Microsoft’s use of the Copilot name has become confusing, especially for Mac users.
There’s a free Microsoft Copilot app, Copilot features included with Microsoft 365 Personal and Family, a more expensive Microsoft 365 Premium plan and separate Microsoft 365 Copilot products for businesses.
Although these all use Microsoft’s AI technology, they are not the same product and don’t provide the same access to your documents, email or company data.
Here we explain the differences, how much each version costs and which Microsoft Copilot plan is best for your Mac.
Microsoft Copilot vs Microsoft 365 Copilot: What’s The Difference?
The simplest way to understand the difference is:
- Microsoft Copilot Free is a general AI assistant similar to ChatGPT. You can ask questions, generate text, create images and upload files for analysis.
- Copilot in Microsoft 365 Personal or Family adds AI tools directly to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, subject to usage limits.
- Microsoft 365 Premium includes the Office apps, higher Copilot limits and some advanced AI features.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot for Business can work with company emails, meetings, files and other organisational data, depending on your licence and administrator settings.
For most home Mac users, the choice is between the free Copilot app and one of the Microsoft 365 home subscriptions.
Businesses need a commercial Microsoft 365 plan with Copilot if they want the AI assistant to work securely across corporate documents, Teams meetings, Outlook email and other organisational data.
Microsoft Copilot Plans Compared
| Plan | Best For | Copilot in Office Apps | Access To Work Data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Copilot Free | General questions, writing and images | No | No | Free |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | One Mac user who needs Office and some AI tools | Yes | Limited, if permitted by employer | $99.99/£84.99/year |
| Microsoft 365 Family | Families that need Office and cloud storage | Yes, but AI is for the subscription owner | Limited, if permitted by employer | $129.99/£104.99/year |
| Microsoft 365 Premium | Heavy personal Copilot users | Yes, with higher limits | Limited, if permitted by employer | $199.99/£189.99/year |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot Business | Companies using Microsoft 365 | Yes | Yes | Varies by business plan |
Microsoft also offers monthly payment options. At the time of writing, Microsoft 365 Personal costs $9.99/£8.49 per month, Family costs $12.99/£10.49 per month and Premium costs $19.99/£18.99 per month.
You can check the latest prices on Microsoft’s Microsoft 365 comparison page.
1. Microsoft Copilot Free
The free version of Microsoft Copilot is the best place to start if you simply want an AI assistant on your Mac.
You can use it in a browser at copilot.com or install the Microsoft Copilot app from the Mac App Store.
The free version can:
- Answer questions and explain topics
- Draft and rewrite text
- Summarise information
- Create images from text prompts
- Analyse uploaded images and documents
- Hold voice conversations
- Search the web for current information
- Remember conversations when you sign in
You don’t need to pay for Microsoft 365 to use these basic features.
You can even use Copilot without signing in, although a personal Microsoft account provides chat history, longer conversations, image creation, voice interaction and other features.
However, the free Copilot app does not give you the full integrated Copilot experience inside the desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
You can upload a document to Copilot and ask questions about it, but that isn’t the same as opening Word and asking Copilot to rewrite, summarise or edit the document in place.
Microsoft Copilot For Mac System Requirements
The native Microsoft Copilot app requires:
- macOS 14 Sonoma or later
- An Apple Silicon Mac with an M1 chip or later
This means the standalone app does not support Intel Macs.
If you have an Intel Mac or an older version of macOS, you can still use Copilot through a browser at copilot.com.
Microsoft currently makes the native Mac app available in selected countries including the UK, US and Canada.
The Mac version largely provides the same features as the web version, but also includes a macOS keyboard shortcut, automatic light or dark appearance and answers tailored to the version of macOS you’re using.
Some features available through Microsoft’s other Copilot interfaces may not immediately be available in the Mac app. Microsoft currently lists Copilot Pages and Deep Research among the features that may be unavailable in the native macOS version.
You can check the latest requirements and restrictions in Microsoft’s Copilot for macOS guide.
2. Copilot With Microsoft 365 Personal
Microsoft 365 Personal includes the desktop versions of:
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft OneNote
It also includes 1TB of OneDrive storage and lets one person use the apps on multiple Macs, PCs and mobile devices.
More importantly, it puts Copilot features directly inside supported Microsoft 365 apps.
For example, Copilot can help you:
- Draft, summarise and rewrite documents in Word
- Analyse data and suggest formulas in Excel
- Create presentations and speaker notes in PowerPoint
- Summarise email threads and draft replies in Outlook
- Summarise and organise notes in OneNote
This integration is the main reason to pay for Microsoft 365 instead of relying on the free Copilot app.
Rather than copying text between an Office document and a separate AI chatbot, you can use Copilot from within the document you’re working on.
However, Microsoft 365 Personal does not provide unlimited use of every AI feature. Microsoft applies a mixture of AI credits and feature-specific limits, which may vary depending on the tool and model being used.
