Microsoft 365 Copilot vs Read AI
Microsoft 365 Copilot and Read AI overlap on work tasks and share 2 tasks. The verdict below is calculated for each role from the tasks, the role fit and the price.
Short answer
Microsoft 365 Copilot wins for 20 of 20 roles in our data. Read AI starts at $15/mo and Microsoft 365 Copilot at $20/mo on the cheapest paid plan.
Verdict by role
| Role | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Accountant | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 4 tasks relevant to this role against 1; built for this role |
| Lawyer | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 3 tasks relevant to this role against 1; built for this role |
| HR manager | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 4 tasks relevant to this role against 2; built for this role |
| Finance manager | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 5 tasks relevant to this role against 1; built for this role |
| Manager | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 6 tasks relevant to this role against 2; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Marketer | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 6 tasks relevant to this role against 2 |
| Sales manager | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 6 tasks relevant to this role against 2 |
| Data analyst | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 5 tasks relevant to this role against 1; built for this role |
| Teacher | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 6 tasks relevant to this role against 2 |
| Executive assistant | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 6 tasks relevant to this role against 2; part of the role's core toolkit |
| Logistics manager | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 6 tasks relevant to this role against 2 |
| Procurement manager | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 5 tasks relevant to this role against 1; built for this role |
| Secretary | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 6 tasks relevant to this role against 2 |
| Recruiter | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 4 tasks relevant to this role against 2; built for this role |
| HR administrator | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 4 tasks relevant to this role against 2; built for this role |
| Tax consultant | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 4 tasks relevant to this role against 1; built for this role |
| Auditor | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 4 tasks relevant to this role against 1; built for this role |
| Economist | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 5 tasks relevant to this role against 1; built for this role |
| Project manager | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 6 tasks relevant to this role against 2 |
| Social media manager | Microsoft 365 Copilot | covers 6 tasks relevant to this role against 2 |
Side by side
| Microsoft 365 Copilot | Read AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Microsoft | Read AI |
| Category | Chat assistants | Meetings and calls |
| Free plan | Yes: Free Copilot in the browser and the Microsoft Copilot app, with no access to company files, no work inside Word and Excel, and limited strong models at peak hours | Yes: A few meetings with summaries a month, limited storage, no email integrations |
| Cheapest paid plan | Copilot Pro, $20/mo | Pro, $15/mo |
| Top plan | Microsoft 365 Copilot, $30/mo | Enterprise, $22.50/mo |
| Tasks covered | 6 | 2 |
Microsoft 365 Copilot: Assistant inside Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams and PowerPoint with access to company data.
Read AI: Summaries of meetings, emails and chats in one place, with participant engagement scores.
Tasks both handle
Only Microsoft 365 Copilot covers
- Build a quarterly results presentation
- Write a business letter
- Analyze budget variances, actual versus plan
- Find a document in your drive by its content
Only Read AI covers
No unique tasks in this data
Pitfalls to watch at work
Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Copilot sees everything your account can access, including folders colleagues shared by mistake: review SharePoint and OneDrive permissions before rollout
- A Teams meeting summary is built from the transcript and may credit a decision to the wrong person: check it against the recording before sending
- Free Copilot in the browser and business Copilot in Word are different products with different data protection: work documents go only into the business version
Read AI
- The engagement score is the model's guess from camera and voice: using it to evaluate employees is inappropriate and may violate labor rights
- Access to email and chats opens all your correspondence to the service: a work mailbox needs approval from security or the owner
- Turn off auto-join from the calendar for meetings where recording is inappropriate
FAQ
Is Microsoft 365 Copilot or Read AI better for work?
In our data Microsoft 365 Copilot is the better choice for 20 of 20 roles. The table above shows the reason for each role.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft 365 Copilot or Read AI?
Read AI starts at $15/mo and Microsoft 365 Copilot at $20/mo on the cheapest paid plan.
Do Microsoft 365 Copilot and Read AI have free plans?
Microsoft 365 Copilot: Yes. Free Copilot in the browser and the Microsoft Copilot app, with no access to company files, no work inside Word and Excel, and limited strong models at peak hours. Read AI: Yes. A few meetings with summaries a month, limited storage, no email integrations.
Compare Microsoft 365 Copilot with
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Compare Read AI with
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- Read AI vs Zoom AI Companion
- Read AI vs Copilot in Teams
Alternatives to Microsoft 365 Copilot · Alternatives to Read AI · Microsoft 365 Copilot pricing · Read AI pricing
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