Which AI is the right one – and what do the others offer?
Facts as of October 17, 2026
In detail
With Claude, the knowledge store is a folder on your computer, and the AI reads and writes there directly. With ChatGPT, the same principle works through a project with uploaded files – with more manual work.
If you mainly need something else, the other providers have other strengths:
| Provider | Based in | Strong in | Entry price per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude (Anthropic) | USA | Texts, work on your own computer – in folders, with mail, calendar and programs; no images | €18 net (Pro) |
| ChatGPT (OpenAI) | USA | Widest range of features, images | approx. €23 gross (Plus) |
| Gemini (Google) | USA | Gmail, Calendar, Drive; images | $19.99 (AI Pro) |
| Microsoft Copilot | USA | Word, Outlook; images | €22 (with Microsoft 365 Premium) |
| Mistral Le Chat | France | Inexpensive, images | $14.99 net (Pro) |
| Langdock | Berlin | No model of its own, access to many, hosting in the EU; no work on your own computer | €25 net per person |
| Local (Ollama, GPT4All) | Your device | Nothing leaves the house; considerably weaker | Free |
Prices as of October 10, 2026; euro prices are for Germany. All of them also have a free tier. The prices mix net and gross because the providers do: with tax, Claude Pro comes to €21.42, on a par with the others. For Gemini, Google gives prices in dollars and points out that they may differ in other countries; Mistral shows only dollars. The “Strong in” column is the judgment of Thomas J. Weiss, not a measurement.
What the prices mean in detail: How much does AI really cost per month?
In practice
Thomas J. Weiss works with Claude as his main AI. Since October 17, 2026, he has used ChatGPT only for images; how the two work together is covered under How do I work with two AIs together?. He has tried another model with the same connections; it was able to take over. The table compares entry prices. He himself uses a tier above the entry level with his provider; he hasn't measured how far the other providers' entry tiers go.
In October 2026, he gives an open recommendation about one provider:
… I would simply advise keeping your hands off Gemini for the moment. That, on the other hand, I'm happy to say openly.
(Original: „… ich würde einfach raten, die Finger von Gemini zu lassen im Moment. Das hingegen sage ich gern offen.“)
Sources
- Interview with Thomas J. Weiss on onboarding, 17.10.2026
- Pricing pages of Anthropic, Mistral and Langdock (accessed 10.10.2026)
- Price overview in the account of Thomas J. Weiss, 10.10.2026
- ChatGPT prices according to jeanhinz.io, as of 04.10.2026 (accessed 10.10.2026)
- Google's US subscription page (accessed 10.10.2026)
- Microsoft's German pricing page for individuals (accessed 10.10.2026)
- Dictation by Thomas J. Weiss comparing with the theater project, 17.10.2026
Cite: Thomas J. Weiss: “Which AI is the right one – and what do the others offer?” replicapong.de, as of October 17, 2026. https://replicapong.de/en/question/which-ai/ – CC BY 4.0