Perplexity vs ChatGPT
Detailed comparison of Perplexity and ChatGPT — pricing, features, ratings, and our verdict on which to choose.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Feature
P
PerplexityC
ChatGPTOverall Rating
4.4
4.5
Starting Price
Free
Free
Free Tier
API Access
Open Source
Platforms
webiosandroidapi
webiosandroiddesktopapi
Base Model
Multi-model (GPT-5.2, Claude, Sonar)
GPT-5.2 (Instant / Thinking / Pro)
Ease of Use
4.8
4.8
Value
4.5
4.0
Quality
4.3
4.5
Which is Better For...
researchPerplexity
citationsPerplexity
codingChatGPT
writingChatGPT
versatilityChatGPT
Perplexity
Pros
- Always provides sources/citations
- Real-time web search
- Clean, focused interface
- Access to multiple AI models
Cons
- Less creative than ChatGPT/Claude
- Pro searches limited on free plan
- Not great for coding tasks
- Can over-rely on top search results
ChatGPT
Pros
- Most versatile AI assistant
- Huge plugin/GPT ecosystem
- Excellent at coding and writing
- Multimodal (text, image, voice, video)
Cons
- Plus plan can feel limited at $20/mo
- Pro plan is expensive ($200/mo)
- Can hallucinate on complex topics
- Rate limits on free tier
Our Verdict
Perplexity is better for research and fact-finding with its citation-first approach, while ChatGPT is more versatile for creative tasks, coding, and general assistance. Use Perplexity to find information, ChatGPT to create with it.