AI assistants from corporations like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic are getting super-smart great speedy. New fashions, agentic options, and new gear now drop on a weekly foundation, making AI chatbots extra succesful and extra useful. ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok are one of the greatest and most famed, and simply the 3 that get probably the most consideration.
However at this day and age, is one in every of them in reality higher than the others? When you had been to pay for one, or a minimum of use one frequently, is there one particularly you will have to decide to? Are you a ChatGPT particular person or a Grok particular person? I’ve used all 3 of those AI gear broadly. Right here’s a have a look at their options and which one is really the most productive.
The fundamentals: How do their options evaluate?
ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok all have fairly other options, value issues, and benefits.
ChatGPT
The loose model of ChatGPT could be very succesful. You’ll get get entry to to GPT-4.1 mini, which is beautiful sensible, and also you’ll get restricted get entry to to OpenAI’s flagship multimodal type, GPT-4o, at the side of the GPT-o4-mini reasoning type. You’ll additionally be capable to use the deep analysis function (which conducts intensive analysis) on a restricted foundation, input voice mode, add recordsdata for research, and create customized GPTs. Loose customers too can generate photographs, with limits.
Improve to the Plus plan ($20 monthly), and also you’ll get upper utilization limits on document uploads and fashions like GPT-4o, plus get entry to to extra complicated reasoning fashions like o3. Moreover, you’ll be capable to create “Initiatives,” (necessarily a approach to arrange chats) and obtain restricted get entry to to the Sora video generator and the brand new ChatGPT agent function.Â
Final however now not least is the $200-per-month Professional plan, which will get you limitless get entry to to all of OpenAI’s fashions, prolonged Sora get entry to, and quicker get entry to to new options.
Editor’s notice: OpenAI’s GPT-5 type is anticipated to release in August. We predict this type to make ChatGPT an much more fascinating possibility.
Gemini
Gemini’s loose model may be very succesful. With out paying, you’ll get get entry to to Gemini 2.5 Flash and restricted get entry to to the extra complicated 2.5 Professional. You’ll additionally get symbol technology with Google’s Imagen 4 type, Deep Analysis, and contours like Gemini Are living (voice mode) and Gemstones (customized GPTs). Finally, you’ll get get entry to to Whisk, Google’s symbol animator, and NotebookLM.Â
Improve to Google AI Professional, and also you’ll get upper limits for principally each and every function, together with the two.5 Professional type. You’ll additionally get get entry to to Deep Seek in AI Mode and restricted get entry to to Veo 3 by means of Go with the flow, Google’s AI video modifying software. This tier additionally provides Gemini get entry to in products and services like Medical doctors and Gmail.
The top-end plan is Google AI Extremely, which raises utilization limits as soon as once more, plus complete get entry to to the spectacular Veo 3 video technology type. Extra importantly, it provides customers get entry to to Undertaking Mariner, Google’s model of an AI agent that may browse the internet.
Grok
The loose model of Grok comprises get entry to to the Grok 3 type, in addition to X’s Aurora Symbol technology type. Loose customers too can use the Grok AI chatbot to lend a hand with analysis, writing, and different duties. Loose customers may additionally get get entry to to Grok’s anime-style avatars in the course of the Grok iOS and Android apps.
When you improve to the “SuperGrok” plan for $30 monthly, you’ll get get entry to to the more recent Grok 4 type, plus a voice mode with the facility for Grok to “see” thru your telephone’s digicam. Tremendous Grok customers additionally get get entry to to the brand new symbol and video technology software, Grok Believe. Grok
Then there’s the SuperGrok Heavy plan, which prices $300 monthly. This plan gets you get entry to to the Grok 4 Heavy type (X’s maximum complicated thus far), greater get entry to to the Grok 4 type, get entry to to new options as they roll out, and a bigger context reminiscence, which means that that Grok will be capable to procedure additional information in one chat.
Internet searches
As we’ve got stated earlier than, the Google Seek technology is over, and the AI seek technology is dawning. So, which AI chatbot is absolute best at looking out the internet to seek out the data you want?
For this check, I used the 3 chatbots to lend a hand me with a assessment I’m running on, with the next advised: “What are the overall specs of the AKG N9 Hybrid headphones?” I’m leaving the advised slightly open-ended via now not specifying what varieties of specs I would like. Such things as connectivity, audio, dimensions and weight, and extra are all honest recreation. However, making an allowance for I’m requesting the overall specs, I’d be expecting a decently well-rounded reaction.
ChatGPT’s reaction with GPT-4o used to be certainly very complete. It cut up specs into sections, detailing the audio specifications, connectivity, battery lifestyles (together with with other use-cases), and in-the-box extras. All data used to be right kind.
