Perplexity and ChatGPT are the two AI powerhouses that are dominating the digital landscape these days – but which one should you go with?
I’ve spent a small fortune of time testing and pitting these two giants against each other across all the major workflows – 150+ hours worth, to be exact – and what I found out after daily diving with both tools is that ChatGPT takes the cake as the all-around better tool for flexibility, creativity and deep customisation.
But don’t count Perplexity out just yet – it’s a run-away winner when it comes to speed, accuracy and real-time data.
Perplexity vs ChatGPT: The Bottom Line
- ChatGPT – Top pick for content, coding and pure creativity (starts at $20/month)
- Perplexity – Top pick for snappy research and real-time facts (Free or $20/month for the Pro version)
In this beast of a comparison, I’ll be digging even deeper into what these two AI giants bring to the table when it comes to pricing, features, accuracy, writing chops and more.
This article was last updated on the 8th of December 2025 with fresh testing results.
Perplexity vs ChatGPT: Side by Side
Let’s start with a quick head-to-head comparison to give you the lowdown on where each tool stands:
| Feature | ChatGPT (GPT-4) | Perplexity Pro |
| Real-time web access | Yes (via browsing tool) | Yes (default) |
| Sources and citations | Only with browsing | Yes (always) |
| Creative writing | Excellent | Limited |
| Coding and dev help | Advanced | Basic |
| File upload & PDF tools | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Personalization | Memory, custom GPTs | Minimal |
| Pricing | $20/month | $20/month (Pro), Free tier |
| App integrations | Available (via GPTs) | None |
| Voice/image input | Yes (Pro version) | Basic (no image analysis) |
Perplexity Wins When it comes to Real-Time Info
If you’re on the hunt for accurate, up-to-date information – Perplexity is your one stop shop.
Unlike ChatGPT which relies on its training data (unless you enable browsing), Perplexity snatches up live data from the web. That means you get real-time results with proper citations every single time.
What I Really Liked About Perplexity
- Sources are clearly linked underneath every answer
- Quick summaries of multiple perspectives from across the web
- Forget asking for citations – it gives ’em by default
- Perfect for SEO research, product comparisons and academic q’s
Perplexity’s Pro plan ($20/month) gives you access to a whole bunch of large language models – GPT-4, Claude, Mistral – depending on what you’re asking. You can even switch between ’em if you need to.
Where ChatGPT Falls Short of the Mark
- Citations are only available if you enable the “Browse with Bing” tool
- Without browsing, GPT-4’s knowledge cuts off in December 2023
- You often have to double-check its answers for accuracy
Winner: Perplexity
Perplexity smashes all comers when it comes to real-time data – no question.
ChatGPT Wins when it Comes to Writing, Content and Creativity
While Perplexity is a top-notch search engine – ChatGPT is a creative writing superstar.
When I put both tools through their paces for blog outlines, email copy, ad scripts and rewriting, ChatGPT delivered way more natural, creative and structured output.
What ChatGPT Does Better than Perplexity
- Long-form writing (think blog posts, guides, sales pages)
- Brainstorming new ideas or titles
- Editing and rewriting in different tones
- Creative storytelling or dialogue
- Detailed responses for technical concepts
Thanks to its custom GPTs and memory features, ChatGPT can tailor its responses to your unique style.
I created a custom writing assistant with specific tone rules, and it remembered what I liked across sessions – something Perplexity just can’t do.
Where Perplexity Struggles
- Writing is dry, robotic and brief
- Lacks that ‘thinking ahead’ magic in long-form structure
- Often misses the emotional nuance or stylistic variety
Winner: ChatGPT
If you’re a writer, marketer or creative type – ChatGPT is the one to go with. It feels like having a clever co-writer by your side.
Coding Showdown: ChatGPT Takes the Crown
I put both tools through a whole bunch of coding tasks – from debugging JavaScript to building Python functions. ChatGPT absolutely crushed it.
