Microsoft 365 Copilot Researcher review

Researcher is Microsoft's deep research agent, found under Agents in the Microsoft Copilot app. Microsoft positions it for complex, multi-step tasks: it takes longer than standard Copilot chat, draws on the web and on the files, emails, meetings and chats a user can already reach, and returns a structured report with sections, visuals and cited sources. It may ask clarifying questions first, and you can set the scope to workplace resources, the web or both. Because it runs inside Microsoft 365, it respects the permissions, policies and compliance settings a company already has, which is the main reason to choose it over a consumer research tool. The cost is the Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on at $30 per user a month paid yearly, or $31.50 a month on an annual commitment, on top of an eligible Microsoft 365 plan. That is the most expensive seat on this list for a single user, and Microsoft does not publish how many Researcher reports a seat allows.

Who it is for

Companies on Microsoft 365 that want research grounded in their own tenant data.

Price

Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on $30 per user a month paid yearly, or $31.50 paid monthly on an annual commitment.

$30.00 user/month, paid yearly
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 9, 2026.

Key features

• Multi-step research across the web and Microsoft 365 work content
• Reports with organized sections, charts and cited sources
• Clarifying questions to steer the research before it runs
• Choose workplace resources, the web or both as the search scope
• Respects existing Microsoft 365 permissions, policies and compliance

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Reads emails, meetings and chats a user already has access to
• Strength: Fits inside existing Microsoft 365 governance
• Strength: Reports include visuals as well as text
• Weakness: Priced as a $30 per user add-on on top of a Microsoft 365 plan
• Weakness: Annual commitment required even when paying monthly
• Weakness: Microsoft does not publish report limits on the Researcher page

Key facts

• Where to find it: Under Agents in Chat in the Microsoft Copilot app
• Search scope: Workplace resources, the web or both
• Billing: $30.00 paid yearly or $31.50 paid monthly, annual commitment

Where it ranks

Microsoft 365 Copilot Researcher is No. 8 in our Best Deep Research AI Tools verdict.