Gemini 2.5 Professional used to be additionally rather complete, however its reaction used to be slightly much less glanceable, and it neglected some key specs. The chatbot separated specifications via kind, however inside of the ones sections, it wrote paragraphs of data. And, it forgot to say that the headphones improve the LDAC high-res audio codec.
Grok 4’s reaction used to be slightly extra consistent with ChatGPT. It delivered a complete record of specs, separated via kind, and didn’t actually leave out anything else main. It additionally went fairly additional than ChatGPT, noting the cost of the headphones and the place they’re to be had. Grok doesn’t get further issues for this, since pricing wasn’t a part of the advised, nevertheless it used to be nonetheless favored.
ChatGPT and Grok each delivered detailed specifications that had been simple to peer at a look. I used to be pleasantly shocked to peer right kind specifications indexed, too. Gemini’s reaction used to be fantastic, however tougher to learn at a look, and it neglected a couple of issues in comparison to the others.
Winner(s): ChatGPT and Grok
Educational lend a hand

Credit score: alexsl / Getty Pictures
AI assistants also are useful for purchasing deeper, extra adapted tutorial lend a hand. For this check, I requested every AI type to offer me step by step directions on changing the ice maker in my freezer — one thing I did just lately, so I’ve a just right working out of the method. The precise advised learn the next: “Give an explanation for step by step methods to substitute the ice maker in my Kenmore Elite 10645433800.”
ChatGPT’s reaction used to be most commonly correct. In a single step, it directed me to unscrew two screws that aren’t there on my type, and it forgot to say to take away a plastic duvet that hides the wiring harness — one thing that, if forgotten, may just reason that duvet to snap. Except for that, its directions had been rather transparent, and it discussed an important protection parts, like unplugging the refrigerator.
Gemini’s reaction used to be very similar to ChatGPT’s, and it in reality made the similar errors. It used to be rather less transparent when it got here to the precise place of such things as a plastic locking tab, citing that it’s “at the left” of the ice maker, however now not that it’s at the backside-left. It’s a small section, and is straightforward to leave out.
Mashable Gentle Velocity
Grok’s reaction, once more, used to be an identical in high quality, nevertheless it didn’t make the similar errors as the opposite two. As a substitute, Grok made other errors: the directions discussed to tape a canopy that wasn’t there, and it didn’t notice a screw that had to be got rid of at the backside of the ice maker to take away it.Â
All 3 gear were given the overall gist proper of their preliminary means, however every made errors within the directions that, if adopted precisely, will have broken the ice maker or stalled the method. Alternatively, anyone following those directions in genuine time would be capable to search explanation on complicated or erroneous steps via announcing such things as “I don’t see the highest screws” and even pointing your digicam on the ice maker, which would possibly reason the assistant to switch its directions on your setup. Total, this one’s a tie.
Winner(s): Tie
Symbol technology

I generated this symbol the use of ChatGPT.
Credit score: OpenAI
We’ve already lined the absolute best AI symbol turbines in a separate article. For this check, we gave every AI carrier 4 activates, score how carefully the advised used to be adopted and the standard of the picture. Listed here are the activates that we used:
Create a caricature of a futuristic Tokyo skyline at sundown, with flying automobiles, sparkling ads in Jap, and Mount Fuji within the background.
Create a candid photorealistic symbol of a lady ingesting a espresso and smoking a cigarette at a restaurant in Paris within the overdue night.
Create a medieval blacksmith’s workshop inside, appearing a feminine blacksmith hammering a sparkling sword, with sparks flying, a roaring forge, striking gear, and a cat curled up close to the hearth, in excessive element and heat tones.
Create an impressionist portray within the genre of Vincent Van Gogh of a robotic blowing dandelion seeds into the wind.
ChatGPT GPT-4o created the most productive photographs, following the activates carefully and producing photographs that seemed nice general. Gemini’s Imagen 4 type got here in 2nd — its photographs had been beautiful darn just right, nevertheless it didn’t rather apply the activates as carefully.
Grok got here in final — it didn’t apply the activates carefully (making a photorealistic symbol of Tokyo as a substitute of a caricature), and it struggled with such things as palms and the position of gadgets. Grok’s photographs more or less appear to be what we’d be expecting from a last-generation ChatGPT or Gemini symbol generator. Sadly, the new Grok symbol generator nonetheless lags at the back of different AI gear.
Winner(s): ChatGPT
Deep analysis
For this advised, I requested every type to be a fact-checker for the completed AKG N9 Hybrid headphones assessment from the internet seek check, however I modified one minor element to be factually unsuitable. In my authentic assessment, I appropriately notice that the ANC button at the headphones cycles thru ANC and “Ambient Mindful” however now not “Off.” I modified the advised textual content to mention that it cycles thru ANC, Ambient Mindful, and Off modes via default. It’s a very small element, and to be transparent, the button can also be custom designed to incorporate the “Off” mode. The advised I used used to be the next: “Reality-check the assessment underneath. Handiest test factual data, don’t focal point on my subjective critiques.” I then pasted my complete assessment.
