7 Greatest Free AI Chatbots I’ve Tried (and Beloved!) for 2025

I’ve been following a number of the greatest AI chatbots house ever since ChatGPT made a surprising debut in 2022. 

Whereas ChatGPT could have made chatbots mainstream, it’s not the one participant on the town. In actual fact, I chat with a number of of them every day to deal with my private {and professional} duties. 

And I need to say, not all chatbots are easy operators. Some provide you with precisely what you want, whereas others go away you shouting, “That’s not what I meant!” (Been there, belief me.) With so many choices popping up, it’s robust to know which of them are actually value your time.

That’s why I’ve put collectively this information. As somebody who spends far an excessive amount of time exploring these instruments, I’ve rounded up the very best AI chatbots of 2025–those that impressed me with their smarts, usefulness, and ease of use. And the very best half? They’re free to start out experimenting. 

Whether or not you’re a enterprise proprietor making an attempt to get a bot to deal with buyer queries quicker, a pupil searching for assist simplifying complicated matters, or knowledgeable looking for a instrument to make your job simpler, there’s a chatbot on the market designed only for you.

What makes the very best AI chatbot?

There are 240+ AI chatbots obtainable within the market-ranging from general-purpose instruments like ChatGPT to specialised enterprise chatbots. So, what units the very best chatbots aside? From my analysis and hands-on testing, it boils down to some important qualities:

• Superior AI capabilities: I’ve discovered that the very best chatbots are powered by cutting-edge giant language fashions (LLMs), permitting them to ship correct, context-aware, and fascinating responses. It’s this basis that makes conversations really feel much less robotic and extra human-like.
• Ease of use: Accessibility is a giant deal for me. A fantastic chatbot ought to really feel intuitive proper from the beginning–easy sufficient for novices to know however with sufficient depth to maintain superior customers engaged. These are non-negotiables in my ebook.
• Adaptability and options: I want a chatbot that may deal with all of it–writing content material, managing workflows, or tackling domain-specific queries. Those I like most additionally let me customise model, tone, and responses or workflows to suit precisely what I want, making them much more versatile.
• Privateness and transparency: Knowledge safety is at all times on my thoughts. The very best chatbots I’ve used deal with consumer knowledge responsibly and let me know and decide out of knowledge sharing if wanted. It’s reassuring to know my data isn’t being misused.
• Scalability and flexibility: Scalability is vital for companies. I’ve examined chatbots that may handle excessive volumes of interactions whereas adapting to rising calls for. That form of effectivity is a large plus, particularly for enterprise-level duties.

How did I put these AI chatbots to check?

My expertise with chatbots has proven me that evaluating AI chatbots is trickier than it appears. Their capabilities are huge, and their purposes typically rely upon what we wish from them. What labored brilliantly for me won’t work for somebody with a distinct ask. So, I stored it sensible and targeted on what issues to most customers whereas acknowledging that no single take a look at can cowl all the things.

7 greatest free AI chatbots I favored

After extensively testing and analyzing quite a few AI chatbots for days, I noticed the very best chatbots are people who transcend easy responses to turn into true problem-solving companions. Those that made this checklist impressed me with their capacity to deal with numerous duties.

It consists of general-purpose AI chatbots and platforms that assist construct AI bots for enterprise use. Whereas they don’t seem to be excellent and match all the standards I got down to verify them in opposition to, every of those AI assistants brings a particular edge, providing a stability of innovation, adaptability, and real-world practicality.

* This knowledge was pulled from G2 in 2024. The product checklist is ranked alphabetically. Some critiques could have been edited for readability.

I’ve been utilizing ChatGPT because the day it debuted, and in my view, it’s the very best free AI chatbot on the market–each based mostly alone exams and what G2 critiques say. This OG chatbot revolutionized how we work together with AI, and what I like most is how extremely straightforward it’s to entry and use.

When you sign up, it’s so simple as typing what you wish to know or selecting one of many prompts supplied. And identical to that, your dialog begins.

Simple UI of ChatGPT

Over time, I’ve used ChatGPT for every kind of duties—writing weblog posts, brainstorming concepts, analyzing knowledge for my content material, producing social media pictures, planning a home get together, and even dabbling in coding to tweak my web site. And actually, it’s performed an incredible job on all of them.

ChatGPT’s response to one in all my prompts

Whereas the responses look very generic on the first try, including extra particulars to the follow-up prompts typically brings us the specified outcomes. 

