# Claude Cowork vs Microsoft Copilot: the open-source option you own

> Claude Cowork and Microsoft 365 Copilot are closed agents tied to one vendor's cloud. Kortix is the open-source AI Operating System a team owns: any model with your own keys, self-hosted or in the cloud, with every agent change reviewed before it ships.

URL: https://claudecoworkalternative.com/claude-cowork-vs-microsoft-copilot

## Claude Cowork vs Microsoft Copilot, with Kortix as the open-source option

Kortix first, then Claude Cowork and Microsoft 365 Copilot, with rival facts from each vendor's own page.

| | Kortix (recommended) | Claude Cowork | Microsoft 365 Copilot |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| What it is | The open-source AI Operating System, in one git repo you own | Anthropic's closed agent for multi-step work across your files and tools | Microsoft's closed agent inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams |
| Open source | Yes. Open source. Read it, fork it, audit it. | No. Closed. | No. Closed. |
| Models | Any model provider with your own keys. | Anthropic's Claude models only | Models Microsoft selects; Anthropic models in some experiences |
| Where it runs / self-host | Kortix Cloud, your VPC, or your own on-prem network. Self-host is free. | Anthropic's cloud or your own cloud account. No self-host. | Microsoft's commercial cloud or select sovereign clouds. No self-host. |
| Where configuration lives | Files in a git repo you own | In the Claude product: plugins, skills, connectors | In the Microsoft 365 tenant and Copilot Studio |
| Price to start | Free is $0 with 200 credits per month and 1 project. | Included in paid Claude plans; no free tier | A paid Microsoft 365 add-on |
| How agent work is reviewed / data residency | Session work reaches main through a change request. Merge is default-deny. | Enterprise admins set permissions; it shows its plan before acting | Tenant controls and Enterprise Data Protection; EU data boundary |

## Self-host the same system on your own server

`terminal`

```sh
curl -fsSL https://kortix.com/install | bash
kortix self-host init --domain kortix.example.com --admin-email you@example.com
kortix self-host start
```

Source: https://kortix.com/docs/host

Three commands from the Kortix self-hosting docs, run on a Linux box you control.

## Two closed agents and one open system

Claude Cowork is Anthropic's agent for multi-step work. You give it a goal, point it at the folders and tools you choose, and it returns finished documents, spreadsheets, and reports for your review. It runs on Anthropic's Claude models and keeps plugins, skills, and connectors inside your Claude account ([Claude Cowork](https://claude.com/product/cowork)).

Microsoft 365 Copilot is Microsoft's closed agent built into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, grounded in your work through Microsoft Graph and Work IQ ([Microsoft Copilot](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot)). Microsoft ships more than one Copilot, and the lineup decides the answer. Microsoft 365 Copilot is the product that maps most directly to Claude Cowork; Copilot Cowork carries multi-step work across the same Microsoft 365 apps, and Copilot Studio is a low-code tool for building agents ([Microsoft 365 Copilot overview](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/microsoft-365-copilot-overview)).

Kortix is the open-source AI Operating System. Your agents, their skills, your company memory, and every connector live in one git repo you own, and every session runs on its own cloud computer ([Kortix docs](https://kortix.com/docs)). The three options differ on where the system runs, which models a team may use, and how a tenant governs the work.

## Where the system runs

Claude Cowork runs in Anthropic's cloud, or in your own Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Foundry account ([Claude Cowork](https://claude.com/product/cowork)). Microsoft 365 Copilot runs in Microsoft's commercial cloud and in select sovereign cloud environments ([Microsoft Copilot pricing](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/pricing/enterprise)). Neither one offers self-host.

Kortix is the open-source AI Operating System. Run it on Kortix Cloud, in your VPC, or on your own on-prem network. Self-host is free. The system can sit on infrastructure your team controls ([Kortix self-hosting docs](https://kortix.com/docs/host)).

## Which models you may run

Claude Cowork runs Anthropic's Claude models only. Microsoft 365 Copilot uses the models Microsoft selects for the task, with Anthropic models available in some Microsoft 365 experiences ([Microsoft 365 Copilot overview](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/microsoft-365-copilot-overview)). In both cases the vendor decides the lineup.

Any model provider with your own keys. Or the ChatGPT plan you already pay for. A team is not tied to one model vendor ([Kortix docs](https://kortix.com/docs)).

