPT-4 Turbo (enterprise-grade) |
| Microsoft 365 Integration | Not included | Web versions of Word, Excel, Outlook, OneNote | Full desktop & web apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams) |
| Image Generation (Designer) | 15 boosts/day | 100 boosts/day + editing/resizing | Same as Pro, integrated into workflows |
| Copilot Chat | Available | Available | Enhanced with Microsoft Graph context |
| Copilot Studio / Custom Agents | Not available | Not available | Included (build custom workflows and agents) |
| Security & Compliance | Standard Microsoft account security | Standard | Enterprise-grade security, compliance, and privacy |
| Admin & IT Controls | Not available | Not available | Full admin controls, analytics, and deployment tools |
| Performance | Standard | Faster, more responsive | Optimized for enterprise workloads |
| Best For | Casual use, exploration | Daily productivity, creative tasks | Business operations, team collaboration, automation |