Why ChatGPT Wins for Developers
- It instantly corrects errors
- Suggests improvements and alternatives
- Can generate complete scripts with explanations
- Supports over 20 programming languages
I even tested it with some real-world problems – like scraping data, setting up webhooks, and automating spreadsheets. The output was spot on, clean and ready to test with no fuss.
Perplexity’s Coding Capabilities
- It can answer basic coding questions with ease
- But often redirects you to external Stack Overflow links to get the full answer
- Doesn’t write out extended functions or comment code in a way that’s easy to follow
Winner: ChatGPT
To be honest, this one wasn’t even a contest. If you’re a developer, engineer or technical writer, ChatGPT is definitely the way to go.
Best for Research and Fact-Checking: Perplexity Takes the Lead
When I’m writing a blog post or prepping for a podcast episode, I often need fast facts and some trustworthy sources to back them up. That’s where Perplexity really shines.
What Makes Perplexity So Good at Research
- It pulls data from recent news articles, academic journals and government sites
- Gives you quick summaries, links and sources you can go and verify for yourself
- Really good for SEO, marketing and health-related research
Here’s an example: I asked both tools ‘What are the latest obesity rates in the US?’
- Perplexity gave me data from the CDC, dated August 2025, with a link to the exact source
- ChatGPT gave me an answer from 2023 with no link to go to
ChatGPT’s Weakness in This Area
Even with all browsing features turned on, ChatGPT can sometimes miss the latest updates or give overly general responses.
Winner: Perplexity
If accuracy and getting proper citations is important, Perplexity is the safer bet.
Best for Customization and Memory: ChatGPT Wins Out
Perplexity is fast and all that but it doesn’t learn how you work. ChatGPT, on the other hand, can actually get trained to do things your way.
With ChatGPT Pro:
- You can create custom GPT’s that remember your tone, goals and tasks
- You can upload files, PDFs and images for those multi-input workflows
- It even remembers what you like and adapts each session to do better next time
I set up a custom GPT for SEO content writing that follows a particular structure. Now it does exactly what I want every time – no extra prompting needed.
Perplexity is more of a ‘ fire and forget’ query tool. You ask a question and it answers. No deep personalisation or history to speak of.
Winner: ChatGPT
If you want an AI that gets to know how you work and adapts to it, ChatGPT is the clear winner.
Pricing: It’s a Deadlock
Both tools follow the same basic pricing model – free or $20/month for the full experience.
ChatGPT Pricing
- Free – you get GPT-3.5 but no web browsing or advanced tools
- Plus – $20/month for GPT-4, file uploads, memory, browsing and plugins
Perplexity Pricing
- Free – basic search, live web answers, citations
- Pro – $20/month for access to GPT-4, Claude, Mistral and more
Perplexity offers up real-time info and citations on the free plan. ChatGPT keeps most of the premium tools behind the paywall but its value really shines once you unlock GPT-4.
Winner: Tie
Both are priced the same, but offer different value depending on how you work.
Easiest to Use: Perplexity Wins the Day
When it comes to simplicity, Perplexity is a cinch for first-time users. You type a question, and it gives you a clean, citation-backed answer with no fuss or setup.
ChatGPT has a more complex interface with more features like memory, custom tools file uploads – but it can feel overwhelming at first.
If you just want quick answers, Perplexity is simpler and faster. But if you want more control and functionality, ChatGPT is definitely worth the learning curve.
Winner: Perplexity
Less clutter, less setup – answers in seconds.
Final Verdict: ChatGPT is More Powerful, Perplexity is More Practical
Here’s the bottom line:
| Best For | Winner |
| Real-time information | Perplexity |
| Research and citations | Perplexity |
| Long-form content | ChatGPT |
| Coding and dev work | ChatGPT |
| Personalization | ChatGPT |
| Ease of use | Perplexity |
| Price | Tie |
Use ChatGPT if you’re creating, building or want an AI that grows with you.
Use Perplexity if you’re researching, fact-checking or just want fast reliable information.
Personally, I use both tools every day. Perplexity gets me the facts. ChatGPT helps me write, plan and build on them.
Try both out and you’ll quickly see where each one fits.
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