Best Alternatives to ChatGPT to Try Now

ChatGPT has become the ‘go-to’ AI tool, much like Photoshop is for photo editing or Google is for web searches.

But is it always the best choice? Not necessarily.

While ChatGPT is the name that everyone knows, there are plenty of alternatives out there that may be better for you.

Of course, not everyone uses ChatGPT in the same way, and that’s why not everyone will find the same alternative to be more suited than others.

So, I’ve spent many hours conversing with these chatbots and asking them to perform different tasks. In this article, I share my honest take on each one.

I tried them so you don’t have to waste time or money figuring out which one to use. Here, I’ll tell you where each of them shines and where they fall short.

I’ll also briefly cover what features are included and their pricing plans.

Please consider that the market is developing at an extremely fast pace. So, make sure you double-check the information on each company’s website before subscribing to a paid membership.

Best Alternatives to ChatGPT

Claude

Claude is my favorite AI assistant because I’ve found it to be very reliable. Whenever ChatGPT doesn’t know something, it has a tendency to “make it up.”

While you should always double-check whatever responses an AI gives you, I’ve found Claude requires less confirmation because it’s more prone to tell you that it doesn’t know the answer.

I’ve also found Claude to have strict ethical boundaries. Sometimes this has been limiting because I need specific information that it may refuse to discuss.

In the past, some examples of this happened when researching face-swapping AI tools or boudoir photography. Although this has now been fixed, it discusses the topics in an ethical manner.

In any case, it’s a small price I’m happy to pay, considering that it can also limit the harmful consequences of AI interactions.

Of course, this is just based on my personal experience. So, let me tell you more objective information so you can decide whether it can be a good alternative based on your needs.

Claude is developed by Anthropic, a California-based company focused on AI safety and research.

Claude is great for creative content generation. So, you can use it to write essays, stories, and even code. It’s also multilingual, so you can interact with it in many languages, and it will understand and respond in that language or translate to another one if that’s what you need.

Claude is also capable of grasping context and ambiguities in a conversation. I’ve noticed it handles slang well, using it to create a more familiar and relatable tone with users.

It excels in complex problem solving and logical analysis. This is why Claude is very popular for data analysis and coding. Of course, it can also help you with step-by-step thinking.

Unfortunately, the free version of Claude can’t go online to search for updated content. Any question you ask will be limited to the date of its last training. That said, it usually mentions its cut-off date in the response, so you’ll know right away whether the info is current enough or if you should try another research method.

Another lacking point of Claude is that it can’t generate images like ChatGPT does. It can, however, create SVG diagrams, charts, and graphs. You can also ask it for detailed prompts to use on an AI image generator.

You can use Claude for free, but you do need to create an account. It’s available on a browser or as an app on any mobile device.

The free version has more limited usage, and some features aren’t available. However, it still supports file attachments in the prompt for analyzing text and images.

Two paid tiers allow more usage and other features like choosing which model to use, using integrations, and others.

For a complete plan and pricing comparison, please check Anthropic’s website.

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Copilot

Copilot is an AI-powered assistant developed by Microsoft. You can use it as a standalone chat tool via browser or app, and it’s also integrated directly into Microsoft products.

I’ve found Copilot to be generally accurate. However, you should always double-check what it says. The good thing is that it can go online to find the information you’re asking for.

Unfortunately, it may not always provide the references or it may give you the wrong link. For example, while writing this article, I asked Copilot what else I could get if I were to subscribe to its Pro plan. It gave me the link to check for the updated information and directed me to a non-existent page.

While Copilot can go online, it can’t open URL addresses provided in the prompt. This is something that ChatGPT and Claude can do, provided that the desired website allows it.

On the plus side, when you ask about something that can be better explained with images, it will provide them. For example, asking about the best poses for portrait photography will provide you with visual examples and explanations.

Copilot also has a strict ethical code and won’t engage in harmful information or generate images of famous people or copyrighted characters. I find it’s less restrictive than Claude – it will discuss boudoir photography, for example.

It doesn’t just reply to inquiries; it can also generate creative content such as poetry, drafts, and reports, including graphs. It has a wide range of uses.

Copilot supports multiple languages, and it can translate between them. I found it less regional than Claude and more similar to ChatGPT’s tone. Of course, you can ask it to adopt a particular tone, and it will do it.

You can use Copilot for free without creating an account, but it will be limited. You need to sign in if you want to generate images, for example.

The image generation gives very high-quality results, and you can refine the image with follow-up prompts. It can’t edit or work on pictures the user provides, though.

I find the biggest downside is that Copilot doesn’t have a long-term memory. So, even if you’re logged in or you have a Pro plan, every conversation resets the memory, and you start from scratch.

If you choose to subscribe to a Pro plan, you’ll have extended use, early access to experimental features, deep research, preferred access during peak hours, and other perks. Check out the updated plans and pricing on Microsoft’s website.

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DeepSeek

DeepSeek Chat is an AI text-based assistant developed by DeepSeek. This means you can’t generate any images, which is the most significant limitation. However, this is an excellent alternative for all sorts of text-based tasks. I’ll tell you why.

The strongest point of DeepSeek is that it’s completely free. There’s no Pro or Premium plan that gives you further features or options. Therefore, you’ll get the best of its capabilities right off the bat.

