ChatGPT Search vs. Perplexity Search: A Feature Comparison

What problem does this comparison address?

Choosing an AI-based search tool like ChatGPT Search and Perplexity Search can be confusing. Both tools offer unique strengths tailored to different needs, making understanding their capabilities essential for informed decisions.

How to access:

• ChatGPT Search: Available to all users (including Free). https://chatgpt.com/ + mobile app
• Perplexity Search: Free Quick Search and Pro tiers, with browser extensions and mobile apps. https://www.perplexity.ai/

Key Findings from the Analysis:

1. Underlying LLM:

• ChatGPT Search: Powered by a fine-tuned GPT-4o, post-trained using novel synthetic data generation techniques.
• Perplexity Search: Utilizes multiple models, including Claude Sonnet, GPT-4o, Grok-2 ChatGPT o1, with Pro models supporting up to 32k tokens.

2. Free vs. Paid Access:

• ChatGPT Search: Free users can make 10 queries every 5 hours.
• Perplexity Search: Offers unlimited free Quick Searches and 5 daily Pro Searches for paid users.

3. Hallucination:

• ChatGPT Search: Less prone to unsupported content but may lack citations.
• Perplexity Search: Our tests revealed it to be more prone to extraneous content and mismatched links. Verifying references is crucial for both.

4. Search Speed & Latency:

Both tools deliver fast responses, though slightly slower than real-time search engines. Both are ad-free and handle file/code queries effectively.

5. Interface:

• ChatGPT Search: Text-based and straightforward.
• Perplexity Search: Visually engaging with colorful formatting and highlights.

6. Context Handling in Follow-Ups:

Perplexity models supporting up to 32k tokens in Pro versions and ChatGPT Search offering similar token capacity for extended conversations.

7. Unique Features:

• ChatGPT Search: Includes a sources sidebar for verification and auto/manual search triggers.
• Perplexity Search: Offers “Focus Filters,” Pro Copilot searches, and source transparency with footnotes.

8. Use Cases:

• ChatGPT Search: Ideal for detailed studies, technical how-tos, and in-depth clarifications.
• Perplexity Search: Best for quick overviews, visually navigable summaries, and broad topic exploration.

Example:

Imagine a developer debugging JavaScript. For queries like “What are the best practices for designing a multi-region, fault-tolerant cloud architecture?”, ChatGPT Search provided a more streamlined response with 16 key points clearly outlined. Perplexity listed 20 points. ChatGPT Search scanned 15 sites, Perplexity 18. They were neck-to-neck in leading a response.

More such queries suggested us that ChatGPT Search was marginally better in providing detailed, step-by-step breakdowns, while Perplexity Search may link to broader articles with supporting examples.

Both tools have their niches; choose based on your specific needs!

Note: The tools and analysis featured in this section demonstrated clear value based on our internal testing. Our recommendations are entirely independent and not influenced by the tool creators.