Monica
Monica AI in 2026 puts GPT-5, Claude 4.5, and Gemini 3 in one Chrome sidebar. Plans run free to $99.90/month, metered by a separate Advanced Credits pool.
About Monica
What is Monica (2026 update)
Monica is a Chrome extension and cross-platform AI assistant that gives you chat, writing help, translation, summarization, and image generation from a sidebar that appears on any webpage. Its main pitch is access to multiple frontier AI models, such as GPT-5, Claude, and Gemini, from a single subscription instead of paying for each provider separately.
What is new in 2026
Monica now lets you switch between models mid-conversation, including GPT-5, Claude 4.5 Sonnet, Gemini 3 Pro, and Llama 4, with the available model list updated as new releases launch. Its PowerUP feature injects AI shortcuts and automatic content extraction into more than 100 websites, including Gmail, Outlook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Google Scholar, and pressing Cmd+M brings up the assistant on any page without leaving it. Since early 2026, Monica meters its premium usage through an Advanced Credits system, a separate monthly credit pool spent by cost-weighted model and feature use, with top-ups available once it runs out. Monica also ships dedicated iOS and Android apps that sync conversation history, custom prompts, and preferences across devices, and it is building an autonomous agent feature that can break a task into steps and use tools rather than just answering in chat.
Key features
- Sidebar access to multiple AI models (GPT-5, Claude 4.5, Gemini 3, Llama 4, and others) with one-click switching
- PowerUP web enhancement that adds AI shortcuts to over 100 sites
- Chat, writing assistant, translation, and web page summarization
- Image generation, capped on lower tiers and expanded on paid plans
- Advanced Credits system that separately meters premium features like Deep Research and image generation
- Cross-platform apps for iOS and Android with synced history and prompts
Pricing in 2026
Monica offers a free tier plus three paid plans, each billed monthly or at a discount annually. Basic and advanced model queries are capped by plan, and a separate Advanced Credits pool funds premium features on top of that.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Basic AI chat, summarizer and translator, Chrome extension access, limited image generation, capped daily advanced responses |
| Pro | $9.90/month ($8.25/month billed annually) | 5,000 basic model queries/month, 200 advanced model queries, 1,500 Advanced Credits, access to Claude 4.5 Haiku, Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite, GPT-5.4 mini, unlimited web summarization |
| Max | $24.90/month ($16.68/month billed annually) | Unlimited basic model access, 4,500 Advanced Credits, same model access as Pro, full translation and writing tools |
| Ultra | $99.90/month ($82.90/month billed annually) | Unlimited basic and advanced model access, 20,000 Advanced Credits, includes GPT-5.5 access, web search and advanced skills |
Who should use it
Monica fits people who want to compare or switch between several top AI models without juggling separate ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini subscriptions, and who spend a lot of time in the browser doing research, writing, or email where a sidebar assistant saves tab-switching. The PowerUP integrations make it especially useful for anyone living in Gmail, LinkedIn, or Google Scholar who wants AI shortcuts baked into those workflows.
Limitations and alternatives
The split between plan-level query caps and a separate Advanced Credits pool makes it harder to predict real monthly cost than a flat per-seat price, since heavy use of premium features like Deep Research or image generation can exhaust credits well before the basic query cap is hit. The free plan is workable for occasional use but caps advanced responses tightly, so anyone doing daily research or writing work will likely need at least Pro. Alternatives include using ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, and Gemini directly if you only need one model and want simpler flat pricing, or other multi-model browser assistants and aggregator apps if the credit system does not fit your usage pattern.
Frequently asked questions
Is Monica AI free to use in 2026?
Yes, Monica has a free plan with basic chat, a summarizer, a translator, limited image generation, and a daily cap on advanced responses.
How much does Monica AI cost per month?
Paid plans are $9.90/month for Pro, $24.90/month for Max, and $99.90/month for Ultra, each with a lower per-month rate if billed annually.
What is Monica's Advanced Credits system?
Since early 2026, Monica meters premium features like Deep Research and image generation through a separate monthly Advanced Credits pool, on top of the plan's basic and advanced query caps.
Which AI models can I use in Monica?
Monica gives access to multiple models including GPT-5, Claude 4.5 Sonnet, Gemini 3 Pro, and Llama 4, and lets you switch between them mid-conversation, with the exact list updated as new models launch.
Information last verified: September 2026.
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