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Chatbots · Buying Guides
The Best AI App for iPhone
ChatGPT is the best AI app for iPhone for most people: it's free to start, creates images, talks back by voice and plugs into Siri. Claude is the runner-up for writing, and Gemini is the best free pick for making images.
ChatGPT’s iPhone app combines chat, image creation, real-time voice and photo analysis, and it’s the chatbot Apple offers inside Siri and Writing Tools.
Perplexity’s app is built around web search and shows cited sources for its answers, and it adds Deep Research and an assistant that can draft emails and book reservations.
The Research Score rates each product on its own merits. Our picks also weigh price and who the product is for, so a pick can rank above a higher-scoring product. How we score
Every major AI assistant now has an iPhone app, and the big ones are free to download. They answer questions, read photos and PDFs, hold spoken conversations and, in most cases, create images. The paid plans cost about $20 a month at the time of research, and you can subscribe either inside the app or on the company’s website.
For most people, ChatGPT is the AI app to install. Its free tier includes unlimited everyday text chats plus image creation, and it’s the one chatbot Apple builds into Siri and Writing Tools as an extension. Claude is our runner-up and the better pick if you mostly write. Gemini is the best free AI app for creating images, and its $4.99 Google AI Plus plan is the cheapest useful upgrade. Perplexity is best when you want answers with sources.
We based these picks on the US App Store listings, Apple’s own Apple Intelligence pages, and the companies’ pricing, help and privacy pages. We did not test these apps hands-on.
We considered eight AI apps for iPhone: ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, Perplexity, Grok, Microsoft Copilot, Meta AI and Apple’s own Apple Intelligence. For each, we read the US App Store listing, including ratings, required iOS version, in-app purchase prices and the developer’s privacy label, plus the company’s official pricing, help and privacy pages, all checked on the date of publication. For Apple Intelligence and Siri, we relied only on Apple’s own pages. We scored our main picks with our published Research Score. We did not run hands-on tests for this guide.
Who this is for
This guide is for iPhone owners who want an AI assistant in their pocket: to ask questions, draft messages, understand a photo or document, talk things through by voice or create images. If you’re choosing a chatbot regardless of device, see The Best AI Chatbot. If image quality is your main concern, our AI image generator guide goes deeper.
A note on App Store ratings: every major app here sits between 4.7 and 4.9 stars, so the averages don’t separate them much. We used them as a sanity check, not a ranking.
How we picked
We looked for iPhone AI apps that:
Are useful for free, with paid plans that are clearly priced.
Cover the everyday phone tasks: voice conversations, photo and document analysis, web search and, ideally, image creation.
Run on recent iPhones and work with the rest of iOS.
Are honest about data: a clear privacy label and a way to keep your chats out of model training.
Price fairly in the App Store, since some apps charge more for in-app subscriptions than on the web.
Top pick · The best AI app for iPhone for most people
C
ChatGPT
8.2/10
ChatGPT’s iPhone app combines chat, image creation, real-time voice and photo analysis, and it’s the chatbot Apple offers inside Siri and Writing Tools.
ChatGPT is our top pick because its iPhone app covers the most ground, and much of it is free. OpenAI’s help center says Free users get “unlimited everyday text chats,” subject to abuse-prevention safeguards, and can search the web, upload images and files, analyze data and create images. The App Store listing describes generating original images from a description or transforming existing ones, Advanced Voice Mode for real-time spoken conversations, and snapping a photo to transcribe a handwritten recipe or identify a landmark. Your chat history syncs across devices.
ChatGPT also has a built-in advantage on the iPhone: Apple offers it as an extension to Apple Intelligence. Apple’s privacy page says the ChatGPT extension works with Siri, Writing Tools and visual intelligence (where available), is off by default, and asks before any of your information is shared. You can use it without a ChatGPT account; in that case, Apple says, your IP address is obscured and OpenAI must not store your requests or use them for training, unless required by law. If you sign in, paid ChatGPT features carry over to those Apple experiences.
If you use it daily, ChatGPT Plus costs $20 a month, billed monthly, according to OpenAI’s help center, which lists higher limits, advanced reasoning, voice conversations, image generation, file uploads and deep research. The US App Store lists Plus as a $19.99 in-app purchase, alongside a cheaper Go tier at $8.00 and Pro tiers at $100, $200 and $500. The app needs iOS 18.0 or later.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
On personal Free, Plus and Pro accounts, OpenAI’s help center says data sharing for model training is enabled by default. On iPhone you can turn it off by opening the sidebar, tapping your profile icon, choosing Data controls and switching off “Improve the model for everyone.” Temporary chats aren’t used for training.
The free tier has its limits, too. File uploads, image generation, voice and data analysis have usage caps separate from text chat, and OpenAI says ads may appear on the Free tier in certain countries. The app’s privacy label also lists usage data linked to you for third-party advertising.
