Perplexity AI vs ChatGPT: Ultimate AI Chatbot Battle in 2025?

by | Last updated Apr 18, 2025

Runner Up
chatgpt
9.0
  • Natural Language Processing
  • Contextual Understanding
  • Multi-Turn Conversations
  • Wide Range of Knowledge
  • Versatility
  • Free plan available
  • Paid Plans from $20/month
Winner
perplexity
7.5
  • Bird SQL
  • Copilot
  • Threads
  • Perplexity Pro
  • Latest Results
  • Free plan available
  • Paid Plans from $20/month
perplexity vs chatgpt

Having trouble picking between Perplexity AI and ChatGPT?

Both are super useful AI chatbots with lots of cool features.

If you’re wondering which one will be the best in 2025, you’re not alone!

Lots of people are asking: Which AI is easier to use and gives the best answers?

This article will break down the Perplexity AI vs ChatGPT, what each chatbot can do, and look at the good and the bad.

This will help you decide which one wins the AI chatbot battle!

Overview

We took the time to really test both Perplexity AI and ChatGPT.

We asked them all sorts of questions and gave them different things to do.

Because of this hands-on testing, we can now compare what each one does well and where they might not be as strong.

So you can see which one might be better for you.

Chatgpt

ChatGPT boasts over 100 million users worldwide, making it a trusted choice for AI-powered writing. Try it Now!

9out of 10

Pricing: Use GPT 3.5 for Free & GPT 4.0 for $20/month

Key Features:

  • Creative writing
  • Code generation
  • Extensive knowledge
Perplexity

Ready to experience the future of search? Get the result you want. It’s simple and free. Try Perplexity AI Now!

7.5out of 10

Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plan Starts at $20/month

Key Features:

  • Real-time web search
  • Source citations
  • Follow-up questions

What is ChatGPT?

Think of ChatGPT as a super-smart chat buddy.

You can talk to it about almost anything. It can write stories, poems, and even code!

It has learned from tons of books and websites.

It’s like having a really knowledgeable friend who can also be creative.

Chatgpt
Chatgpt
9.0

Ready to transform your data into insights? Try Julius AI today! Start your free trial and experience the power of AI-driven data analysis.

Key Benefits

  • Super creative: It can write different kinds of text – poems, code, scripts… you name it!
  • Always learning: The more you chat with it, the smarter it gets.
  • Surprisingly knowledgeable: It has access to a massive amount of information.

Pricing

  • Free: You can use ChatGPT for free and get a ton of value.
  • Plus ($20/month): This is $20/month and gives you faster responses, priority access, and early access to new features.
  • Pro ($200/month): Everything in plus, Unlimited access GPT-4o and o1.
chatgpt pricing

Pros

  • Excellent at creating text.
  • Good for chatting and ideas.
  • Can help with schoolwork.
  • Can understand many languages.
  • It can show pictures.

Cons

  • Can sometimes make mistakes.
  • Gets confused by tricky questions.
  • Needs plugins for some tasks.

What is Perplexity?

Ever feel like you’re drowning in web pages?

Perplexity is like a super-smart search friend. You ask it a question.

It doesn’t just give you links. It gives you direct answers.

Plus, it tells you where it found the info. Pretty neat, huh?

Perplexity
Perplexity
7.5

Ready to transform your data into insights? Try Julius AI today! Start your free trial and experience the power of AI-driven data analysis.

Key Benefits

  • Trusted Answers: Perplexity scours the web for reliable information and even tells you where the answers are found.
  • Follow-Up Questions: Want to learn more? Ask away! Perplexity keeps the conversation going.
  • Bird’s Eye View: Get quick summaries of any topic that are perfect for research or satisfy your curiosity.

Pricing

  • Standard: Free Forever
  • Professional: $20/monthly- Unlimited free searches, 300+ Pro searches per day.
perplexity pricing

Pros

  • Real-time web info is super helpful.
  • Provides concise answers.
  • Cites reliable sources.
  • Offers a free Chrome extension.
  • Great for quick research.

Cons

  • Still in beta testing.
  • Can sometimes miss the mark.
  • May not be as deep as Google Scholar.
  • Occasional connectivity issues.

Feature Comparison

Let’s see how Perplexity and ChatGPT are different.

We’ll look at what they can do.

This will help you pick the best AI tool for you.

