Which AI model? The October 2026 guide
The best AI model or tool for each everyday job this month, with runners-up and UK prices. Free Gemini changes knock out one of September's picks.
A month is a long time in AI. Since our September guide, Anthropic has released Claude Sonnet 5.5, OpenAI has launched GPT-6.1 Sol for work and coding, and Google has announced Gemini 4 Argon while cutting back what free Gemini users get from 9 October. That last change knocks out one of our September picks.
This October guide gives a clear recommendation for each everyday job: chatting, writing, coding, research, spreadsheets, images, cheap and fast, private and local, and free. Each pick has a runner-up, the reasoning behind it, and the UK price where the company publishes one. There's also a new category this month: the cheapest paid upgrade worth having.