Who it’s for
Anyone who wants one AI app for questions, writing, images and voice on their iPhone.
Who should skip it
You don't want your chats used for training and won't change the setting, or you need an older iPhone that can't run iOS 18.
Pros
Free tier includes unlimited everyday text chats and image creation
Advanced Voice Mode for real-time spoken conversations
Works as an Apple Intelligence extension for Siri and Writing Tools
4.8 stars from 12 million ratings on the US App Store
Cons
Chats can train OpenAI's models unless you turn that off
Image creation, uploads and voice have separate, tighter limits on Free
Ads may appear on the Free tier in some countries
Research Score
8.2/10
Features (30%)9
Value for money (25%)8
Privacy & security (20%)7
Compatibility (15%)9
Docs & support (10%)8
Free; Plus $20/month billed monthly on the web, listed at $19.99 as an in-app purchase (at the time of research)
Affiliate link · price at the time of research, may have changed
Runner-up · The best AI app for iPhone if you mostly write
C
Claude
7.8/10
Claude’s free iPhone app includes web search, voice mode, memory and file creation, and its paid plan adds Anthropic’s top Opus model and Research.
Claude is the AI app to choose if most of what you do on your phone is writing: drafting emails, tightening a cover letter, summarizing a PDF or working through notes. Anthropic’s App Store listing pitches it as a writing assistant that refines tone, structure and clarity, and it can analyze photos, PDFs and screenshots, search the web with citations, and connect to Google Drive, Gmail and Calendar. You can also talk to it in several languages or dictate prompts.
The free plan is generous. Anthropic’s pricing page lists web search, memory across conversations, voice mode, Artifacts, file creation with code execution, connectors and up to five Projects, using the Sonnet and Haiku models, and it lists the iOS app on every plan. Pro adds the Opus model, Research, unlimited Projects and Claude Code. Usage limits reset on a rolling five-hour window.
Claude also stands out on privacy. Anthropic’s privacy center says it uses your chats to improve Claude only if you choose to allow it, and incognito chats are excluded even when that setting is on.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
Claude doesn’t make pictures: Anthropic’s pricing page doesn’t list image generation on any plan. And where you subscribe matters. The pricing page lists Pro at $20 a month, or $17 a month when you pay $200 for a year. In the App Store, monthly Pro is also $20.00, but the annual plan is listed at $214.99, so paying yearly through the app costs more than paying on Anthropic’s site.
Who it’s for
Students, writers and professionals who want help drafting, editing and working through long documents.
Who should skip it
You want to create images; Claude's pricing page doesn't list image generation.
Pros
Free plan includes web search, voice mode, memory and up to five Projects
Reads photos, PDFs and screenshots, and connects to Google Drive, Gmail and Calendar
Anthropic says chats are used for training only if you choose to allow it
Pro is $17/month if you pay $200 a year on the web
Cons
No image generation listed
Opus model and Research require Pro
Annual Pro costs $214.99 through the App Store vs. $200 on the web
Research Score
7.8/10
Features (30%)8
Value for money (25%)7
Privacy & security (20%)8
Compatibility (15%)8
Docs & support (10%)8
Free; Pro $20/month billed monthly or $17/month billed annually ($200) on the web; in-app Pro $20.00 monthly or $214.99 annually (at the time of research)
Affiliate link · price at the time of research, may have changed
Budget pick · The best free AI app for iPhone, and the best for creating images
GG
Google Gemini
7.6/10
Gemini’s free tier includes image generation and editing plus Deep Research, and Google AI Plus costs $4.99 a month.
Gemini gives you the most for free, which makes it our budget pick, and it’s the free AI app we’d choose to create images on an iPhone. Google’s US plan page lists image generation and editing, Deep Research and 15 GB of storage on the free tier. The App Store listing names Google’s Nano Banana 2 image model for generating and editing photos, with camera and lighting controls, blending of multiple images and posters with sharp text. With Gemini Live, you can talk things through in real time and share your screen or camera.
The paid tiers are sold as in-app purchases, too. Google AI Plus costs $4.99 a month and, per Google’s plan page, adds the Flash model, twice the free usage limits, video generation and 400 GB of storage. Google AI Pro ($19.99 a month) adds Gemini 4 Argon, a 1-million-token context window, Gemini in Gmail and Docs, and 5 TB of storage.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
The free tier uses Flash-Lite, not Google’s top model. Gemini also isn’t a Siri replacement: its App Store listing says it doesn’t currently support iOS device actions such as setting alarms or sending text messages. And the app’s privacy label lists a long range of data linked to you, including contacts, location, search and browsing history, and sensitive info. The app requires iOS 18.2 or later, a slightly newer version than ChatGPT or Claude need.
Who it’s for
People who want the most from a free AI app, especially for images, and anyone who already uses Google's apps.
