Optimizing workflows with AI has become a game-changer for me, especially when it comes to searching for information. For a while, I relied on the free version of Perplexity, but recently, I upgraded to Perplexity Pro. Meanwhile, as a longtime user of ChatGPT, I’ve also been exploring its new ChatGPT Search feature. In this article, I’ll share my experiences with both tools, compare their strengths and weaknesses, and help you decide which one might be the better fit for your needs.
Perplexity
I’d heard about Perplexity.ai many times, promised myself I’d try it, and eventually did, but it didn’t quite click. It’s hard to fully appreciate a tool until you use it regularly. I forgot about it until I got a test assignment for a job interview in a new field, requiring tons of research. Honestly, I’m not great at googling. But since I frequently use ChatGPT and have gotten pretty good at writing prompts, I thought of giving Perplexity another shot. This was before the release of ChatGPT Search, and at that point, I’d already maxed out what ChatGPT could offer. Perplexity turned out to be a lifesaver. It made long, tedious searches much quicker and was my first truly game-changing experience with AI search.
At the time, I used the free version. Compared to browser searches, here’s what I found more convenient in AI search:
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Fewer distractions from ads: Most browsers put ads at the top, so you have to scroll past them just to get to the first actual search result. Even without the ads, the top links are often not very relevant, and there are still too many to sift through. This makes it easy to lose motivation to click beyond the first couple of pages. AI does all that for you, providing a list of sources you can explore further on your own.
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Threaded searches with context: I loved how searches are organized into threads, preserving context. For my test assignment, since I was learning a new field from scratch, one question would lead to many others. It was convenient to continue and expand the search without starting over each time. If I remembered something later, I could easily return to a specific thread and pick up where I left off.
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Helpful question suggestions: Each thread in Perplexity includes prompts for related questions, which makes navigating a new topic much easier.
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Incognito mode: Like most browsers, Perplexity offers an incognito mode. I haven’t used it yet, but it’s a nice feature.
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Language flexibility: If you write in a certain language, you’ll get sources in that language. This is a standard approach for browsers but not always convenient.
For a while, I continued using the free version, but recently I switched to Pro. The free version uses the GPT-3.5 model, whereas the Pro plan grants access to the latest models: GPT-4 Omni, Claude-3 Sonnet/Opus, and Sonar Large 32k, so all the best features are integrated into your search. Of course, the Pro version offers better, smarter, and faster search.
In addition to the features mentioned above, here’s what I found most useful:
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Broaden your search with images: Pro provides access to Playground V2.5, DALLE 3, and Stable Diffusion XL models that can expand your search. For example, I was recently researching fund flow modeling, and having visual examples was incredibly helpful.
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Files, code, and more input options: You can upload unlimited files, code, pictures, etc. It’s really fast and much more convenient than doing this through a standard browser because it’s all in one space with seamless AI interaction.
ChatGPT Search
This feature was launched in October 2024 and is based on GPT-4o, specifically trained for search. It’s integrated into ChatGPT, allowing you to enable it with a Search button or simply ask ChatGPT to search the web.
As I mentioned, I’ve been a long-time user of ChatGPT for several years, so I seamlessly integrated the search feature into my routine.
Since free Perplexity uses GPT-3.5, all its features like AI search with no ads, no endless scrolling, and results organized into threads with helpful tips are available here as well. My favorite feature here is its accessibility, offering text-to-speech, and the ability to create queries via audio, and audio dialogs.
Choose your fighter
- Search Quality
Perplexity excels at finding information, while ChatGPT Search is better at explaining it. From a user perspective, I wouldn’t say I’ve encountered any critical issues with not finding something. It’s just a matter of different approaches. Perplexity provides more an overview of sources, whereas ChatGPT tends to give more explanation than summary.
- Generated Answers Without Sources
Both tools provide sources for their answers, but sometimes the information might be generated without a reliable link. Even when a link is provided, the relevant information might not actually be there. It’s always better to double-check and read the sources yourself. Based on my experience, ChatGPT is more prone to generating unsupported content than Perplexity, but I’ve encountered this issue in both tools.
- Search Speed
I didn’t notice a significant difference between the two in terms of speed. However, both are slower than a standard browser search.
- Chrome extensions
Both tools offer Chrome extensions, and I tested both.
The ChatGPT extension lets you use ChatGPT as your primary search engine, replacing, for example, Google. When you enter something in the search bar, it redirects you to ChatGPT, where your query is processed. Honestly, I wasn’t a fan. It’s slower than Google, and you can feel it. I still prefer a traditional search bar for quick lookups.
Perplexity’s Chrome extension works differently. Instead of replacing your search engine, it opens a small window over the current page, allowing you to googling and query Perplexity simultaneously. I really loved this one, because it’s more useful for me. The drawback is that you can only enter one query at a time, and if you want to continue the conversation, it redirects you to a separate Perplexity tab.
- Unique Features
Since both tools use GPT models, they share many great features. Perplexity Pro stands out with its use of multiple models and built-in illustrations. On the other hand, I really appreciate ChatGPT’s accessibility and seamless integration into its apps, which I use for more than just search.
- Bonus: Hangman game test
I saw a funny tweet claiming ChatGPT can’t play Hangman. Turns out, neither can Perplexity Pro, even with all its models.
Final Take: Which Works Best for What
To start with, I’m a fan of AI search. Usually, it takes longer than quick googling, so here’s how I see it: if I need a super quick answer from the first link, I’ll use a standard browser search. But if I need to find more information or conduct deeper research, AI search is the way to go. It’s the best method to uncover valuable insights more efficiently.
As for ChatGPT Search and Perplexity, in my experience, they solve different problems. ChatGPT Search perfectly extends ChatGPT’s capabilities, given that ChatGPT’s knowledge base only goes up to the year 2021. It’s perfect for studying and gaining insights using up-to-date web information. Perplexity, on the other hand, is better for finding something more thoroughly. It takes more from browser search, like incognito pages, and its approach to work with your prompts. It is about searching for information first and explaining second, in contrast to ChatGPT Search.
For me:
Need to find something? Perplexity.
Need to understand something? ChatGPT + Search.
They complement each other perfectly in work.