The free model runs on GPT-3.5 but additionally affords entry to multimodal LLMs like GPT-4o mini and GPT-4o, which supplies you a style of superior AI with out paying a dime. It ought to be famous the GPTs rank persistently within the prime positions within the LLM leaderboard. I actually favored how I might bounce between two conversations. It felt just like the bot genuinely “remembered” the place we left off, making interactions seamless and pure. 

The reminiscence characteristic on ChatGPT was additionally useful, permitting me to set customized directions for the way I wished the bot to reply. One characteristic I liked is its capacity to take inputs in several codecs, like pictures and CSVs, which opens up so many potentialities for artistic and analytical work.

Choices to replace reminiscence and add customized directions on ChatGPT

After all, there are some downsides. The free model can’t totally browse the Web, and I discovered the bounds on utilizing superior fashions and picture technology to be extraordinarily annoying. Generally, it hallucinates and stubbornly insists it’s proper even when it’s not–belief me, it’s a bit infuriating! Plus, entry to newer options like SearchGPT and voice mode is locked behind the paid Plus plan.

That mentioned, ChatGPT stays a robust and dependable instrument for quite a lot of duties, particularly contemplating it’s free. I imagine it has set a extremely excessive customary for any free AI chatbot available in the market. 

OpenAI could use your messages and chats to coach and enhance their mannequin when utilizing ChatGPT free and Plus plan.

What I favored about ChatGPT:

• Good context consciousness to leap between matters with out shedding the move of the dialog.
• The flexibility of dealing with diverse duties like content material writing, brainstorming, knowledge evaluation, and coding with ease.

What I didn’t like about ChatGPT: 

• Superior fashions and instruments like SearchGPT and voice mode are restricted to the paid plans.
• Generally hallucinates and insists on being proper even when it’s clearly not.

Claude by Anthropic shortly grew to become one in all my favourite chatbots for its pure and human-like conversations. In comparison with different AI instruments, together with ChatGPT, Claude feels extra considerate and fascinating, avoiding the generic tone or, as it’s known as, “AI communicate” that we frequently discover in different chatbots.

The UI of Claude

Accessing Claude is easy, identical to ChatGPT. The free model primarily runs on the Claude Haiku mannequin. Sometimes, it supplies restricted entry to superior fashions like Claude 3.5 Sonnet or Opus.

You may see from its response how Claude’s output is a lot better by way of writing model. 

Claude’s response to one in all my prompts

One other characteristic that I completely liked was Claude Artifacts, that are content material or instruments you create with Claude that may be shared with the group. I had a blast creating them. For instance, I’ve used it to design issues like mini-calculators and even small interactive instruments. The UI of artifacts is one other spotlight–I liked how I might change between the completed product and the underlying code with only a click on. 

Claude’s Artifacts UI to see code and output side-by-side

Claude additionally let me set dialog kinds, making it really feel like I’m customizing the bot to match my workflow or tone. 

Choices to customise response model on Claude

However there are some frustrations. The free model downgrades fashions mid-conversation while you hit utilization limits, which might disrupt the move. Worse, you’ll be able to’t ship any messages while you hit the cap–you’re compelled to attend for just a few hours to regain entry, which is fairly annoying. Additionally, Claude can’t browse the net, so for any evaluation or enter on present occasions, you’ll want to repeat and paste the related textual content or content material into the chat. 

Nonetheless, Claude’s conversational move and context retention make it really feel much less like a chatbot and extra like a collaborative companion. Additionally, Anthorpic doesn’t use your inputs to coach its fashions until you give permission or if it is marked by their staff for security.

What I Favored About Claude:

• Pure, human-like responses.
• Claude Artifacts to create standalone content material, apps, and extra.

What I Didn’t Like About Claude:

• Downgrades fashions mid-conversation when utilization limits are hit.
• Free model caps can cease utilization totally for hours

Google’s Gemini (previously Bard) could have entered the AI chatbot recreation a bit later than ChatGPT, shedding some first-mover benefit. Nonetheless, I imagine its newest model is a robust competitor to ChatGPT and Claude, providing distinctive options that make it stand out.

Gemini’s interface

I completely liked the truth that it will probably entry real-time knowledge through Google Search. I’m additionally an enormous fan of the “Double-check with Google” characteristic. Whenever you click on on it, the chatbot highlights sourced data in inexperienced and unsourced knowledge in orange. With this, you’ll be able to actually know whether or not one thing could be hallucinated or inaccurate.  This makes it among the best AI chatbot for analysis. 

Truth-checking characteristic on Gemini

Free picture technology with Imagen was one other facet I favored. Whereas Gemini does point out utilization limits, I do not assume I ever hit them or noticed an error message. 

