As of February 2026, OpenAI reported more than 900 million weekly active users for ChatGPT, up from 400 million a year earlier. Three rivals have built their own distribution: Meta AI is free within WhatsApp and Instagram, Mistral’s Le Chat targets EU users wanting data to stay in Europe, and Microsoft Copilot ships inside Windows and Microsoft 365. For Irish users, the choice depends on price, data location, and app integration. The comparison lines up Meta AI, Mistral Le Chat, and Microsoft Copilot against ChatGPT on pricing, context windows, benchmarks, privacy posture, and real usage patterns. Meta AI wins on price and reach, Le Chat wins on European data residency, and Copilot wins on Windows and Office integration. None beats ChatGPT outright on every axis. ChatGPT Plus costs $20 a month, the same price it has held for years, while OpenAI has pushed a cheaper Go tie.