Five tools, five different jobs. ChatGPT and Claude are chat subscriptions. Microsoft Copilot lives inside Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams. Gemini lives inside Google Workspace. Grok Bot is the odd one out: an always-on setup for a team of 1 to 5. It runs on its own computer, connects to email, calendar, Notion, Xero, GitHub and the other tools you use, and works as specialist bots under one Chief of Staff bot. It runs scheduled routines, and it drafts messages for you to approve before anything sends. It is not the Grok chat app. See Grok Bot setup for a team of 1 to 5.
Prices on this page were checked on 27 October 2026, except where a line says 26 October. Every figure is in NZ dollars. Where the vendor publishes an NZ dollar price, that is the figure shown, and the note says whether that page includes GST. Where the vendor only publishes US dollars, the figure is approximate: converted from the US price at NZ$1.7535 per US$1, using the European Central Bank euro reference rates for 27 October 2026 (US$1.1150 and NZ$1.9552 per euro), and rounded to the nearest dollar. Those converted plans also show the same figure with 15% GST.
Which AI tool should a New Zealand business use?
Start from where the work already lives. Claude Pro or ChatGPT Plus, both about NZ$35 a month before GST (about NZ$40 with GST, converted from US$20), for a person who writes and researches. Gemini, already included in Google Workspace, when the team lives in Gmail and Docs. Microsoft Copilot when the team lives in Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams and will actually use it there. Grok Bot when a team of 1 to 5 needs work done across those tools while they are out, with drafts held for approval.
Where does the work already live?
- Word, Excel, Outlook, TeamsCopilot, if people will open it there
- Gmail, Docs, MeetGemini, already in the Workspace plan
- A mix of tools, and no single suiteChatGPT or Claude for the thinking
Should it keep working while you are out?
- Yes, across email, calendar, Xero and the rest, and you approve what sendsGrok Bot. I set this up for teams of 1 to 5
- No. A person opens it when they have a taskStay with the tool from step 1
Do you need one bill and an admin console?
- Two or more people, and client dataChatGPT Business or Claude Team, not a pile of personal logins
- You already pay for Microsoft 365 or Google WorkspaceThat suite is the admin console. Do not add a second one unless step 1 or 2 says to
What is each tool best at?
Same seven jobs, five tools. Strong means the vendor’s own plan page describes that job. Anything else is my read of the same pages, and the note says what the page actually claims.
Compared as of 27 October 2026
- Strong
- Can do it
- Weak
- Not its job
Writing and email
- ChatGPTStrongDrafts and rewrites in the chat.
- ClaudeStrongLong documents and careful edits.
- CopilotStrongInside Word and Outlook.
- GeminiStrongInside Gmail on Workspace.
- Grok BotStrongDrafts held until you approve them.
Research
- ChatGPTStrongDeep research on Plus and above.
- ClaudeStrongResearch is on Pro and above.
- CopilotCan do itA Researcher agent is included.
- GeminiStrongDeep Research on the Google AI plans.
- Grok BotCan do itFrom the tools it is connected to.
Coding and building
- ChatGPTStrongCodex is on the paid plans.
- ClaudeStrongClaude Code is on the paid plans.
- CopilotWeakThis product is not GitHub Copilot.
- GeminiCan do itAI Studio, on the Google AI Pro plan.
- Grok BotCan do itSummarises GitHub work. Not an editor.
Spreadsheets and data
- ChatGPTCan do itUpload a file and ask in the chat.
- ClaudeCan do itBuilds files, including with code.
- CopilotStrongInside Excel.
- GeminiCan do itThe NZ Workspace page says it generates data insights.
- Grok BotCan do itDrafts a note from Xero. Not a sheet.
Inside Microsoft 365
- ChatGPTCan do itBusiness connects to Microsoft 365.
- ClaudeCan do itPro includes Claude for Microsoft 365.
- CopilotStrongBuilt into Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams.
- GeminiNot its jobA Google tool.
- Grok BotCan do itCan connect Outlook. Not inside Word.
Inside Google Workspace
- ChatGPTCan do itBusiness connects to Google Workspace.
- ClaudeCan do itConnectors are on every plan. Microsoft 365 is the app named on the pricing page.
- CopilotNot its jobA Microsoft tool.
- GeminiStrongGmail, Docs and Meet on Business Standard.
- Grok BotCan do itConnects Gmail and Calendar. Not inside Docs.
Work across tools while you are away
- ChatGPTCan do itScheduled tasks. You come back to the chat.
- ClaudeCan do itPro can hand work off and schedule it.
- CopilotWeakCowork and Autopilot are billed on top.
