This path is for you if you do not have an AI account yet, or you have one and you are not sure what you pay for. Parts cover Free versus paid, browser versus apps, personal versus work, recovery, and where uploads go. Start with the first part on this page. One vendor at a time.
- 1 Accounts, payments, and Free vs paid without hype Free is enough to start. Paid buys limits and extra surfaces, not a personality. This part maps accounts, payment rails (web vs App Store vs API), and Free vs paid ladders for ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Grok so you stop stacking four cards and double-paying one product.
- 2 Browser vs mobile vs desktop apps Use the vendor website for billing, seat admin, and full settings. Phone is for voice and the train. Desktop sits on the same login. Same email or you get two histories.
- 3 Personal vs work accounts (and why it matters) The login email is the legal person, not the tab you meant. Keep one personal box and one work box. Customer files never go in personal Plus; homework never goes on work SSO.
- 4 2FA, recovery, and shared family or team plans Turn 2FA on yourself and store recovery codes off Camera. Family and team plans share a bill, not a login. Apple Family Sharing can hide who paid while leaving you locked out of the seat.
- 5 Files, uploads, and where your data goes Know whether a file left as paste, upload, Project, or Memory. Paste a snippet, not a giant CRM export, and check training toggles.