Which one fits your firm
| If this is true | Start here |
|---|---|
| A contract or regulator says where data must be kept | Get each vendor's terms for your plan in writing, then choose. |
| Your firm runs on Microsoft 365 and IT wants one set of controls | Copilot is usually the lower-effort start. |
| Your firm runs on Google Workspace | Gemini comes with every Workspace business plan (Google), so test it alongside the other three. |
| Some information must never leave the building | A private AI model on your own hardware keeps it on site. It costs more and does less, so keep it for that short list. It can run alongside any of the three. |
| None of these apply | Choose the tool your team will use every day, after a short test. |
To run the test:
- Pick one task your team does every week, such as a client follow-up email, a weekly report or a proposal (see how to write proposals and RFPs faster with AI).
- Run it in each tool you're considering, using made-up practice information.
- Compare how good the result is and how long it takes someone to check it. Let the people who will use it every day have a say.
Copilot vs Claude
If your firm runs on Microsoft 365, Copilot is usually the lower-effort place to start. It uses the sign-in and folder permissions your IT provider already manages. Fix overshared SharePoint and Teams folders first, because Copilot can find anything a person already has permission to open.
Claude's business plans can be just as safe when each connection is limited to what the task needs. And the two overlap: Microsoft says Anthropic's Claude models are available in Copilot features such as Researcher and Copilot Studio. So the choice is often about the app and its settings more than the model underneath. For the safety detail, read Is Copilot safer than Claude for business?
How they overlap
Anthropic makes Claude and OpenAI makes ChatGPT. Microsoft 365 Copilot draws on more than one company's models. Microsoft says it built the technology behind Anthropic's Claude Cowork into Microsoft 365 Copilot (Microsoft, March 2026). Microsoft also turns Claude models on by default for most commercial customers outside the EU and UK, and admins can switch them off (Microsoft Learn, updated September 18, 2026).
Side by side
| Question | Microsoft 365 Copilot | Claude (Team or Enterprise) | ChatGPT (Business or Enterprise) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does it train AI on your data? | No, says Microsoft. | No, unless your company joins Anthropic's optional Development Partner Program. | No, not by default, says OpenAI. |
| What can it reach? | Whatever each person can already open in Microsoft 365, including overshared folders. | Depends on each connector. Some use each person's permissions. Others use one shared login, which can let everyone reach every file that login can see. | Depends on how each connection is set up. Ask IT to check it. |
| Where is data stored and processed? | Depends on your plan. Check Microsoft's data residency terms. | Depends on your plan. Check Anthropic's terms. | Depends on your plan. Check OpenAI's data residency terms. |
| How do people sign in? | Your existing Microsoft sign-in. | Your company sign-in (single sign-on). | Your company sign-in (single sign-on). |
A Canadian office doesn't mean your data is processed in Canada. If location matters to a client contract or a regulator, get the terms for your exact plan in writing before you choose.
Why ease of use is a safety issue
When a tool is confusing, people aren't sure which one to use, how to use it safely, or what they're allowed to put in it. That's when mistakes happen. And when staff find the approved tool hard to use, many quietly go back to personal ChatGPT or Claude accounts, where the company can't see or control anything. Is my data safe with AI? explains that risk.
A decent tool that gets used every day, correctly, beats a perfect tool that gets used badly or not at all. Which one feels easiest depends on the person and the task, so let the people who will use it every day try each one. With good training, any of the three can be used safely.
Security comes before the tool
- Lock down accounts with your IT provider. Turn on two-step sign-in, use strong passwords for email and every business system, and train staff to spot phishing emails. The security problems we've seen at clients came from weak passwords and phishing emails.
- Know what's sensitive. Decide what should never go into any AI tool, and where it lives. Put it on one page: AI policy for Canadian businesses covers what to include, and AI and sensitive information covers the settings.
- Then pick the tool and set it up. The table at the top of this page helps you choose. Sign in with company accounts. Approve each connection to email or files, starting read-only with sending turned off. Tidy up who can open which folders. Write simple rules such as "AI drafts, a person sends," and remove access the day someone leaves. Then give your team a short session on what to use it for, what to keep out and how to check its work.
What it costs
Business seats list at about CAD 28 to 41 per person a month. Claude Team and ChatGPT Business are US$20 a person billed annually, or US$25 monthly. Microsoft 365 Copilot Business is CAD 28.50 billed annually at list, and Microsoft 365 Copilot for enterprise is CAD 40.70, paid yearly. Both Copilot plans are add-ons to a qualifying Microsoft 365 licence.
Setup and staff time usually cost more than the seats. What AI costs a Canadian business (step 3 of this guide) breaks down tools, outside help and staff time.
Common questions
Which is best for a Canadian business in 2026: Copilot, Claude or ChatGPT?
If your firm runs on Microsoft 365 and IT wants one set of controls, Copilot is usually the lower-effort start. Otherwise, choose the one your team will use every day after a short test on a real weekly task. On a business plan your IT provider has set up, each one keeps your data out of model training by default and lets IT control who signs in.
Do Copilot, Claude or ChatGPT train their AI on our data?
Microsoft, Anthropic and OpenAI each say their business plans don't train their models on your data by default. Anthropic's exception is an optional program your company would have to join. Personal accounts have different terms, so staff should use the company plan.
Does our data have to stay in Canada?
Only if a law, a client contract or a regulator says so. A Canadian office doesn't mean your data is processed in Canada. If location matters, get each vendor's terms for your exact plan in writing before you choose.
Can we use more than one of them?
Yes. Some firms we work with keep Copilot for Microsoft 365 work and use ChatGPT or Claude for other drafting. Each tool adds its own settings, sign-ins and training, so add a second one only when a real task needs it.
Do we need our IT provider to set it up?
Yes, for the company sign-in, two-step sign-in, folder permissions and each connection to email or files. They keep the final say on security settings. Your team still needs a short session on what to use it for and how to check its work.
If you work with Sidekick
You can do all of this yourself with this guide. If you want help choosing, we work with firms across Metro Vancouver, in person or by video. We look at your client agreements, your systems and how your team works, then recommend a tool. We bring your IT provider specific settings to approve, and they keep the final say. Then we train your team on what to use it for, what to keep out and how to check its work. Already paying for Copilot? See Microsoft Copilot help for Vancouver businesses.
Book a free 30-minute call to talk through your choice. Or start with the free AI Opportunity Map, about 5 minutes.
Sources
Prices checked October 26, 2026 and training terms October 20, 2026: Claude pricing; ChatGPT pricing (also OpenAI's business training default); Microsoft 365 Copilot Business pricing (Canada); Microsoft 365 Copilot for enterprise (Canada); Google Workspace pricing; Microsoft, Data, privacy and security for Microsoft 365 Copilot; Anthropic, commercial data and training. Access and model details: Microsoft, Anthropic models in Copilot (updated September 18, 2026); Microsoft, Copilot Cowork (March 2026); Anthropic, custom connectors. Data location: Microsoft, Copilot data residency; Anthropic, where data is stored; OpenAI, data residency. Plans, prices and settings change often, so check each provider's current page before you decide.
Free resource: Starter Prompts.