- GeminiCan do itTasks, on Google AI Pro. Not its own computer.
- Grok BotStrongIts own computer, routines, drafts waiting.
Strong means the vendor’s own plan page describes the tool as doing that job. The other labels are my read of the same pages.
Which tool fits your team size?
Grok Bot stays in the 1 to 5 band. Past that, buy the team plan that matches the suite you already run. A team of 2 to 5 that wants work across email, calendar, Xero and the rest, with someone still approving what sends, is the Grok Bot setup. A team that size that mostly needs a shared chat, with one bill and admin controls, is Claude Team or ChatGPT Business.
- SoloClaude Pro or ChatGPT PlusSame converted price, about NZ$35 a month before GST. Add Grok Bot if the admin should happen while you are on the tools. Copilot only if you live in the Microsoft apps.
- 2 to 5Grok Bot, or a team chat planGrok Bot is built for this size when the job crosses tools. Claude Team or ChatGPT Business when you want a shared workspace and admin controls.
- 6 to 20Claude Team or ChatGPT BusinessPlus the suite you already pay for. Grok Bot is still a 1 to 5 setup: fine for one pod, not the company rollout.
- 20 to 200The suite, plus a team planChatGPT Business goes to 200 seats. Claude Team stops at 150, then Enterprise. Copilot or Gemini should match the suite. Grok Bot is not the whole-company tool.
What does each plan cost?
As checked on 27 October 2026, with the OpenAI NZ dollar seats from 26 October: a ChatGPT Business seat is NZ$33 a month billed yearly, and that page does not say whether GST is included. Plus is about NZ$35 a month before GST, about NZ$40 with GST, converted from US$20. Claude Pro is about NZ$35 a month before GST, about NZ$40 with GST, converted from US$20, or about NZ$30 a month before GST billed yearly, converted from US$17. A Claude Team seat is about NZ$44 a month before GST billed monthly, or about NZ$35 a month before GST billed yearly, converted from US$25 or US$20. Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot is NZ$38 a user a month paid yearly, before tax. Google Workspace Business Standard is NZ$21 a user a month with a one-year commitment, and Google’s NZ page does not say whether GST is included.
Microsoft’s New Zealand page says the price does not include tax. Claude’s pricing page says its prices exclude applicable tax, so the Claude figures are the conversion above, before GST and with GST. The full NZ dollar tables for ChatGPT and Claude are in ChatGPT pricing in NZ dollars and Claude pricing in NZ dollars. Those two articles use an earlier exchange rate, so a converted figure there can differ by a dollar.
ChatGPT
Best forOne chat for writing, research and code, for a person or a team.
Business seat, yearlyNZ$33
A month, billed yearly, on OpenAI's business page viewed from New Zealand on 26 October 2026. That page does not say whether GST is included. Billed monthly, a standard seat is about NZ$44 before GST (about NZ$50 with GST), converted from US$25. Plus is about NZ$35 a month before GST (about NZ$40 with GST), converted from US$20, also from 26 October 2026. The NZ App Store lists Plus at NZ$39.99 a month, GST included. Premium billed yearly is NZ$165 a month on that NZ page (GST not stated). Billed monthly it is about NZ$219 before GST (about NZ$252 with GST), converted from US$125, rechecked 27 October 2026. Enterprise is quoted by OpenAI.
Watch-outs
- Go is cheaper, may show ads, and leaves out the main reasoning models.
- Business starts at 2 seats. Personal plans are not a company admin console.
Claude
Best forLong documents, careful writing, and coding in Claude Code.
Proabout NZ$35
A month before GST, about NZ$40 with GST, converted from US$20. Billed yearly, about NZ$30 a month before GST (about NZ$34 with GST), converted from US$17, paid as about NZ$351 before GST up front (about NZ$403 with GST), converted from US$200. Team standard is about NZ$44 a seat a month before GST billed monthly, or about NZ$35 billed yearly (about NZ$50 or about NZ$40 with GST), converted from US$25 or US$20. Premium is about NZ$219 a month before GST billed monthly, or about NZ$175 billed yearly (about NZ$252 or about NZ$202 with GST), converted from US$125 or US$100. A NZ account was charged NZ$40 a month for Pro, GST included, on 26 October 2026. That charge is a cross-check, not a published list price.
Watch-outs
- Usage limits are real, and the pricing page says prices exclude applicable tax.
- Enterprise is about NZ$35 a seat a month before GST, converted from US$20, plus usage, billed yearly, from 20 seats.
Microsoft Copilot
Best forPeople who already write, calculate and meet inside Microsoft 365.
