Perplexity vs ChatGPT: Which Is Better? (2026)

Compare Perplexity AI and ChatGPT on pricing, features, search capabilities, and use cases. Find out which AI assistant is right for you in 2026.

Best for Research

Perplexity AI

$20.00 /mo

★★★★☆ 4.4/5

Real-time web search with cited, inline source references
Pro Search mode for multi-step, research-grade queries
Supports multiple underlying models: GPT-4o, Claude 3.5/3.7, Gemini 2.0, and Sonar

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Best All-Rounder

ChatGPT

$20.00 /mo

★★★★½ 4.6/5

GPT-4o and o3 reasoning models available on Plus and higher plans
Advanced Voice Mode with real-time, natural spoken conversation
Custom GPTs: build and share specialized AI assistants with custom instructions and tools

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Feature	Best for Research Perplexity AI	Best All-Rounder ChatGPT
Price	$20.00	$20.00
Rating	★★★★☆	★★★★½
Real-time web search with cited, inline source references	✓	✗
Pro Search mode for multi-step, research-grade queries	✓	✗
Supports multiple underlying models: GPT-4o, Claude 3.5/3.7, Gemini 2.0, and Sonar	✓	✗
Perplexity Pages: publish long-form, AI-generated research documents	✓	✗
Spaces: shared research workspaces with custom AI instructions for teams	✓	✗
File and image upload for document Q&A and visual analysis	✓	✗
Dedicated iOS and Android apps with voice input support	✓	✗
API access (pplx-api) for developers with Sonar model family	✓	✗
Focus modes: Academic, Writing, YouTube, Reddit, and more	✓	✗
Free tier with limited Pro Search queries per day	✓	✗
GPT-4o and o3 reasoning models available on Plus and higher plans	✗	✓
Advanced Voice Mode with real-time, natural spoken conversation	✗	✓
Custom GPTs: build and share specialized AI assistants with custom instructions and tools	✗	✓
Code Interpreter (Data Analysis): execute Python, analyze data, and generate charts	✗	✓
DALL-E 3 image generation integrated directly in chat	✗	✓
Web search via Bing integration with cited results	✗	✓
Long-term Memory: retains facts and preferences across conversations	✗	✓
Canvas mode for collaborative document and code editing alongside the AI	✗	✓
ChatGPT Pro plan ($200/mo) with unlimited o1 pro mode access	✗	✓
Team ($30/user/mo) and Enterprise plans with admin controls and no training on user data	✗	✓
Pros	Every answer includes numbered citations linking directly to source URLs, making fact-checking fast and transparent Real-time web access means answers reflect current events, prices, and news without a knowledge cutoff Pro Search mode autonomously breaks complex questions into sub-queries for significantly deeper research Clean, distraction-free UI keeps focus on the answer rather than conversation management Spaces feature enables teams to share context, instructions, and research collections collaboratively	Unmatched breadth of capabilities in a single interface: writing, coding, image generation, data analysis, and voice Persistent memory across conversations allows the model to personalize responses over time The GPT Store provides thousands of community-built and verified specialized assistants o3 and o3-mini reasoning models deliver state-of-the-art performance on complex math, science, and coding problems Canvas mode enables side-by-side document and code editing, significantly streamlining writing and iteration workflows
Cons	Weaker long-form creative writing and code generation compared to ChatGPT with advanced models Conversation memory is limited; it does not learn your preferences across sessions the way ChatGPT does Heavy dependence on web search can surface low-quality or biased sources if not carefully reviewed No first-party plugin or tool ecosystem comparable to ChatGPT's GPT store and custom GPTs	Answers without web search enabled can reflect outdated information due to training data cutoffs The $200/month Pro plan required for unlimited access to the most capable o1 pro and o3 models is prohibitively expensive for individuals Advanced features (o3, extended context, higher message limits) are gated behind higher tiers, making the free experience noticeably limited Heavy API and third-party integration use can introduce privacy considerations that require careful review of OpenAI's data retention policies
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Our Verdict

Winner: Perplexity AI

Perplexity AI and ChatGPT cost the same at $20/month for their Pro tiers, but they solve different problems. Perplexity is purpose-built for research and fact-finding: every answer is grounded in real-time web sources with inline citations, making it the faster, more trustworthy choice when accuracy and recency matter. ChatGPT is the better all-around AI assistant: its breadth of capabilities — voice, image generation, code execution, reasoning models, persistent memory, and a rich GPT ecosystem — makes it the stronger daily driver for a wide variety of tasks. Choose Perplexity if your primary use case is research, news monitoring, or sourced Q&A. Choose ChatGPT if you need a versatile assistant that handles writing, coding, data analysis, and creative tasks in addition to answering questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the price difference between Perplexity and ChatGPT?

Both Perplexity Pro and ChatGPT Plus are priced at $20/month for individual users, so cost is not a differentiator at the entry level. ChatGPT offers a Team plan at $30/user/month and an enterprise tier, while also offering a $200/month Pro plan for unlimited access to the most advanced reasoning models. Perplexity's team features are bundled into its standard Pro plan. Both products offer a free tier with daily or monthly usage limits.

Does Perplexity have access to real-time information?

Yes. Perplexity is built around real-time web search — every query retrieves and synthesizes live results from the web. ChatGPT also offers web search via Bing integration, but it is not the default for all queries and its depth is generally shallower than Perplexity's Pro Search mode, which autonomously decomposes complex questions into multiple sub-searches.

Can ChatGPT generate images and run code, while Perplexity cannot?

Correct. ChatGPT Plus includes DALL-E 3 image generation and a built-in Code Interpreter (Data Analysis tool) that executes Python, processes files, and creates charts. Perplexity does not offer image generation or code execution natively. If your workflow involves visual content creation or data analysis, ChatGPT has a clear functional advantage.

Which tool is better for academic research?

Perplexity has a dedicated Academic focus mode that prioritizes scholarly sources and returns inline citations. Its Pro Search mode is particularly effective for literature reviews and multi-faceted research questions. ChatGPT can assist with research synthesis and writing, but it does not always provide direct source citations unless web search is explicitly enabled. For sourced, verifiable research tasks, Perplexity is the stronger choice.

Does ChatGPT remember previous conversations?

Yes. ChatGPT's Memory feature, available on Plus and higher plans, allows the model to retain facts you share across separate conversations — such as your name, preferences, job role, or coding language of choice — and apply them in future sessions. Perplexity does not currently offer cross-session memory, treating each conversation largely as a fresh context window.

Which AI assistant is better for coding tasks?

ChatGPT is generally stronger for coding. Its o3 and GPT-4o models rank near the top of coding benchmarks, it supports interactive code execution via the Code Interpreter, and Canvas mode enables side-by-side iterative code editing. Perplexity can answer coding questions and link to documentation, but it lacks code execution and the deep iterative debugging workflow that ChatGPT provides.

Is there a free version of Perplexity and ChatGPT?

Both offer free tiers. Perplexity's free plan includes unlimited standard searches and a limited number of Pro Search queries per day (typically around 5). ChatGPT's free plan provides access to GPT-4o with daily message limits and does not include advanced features like memory, image generation, or the o3 reasoning model. Upgrading to either paid plan ($20/month) significantly raises limits and unlocks premium capabilities.

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