You do have to create an account to use it, though.

If you think that because it’s free, you might get less than other AI tools with paid options, you can think again. In fact, DeepSeek has a huge capacity. Thanks to its 128k token memory, it can handle long discussions and lengthy documents.

In fact, I find DeepSeek to be the best AI to extract and analyze text from uploaded documents. It supports many formats like PDF, CVS, XLSX, PPT, and more.

You can also use DeepSeek to create or debug code in various languages. And speaking of languages, it’s also multilingual.

When making queries, it won’t search for the answer online. Instead, it will provide the information it has up to its latest training, indicating when that was.

However, you can manually activate the Web Search feature if needed. This is a big plus because ChatGPT only has browsing features in the Plus version. Keep in mind that you’ll have to enable this function each time.

Another downside is that it can’t generate downloadable files like ChatGPT or Claude.

Overall, DeepSeek is a fantastic alternative to ChatGPT if you don’t need any images. Considering it’s completely free, it’s also a great alternative to all the other options mentioned in this article.

DeepSeek is available on browser, but you can also download it as an app for iPhone and Android devices.

• More: Testing the Best AI Image Generators for Mobile

Gemini

Gemini is the AI chat developed by Google. If you use Google as your search engine, you’ve already been using Gemini as it will be the first result you get on the Google search results page.

However, you can also use Gemini independently, as you would with ChatGPT or all the other recommendations in this article. It’s also available as an app and often embedded as an AI assistant on your phone.

The strongest point of Gemini is that it belongs to Google. As such, the live browsing version is enabled automatically, and it can look for updated information on the web.

This is not to say that its core knowledge is based on a time-based training, just like any other AI model. However, it’s the best AI chat if you need updated information on the free tier.

I talk about the free tier because a premium version called Gemini Advanced is offered as part of the Google One AI Premium Plan.

You can use the free version with a Google account (using it without signing in is impossible). Once you’ve done this, the limitations are less noticeable than others, as it has a broader daily limit, generates images, uploads files, etc.

Gemini can generate images with excellent quality and accuracy. However, it has difficulties refining the image. When I asked on a follow-up prompt to make some changes, it told me it doesn’t know how to generate certain photos, or it may be because my request goes against its policy.

However, nothing on the prompt would violate its terms; there are only photographic specifications, as you can see in the screenshot. Therefore, it must be because it doesn’t yet have the ability to edit the generated images.

The Canvas icon you see on the prompt bar is supposed to be a tool that allows you to make small changes to the generated images. This would solve the problem I had with the prompt. However, this isn’t functional yet.

As I’ve mentioned at the beginning, the world of AI is updating very rapidly. So, give the Canvas feature a try as it may become active by the time you’re reading this.

As far as text, Gemini can generate all sorts of content, both creative and technical. It’s also a good tool to interact with for casual conversations or brainstorming. It understands and translates in multiple languages.

On the downside, coding isn’t its strong point. So, it can generate simple code snippets, but it’s not the best alternative to ChatGPT if this is something you need.

Perplexity

Something I really like about Perplexity is that it gives you the option for Search and Research. The Search tool gives you a quick answer to general queries. Instead, click on Research if you want to do deep research on a specific topic.

I also like that you can use Perplexity without logging in. Plus, you can find all the information on the chat website. All the other tools I’ve used and recommended require you to visit the company’s website to find the pricing plan.

You can also find the settings choices with icons on the prompt bar. So, you can easily change the AI model, set sources for search, change the language, etc.

It’s worth noting that some of the options aren’t available without signing in. You can’t upload documents until you’ve logged in, for example. Plus, the daily limit is very low.

I do recommend signing in, which doesn’t require creating an account. You can enter your email and receive a code or sign in using your Google or Apple accounts.

The strengths of Perplexity lie in its reliability for accuracy and reliable source citation. This is especially true in the Research mode – although you should always fact-check its responses.

Also, Perplexity has a feature called Spaces that allows you to separate your chats and research to keep an organized work space and easily find information for future reference.

• More: Best AI Tools for Fixing Blurry Photos

This is why Perplexity is an excellent alternative to ChatGPT for students, scholars, and researchers. If you’re looking to generate creative content, Perplexity might not be your best choice, although it can do it.

Another sore point, at least for Shotkit users, might be that it can’t generate visual content. So, like Claude and DeepSeek, it’s only text-based.

Back to the unique features of Perplexity, it has both a Dictation and a Voice mode. While most AI chats have a voice recognition that allows you to tell them your query instead of typing it, I’ve only found this double feature in Perplexity.

The Dictation mode allows you to tell your query, and it will type the prompt. Then, you’ll have to submit it manually, and you can read the response yourself.

Instead, the Voice mode types in the query and submits it. Then, it will read the response out loud so you can have an entirely hands-free experience. For example, this is useful if you’re driving or cooking with your hands in the dough.

Perplexity has a free and a Pro version. The free one offers unlimited basic queries, but limited Pro searches and file uploads. The Pro version removes these limits, offers more citations in the responses, and more.

You can find more about the pricing plans by clicking on Pro at the bottom of the chat page or by visiting the Perplexity Pro website.

Perplexity is available on a browser or as a mobile app, whether you use the free or paid version.