Business Standard with CopilotNZ$38
A user a month, paid yearly. Microsoft's NZ page says the price does not include tax. Monthly is NZ$45.60. Business Premium with Copilot is NZ$51.80 yearly or NZ$62.16 monthly, before tax. The add-on, if you already have an eligible Business plan, is NZ$29.14 a user a month paid yearly for the first year (listed at NZ$34 before the discount), before tax, through 31 December 2026. The monthly add-on is listed at NZ$40.80. Copilot Pro is about NZ$35 a user a month before GST (about NZ$40 with GST), converted from US$20. The NZ business page does not list Copilot Pro in NZ dollars.
Watch-outs
- Cowork and Autopilot can add usage charges on top of the licence.
- The add-on discount is the first year only, for existing eligible Business plans. GitHub Copilot is a separate product.
Google Gemini
Best forA business that already runs on Google Workspace.
Workspace Business StandardNZ$21
A user a month with a one-year commitment, or NZ$25.20 without it. Starter is NZ$10.50 yearly or NZ$12.60 flexible. Business Plus is NZ$33 yearly or NZ$39.60 flexible. The NZ page does not say whether GST is included. Google AI Plus is about NZ$9 a month before GST (about NZ$10 with GST), converted from US$4.99. Google AI Pro is about NZ$35 a month before GST (about NZ$40 with GST), converted from US$19.99. Both come from the US Google One page.
Watch-outs
- Starter only names Gemini in Gmail and the Gemini app. Docs, Meet and Notebook start at Business Standard.
- Business plans stop at 300 users. The consumer Google AI plans are personal accounts, and Google publishes them in US dollars.
Grok Bot
Best forA team of 1 to 5 that wants work done across email, calendar, Notion, Xero and GitHub, with a person approving anything that sends.
For a team of 1 to 5. I set it up against the tools you already use.
Watch-outs
- It is a setup, not a plan you buy from a vendor pricing page. It runs on its own computer.
- It is not the Grok chat app. Messages stay as drafts until you approve them.
- Exchange rate: the European Central Bank euro reference rates for 27 October 2026. USD 1.1150 and NZD 1.9552 per euro, so US$1 is NZ$1.7535. Converted figures are rounded to the nearest dollar and labelled approximate. The with-GST figure adds 15%.
- ChatGPT: OpenAI’s business pricing page. Viewed from New Zealand on 26 October 2026, a standard seat billed yearly was NZ$33 a month and a premium seat billed yearly was NZ$165 a month. That page does not say whether GST is included. The monthly standard seat is about NZ$44 before GST, converted from US$25, and Plus is about NZ$35 before GST, converted from US$20, both from that same check. The business page did not return prices without JavaScript on 27 October. Premium billed monthly is about NZ$219 before GST, converted from US$125, rechecked on 27 October 2026. Plus in the NZ App Store is NZ$39.99 a month, GST included, checked 26 October 2026.
- Claude: claude.com/pricing, checked 27 October 2026. The page lists prices in US dollars and says they exclude applicable tax, so the figures here are the conversion. The NZ$40 a month Pro charge, GST included, is what a Harkness AI account was charged on 26 October 2026. It is a cross-check, not a published list price.
- Microsoft Copilot: Microsoft’s New Zealand pricing page, checked 27 October 2026. The page says the price does not include tax. Copilot Pro is about NZ$35 a user a month before GST, converted from US$20 on Microsoft’s US store. That NZ page does not list Copilot Pro in NZ dollars.
- Google Workspace: Google’s New Zealand Workspace page, checked 27 October 2026. It lists NZ dollars and does not say whether GST is included. Consumer Google AI plans: Google One’s AI plans page, labelled United States when checked. Google AI Plus is about NZ$9 before GST, converted from US$4.99, and Google AI Pro is about NZ$35 before GST, converted from US$19.99.
- Grok Bot: Get in touch. No price until launch.
Is Microsoft Copilot worth it for a small business?
Copilot is the right tool when the team already lives in Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams, and someone will check that people actually use it. For a small business I often cannot show the return. Business Standard with Copilot is NZ$38 a user a month on a yearly plan, before tax, and that price is the Office apps plus Copilot. The add-on, if you already pay for Microsoft 365, is NZ$29.14 a user a month for the first year, before tax. ChatGPT Plus and Claude Pro are about NZ$35 a month before GST (about NZ$40 with GST, converted from US$20) for the writing and research most small teams do, and Google Workspace Business Standard already includes Gemini at NZ$21 a user a month on a yearly commitment. In the small businesses I set up, the Copilot licence is often on and the habit is not. The invoice still arrives.
What should you set up first?
Pick from the diagram, then have it set up against your own tools. An empty chat window is the part people already know how to buy.