Producing photos with Imagen 3 mannequin on Gemini

Gemini can write, create content material, code, and do all the things ChatGPT does. Nonetheless, a significant downside is the shortage of help for including recordsdata for conversations. I couldn’t add recordsdata, be it phrase or CSV, for evaluation as I might with ChatGPT or Claude, which felt restrictive.

Additionally, Gemini doesn’t supply a lot in the best way of customization for tone, model, or responses besides through prompts. I discovered this restrictive since I wished some management over how the bot responded to me. The free model runs on Gemini Flash 1.5, one of many quickest AI fashions obtainable, however a paid plan is required to entry the superior Professional mannequin and options like file add.

Total, it is a good ChatGPT different, albeit with some limitations.

What I Favored About Gemini:

• Good ChatGPT different.
• Actual-time knowledge entry and the “double-check with Google” characteristic for correct, sourced data.

What I Didn’t Like About Gemini:

• No file add help, limiting its versatility for sure duties.
• Restricted customization choices for tone, model, and responses past detailed prompts.

Now, Gleen AI isn’t an AI chatbot, but it surely’s a platform that lets you create your personal chatbot particularly for buyer help. I discovered it to be extremely helpful for on-line companies of all sizes. 

AI settings on Gleen AI so as to add coaching knowledge for customized AI chatbot

What actually impressed me was how straightforward it was to arrange and prepare my chatbot. The interface is tremendous user-friendly, even for somebody who isn’t significantly tech-savvy.  I might pull in knowledge from a number of sources, like web sites, and recordsdata from instruments like Slack, Discord, and Notion or from a Shopify retailer, and prepare the mannequin with these knowledge. I might additionally customise it with my very own guidelines, and add it to the web site. It felt like constructing a customized Retrieval-Augmented Technology (RAG) mannequin, however a lot less complicated. 

Choices to customise the AI chatbot on Gleen AI

And the chatbot solutions are easy, with hyperlinks to the help documentation too. I might get knowledge on the whole variety of AI chats, common response time, upvoted and downvoted queries, or these escalated to human brokers by their dashboard. I might simply see how this instrument can remodel buyer help by delivering fast, correct responses 24/7 for reptitive queries.

The free model solely permits just one chatbot and 50 AI conversations, which I felt was fairly restrictive for any on-line enterprise. And the paid model could be expensive.

Moreover, Gleen AI’s effectiveness additionally closely relies on the standard and breadth of the information you present–in case your documentation or data base isn’t well-organized, it might not carry out as anticipated. Some buyer help professionals additionally want extra options like in-depth dashboards and notifications to be improved. 

Lastly, this instrument is clearly designed for companies, so people or groups searching for a general-purpose chatbot could discover it too area of interest. 

What I favored about Gleen AI:

• Simple to arrange and prepare a buyer help chatbot.
• Person-friendly interface with an in depth dashboard for insights like response occasions and dialog knowledge.

What I didn’t like about Gleen AI:

• Effectiveness relies on the standard and group of the information you present.
• Restricted free model.

Google Cloud Dialogflow, provided as a part of Google Cloud, was a brand new discovery for me whereas researching AI assistants. I discovered it much like Gleen AI as a platform to construct conversational AI bots for buyer help.

I’ve to confess, getting began with Dialogflow wasn’t precisely intuitive. Google makes use of very particular phrases like intents (what the bot ought to do for particular queries) and entities (key particulars inside a question) to coach the AI bot, and understanding these ideas took me a while.

The UI of Dialogflow

As soon as I acquired the hold of it, although, I might see the potential. I might entry a variety of pre-built templates for AI brokers to get began shortly. I additionally favored that Dialogflow helps each voice and textual content interactions in a number of languages. This flexibility is a good characteristic, particularly for international companies.

Templates for AI bots on Dialogflow

Nonetheless, utilizing the platform wasn’t the smoothest expertise. The web site was noticeably gradual at occasions, which made the setup really feel extra tedious than it ought to have. Additionally, higher help documentation might have made my life simpler. After a degree, I couldn’t customise the pre-built templates.

Dialogflow caught when creating AI agent from template

Regardless of these challenges, Dialogflow is a robust platform to construct your AI bots when you get previous the preliminary studying curve. I might say it’s excellent for builders or technical groups that want extremely tailor-made bots able to dealing with complicated workflows.

Google affords a free trial of Dialogflow for Google Cloud customers to check earlier than committing

What I favored about Google Cloud Dialogflow:

• Pre-built AI agent templates make getting began quicker.
• Handles each textual content and audio inputs and helps a number of languages.

What I didn’t like about Google Cloud Dialogflow:

• Poor help documentation and steep studying curve for non-technical customers. 
• Restricted customization on templates. 

