Independent AI advice for Irish organisations
Claude vs Copilot: which should your team use?
You already have Microsoft 365. Some people are disappointed with Copilot; others want Claude. The useful decision is where either tool improves the work enough to justify the effort and cost.
Reviewed 4 October 2026 · By Ger Perdisatt
Start with what you already have
Our advice is to test your approved tools on the jobs that matter before adding another subscription. If Copilot produces a weak result, establish whether the problem is access, the source material or the task itself. Then compare an alternative where there is a useful reason to do so.
Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat are not interchangeable labels. Copilot Chat is available to eligible Microsoft 365 users, while broader access to organisational information depends on the licensed experience. Supported app context can also vary. Check the account and application your team actually uses. Microsoft explains the differences.
Claude can also connect to Microsoft 365, with access governed by the organisation's setup and the user's permissions. Assess what it can read or change before enabling it. Anthropic explains the connector.
This page sets out our decision advice. For detailed working examples, use AI at Work's comparison by task. AI at Work is part of Acuity.
Choose around the work your team does
These are starting points for a comparison. They are not universal performance scores or a recommendation to buy both products.
Find information across company files, email and meetings
Check your Microsoft 365 Copilot access first.
Does it find the right sources, and are they current? If Claude is already approved, its configured Microsoft 365 connector can also be assessed for this work.
Compare a defined bundle of documents
Test your approved tools with the same complete evidence.
Look for missed differences, unsupported conclusions and usable source references. Try Claude if your existing route still struggles after the inputs are improved.
Draft or edit inside an Office document
Start with the experience available in the application.
Judge the saved document and the time spent correcting it. A strong answer in chat may still leave substantial work in the file.
Produce a presentation people can use
Agree the audience, decision and source material first.
Separate a weak argument from a layout problem. Inspect the exported slides and the edits needed before choosing a tool on its first draft.
For software development, distinguish GitHub Copilot from Microsoft 365 Copilot before comparing it with Claude Code. An office-work comparison does not settle a development-tool decision.
What would make another subscription worthwhile?
Choose a recurring job, define an acceptable result and check what happens from the source material to the finished work. Include the time spent preparing inputs, reviewing answers and correcting the final file. A better first draft may still take longer to finish.
Compare current costs against that work. Check your existing Microsoft entitlements, the Copilot add-on under consideration and the appropriate Claude plan. Confirm billing terms and any additional usage charges directly with the vendors. Avoid a purchase decision based on an old headline price.
Governance belongs in the decision too. Establish what information people may use, who approves connectors and who checks consequential outputs. A business subscription does not by itself settle your organisation's legal or professional obligations. Our AI governance advice addresses the organisational work around the tools.
Read the comparisons with their test conditions
Our published bake-off series records specific tasks and setups. Read the date, method and limitations alongside the findings. Those results do not guarantee the same outcome in your tenant or on a newer version.
- Word: document quality and the work of editing
- Outlook: reasoning over email and calendar
- Excel: checking results against the underlying data
If your question is why a presentation disappoints, start with AI at Work's presentation guide. It helps distinguish the source, argument and layout problems before you switch tools.
Tell us where the tools are falling short
Describe the job and the access you already have. We can discuss whether better inputs, training, a different setup or another tool is the useful next step.
Ger Perdisatt, former COO of Microsoft Enterprise Western Europe, leads the conversation. Any subsequent work is scoped and priced before it begins.
If you prefer to think it through first, the AI Fit Assessment is another starting point.
Questions before you choose
Is Claude better than Microsoft 365 Copilot?
Compare the job and the setup. For work spread across Microsoft 365, start by testing the Copilot access you already have. For a defined document bundle, compare approved tools on the same evidence. Include review effort, information access and cost in the decision.
Do we need an extra Copilot licence?
Not for every task. Eligible Microsoft 365 users have Copilot Chat access, including file-based work and some supported organisational context. Broader Microsoft 365 grounding and other capabilities depend on the licence and experience. Check the actual task, tenant and subscription before buying an add-on.
Can Claude work with Microsoft 365 information?
Yes. Claude has a Microsoft 365 connector, subject to the organisation's setup and permissions. The choice is not simply between integrated Copilot and copying files into Claude. Confirm the access and actions enabled for the people doing the work.
Should we buy both?
Only where extra access solves a worthwhile problem. Start with the tools already approved, identify work they struggle with and compare an alternative on that work. Include the time needed to review outputs, administer access and support the team.
What does Claude cost compared with Copilot?
Compare current business plans and your existing entitlements. Microsoft 365 base subscriptions, Copilot add-ons, Claude subscriptions and usage charges need separate consideration. Use current vendor quotations; a headline seat price does not establish value for your team.
If training is the immediate need, see our Claude team workshop or Copilot training.