Perplexity shines in factual research with real-time citations and transparency—ideal for academic and journalistic use.
ChatGPT dominates creative content generation with versatile writing styles, code drafting, and powerful GPT customization.
Gemini offers seamless Google integration, making it perfect for users in the Google ecosystem needing live data and workflow tools.
The competition among AI chatbots is no longer limited to casual conversation. As the need for quick, reliable and referenced internet research grows, the so-called “deep research” features of advanced bots, most notably Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Gemini, are transforming how information is consumed online. But when put to the test, which AI delivers the strongest performance in real-world challenges?
SurveyWe have compared these three chatbots across five core challenges: research and information, general content creation, ease of use and interface, Integration with other tools, and cost and accessibility. Each chatbot has its advantages and disadvantages, hence choosing one as a winner is quite difficult. Here’s how these three chatbots stand against each other.
Research and information
Perplexity stands out for transparency, depth, and up-to-date, well-cited reports. Its deep research mode goes beyond summarising existing knowledge. The AI platform conducts iterative web searches, browses through hundreds of sources, and rigorously refines its findings before assembling them into a detailed, referenced report. Plus, it also embeds citations in responses, enabling users to verify facts in real-time. Perplexity has scored as high as 93.9% on relevant factuality benchmarks and stands out for its transparent, reproducible research summaries. Its capability is particularly valued in academic, legal, and journalistic settings, where verifiable sourcing is crucial.
Although recent updates enable ChatGPT to browse the web and utilise custom GPTs for tailored research, it often does not prioritise providing detailed source lists. Its research is typically more general, strong on speed, but less reliable for original citations or deep analysis. Hallucination, or confident but technically incorrect statements, is still an issue, especially in complex, multi-step research.
Benefiting from Google’s search engine, Gemini excels at surfacing up-to-date data and handling broad research queries. Its “Deep Research” upgrades have notably improved information accuracy. However, referenced sources are less clearly presented than with Perplexity, and synthesis sometimes prioritises Google-powered content over more comprehensive, independent sources.
General content creation
With users requiring tools for everything from drafting blog posts to scripting code to composing stories, ChatGPT dominates in this area. OpenAI’s chatbot is renowned for its versatility; it can seamlessly transition from a formal article to a poem, write functional code in multiple languages, or draft complex business emails. Plus, responsiveness and tone can be tailored to a remarkable degree.
Perplexity excels at factual, well-structured content, academic summaries, comparison tables, and research briefs. However, it lacks the creative improvisation and stylistic flair that you can see in ChatGPT’s work and is less likely to generate fiction or humour by default.
Gemini can generate a wide variety of content, including images, as part of Gemini Advanced, but it is more of a “Google assistant than a fully creative platform. Its outputs often borrow from or mimic established web content, which makes its results feel less original than those of ChatGPT.
Ease of use and user interface
The third, and one of the most important aspects, is ease of use and interface. Here, Perplexity offers a focused, minimalist design that puts research tools front and centre, minimising distractions and making the platform straightforward for users. ChatGPT, on the other hand, offers a set of capabilities and is highly approachable; however, these can sometimes feel overwhelming for new users. In contrast, Gemini boasts a simple, clean interface that integrates seamlessly with Google apps, allowing for smooth onboarding, especially for those already familiar with Google’s ecosystem.
Additionally, Perplexity makes it easy to export and share findings, whereas ChatGPT provides strong session and history management, and Gemini allows users to save work within Google’s suite of services effortlessly. Gemini’s Integration with Google’s services makes it extremely accessible.
Integration with other tools
When it comes to Integration with other tools, Gemini’s Google backing pays off. It integrates natively with Docs, Sheets, Gmail, and Drive, allowing instant access to and from users’ stored files, emails, or collaborative documents. The seamless connectivity makes Gemini highly practical for daily workflows within Google’s ecosystem, especially for enterprise users.
OpenAI’s bot also supports numerous integrations through plugins and a robust API, making it very extensible. It’s also useful for developers who want to build AI-powered workflows. However, it does not natively integrate as deeply into specific third-party platforms, such as Google Workspace, without additional setup.
However, Perplexity can export findings or reports for use elsewhere, but its integrations are currently limited than Gemini’s or as customizable as ChatGPT’s APIs. It can be embedded in some workflows, but not all productivity suites.
Also read: Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas thinks Google Search and Chrome browser are doomed: Here’s why
Cost and accessibility
In terms of cost and accessibility, all three platforms offer generous free services, albeit with certain limitations. ChatGPT is available for free with its base model, GPT-3.5, although more advanced features, such as GPT-4 and broader plugin support, are reserved for paid users.
Perplexity also allows unrestricted use of deep research with a daily limit; however, its Pro version grants unlimited access and priority features. Gemini is largely free to anyone with a Google account, providing access to core functionalities. However, some advanced or enterprise features require a subscription or a business account.
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Himani Jha
Himani Jha is a tech news writer at Digit. Passionate about smartphones and consumer technology, she has contributed to leading publications such as Times Network, Gadgets 360, and Hindustan Times Tech for the past five years. When not immersed in gadgets, she enjoys exploring the vibrant culinary scene, discovering new cafes and restaurants, and indulging in her love for fine literature and timeless music. View Full Profile