Kore.ai is one other instrument to construct your personal digital brokers for help with its Automation AI platform.  I discovered it to be a nice shock by way of consumer expertise. All the things felt intuitive and seamless proper from the beginning. 

As quickly as I signed up and entered the trial, I might start establishing my chatbot with minimal friction. The platform guided me by every step, from naming the customized AI bot to including use circumstances, with clear directions, as you’ll be able to see beneath. 

Establishing AI chatbot utilizing Kore.ai platform

If I skipped the steps, I might use the setup information supplied on the dashboard to construct my chatbot. One characteristic I favored was the flexibility to model and customise the bot. I might tweak all the things from the welcome display screen to the chat window design and buttons, and the platform provided a real-time preview of how the bot would look as I made adjustments. This made the method not solely straightforward but additionally satisfying, even for somebody with no technical background.

The setup information for AI chatbot on Kore.ai platform

To coach the bot, we have to add our documentation or present web site hyperlinks and likewise particulars on the circumstances for small speak, alerts, dialogs with prospects, and extra that we want from the chatbot. 

Kore.ai supplies free tokens for LLM, or we might instantly connect with our personal LLM account utilizing utility programming interface (API) keys so as to add generative AI capabilities. This automates many duties, like constructing dialog or move for coaching the bot. I discovered it fairly helpful. Kore.ai additionally has a market with available bots and integrations that we might use. 

I did encounter some challenges. Determining the mannequin coaching and configuration half was a bit tough for me as a non-technical individual. I felt the necessity for a developer’s assist to get this performed. The platform additionally lags at occasions. 

What I Favored About Kore.ai:

• Intuitive setup course of with step-by-step steering.
• Versatile choices for including generative AI capabilities.

What I Didn’t Like About Kore.ai:

• Superior mannequin coaching and configuration will be difficult for non-technical customers.
• Occasional platform lag disrupts the consumer expertise.

Out of all of the chatbots and instruments talked about right here, I need to say Microsoft Copilot stands out for its accessibility. I might begin chatting with out even signing in through the internet hyperlink, a refreshing change in comparison with most different instruments.  

It’s also possible to entry it through the Bing search engine or Microsoft Edge browser. I needed to sign up with a Microsoft account solely after I wished to create a picture or have a voice chat.

CoPilot makes use of OpenAI’s GPT-4 mannequin alongside Microsoft’s proprietary mannequin. And since its powered by OpenAI’s mannequin, I might do no matter I might do with GPT, like generate content material, code, and pictures, albeit with some limitations. 

Chatting with Copilot with out signing in

A standout characteristic for me was how Copilot shared its sources to the knowledge on our chats. Each time it answered a query, it included hyperlinks to the sources it pulled the knowledge from. This transparency is invaluable, particularly when it’s worthwhile to confirm the accuracy of the response or dive deeper into the main points. 

Copilot citing supply hyperlinks when sharing data

I additionally had enjoyable creating pictures, and it appeared like one of many easy-to-use free AI picture turbines.  One other plus that many customers word is the combination with different Microsoft merchandise in case you have Microsoft 365 subscription or Home windows. 

Creating pictures with Microsoft Copilot

By default, Microsoft makes use of your knowledge for coaching functions until you actively disable it. To their credit score, a disclaimer about this seems firstly of each new chat, so that you’re conscious of how your knowledge could be used.

The largest draw back is the bounds on conversations free of charge customers. I hardly had 4 conversations earlier than I acquired this message. 

Error message on Microsoft Copilot

Whereas it does reset after an hour, this interruption mid-chat was irritating.  Additionally, I couldn’t add any recordsdata to make use of in our dialog. For these causes, the free model is healthier fitted to informal conversations or mild each day duties fairly than any heavy or steady use.

What I favored about Microsoft CoPilot:

• Accessible with out signing in and obtainable by Bing and Microsoft Edge.
• Cites sources for each reply, guaranteeing transparency and credibility.

What I didn’t like about Microsoft CoPilot:

• Restricted dialog limits free of charge customers.
• File add performance is unavailable within the free model, limiting its versatility for complicated duties

Whereas these seven AI chatbots stood out throughout my exams, they’re not the one greatest ones value mentioning. Relying in your wants, different general-purpose AI chatbots like Perplexity,  Meta AI, constructed on Llama 3, and You.com are additionally nice to check out. 

If constructing your personal chatbot is the objective, different AI chatbot builders like Tidio, Moveworks, and Workhub Workbot are additionally good choices.

An AI chatbot is software program powered by synthetic intelligence that mimics human-like conversations. It makes use of pure language processing (NLP) and machine studying (ML) to know and reply to consumer queries.

