kitio.aiMicrosoft Bing vs Ai2 Asta
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Microsoft Bing starts at Free and Ai2 Asta starts at Free. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- AI-generated answers
- Copilot Search
- Bing Image Creator
- Visual search
- News, maps and shopping
- Microsoft Rewards
- Paper finding agent
- Literature summaries
- Data analysis
- Semantic Scholar corpus
- MCP access
| Feature | Microsoft Bing | Ai2 Asta |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Microsoft's web search engine with AI answers and Copilot Search | Free agentic research assistant for scientists from Ai2 |
| Category | Research & search | Research & search |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes, fully free | Yes, fully free |
| Made by | Microsoft | Allen Institute for AI |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Microsoft Bing starts at Free and Ai2 Asta starts at Free. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Microsoft Bing
- Free with no account needed
- Answers cite their sources
- Image generation built in
- Some AI features vary by country and device
- Pushes Edge and Microsoft accounts
- Shows ads in results
Ai2 Asta
- Free and nonprofit-backed
- Large scientific corpus
- Transparent benchmarks
- Still evolving quickly
- Interface less polished than paid tools
Which one should you choose?
Choose Microsoft Bing if you want:
- Free with no account needed
- Answers cite their sources
- Image generation built in
Watch out: some ai features vary by country and device.
Choose Ai2 Asta if you want:
- Free and nonprofit-backed
- Large scientific corpus
- Transparent benchmarks
Watch out: still evolving quickly.
Microsoft Bing vs Ai2 Asta FAQ
What is the difference between Microsoft Bing and Ai2 Asta?
Microsoft Bing: Microsoft's web search engine with AI answers and Copilot Search. Ai2 Asta: Free agentic research assistant for scientists from Ai2. Both are research & search tools.
Is Microsoft Bing or Ai2 Asta cheaper?
Microsoft Bing starts at Free and Ai2 Asta starts at Free. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Microsoft Bing and Ai2 Asta have free plans?
Microsoft Bing: Yes, fully free. Ai2 Asta: Yes, fully free.
Who makes Microsoft Bing?
Microsoft Bing is made by Microsoft, based in United States.
Who makes Ai2 Asta?
Ai2 Asta is made by Allen Institute for AI, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Microsoft Bing or Ai2 Asta?
Choose Microsoft Bing if you value free with no account needed and answers cite their sources. Choose Ai2 Asta if you value free and nonprofit-backed and large scientific corpus.