The best free AI apps for everyday life

There are thousands of AI apps, and most of them want a subscription. The good news: the most useful everyday tools have free versions that are plenty for planning meals, writing a tricky email, fixing a photo or reading a menu in another language.

Below are eight free apps worth knowing. We’ve kept to what each company says on its own help pages, and we’ve linked every one at the end.

First, what “free” really means

“Free” usually comes with a few catches. Knowing them up front saves surprises:

• Usage limits. Free versions often cap how much you can use them in a day, or which features you get. Paid plans lift the limits.
• Your chats may be used to improve the AI. Some companies can use free conversations to train their systems unless you switch that off. We show you where below.
• Age rules. Most chat apps are for 13 and up. Some need a parent’s permission for teens.

None of this is a reason to avoid them. It’s just good to know.

The all-rounders: AI you can chat with

These three do a bit of everything. You type or talk, and they answer, draft, explain or plan. Pick one to start with. You don’t need all three.

1. ChatGPT

Best for: everyday questions, drafting emails, planning meals and trips, and explaining confusing things in simple words.

ChatGPT has a free version on the web, iPhone and Android. You can type, talk, or share a photo, for example of your fridge, and ask what to cook.

Worth knowing: OpenAI says ChatGPT isn’t meant for children under 13, and teens from 13 to 18 need a parent’s permission. If you don’t want your chats used to train OpenAI’s models, go to Settings > Data controls and turn off Improve the model for everyone. For one-off private questions, a Temporary chat stays out of your history and isn’t used to train the models. OpenAI may keep a copy for up to 30 days for safety.

2. Google Gemini

Best for: people who already use Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Photos, and anyone on an Android phone.

Gemini is free to download on iPhone (it needs iOS 18.2 or later) and Android (Android 9 or later, with at least 2 GB of memory). On many Android phones, it can also be your phone’s built-in assistant. Paid Google AI plans add more.

Worth knowing: you need to be 13 or older, and under-13s need a parent’s approval. Google says trained human reviewers may read some Gemini chats, so don’t type anything confidential. To stop your future chats being reviewed to improve Google’s services, turn off Keep Activity in Gemini’s settings, or use a temporary chat. Google still keeps those chats for up to 72 hours. On iPhone, Google notes that Gemini can’t yet do phone tasks like setting alarms or sending texts.

3. Microsoft Copilot

Best for: quick answers backed by a web search, writing help, and summarizing web pages.

Microsoft says Copilot is free on the web, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android. You don’t even need to sign in, though signing in with a free Microsoft account adds chat history, image creation, voice and longer conversations.

Worth knowing: free use has limits, and features vary by region.

The specialists: AI built into tools you already use

4. Google Photos

Best for: fixing photos without learning photo-editing software.

Google says its AI photo tools, including Magic Eraser (removes unwanted things from a picture), Photo Unblur and AI Enhance, are free for eligible Google Photos users. It works on iPhone and Android.

Try it: open a photo, tap Edit, then Tools on iPhone or Actions on Android, and choose Magic Eraser. Circle the thing you want gone.

5. Google Translate

Best for: travel, and talking with family or neighbors who speak another language.

Two features feel a bit like magic. Camera mode translates signs and menus when you point your phone at them. Conversation mode translates a back-and-forth chat out loud, so two people can talk in their own languages.

6. Circle to Search (Android)

Best for: “What is that?” moments.

On select premium Android phones, you can circle, highlight or tap anything on your screen, like a jacket in a video or a plant in a photo, and Google searches for it without switching apps. It can also translate text on your screen.

7. Be My Eyes

Best for: people who are blind or have low vision, and their families.

The free Be My AI feature describes a photo in detail. You can then ask follow-up questions, like “What’s the expiration date on this carton?” It’s available on iPhone, Android and Windows.

8. Apple Intelligence (built into newer iPhones)

Best for: iPhone owners who want AI without installing anything.

If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, Apple’s built-in AI can help you write, summarize long emails, search your photos in everyday words and remove distractions from pictures. It’s already on your phone, at no extra cost, though Apple says some features have daily limits. See our step-by-step guide: how to use AI on your iPhone.

Which one should you start with?

• You have an iPhone 15 Pro or newer: start with what’s built in, then add ChatGPT or Gemini if you want more.
• You use Android or a lot of Google apps: start with Gemini and Google Photos.
• You mostly want quick, searched answers: try Copilot.
• You’re traveling soon: download Google Translate before you go.

Three habits that make any AI app more useful (and safer)

1. Give it the details. “Plan dinners for a family of four, $80 budget, no nuts” gets a far better answer than “dinner ideas.”
2. Check anything that matters. AI can sound sure and still be wrong. Double-check prices, opening hours, medical and legal information, and anything involving money.
3. Keep private things private. Don’t paste in passwords, full account numbers or your Social Security number. Cover those up before sharing a photo of a bill or letter.

One last thing: the same technology that makes these apps helpful also makes scams more convincing. Our guide on how to spot AI scams takes five minutes and could save you a lot of money.