Glean score factors
Editorial quality86
Practical utility87
Trust & transparency86
Freshness86
Engagement quality5
Momentum100
Decision guide · Reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · AI Knowledge Management, AI Assistants
Glean
80.6
Microsoft 365 Copilot
77.5Choose Glean when you need organisations with knowledge scattered across many apps that need permission-aware search and cited answers for every employee. Choose Microsoft 365 Copilot when you need organizations committed to the Microsoft 365 suite seeking secure, permission-governed AI assistance inside Teams, Outlook, Word, and Excel.
At a glance
The practical differences
| Decision factor | Glean | Microsoft 365 Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | organisations with knowledge scattered across many apps that need permission-aware search and cited answers for every employee | organizations committed to the Microsoft 365 suite seeking secure, permission-governed AI assistance inside Teams, Outlook, Word, and Excel |
| Not ideal for | small teams, or buyers who need transparent self-serve pricing | teams running primarily on Google Workspace or lightweight environments without Microsoft 365 licenses |
| Pricing | Glean is sold to organisations on quoted per-user contracts; there is no self-serve price list at the review date. Contact sales through the official site for a quote. | At the review date, the standalone Microsoft 365 Copilot Business add-on starts at a promotional $18.00 per user/month paid annually (originally $21.00; monthly billing is $25.20). Bundled plans like Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot start at $23.50 per user/month paid annually. Copilot Chat is included at no extra cost for eligible commercial users. Check the official pricing page for up-to-date figures. |
| Key difference | Deep connector coverage and permission enforcement across enterprise systems, making it a serious company-wide knowledge layer rather than a document chat tool. | Deep, native integration with Microsoft 365 applications, grounded in tenant-wide documents, emails, and meetings via Work IQ while preserving strict Microsoft Purview enterprise permissions. |
| Overall rank | #28 | #82 |
| Review verdict | A leading choice for mid-size and large organisations that want one trustworthy place to find and ask about internal knowledge. Small teams will find it heavier and pricier than they need. | Microsoft 365 Copilot is the premier choice for organizations deeply invested in Word, Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint that want contextual AI embedded directly into daily workflows. It is not suitable for organizations primarily using Google Workspace or those unwilling to license prerequisite Microsoft 365 commercial plans. |
Microsoft 365 Copilot score factors
Editorial quality82
Practical utility92
Trust & transparency85
Freshness91
Engagement quality0
Momentum50
Glean strengths
- Broad connector ecosystem
- Strong permission enforcement
- Cited answers
- Enterprise administration
Microsoft 365 Copilot strengths
- Native in-app experience inside standard Microsoft 365 applications
- Inherits organizational permissions, data classification, and retention policies directly
- Customer prompts and data are never used to train foundation models
- Broad feature suite including pre-built agents, Copilot Cowork, and audio Notebook summaries
Frequently asked
Glean vs Microsoft 365 Copilot
Should I choose Glean or Microsoft 365 Copilot?+
Choose Glean when you need organisations with knowledge scattered across many apps that need permission-aware search and cited answers for every employee. Choose Microsoft 365 Copilot when you need organizations committed to the Microsoft 365 suite seeking secure, permission-governed AI assistance inside Teams, Outlook, Word, and Excel. ToolsRank scores Glean 80.6 and Microsoft 365 Copilot 77.5; the gap reflects editorial quality, utility, trust, and freshness, not popularity or payment.
Is Glean cheaper than Microsoft 365 Copilot?+
Glean: Glean is sold to organisations on quoted per-user contracts; there is no self-serve price list at the review date. Contact sales through the official site for a quote. Microsoft 365 Copilot: At the review date, the standalone Microsoft 365 Copilot Business add-on starts at a promotional $18.00 per user/month paid annually (originally $21.00; monthly billing is $25.20). Bundled plans like Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot start at $23.50 per user/month paid annually. Copilot Chat is included at no extra cost for eligible commercial users. Check the official pricing page for up-to-date figures. Compare the plan you would actually use and verify current prices on each vendor's pricing page before purchasing.
Which is better for ai knowledge management?+
Glean currently scores higher for ai knowledge management work. Microsoft 365 Copilot remains the stronger pick when your priority is organizations committed to the Microsoft 365 suite seeking secure, permission-governed AI assistance inside Teams, Outlook, Word, and Excel. Avoid Glean if you are small teams, or buyers who need transparent self-serve pricing.
Can I use Glean and Microsoft 365 Copilot together?+
Yes. Glean stands out for deep connector coverage and permission enforcement across enterprise systems, making it a serious company-wide knowledge layer rather than a document chat tool. Microsoft 365 Copilot stands out for deep, native integration with Microsoft 365 applications, grounded in tenant-wide documents, emails, and meetings via Work IQ while preserving strict Microsoft Purview enterprise permissions. Pairing them makes sense when one workflow needs both strengths; otherwise pick the tool that matches your primary job.