ChatGPT alternatives: five assistants compared

ChatGPT is often the first AI assistant people try, but it is not the only good option, and it is not always the best fit. The main alternatives differ less in raw ability than in what surrounds the model: the tools they connect to, how they show sources, how their plans are priced and how they handle your data. Starting from the task you repeat most is the quickest way to choose.

At a glance

Claude: for long, careful work

Claude, made by Anthropic, suits people who work with long documents and want help across a whole task rather than a single answer. It can run code, create spreadsheets and documents, connect to email, calendars and team chat, and handle recurring jobs on a schedule. Choose it if most of your work is reading, writing and analysis. Check the usage limits of each plan, which apply even on the higher tiers.

Gemini: if you live in Google’s ecosystem

Gemini is Google’s assistant. Its Deep Research mode assembles reports from many web sources, paid plans accept very long uploads, and higher tiers add video generation. Choose it if you already rely on Google services and want generous research and media features. Plans and features vary by country, so check what is offered where you live.

Microsoft Copilot: inside your Office documents

Copilot’s strength is its presence in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. With an eligible Microsoft 365 plan it drafts documents from notes, explains spreadsheets, builds slide decks and summarises your inbox where the work already happens. Choose it if your day runs on Microsoft 365; the free standalone app is a reasonable general assistant but the integration is the reason to pick it.

Perplexity: when you need sources

Perplexity answers questions by searching the web live and lists numbered citations for each response, so it is the most natural choice for research where you must check where facts come from. Its Research mode produces longer reports in minutes. Choose it for fact-finding and background research; for long drafting or file creation, another assistant may suit you better.

DeepSeek: open weights and API cost

DeepSeek appeals mainly to developers. Several of its models, including the R1 reasoning model, were released with open weights under the MIT licence, and its API follows the OpenAI and Anthropic formats, so existing tools can switch to it by changing configuration. Choose it to experiment with self-hosted models or to compare API costs. Review data handling terms and jurisdiction before sending confidential information to the hosted service.

Before you switch

1. List the three tasks you use an assistant for most often.
2. Run the same prompts, with the same files, in two or three candidates.
3. Compare how much you edit the results and whether sources or files are handled well.
4. Read each provider’s data and training settings for the plan you would use.
5. Start on a monthly plan before committing to an annual subscription.

ClaudeProductivityGeminiProductivityMicrosoft CopilotProductivityPerplexityResearchDeepSeekCodingChatGPTProductivity

Tools to explore

Microsoft 365 CopilotProductivityShortly AIProductivityGrokProductivityGemini CLICodingGoogle AI StudioCodingGensparkProductivity