Microsoft also changes these allowances periodically, so it’s better to think of Personal as providing regular but limited Copilot use rather than a fixed number of unlimited prompts.
3. Copilot With Microsoft 365 Family
Microsoft 365 Family supports up to six people and includes up to 6TB of OneDrive storage, with 1TB allocated to each person.
However, there is an important restriction that is easy to miss:
The Copilot AI benefits are only available to the Microsoft 365 subscription owner.
The other members of the family group can use the Microsoft 365 apps and their OneDrive storage, but they do not automatically receive the same Copilot allowance.
This makes Microsoft 365 Family good value if several people need Word, Excel and PowerPoint, but less attractive if you expect everyone in the family to receive their own full set of Copilot features.
The same restriction applies to Microsoft 365 Premium: the subscription and storage can be shared, but its advanced AI benefits cannot.
4. Microsoft 365 Premium
Microsoft 365 Premium is aimed at people who use Copilot more heavily and want access to Microsoft’s newest AI tools.
It includes everything in Microsoft 365 Family, plus:
- Higher usage limits for selected Copilot features
- More extensive AI image generation
- Access to some advanced Copilot features
- AI agents for carrying out multi-step tasks
- Advanced research and data-analysis tools
- Copilot integration in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
Premium is not simply an unlimited version of Copilot. Usage caps still apply and Microsoft says limits can vary depending on the feature, AI model and system conditions.
The Premium AI benefits are also restricted to the subscription owner, even though the Microsoft 365 apps and cloud storage can be shared with up to five other people.
At £189.99 per year in the UK, Premium is more than twice the price of Microsoft 365 Personal.
Unless you regularly hit the limits in Personal or need one of the Premium-only research or agent features, Microsoft 365 Personal is likely to offer better value.
5. Microsoft 365 Copilot For Business
Microsoft 365 Copilot for businesses is different from the Copilot features included with a personal Microsoft 365 subscription.
The business version is designed to work with an organisation’s data through Microsoft 365.
Depending on your plan and permissions, it can use information from:
- Outlook emails and calendars
- Word documents
- Excel workbooks
- PowerPoint presentations
- Microsoft Teams chats and meetings
- SharePoint sites
- OneDrive for Business
- Other connected company services
This allows you to ask questions such as:
- “Summarise the emails and documents related to this project.”
- “What decisions were made in yesterday’s Teams meeting?”
- “Create a presentation using the latest sales figures.”
- “List the outstanding actions from this email thread.”
- “Compare this quarter’s figures with the previous quarter.”
Microsoft refers to this as work-grounded Copilot because its answers can be based on information your work account already has permission to access.
The exact price depends on whether Copilot is purchased as an add-on or as part of a Microsoft 365 business package. Microsoft’s UK plans are generally priced per user and often require an annual commitment.
You can compare the latest options on Microsoft’s Copilot for Business pricing page.
Why Are There Two Copilot Apps On Mac?
Depending on what you have installed, you may see both Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot on your Mac.
Traditionally, they have served different purposes:
- Microsoft Copilot is the general AI chatbot for personal accounts.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot is a productivity hub for accessing Office files, creating content and using work or school accounts.
The Microsoft 365 Copilot app is also the successor to the old Microsoft 365 or Office app.
This overlap is confusing because both apps include a Copilot chat interface and use similar branding.
Microsoft is gradually consolidating more Copilot features and account types into a unified experience. However, the features you receive will still depend on whether you sign in with a personal, work or school account and which Microsoft 365 licence is attached to it.
Even if the apps become more closely integrated, a free personal account will not suddenly gain access to company emails, Microsoft Teams meetings or the full set of paid Office features.
How To Install Microsoft Copilot On a Mac
To install the free native Copilot app:
- Open the Mac App Store.
- Search for Microsoft Copilot.
- Select Get and then Install.
- Open Copilot from your Applications folder.
- Sign in with a Microsoft account, Apple ID or Google account.
You can use the app without signing in, but some features will be unavailable.
The native app includes a keyboard shortcut that allows you to open Copilot without switching away from the app you’re using.
If your Mac doesn’t meet the requirements, open Safari, Chrome, Firefox or Edge and go to copilot.com instead.
How To Use Copilot In Word, Excel and PowerPoint On a Mac
If your Microsoft 365 plan includes Copilot:
- Install or update Microsoft 365 on your Mac.
- Open Word, Excel or PowerPoint.
- Sign in with the Microsoft account that owns the subscription.
- Open or create a document.
- Look for the Copilot icon in the toolbar or ribbon.
- Select it to open the Copilot panel.
If Copilot doesn’t appear, check that:
- You’re signed in with the correct Microsoft account.
- Your Microsoft 365 subscription is active.
- The Office app is fully updated.
- Connected experiences are enabled in your privacy settings.
- Your account meets Microsoft’s regional and age requirements.