Search Capabilities

  • Perplexity and ChatGPT: Perplexity is like a talking Google. It can find stuff on the web right now. So, if you ask it something, it can give you new info.
  • Use ChatGPT: ChatGPT mostly knows things it learned before. If you ask about something recent, you might not know about it. If you need the newest, accurate information, Perplexity wins.

Showing Where Info Comes From

  • Perplexity and ChatGPT: Perplexity tells you where it gets its answers. It shows you the websites it used. This helps you see if the info is good.
  • Use ChatGPT: ChatGPT usually doesn’t say where its answers come from. You just have to trust it. If knowing the source is important, Perplexity is better.
ChatGPT

Conversational AI

  • Perplexity and ChatGPT: Both can engage in conversation with you. You can ask a question, and then ask another one about the answer. It feels like talking to an AI tool.
  • Use AI: Both remember what you said before in the same chat. This helps them get your next questions. So, they are both good at talking with you.

Making Creative Stuff

  • Perplexity and ChatGPT: ChatGPT is really good at writing fun things. It can write stories and poems. It’s better at understanding what you want when you ask it to be creative (prompt).
  • Perplexity and ChatGPT: Perplexity can write too, but it mostly tries to provide you with facts from the web (via its search capabilities). If you want something creative, use ChatGPT.

Helping with Computer Code

  • Perplexity and ChatGPT: ChatGPT can help you write computer code. It can tell you about code and even make new code for you (prompt).
  • Perplexity and ChatGPT: Perplexity might find code online for you, but it’s not its main job. If you need help with code, using ChatGPT is an option.
Perplexity

Knowing Lots of Things

  • Perplexity and ChatGPT: ChatGPT has learned from tons of writing online. So, it knows about many things. You can ask it about history or art.
  • Perplexity and ChatGPT: Perplexity can find new stuff online, but it might not know as much about old topics as ChatGPT. For general questions, ChatGPT can be very helpful. Some people compare ChatGPT to Claude, another conversational AI that is knowledgeable.

When to Use Each One

  • Perplexity and ChatGPT: If you want quick, new answers with links to the source, Perplexity is great. It’s like a smart, talking search engine.
  • Use ChatGPT: If you need help writing, getting creative ideas, or coding, use ChatGPT. It’s good at understanding what you ask (prompt) and making creative text. Think about what you want to use AI for to help you decide.

What To Look For When Choosing The Right AI Chatbot?

Here are some extra things to think about:

  • Ease of Use: How simple is it to type in your questions (query) and understand the answers?
  • Speed of Response: How quickly does each AI tool give you information?
  • Integration: Can it work with other tools or apps you already use?
  • Mobile Access: Can you easily use it on your phone or tablet?
  • Free vs Paid: What do you get with the free plan, and are the paid features worth the cost for your use case? 
  • Language Support: Does the conversational AI work well in the languages you need?
  • Customization: Can you adjust settings or train the AI tool for specific tasks?
  • Data Privacy: How does each platform handle your conversations and data?
  • Community & Support: Is there help available if you have questions or problems using Perplexity and ChatGPT?

Final Verdict

So, who wins the battle between Perplexity and ChatGPT?

It really depends on what you need.

If getting quick answers with links to the source is your main thing, Perplexity is super handy.

It’s like having a smart search buddy.

But if you want help writing stories, poems, or even code, ChatGPT is likely the better choice.

It’s more creative. We’ve spent a lot of time testing both of these AI tools.

We think understanding what you want to do with a conversational AI will help you pick the right one.

Hopefully, our breakdown made it easier for you to make a decision!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between Perplexity AI and ChatGPT?

Perplexity focuses on providing answers with source citations using real-time web access. ChatGPT excels in creative text generation and has a broader general knowledge base from its training data.

Which AI is better for research?

Perplexity AI is often better for research because it provides sources for its answers, allowing you to verify the information and explore further.

Can ChatGPT search the internet like Perplexity AI?

While ChatGPT has some browsing capabilities through plugins, it’s not its primary function. Perplexity AI is built with real-time web searching at its core.

Is Perplexity AI or ChatGPT free to use?

Yes, both Perplexity AI and ChatGPT offer free plans with certain limitations. They also have paid subscription options with additional features and benefits.

Which AI is easier to use for beginners?

Both have fairly straightforward interfaces. However, if your main goal is direct answers to questions, Perplexity’s approach might feel more intuitive for some beginners.

Fahim Joharder

Fahim Joharder

Author

A tech enthusiast and writer with a passion for AI and software innovations. He simplifies complex topics to help readers stay ahead in the digital world.

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