Which assistant should you choose?

After this lesson you’ll know: which three assistants are actually used in the Netherlands, which one suits you, what they cost, and which ones you’d better skip (for now).

The big three

• Dutch App Store (1 November 2026): of all AI assistants, only three are in the top 15 free iPhone apps: Claude (#4), ChatGPT (#5) and Gemini (#13). ChatGPT is also the top-grossing app in the Dutch App Store. Microsoft Copilot is at #29, Meta AI at #53.
• Web traffic in Europe (September 2026): in Germany and France, well over 90% of web visits to the seven biggest AI chatbot sites go to the same three (Similarweb). Apps aren’t included, and figures for the Netherlands haven’t been published separately.
• Users: at the end of October 2026, Google reported that the Gemini app has more than 1 billion monthly users.
• Quality: on independent leaderboards such as Artificial Analysis, the models from Google, Anthropic and OpenAI are at the top, with minimal differences. Who’s in first place changes regularly.

Pro tip

There’s no such thing as the best assistant. The top three are barely distinguishable, so choose on what fits your everyday life.

Which one suits you?

flowchart TB
  S{"What suits you?"} --> A["You want what everyone uses<br/>→ ChatGPT"]
  S --> B["You live in Gmail, Android, Google Photos<br/>→ Gemini"]
  S --> C["You write a lot, study or work with documents<br/>→ Claude"]
  S --> D["You want a European company<br/>→ Mistral (Vibe, formerly Le Chat)"]

• ChatGPT: the default. By far the most used in most European countries (web traffic, September 2026); most tutorials and colleagues assume you have it. A safe first choice.
• Gemini: if you’re already with Google. Works with your Google services, with paid plans in small steps. A few new agent features, such as Tasks, aren’t available in the EU.
• Claude: for writing and documents. The fastest-growing assistant: number 1 in the App Store in Germany and France, number 4 in the Netherlands. The free version has limits per 5 hours and per week; with heavy use you’ll hit them quickly.
• Mistral: the European option. A French company, prices in euros, but used far less than the big three. Until recently the app was called Le Chat; it’s now Mistral Vibe.

Make your choice quickly

1/4 · Do you use a lot of Google services (Gmail, Android, Google Photos)?

Yes, a lotNot really

Free · runs entirely in your browser · nothing is stored or sent

What does it cost?

Start free: that’s more than enough for this learning path. Upgrading costs around €20 a month (as of 1 November 2026):

Assistant	Free	Around €20 a month	More expensive
Gemini	✓	AI Pro: €21.99 (or AI Plus €4.99)	AI Ultra: €99.99 or €219.99
Claude	✓	Pro: $20 excl. VAT	Max $100 · Ultra $200
Mistral	✓	Pro: €14.99 excl. VAT	Team
ChatGPT	✓	Plus: €22.99 (or Go €7.99)	Pro: €102.99, €229 or €509.99

Note: the Gemini prices and the ChatGPT prices (App Store, 2 November 2026) include VAT. Claude and Mistral show prices excluding VAT (add 21% Dutch VAT), and Claude charges in dollars.

Cost

Only pay after 2 to 4 weeks of free use: by then you’ll know whether you’re hitting the limits and which assistant you actually use. Annual plans are often cheaper, but hold off until you’re sure.

Which ones are better skipped?

• DeepSeek and Kimi. Strong models, but according to their own privacy policies both apps store your data in China. In February 2025 the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, AP) explicitly warned people to be very careful and reticent when using DeepSeek.
• Meta AI is already in WhatsApp and Instagram. In April 2025, Meta announced it would use public posts and conversations with Meta AI from European users for training; you can object via the Facebook or Instagram privacy centre.
• Microsoft Copilot is mainly strong in Word, Excel and Outlook. As a standalone chat app its use is declining, according to web traffic figures.

Switch off training straight away

Some assistants use your conversations by default to improve their models:

• Gemini: Keep Activity (Activiteit bewaren in Dutch) is on by default for adults: Google may then use your chats to train AI, and human reviewers may read some of them. Off? Then new chats are no longer used for training (though still kept for 72 hours, partly for safety).
• Claude: asks when you create your account whether your conversations may be used for training. Anthropic itself calls this opt-out, so look carefully at what you tick. To change: Settings → Privacy, switch Model Improvement.
• Mistral: training is on by default for Free and Pro. On the web, switch off Allow your interactions to be used to train our models (under Privacy); in the app, Enable data sharing.
• ChatGPT: in the settings under Data controls, switch off Improve the model for everyone.

Step by step: see the lesson on privacy settings.

Private chats without hunting through settings

At Claude, incognito chats are never used for training; at Gemini, temporary chats aren’t used for training and are deleted after 72 hours. Use that mode for anything that feels sensitive, even if training is already off.

Security

• Secure your account first. ChatGPT: turn on a passkey (Settings → Security) or choose Advanced Account Security (passkeys only, training automatically off). Claude logs you in via email or Google: put a passkey or 2FA on that account.
• Never log in via a link in an email. ChatGPT is among the top 10 most imitated brands in phishing (Q2 2026). Only download the official app.
• Don’t install “AI sidebar” extensions. In January 2026, two Chrome extensions with about 900,000 users combined forwarded ChatGPT chats to attackers.

Not a voting guide

Don’t paste personal data about yourself or others, and don’t use a chatbot as a voting guide. The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) examined chatbots during the 2025 Dutch general election and the 2026 municipal elections, and concluded that their voting advice was unreliable and biased.

Checklist

0/4

• I've chosen one assistant to start with
• I've created a free account
• I've checked the training setting and deliberately switched it on or off
• I'll wait at least two weeks before taking out a subscription

Your progress is only stored in this browser.

Test yourself

1. 1Which three AI assistants rank highest in the Dutch App Store?

   DeepSeek, Grok and PerplexityClaude, ChatGPT and GeminiCopilot, Meta AI and Mistral

2. 2Why is DeepSeek not a good first app?

   Because the model is badBecause the app stores your data in China and the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) warned about itBecause it only works in Chinese

3. 3When is the best time to take out a paid subscription?

   Straight away, so you have everythingAfter a few weeks of free use, once you notice you're hitting the limitsNever, paying is always unnecessary

Next lesson: free versus paid: what exactly do you get for your money?