Perplexity AI and ChatGPT every single day at StarmarkAI -sometimes mid-article, I kept switching between. That is how I realized they are not actually competing for the same job. One is a research tool. The other is a writing tool. Knowing which one to open first saves more time than any other workflow decision I have made this year.
Here is what several weeks of real side-by-side use actually taught me.
⚡ Quick Summary
Perplexity AI wins for research- real-time web data, cited sources, and fast fact-finding. ChatGPT wins for writing – creative output, long-form drafts, coding, and conversational depth. Both cost around $20/month for Pro plans. For bloggers, the honest answer is: use Perplexity to research, ChatGPT or Claude to write. They work better together than either does alone.
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How I Tested Both Tools
No artificial test prompts here. I used both tools for the exact tasks I do every week running StarmarkAI – researching articles, writing drafts, checking facts, generating social content, and answering reader questions.
- Task 1 – Researching current AI tool pricing and feature updates for blog posts.
- Task 2 – Writing article introductions and affiliate product descriptions.
- Task 3 – Fact-checking claims before publishing – verifying statistics and dates.
- Task 4 – Generating FAQ answers for AEO-optimized content sections.
- Task 5 – Brainstorming blog post angles and content calendar ideas.
Testing period: Several weeks of daily use
Plans tested: Perplexity Pro ($20/month) and ChatGPT Plus ($20/month)
My background: AI Automation Engineer, founder of StarmarkAI since 2025
Quick Comparison: Perplexity AI vs ChatGPT
| Feature | Perplexity AI | ChatGPT |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Use | AI-powered search and research | general AI assistant, and writing |
| Real-Time Search | Always on – core feature | Optional – needs to be enabled |
| Source Citations | Always cited -clickable links | Rarely cited – no links |
| Writing quality | good for summaries | excellent for long-form content |
| Image Generation | Limited | Yes—DALL-E integration |
| Coding Help | Basic | Excellent |
| Free Plan | Yes – 3 Pro searches/day | Yes – GPT-3.5 access |
| Pro Plan Price | ~$20/month | ~$20/month |
| Monthly Users | 780M queries/month (May 2025) | 601.5M monthly unique visitors |
| My Rating | 9/10 for research | 9/10 for writing |
Perplexity AI – What It Actually Does Well
Perplexity is not a chatbot. That is the most important thing to understand about it. It is closer to a next-generation search engine that explains its results in plain language instead of just listing links.
Every answer comes with numbered source citations – clickable, verifiable links to the actual pages it pulled information from. When I am researching pricing updates for AI tools, checking whether a statistic is accurate, or finding what changed in a product’s latest update – Perplexity saves me 20-30 minutes compared to manual Google searching.
The speed is also impressive. Most responses land in under 3 seconds. Compare that to manually opening five tabs, reading five articles, and synthesizing the key points yourself – Perplexity does all of that in one shot.
Where it pulls away from ChatGPT is in research accuracy. Because every answer is grounded in live web sources, you get current data – not information from a training cutoff that may be months or years old. For fast-moving topics like AI tools, pricing, and technology news, this is a genuine advantage.
Best Perplexity Features
- Real-time search – always pulling live web data.
- Source citations – every claim linked to its original source.
- Focus modes – search only academic papers, YouTube, Reddit, or news sources.
- Spaces – organize research into project folders for ongoing topics.
- Pro Search – deeper multi-step research for complex questions.
ChatGPT – What It Actually Does Well
ChatGPT is the most versatile AI tool I have tested. Full stop. It writes, it codes, it reasons through problems, it generates images, it analyzes data, it holds context across long conversations- and it does all of these things at a level no single competitor matches.
For bloggers, the long-form writing capability is the main draw. Give ChatGPT a detailed brief, and it produces a structured, coherent draft faster than any other tool I have used. The natural language quality is strong – not as nuanced as Claude for personal, experience-based writing – but solid and consistent for most blogging tasks.
The web browsing feature means ChatGPT can also access real-time information when you need it. The difference is that ChatGPT’s browsing feels like a feature added to a writing tool. Perplexity’s search feels like the core product. For occasional fact-checking, ChatGPT’s browsing works fine. For systematic research, Perplexity is faster and more reliable.
Best ChatGPT Features
- Long-form writing – the best general-purpose AI writer available after Claude.
- DALL-E image generation – create featured images and social media visuals.
- Code interpreter – analyze spreadsheets, write scripts, debug code.
- GPT-4o multimodal – process text, images, and audio.
- Custom GPTs – build specialized AI assistants.