Q. What’s a chatbot used for?

Chatbots are used for varied functions, together with buyer help, content material creation, brainstorming concepts, coding, tutoring, planning, and even automating workflows in companies.

Q. What’s the greatest AI chatbot?

The very best AI chatbot relies on your wants. For general-purpose duties, ChatGPT and Gemini are nice choices. For artistic duties, Claude performs effectively. Microsoft Copilot is well accessible. ChatGPT, Cluade, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot are additionally free to make use of. 

For companies, Kore.ai, Gleen AI, and Dialogflow are prime contenders for constructing greatest AI chatbots for web sites.

Q. What are the very best ChatGPT alternate options?

A few of the greatest ChatGPT alternate options are Claude, Gemini and Microsoft Copilot. Every of those alternate options caters to completely different wants, whether or not it’s artistic brainstorming, sharing real-world knowledge, or serving to with work duties.

Q. Microsoft CoPilot vs. ChatGPT: Which is healthier?

Microsoft CoPilot and ChatGPT each use OpenAI’s GPT-4 mannequin however cater to completely different wants. CoPilot is accessible with out signing in through Bing or Edge, however its free model has stricter dialog limits. 

ChatGPT, nonetheless, is the very best AI chatbot for coding, content material creation, knowledge evaluation, and picture technology. With extra flexibility in enter codecs and inventive use circumstances, ChatGPT is healthier fitted to private {and professional} duties, whereas CoPilot is the go-to for Microsoft ecosystem customers.

Q. Gemini vs. ChatGPT: Which one is the very best AI chatbot?

Gemini units itself aside with real-time web entry through Google Search and fact-checking, making it excellent for these needing correct data. It is without doubt one of the greatest AI chatbot for analysis. Its bigger context window permits for prolonged conversations, and the “double-check with Google” characteristic ensures transparency.

ChatGPT, alternatively, is extra versatile. Whereas it doesn’t browse the web within the free model, it helps a number of enter sorts and excels in artistic and analytical duties. It’s also among the best AI chatbots for coding.  If supply accuracy is your precedence, go along with Gemini. For an all-around resolution, ChatGPT stays a dependable alternative.

Q. How do AI chatbots work?

AI-powered chatbots depend on giant language fashions (LLMs) like OpenAI’s GPT or Google’s Gemini. They course of and perceive textual content utilizing pure language processing (NLP) and reply based mostly on patterns and coaching knowledge.

Q. Do AI chatbots retailer or use my knowledge?

Some AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, could use your knowledge to coach fashions until you choose out. Others, like Claude, don’t use inputs for coaching with out specific permission. At all times assessment the chatbot’s privateness coverage.

Q. The best way to create an AI chatbot?

• Determine what your chatbot will do–buyer help, content material creation, or lead technology.
• Use instruments like Dialogflow, Kore.ai, or Gleen AI for no-code options, or frameworks like Rasa or OpenAI APIs for extra customization.
• Outline intents (consumer objectives) and entities (key particulars), and map out dialog flows.
• Add coaching knowledge like FAQs or paperwork and use NLP instruments to reinforce response accuracy.
• Check in real-world eventualities and combine into web sites, apps, or messaging platforms. Use analytics to enhance responses and replace the chatbot commonly.

Q. How a lot does an AI chatbot price?

Chatbot prices range extensively. Free plans can be found on instruments like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, however superior options or enterprise options can vary from $20/month to 1000’s yearly, relying on customization and scalability wants.

Q. How do I select the suitable AI chatbot?

Establish your wants—whether or not general-purpose use, artistic duties, or enterprise purposes. Examine instruments based mostly on options, pricing, ease of use, and free trial availability.

Chat your method free of charge

After spending numerous hours testing, chatting, and infrequently laughing at AI quirks, I can confidently say that AI chatbots have come a great distance. Whether or not it’s ChatGPT for on a regular basis duties, Claude for pure and fascinating conversations, or Gleen AI for constructing business-focused bots, there’s one thing on the market for everybody.

As somebody who’s at all times searching for methods to save lots of time, and be extra productive, these AI chatbots have genuinely impressed me. Positive, they’re not excellent, and free variations typically include limits. However even with their quirks, they’ve turn into invaluable instruments for work and play.

If you happen to’re simply beginning out, begin with the free variations, take a look at what works for you, and see how these AI chatbots can match into your each day life. And who is aware of? You may simply discover your new favourite digital companion. Comfortable chatting!

Need some extra instruments for productiveness? Take a look at our information on the very best free writing instruments, tried, examined, reviewed, and backed by G2 critiques.