For the past year, ChatGPT has been my go-to AI assistant for everything—content writing, research, coding help, and brainstorming. But recently, I kept hearing about Perplexity AI, a rising alternative that promises more accurate, citation-backed answers.
Curious, I decided to switch entirely to Perplexity AI for one month to see how it compares.
Here’s my honest breakdown of the pros, cons, and key differences between the two.
Also check: I Tested Pictory AI for Content Creation: Here’s My Honest Review
What is Perplexity AI?
Perplexity AI is an AI-powered search engine that provides real-time, sourced answers instead of just generating text like ChatGPT. It combines large language models (LLMs) with web search to deliver up-to-date, well-researched responses.
Key Features:
✅ Real-time web search (unlike ChatGPT’s knowledge cutoff)
✅ Citations & sources for every answer
✅ Threaded conversations (follow-up questions stay organized)
✅ Free version available (with a Pro plan for advanced features)
Why I Switched to Perplexity AI for a Month
I’ve relied on ChatGPT for over a year, using it daily for writing, summarization, coding help, and more. But I wanted to test how an AI assistant with real-time search and a citation-first approach would perform in my workflow.
Here’s how Perplexity AI fared across various tasks over 30 days.
Perplexity AI vs. ChatGPT: My Month-Long Test
1. Accuracy & Reliability
Winner: Perplexity AI
- ChatGPT (especially GPT-4) is great for creative writing and brainstorming, but its knowledge is limited to its training data (last updated in 2023 for free users).
- Perplexity AI pulls live data from the web, meaning answers are current and fact-checked.
Example: When I asked, *”What’s the latest news on OpenAI’s GPT-5?”*
- ChatGPT (Free): “My knowledge is up to October 2023, so I can’t provide recent updates.”
- Perplexity AI: Gave me three recent articles with direct links to sources.
2. Research & Citations
Winner: Perplexity AI
- If you need well-sourced answers, Perplexity is far superior. Every response includes footnotes with clickable links.
- ChatGPT doesn’t cite sources unless you use Bing search (GPT-4 Turbo only).
Best for: Students, researchers, and professionals who need credible references.
3. Writing & Creativity
Winner: ChatGPT
- ChatGPT still wins for long-form content, storytelling, and tone adjustments.
- Perplexity is more factual and concise, making it better for research but weaker for creative writing.
Example: “Write me a sci-fi story about AI taking over.”
- ChatGPT: Gave me a detailed, engaging narrative.
- Perplexity AI: Provided a shorter, more factual summary (less imaginative).
4. Coding & Technical Help
Tie
- Both ChatGPT and Perplexity are strong at debugging and explaining code.
- Perplexity sometimes pulls from Stack Overflow or GitHub, giving direct links.
- ChatGPT is better at generating full scripts from scratch.
5. User Experience
Winner: ChatGPT (but Perplexity is improving)
- ChatGPT’s interface is smoother, with better memory in conversations.
- Perplexity’s UI is clean but less polished—sometimes feels like a glorified search engine.
What Perplexity AI Does Right
1. Up-to-Date, Web-Sourced Answers
Perplexity’s biggest advantage is real-time access to the web. Unlike ChatGPT (Free version), which has a knowledge cutoff, Perplexity pulls in current data from news sites, blogs, and academic resources.
Use Case: I used it for finding recent tech news, AI trends, and product comparisons—and it nailed them.
2. Source Citations With Every Answer
Every response includes hyperlinked citations. This transparency builds trust and is perfect for fact-checking and deeper research.
Why It Matters: When I was researching stats or controversial topics, being able to trace the info back to credible sources was invaluable.
3. Clean, Google-Like Interface
The interface is minimalistic and fast—no ads, no clutter. You type in a query and get an answer with citations in seconds.
Great for: Quick research, fact-checking, and academic work.
4. Follow-Up Questions Work Well
Perplexity maintains context well. You can ask follow-ups, and it understands what you’re referring to—much like ChatGPT.
Bonus: It suggests related queries at the bottom of each result to deepen your research.
5. Free Access to GPT-3.5 (and GPT-4 for Pro Users)
Even on the free plan, you get solid performance using GPT-3.5. The Pro plan unlocks GPT-4 and Claude, which are excellent for deeper reasoning and writing.
Where Perplexity AI Falls Short
1. Not Ideal for Creative Writing
While great at factual research, Perplexity AI lacks depth in creative tasks like storytelling, brainstorming metaphors, or writing in a specific tone.
ChatGPT is better for: Copywriting, poetry, fictional storytelling, brand voice mimicry.
2. Limited Personalization
Perplexity doesn’t allow you to train or fine-tune it based on your preferences, history, or writing style. It’s very task-focused and “robotic” in tone.
What’s missing: Saved prompts, memory, or workflow customization.
3. Fewer Productivity Tools
Unlike ChatGPT (especially with plugins or apps like Notion AI), Perplexity lacks productivity integrations. You can’t organize notes, write documents, or use templates.
4. Shorter Response Lengths
Perplexity tends to keep things short and surface-level. If you want in-depth, multi-step reasoning, ChatGPT Plus with GPT-4 still outperforms it.
Perplexity AI Pricing: Is It Worth Upgrading to Pro?
| Feature | Free Plan | Pro Plan ($20/month) |
| Web Search | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes (Advanced) |
| File Uploads | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (PDF, Word, etc.) |
| AI Model | Default | GPT-4, Claude 3, Mistral |
| Daily Queries | Limited | Unlimited |
Verdict: If you need citations and research, the free version is solid. For heavy users, Pro unlocks better models and file uploads.
FAQs About Perplexity AI vs. ChatGPT
1. Is Perplexity AI better than ChatGPT?
- For research & citations: Yes.
- For creative writing & brainstorming: No, ChatGPT still wins.
2. Does Perplexity AI have a mobile app?
✅ Yes! Both iOS and Android apps are available.
3. Can Perplexity AI replace Google Search?
Partly—it’s better for quick, summarized answers but not for browsing websites.
4. Is Perplexity Pro worth it?
If you need GPT-4 or Claude 3, yes. Otherwise, the free version is strong.
5. Does Perplexity AI have a memory feature?
❌ No, it doesn’t remember past chats like ChatGPT.
Final Verdict: Should You Switch to Perplexity AI?
Use Perplexity AI If You Need:
✔ Real-time, fact-checked answers
✔ Citations & sources (great for students/journalists)
✔ Concise, research-backed responses
Stick with ChatGPT If You Prefer:
✔ Creative writing & storytelling
✔ Longer, more detailed responses
✔ Conversational memory
Conclusion
After a month, I’m keeping both tools:
- Perplexity AI for research & quick facts
- ChatGPT for writing & brainstorming
If you prioritize accuracy over creativity, Perplexity is a fantastic alternative. But if you love ChatGPT’s versatility, you might not fully switch.
Have you tried Perplexity AI? Which do you prefer? Let me know in the comments!