Head-to-Head: 6 Key Tests for Bloggers
Test 1: Research Speed – Perplexity Wins
I searched “current Jasper AI pricing” in both tools. Perplexity returned accurate, cited pricing in 4 seconds. ChatGPT returned pricing from its training data – which was out of date. When I enabled browsing and searched again, ChatGPT took 22 seconds and still cited fewer sources than Perplexity’s automatic response.
Test 2: Long-Form Writing – ChatGPT Wins
I asked both tools to write a 300-word introduction for a blog post about AI SEO tools targeting beginner bloggers. Perplexity’s output was structured and accurate but felt like a summary. ChatGPT’s output had a stronger hook, better flow, and more personality. It felt closer to publishable without editing.
Test 3: Fact-Checking – Perplexity Wins
Before publishing any statistic at StarmarkAI, I verify it. Perplexity is my first stop. It tells me where the number came from, when it was published, and whether more recent data exists. ChatGPT can confirm or deny facts, but without source links, I cannot verify the source myself.
Test 4: Brainstorming- Draw
Both tools generate solid blog post ideas from a keyword or topic. Perplexity’s ideas tend to be more search-trend-informed. ChatGPT’s ideas tend to be more creative and unexpected.
Test 5: Image Generation – ChatGPT Wins
Perplexity has limited image generation. ChatGPT with DALL-E integration produces usable blog featured images and social media graphics directly inside the conversation.
Test 6: FAQ Generation for AEO – Perplexity Wins
When building FAQ sections optimized for featured snippets, Perplexity is better. It pulls the actual questions people are searching from real-time web data – including Google’s People Also Ask. ChatGPT generates good FAQ questions but from training data.
Pros and Cons
✅ Perplexity AI Pros
- Real-time web search -always current data
- Every answer cited with clickable sources
- Faster than manual Google research
- Focus modes for academic, news, Reddit searches
- Free plan includes 3 Pro searches daily
- Best FAQ research tool for AEO optimization
✅ ChatGPT Pros
- Best general-purpose AI writing tool available
- DALL-E image generation built in
- Strong coding and data analysis capability
- Custom GPTs for specialized workflows
- GPT-4o multimodal – text, image, audio input
- Most versatile AI tool at $20/month
Real Output Examples
Research Test – “NeuronWriter pricing 2025”
Perplexity returned accurate current pricing in 5 seconds with 6 cited sources, including the NeuronWriter official pricing page. The answer was correct and verifiable.
ChatGPT (without browsing enabled) returned pricing information that was several months out of date. When I enabled browsing, it returned correct pricing after 18 seconds but cited only 2 sources with no direct links.
Writing Test – Blog Introduction, Same Brief
Perplexity produced a clean, factual introduction – well-structured but slightly impersonal. Needed about 15 minutes of editing.
ChatGPT produced a more engaging introduction with a stronger hook: “Most bloggers overpay for SEO tools they barely use.” Needed about 8 minutes of editing.
Who Should Use Which Tool
Choose Perplexity AI if you spend significant time researching before writing – checking pricing, statistics, recent updates, competitor information. You need to verify facts before publishing and want clickable source links for every claim.
Choose ChatGPT If: Your primary AI use case is writing – blog drafts, social media copy, email sequences, product descriptions. You need image generation, coding help, or data analysis alongside writing assistance.
Use Both If: You are a blogger who both researches and writes – which is most of us. Use Perplexity to research, then use ChatGPT or Claude to write.
Personal Verdict
After weeks of daily use, my honest answer on Perplexity AI vs ChatGPT is this: the question itself is slightly wrong. They are not alternatives. They are complements.
Perplexity is the best research tool I have found. It has replaced Google as my first stop for any factual question. ChatGPT is the most versatile AI assistant available for writing, brainstorming, and general productivity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Perplexity AI and ChatGPT?
Perplexity AI is an AI-powered search and research tool that answers questions using real-time web data with source citations. ChatGPT is a general-purpose AI assistant built for writing, coding, creative tasks, and conversation.
Is Perplexity AI better than ChatGPT for research?
Yes. Perplexity AI is better than ChatGPT for research because it pulls real-time data from the web and cites every source with a clickable link.
Is ChatGPT better than Perplexity for writing?
Yes. ChatGPT produces better long-form writing output than Perplexity. It is more creative, more conversational, and produces drafts that require less editing.
Final Thoughts
The Perplexity AI vs ChatGPT debate misses the point slightly. These tools were built for different jobs. Perplexity was built to find and verify information. ChatGPT was built to generate and communicate it.
Open Perplexity when you need to know something. Open ChatGPT when you need to write something. That single workflow change will save you more time per article than any other tool decision you make this month.
— Shahin, AI Automation Engineer, StarmarkAI.com