- Your organisation hasn’t disabled Copilot.
- You have not turned off Copilot in the app’s settings.
A one-time purchase of Office Home 2024 does not provide the same ongoing Copilot integration as a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Does Copilot Work With Apple Mail, Pages and Numbers?
Microsoft Copilot is not integrated into Apple Mail, Pages, Numbers or Keynote in the same way that it is integrated into Microsoft’s own Office apps.
You can still use Copilot alongside them by:
- Copying and pasting text into the Copilot app
- Uploading a compatible document for analysis
- Asking Copilot to create text that you then paste into an Apple app
- Exporting Pages, Numbers or Keynote files to a Microsoft Office format
However, Copilot cannot directly manage a Pages document or analyse your Apple Mail inbox in the same way that Microsoft 365 Copilot can work with Word and Outlook.
If you mainly use Apple’s productivity apps, the free Copilot app may be enough unless you specifically need Microsoft Office compatibility.
Is Microsoft Copilot Private?
The privacy arrangements depend on the version you use.
With the consumer version, Microsoft processes the prompts, files and other information you submit according to its consumer privacy terms and Copilot terms of use.
You should still avoid entering passwords, financial details, confidential client information or other sensitive data into a personal AI chatbot.
Microsoft 365 Copilot for businesses is designed to respect an organisation’s existing Microsoft 365 permissions and security policies. Copilot should only retrieve company information that the signed-in user is already authorised to access.
That doesn’t remove every privacy or accuracy concern. Businesses still need appropriate policies covering sensitive information, retention, access permissions and the use of AI-generated content.
It’s also important to check Copilot’s output. Like ChatGPT and other generative AI tools, it can misunderstand documents, omit details or produce convincing but inaccurate answers.
Is Microsoft Copilot Better Than ChatGPT On a Mac?
For general questions, research, writing and brainstorming, the free versions of Copilot and ChatGPT overlap considerably.
Copilot is more attractive if you:
- Use Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook heavily
- Store most of your files in OneDrive
- Work in a company that uses Microsoft 365
- Want AI assistance within your Office documents
- Need answers grounded in organisational Microsoft 365 data
ChatGPT may be more suitable if you want a general-purpose AI tool with a wider range of custom workflows and you don’t rely heavily on Microsoft 365.
For many Mac users, the decision isn’t necessarily one or the other. You can use the free versions of both and pay only when a particular integration or higher usage limit becomes worthwhile.
Which Version Of Microsoft Copilot Should You Get?
For most Mac users, I recommend starting with the free Microsoft Copilot app.
It provides the main chat, writing, image and file-analysis tools without requiring a Microsoft 365 subscription.
If you already use Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook regularly, Microsoft 365 Personal is the best-value paid option. The Copilot integration is more useful than copying content back and forth between Office and a separate AI app.
Microsoft 365 Family is worth considering if several people need Office and OneDrive, but remember that the Copilot allowance is only available to the subscription owner.
Microsoft 365 Premium is mainly worth it for heavy Copilot users who need higher limits or its advanced research, agent and data-analysis features.
Businesses should use Microsoft 365 Copilot rather than a personal plan if employees need AI assistance grounded in corporate email, meetings and documents.
FAQ
Is Microsoft Copilot free on a Mac?
Yes. You can use Microsoft Copilot for free through copilot.com or the native Copilot app. Some advanced features, higher limits and integration with Microsoft 365 desktop apps require a paid subscription.
Does Copilot work on Intel Macs?
The native Copilot app requires an Apple Silicon Mac with an M1 chip or later. However, Intel Mac users can still access Copilot through a supported web browser.
Do I need Microsoft Edge to use Copilot on a Mac?
No. Copilot works in Safari, Chrome, Firefox and other modern browsers. You can also install the native Mac app on supported Apple Silicon Macs.
Is Copilot included with Microsoft 365 Personal?
Yes. Microsoft 365 Personal includes Copilot features in supported versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, although AI credits and usage limits apply.
Does everyone on Microsoft 365 Family get Copilot?
No. The Microsoft 365 apps and storage can be shared with up to five other people, but the Copilot AI benefits are only available to the subscription owner.
Is Microsoft 365 Copilot the same as Copilot Pro?
No. Microsoft has changed and consolidated its consumer Copilot subscriptions over time. Microsoft 365 Premium is now Microsoft’s main higher-tier consumer plan for users who want the most extensive Copilot access alongside the Office apps.
Can Copilot read everything on my Mac?
No. The native Copilot app doesn’t automatically have unrestricted access to your Mac or its files. It can work with information you enter, files you upload and supported Microsoft services that you have authorised.
Can I disable Copilot in Microsoft Office for Mac?
Yes. Microsoft provides settings in apps including Word, Excel and PowerPoint that allow eligible home subscribers to turn Copilot off. Some Microsoft AI features outside these apps may not offer the same control.