Who should skip it
You want an assistant that can control your iPhone, such as setting alarms or sending texts, or you're wary of broad data collection.
Pros
Free tier includes image generation and editing, and Deep Research
Google AI Plus costs $4.99/month in the app
Gemini Live lets you share your camera or screen while you talk
4.7 stars from 2.4 million ratings
Cons
Free tier runs on the smaller Flash-Lite model
Can't set alarms or send text messages on iOS
Long list of data types linked to you in its privacy label
Research Score
7.6/10
Features (30%)8
Value for money (25%)9
Privacy & security (20%)6
Compatibility (15%)7
Docs & support (10%)7
Free; Google AI Plus $4.99/month; Google AI Pro $19.99/month (at the time of research)
Affiliate link · price at the time of research, may have changed
Also great · For answers with sources
P
Perplexity
Perplexity’s app is built around web search and shows cited sources for its answers, and it adds Deep Research and an assistant that can draft emails and book reservations.
Perplexity works more like a search engine that writes its answers, and its App Store listing promises “cited sources for every answer.” That makes it the best app here for checking facts on the go: you can follow up in a thread, step up to Pro Search or Deep Research for harder questions, and use Perplexity Labs to build reports. The listing also describes an assistant that drafts emails, schedules appointments and books reservations, and voice input and spoken answers.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
The App Store rates Perplexity 18+, so it’s not the pick for a family iPhone. Its paid plans are listed only as in-app purchases without billing periods spelled out (Pro at $20.00 and $200.00, Max at $200.00), so check the details before you subscribe. And it’s less suited to long writing projects than ChatGPT or Claude.
Who it’s for
Students and curious readers who want to check where an answer came from.
Who should skip it
You want a general assistant for long writing projects, or a child will use the phone; the app is rated 18+.
Pros
Answers come with cited sources
Pro Search and Deep Research for longer questions
4.8 stars from 519,000 ratings
Cons
Rated 18+ in the App Store
Pro costs $20.00 as an in-app purchase, the same as broader assistants
Research Score
Not scored – not enough reliable information yet.
Free; Perplexity Pro listed at $20.00 and Max at $200.00 as in-app purchases (at the time of research)
Affiliate link · price at the time of research, may have changed
Other good options
Apple Intelligence (built in): If your iPhone supports it, you already have an AI assistant. Apple’s site lists compatible models including the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, the iPhone 16 and 17 families, iPhone Air, iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, and iPhone Duo. Image Playground creates images “in just about any style, including photorealistic,” and you can make custom Genmoji. Apple says Siri AI is available in beta in iOS 27, will not initially be available in the EU on iPhone, and that some server-based features, including Image Playground, are subject to daily usage limits. It’s a good free starting point, and you can add ChatGPT as an extension for harder questions.
Grok: xAI’s app has 4.9 stars from 1.5 million ratings and runs on iOS 17 or later, so it supports older iPhones than our picks. Its Imagine feature generates images and short videos with sound and can turn photos into videos, and it pulls real-time information from X and the web. But it’s rated 16+ for mature or suggestive themes, and SuperGrok in-app plans range from $10.00 to $300.00.
The competition
Microsoft Copilot: Microsoft’s iPhone app now calls itself “the AI built for work,” connects to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams, and sells Microsoft 365 subscriptions in the app. It requires iOS 26 or later. It’s a good fit if you already pay for Microsoft 365, less so as a general-purpose assistant.
Meta AI: Meta’s app offers image creation and editing, voice chat in 13 languages and incognito chats, and it’s also the companion app for Meta’s AI glasses. Its privacy and paid-plan details were less clear than our picks’, so we left it out.
What to look forward to
Apple says expanded access to server-based Apple Intelligence features “will be available for a fee in the future.” AI apps also change their plans and in-app prices often; we’ll update this guide as they do.
FAQ
What is the best free AI app for iPhone?
Gemini has the strongest free tier for most people, with image generation and editing plus Deep Research. ChatGPT’s free tier is a close second, with unlimited everyday text chats and limited image creation.
What is the best AI app like ChatGPT for iPhone?
Claude is the closest alternative and the better choice for writing; Gemini is better if you want free image creation; Perplexity is better for answers with sources.
What is the best AI app to create images on iPhone?
Gemini and ChatGPT both create and edit images in their free iPhone apps. Apple’s own Image Playground is built into iPhones that support Apple Intelligence, and Grok’s app includes its Imagine image and video generator.
Does Siri use ChatGPT?
Only if you turn it on. Apple says the ChatGPT extension is off by default, works with Siri, Writing Tools and visual intelligence, and can be used without a ChatGPT account.
Is it cheaper to subscribe in the app or on the website?
It depends on the app. Claude’s annual Pro plan was $214.99 in the App Store versus $200 on Anthropic’s site at the time of research, while ChatGPT Plus was listed at $19.99 in the App Store and $20 on OpenAI’s help page.
