The Tech Grandkid · thetechgrandkid.com/buying-guides/ai-helpers-explained/
AI helpers explained: what ChatGPT, Gemini, Alexa+ and Siri cost and which one a parent actually needs
How we picked, and how we're paid
Every price and plan below comes from the company's own pricing or help page, linked under each plan. We haven't tested these assistants against each other, and we don't rank them on how smart they are. We sort the plans by what an older parent is likely to use.
We earn nothing from these links right now. If we ever add paid or affiliate links, we'll label each one where it appears.
All four big AI helpers have a free version, and most parents never need more. The prices below come from each company's own pricing page.
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
An app and website you type or talk to. Good for questions like "what does this letter mean?" or "what do I say to the pharmacy?"
ChatGPT Free
$0 Price as of October 15, 2026, from OpenAI: ChatGPT pricing.
Good for: almost every parent. Start here.
- Unlimited text chats, which OpenAI says are subject to abuse guardrails
- Limited voice chats and limited photo and file uploads
The one downside: Voice chats and uploads, like a photo of a confusing screen, are limited.
Sources: OpenAI: ChatGPT pricing
ChatGPT Go
$8 a month Price as of October 15, 2026, from OpenAI: ChatGPT pricing.
Good for: a parent who keeps running into the Free limits on voice or photos.
- More voice chats, uploads and image creation than Free, and longer memory
- Voice with video
The one downside: OpenAI says this plan may include ads.
Sources: OpenAI: ChatGPT pricing
ChatGPT Plus
$20 a month Price as of October 15, 2026, from OpenAI: ChatGPT pricing.
Good for: someone who uses ChatGPT for work or long research, not most parents.
- Advanced reasoning models, plus more uploads and deep research than Go
The one downside: It costs more than most parents need. OpenAI also sells Pro from $100 a month, which is for heavy research and coding.
Sources: OpenAI: ChatGPT pricing
Gemini (Google)
Google's assistant. It works in its own app and in Google products like Gmail.
Gemini Free
$0 with a Google Account. Price as of October 15, 2026, from Google: Gemini plans.
Good for: a parent with an Android phone or a Gmail account.
- Gemini Live for talking out loud, image generation and editing, and Deep Research
- 15 GB of storage across Gmail, Drive and Photos
The one downside: Free uses Google's Flash-Lite model and has the lowest usage limits. Google AI Plus doubles them.
Sources: Google: Gemini plans
Google AI Plus
$4.99 a month Price as of October 15, 2026, from Google One: Google AI plans.
Good for: a parent whose Google storage is full. The extra space may be the bigger reason to pay.
- 400 GB of storage across Gmail, Drive and Photos
- Twice the Gemini usage of Free, and Gemini inside Gmail and other Google apps
The one downside: If the storage isn't needed, Free covers everyday questions.
Google AI Pro
$19.99 a month Price as of October 15, 2026, from Google One: Google AI plans.
Good for: a family that shares a lot of photos and video and wants 5 TB of storage.
- 5 TB of storage and four times the Gemini usage of Free
- Includes the Google Home Premium Standard plan
The one downside: It's priced like ChatGPT Plus, and most of what it adds is more than a parent needs. Google's top plan, AI Ultra, starts at $99.99 a month.
Alexa+ (Amazon)
Amazon's newer Alexa, for Echo speakers and screens, Alexa.com and the Alexa app.
Alexa+ with Prime
Included with Prime Prime is $14.99 a month or $139 a year. Price as of October 15, 2026, from Amazon: Alexa+ plans.
Good for: a parent who already has Prime and an Echo.
- Full Alexa+ on Echo devices, Alexa.com and the Alexa app, for the whole household
- Amazon says it manages calendars and delivers personalized reminders
The one downside: It's only free if someone in the household pays for Prime.
Sources: Amazon: Alexa+ plans; Amazon: Alexa+ now available to everyone in the US; Amazon: Prime membership price
Alexa+ free chat
$0 Price as of October 15, 2026, from Amazon: Alexa+ plans.
Good for: trying Alexa+ by typing, before anyone pays.
- Text chat on Alexa.com and in the Alexa app, with limited daily use
The one downside: It doesn't bring Alexa+ to an Echo speaker. Echo devices keep the original Alexa.
Sources: Amazon: Alexa+ plans
Alexa+ Standard (without Prime)
$19.99 a month Price as of October 15, 2026, from Amazon: Alexa+ plans.
Good for: a household that wants Alexa+ on its Echo devices but doesn't want Prime.
- Full Alexa+ on Echo, Fire TV, Fire tablets, Alexa.com and the Alexa app
The one downside: Prime costs less per month than this plan and includes Alexa+.
Sources: Amazon: Alexa+ plans
Siri (Apple)
Built into iPhone, iPad and Mac. There's no separate Siri subscription today.
Siri AI
No charge today Apple says expanded access will cost a fee in the future. It hasn't announced a price. Price as of October 15, 2026, from Apple: Apple Intelligence usage limits.
Good for: a parent with an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max or any iPhone 16 or later.
- Rolling out in beta, in English first, with iOS 27
- Ask open-ended questions by voice or typing, with a Siri app that keeps your conversations
The one downside: It only runs on Apple Intelligence devices, and Apple has daily usage limits on it.
Sources: Apple Newsroom: Siri AI is here (devices and availability); Apple: Apple Intelligence and Siri; Apple: Apple Intelligence usage limits
Which one does a parent actually need?
- Most parents need nothing paid. Start with what their phone already has: Siri on a recent iPhone, or the free Gemini app on Android.
- Has Prime and an Echo? Alexa+ is already included. Say "Alexa, upgrade to Alexa+" or sign in at Alexa.com.
- Wants to type questions or send a photo of a confusing letter? ChatGPT Free or Gemini Free. Pay only if they keep hitting the limits.
- Google storage full? Google AI Plus at $4.99 a month adds 400 GB, which may matter more than the AI.
- Never type passwords, codes, bank numbers or a Social Security number into any AI chat. Check health and money answers with a doctor, pharmacist or the bank.
- Scammers copy AI apps and websites. Get the app from the App Store or Google Play, and see our guide to spotting fake websites.
Questions?
Email us at [email protected]. Never send us a password or a code.