Which AI Model at What Cost: A Boomer’s Journey into AI

So you have been using your AI of choice and are getting comfortable with either typing, talking, calling it by name and referring to ‘we’ in your interactions. You’ve begun to do more complex things like load a document, maybe correct a spreadsheet or ask it to generate a picture. Now you’re getting ads and reading articles telling you about the different “models” and the benefits for each of them, as well as the cost.

What do you do? How do you choose? Are you going to have to subscribe and pay monthly?

You can relax. The majority of casual AI users will not need or have interest in subscribing to an AI model. However, the future of AI will definitely involve pay to play.

First a little Boomersplaining.

A “model” is a version of the AI code. Unlike software for your mobile phone that is constantly being updated and the latest version is intended for all users, with AI, the models are much like that of the auto industry. You can get the base model. If you want to go faster, you can get a different model of the same vehicle. If you have a need for traversing difficult terrain, yet another model of car or SUV or truck is available to meet your needs.

Unlike the auto industry, there is a free model. That free model is the chatbot interface you probably began using and are most familiar with at this time. However, there are free tiers and pay tiers for each model from each provider of AI.

Paid consumer plans generally start somewhere between about $5 and $20 a month, depending on the provider and what features you want. The price goes up from there.

When you move to a paid tier, you generally get higher usage limits, access to more advanced features, and in some services the ability to choose among different models. Again, like in an automobile, it’s a bit like the gear selector where you can choose lower gears or highway cruising gears or wet/snow condition options. The more you pay, the more options you will have.

Unless you know what an API is and intend to use it or expect to take advantage of agentic AI, you are unlikely to need more than an entry level paid tier to meet your needs. For those who want to know what an API or Agentic AI is, if you have to ask, you don’t need it.

For the mildly curious, here is a high-level rundown of offerings from the major AI providers:

OpenAI’s ChatGPT

Free Tier: You get free access to GPT-5.6 Luna, which handles everyday text, basic coding, and general questions.

Paid Tier (Plus): A monthly subscription unlocks advanced flagship models like GPT-5.6 Sol for highly complex reasoning, faster speeds during peak times, and higher usage limits.

Anthropic’s Claude

On the Claude free tier, you get access to a current Claude model for everyday use, but with lower usage limits. Paid subscribers generally receive higher usage limits and priority access.

In plain English, the free version is plenty to learn with. Consider paying when you begin running into limits often enough that they get in your way.

Anthropic provides this simple chart to give you an idea of what models are available.

Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft Copilot is a little different from some other AI services because Microsoft can use more than one underlying AI model behind the scenes. Depending on which version of Copilot you are using, it may use technology from OpenAI, Anthropic, or other models.

Think of it as a car where Microsoft may choose the engine for you depending on what you are trying to do.

Most users do not need to know or care which model is being used. You ask the question and Copilot handles the rest. If you pay for Microsoft 365 Copilot, you also gain more AI features inside familiar programs such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams.

Google Gemini

The free version of Gemini already does quite a bit. You can ask questions, generate and edit images, do research, talk with it live, and use several other Google AI tools.  The paid versions generally give you access to stronger models, higher usage limits, and more advanced features.

However, Google has decided that one version of AI is not nearly enough. So, in classic technology fashion, you get choices.

There is a free version. Then there is Google AI Plus for about $5 a month. There is Google AI Pro for about $20 a month. Finally, there is Google AI Ultra starting around $100 a month, with an even more expensive version above that.

It’s a bit like cable TV. The free version gives you a lot of channels. However, if you want more streaming options, you start adding on costs. Keep moving up and eventually you are paying enough each month that you probably ought to know exactly why you need it.

Google also gets the award for some of the more entertaining AI names.

For example, its image-generation model is called Nano Banana 2.

No, I did not make that up.

So which one should you choose?

Start with the free version of whichever AI you like using. If you keep running into limits or discover a feature you genuinely need, then pay for the next level. Unless AI has become an important part of your work, you probably do not need the expensive versions.

Again, like with cars, you are not buying an AI.  You are leasing it.  To start the lease is a basic model.  Use it until it stops getting you where you need to go.  Then upgrade to a pay model with the features you need.