## Where the configuration lives

Claude Cowork keeps standing instructions, plugins, skills, and connectors in your Claude account. Microsoft 365 Copilot keeps its agents, connectors, and policies in your Microsoft 365 tenant and Copilot Studio. Neither one exports the setup as files a team can version.

Kortix keeps agents, skills, company memory, and connectors as files in one git repo you own, and a project is a git repo with `kortix.yaml` at its root, so every change is diffable ([Kortix docs](https://kortix.com/docs)).

## How work is governed and reviewed

Claude Cowork shows its plan and waits for your approval before significant actions, and Enterprise admins configure permissions by team ([Claude Cowork](https://claude.com/product/cowork)). Microsoft 365 Copilot is governed through the Microsoft 365 tenant, with tenant controls and Enterprise Data Protection, and the EU data boundary applies ([Microsoft Copilot pricing](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/pricing/enterprise)).

Kortix lands session work through a change request. Merge is default-deny for agents. A person reads the diff before it reaches main. Approval gates you set. Off until you set them ([Kortix docs](https://kortix.com/docs)).

## What an open-source system adds

Claude Cowork and Microsoft 365 Copilot run in their vendor's cloud and tie the model and the configuration to the vendor. Kortix is the open-source AI Operating System, so a team can read the code, fork it, and audit it, run any model with its own keys, keep the configuration in a repo it owns, and self-host for free.

The [Kortix blog](https://kortix.com/blog/open-source-microsoft-copilot-alternative) goes deeper on this pair. The [comparison page](/comparison) lines up the wider field of Claude Cowork alternatives, and [Claude Cowork vs Kortix](/claude-cowork-vs-kortix) takes that matchup apart.

## Which one fits

Claude Cowork suits one person handing off occasional tasks on a paid Claude plan. Microsoft 365 Copilot suits a company already standardized on Microsoft 365 that wants the agent inside the apps its teams use. Kortix suits a team that wants to own the system: open source, any model with its own keys, self-hosted or in the cloud, with every agent change reviewed before it ships.

Kortix is free to start and free to self-host, so a team can run it beside either product and compare on its own work.

_FAQ_

## Questions buyers ask about Claude Cowork, Microsoft Copilot, and Kortix

### Can I self-host Claude Cowork or Microsoft Copilot?

No. Claude Cowork runs in Anthropic's cloud or your own Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Foundry account, and Microsoft 365 Copilot runs in Microsoft's commercial cloud and select sovereign clouds ([Claude Cowork](https://claude.com/product/cowork), [Microsoft Copilot pricing](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/pricing/enterprise)). Kortix is open source and self-hosts for free.

### How much do Claude Cowork, Microsoft Copilot, and Kortix cost to start?

Claude Cowork needs a paid Claude plan, with Pro at $17 per month (checked October 2026) ([Claude Cowork](https://claude.com/product/cowork)). Microsoft 365 Copilot is a paid add-on to a qualifying Microsoft 365 plan, and Copilot Chat is included at no extra cost with eligible Microsoft 365 plans ([Microsoft Copilot pricing](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/pricing/business)). Kortix free is $0 with 200 credits per month and 1 project ([Kortix pricing](https://kortix.com/pricing)).

### Which Microsoft Copilot does Kortix compare with?

Microsoft 365 Copilot, the agent built into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams ([Microsoft Copilot](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot)). Microsoft also ships Copilot Cowork for multi-step work across those apps, Copilot Studio for building agents ([Microsoft 365 Copilot overview](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/microsoft-365-copilot-overview)), and GitHub Copilot for code. Those are different products.

### Is Kortix affiliated with Microsoft or Anthropic?

No. Microsoft 365 Copilot and the Copilot name belong to Microsoft, and Claude Cowork and the Claude name belong to Anthropic. Kortix is an independent open-source product, and it is the option this comparison recommends.

### Can I bring my own model keys with each one?

Only Kortix. Claude Cowork runs Anthropic’s Claude models, and Microsoft 365 Copilot uses the models Microsoft selects. Kortix takes any model provider with your own keys. Or the ChatGPT plan you already pay for.

## Run your whole company from one repo you own

Start free on Kortix Cloud, or self-host it on your own stack

[Try Kortix](https://kortix.com) · [Compare every alternative](https://claudecoworkalternative.com/comparison)

Open source · Any model, your keys · Self-host, VPC, or on-prem