ChatGPT delivered a rather thorough file, which went thru every factual declare in my assessment one after the other. Alternatively, it didn’t select up at the error that I planted, in particular noting that via default the button cycles between ANC on, Ambient Mindful, and Off modes. Regardless of now not catching the mistake, the file used to be well-formatted and incorporated assets for its claims.
Gemini used to be a lot more of a blended bag. Whilst it used to be in a position to select up at the specs incorporated in my assessment and fact-check maximum of them, it had bother with the point out of every other pair of headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones. Gemini appeared to suppose that those headphones had been unreleased, or even said that “The presentation of a right away, hands-on comparability to a product that’s not but commercially to be had is a fabrication.”
That’s even supposing it used to be in a position to resolve that the WH-1000XM6 headphones had a “showed unencumber date” of Might 15, two and a part months earlier than its analysis. (Gemini persistently struggles with elementary questions like, “What day is it?”) Gemini additionally didn’t select up on my planted lie. As an entire, Gemini 2.5 Professional’s Deep Analysis mode used to be right kind about maximum of the specs associated with the headphones, however totally false in different spaces, like evaluating them to the brand new Sony headphones.
I’ve used AI products and services for fact-checking earlier than, and that is sadly now not the primary time I’ve had this enjoy with Gemini.
Grok used to be nearer to ChatGPT in accuracy, however nonetheless didn’t catch the correction I planted. Out of doors of that factor, it verified every of the claims in my assessment.
With regards to deep analysis, Gemini is lagging, however each ChatGPT and Grok carried out nicely, regardless that now not completely.
Winner(s): ChatGPT and Grok
Voice
All 3 of the key AI assistants have voice modes that can be utilized of their related apps and on the internet. All 3 were subtle and advanced to sound rather herbal. This check used to be a lot extra subjective than the others – my function used to be simply to determine which sounded the maximum herbal.
ChatGPT’s Complex Voice Mode used to be probably the most spectacular. It sounded extra herbal than the opposite two, in large part because of human-like inflections, like the use of the phrase “um” and pausing mid-sentence, even supposing it does not essentially wish to do this for the aim of pondering like people do. The ChatGPT app additionally makes it simple to show off and on the digicam whilst in Complex Voice Mode, which is to hand if you are requesting lend a hand with a job.
Gemini used to be slightly extra robot than ChatGPT, however nonetheless impressively herbal in comparison to AI voice assistants from only some years in the past. Gemini wasn’t rather as conversational, nevertheless it used to be nonetheless simple to turn on and deactivate the digicam in Complex Voice Mode.
Grok used to be additionally extra robot than ChatGPT, however I do just like the real-time textual content transcription, which is one thing you don’t get in ChatGPT or Gemini. Grok additionally has its new AI partners, however past the use of them for a short lived minute, I caught to the use of the standard voice mode. The AI partners simply appeared slightly creepy.
Normally, all 3 have the similar gear relating to voice modes, however ChatGPT is obviously extra herbal sounding than the others, and slightly extra conversational.
Winner: ChatGPT
Buying groceries

Credit score: Google
Buying groceries can be a useful use case for AI assistants. Google and OpenAI were including much more buying groceries options to Gemini and ChatGPT over the last few months. Mashable has examined a few of Google’s new tips, just like the digital try-on and outfit inspiration gear. However for this check, I merely requested every assistant to seek out the most productive value for the new Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones.
ChatGPT pulled up a couple of hyperlinks to on-line outlets, together with person who presented the headphones for $50 underneath retail value, and person who it stated presented them at a $50 bargain, however in reality didn’t. I appreciated the product playing cards that it used to be in a position to tug up, and the extra recommendation that it presented, together with that it could be price ready for a bigger sale.Â
You’ll be able to to find some cool AI gear in Google Buying groceries, however Gemini itself wasn’t as spectacular. Gemini in large part excited by providing recommendation for methods to to find decrease costs myself, together with on the lookout for refurbished fashions or looking ahead to gross sales occasions. It did point out that Sony, Absolute best Purchase, Moon Audio, and Amazon all presented the headphones at retail value, however did not come with any hyperlinks to those outlets.
Grok used to be someplace within the center. It did search for decrease costs from plenty of outlets, however in large part discovered offers from in another country. To be transparent, I did not point out anything else about location within the advised, however all 3 assistants have get entry to to my location data and will have to know that I am a US purchaser.
As an entire, ChatGPT used to be the transparent winner on this class.
Winner(s): ChatGPT
Conclusion: ChatGPT is the AI chatbot to overcome
There is a transparent winner on this AI assistant fight, and it is ChatGPT.
ChatGPT both outright gained or tied for first in each and every unmarried class of our check. That isn’t essentially sudden given the truth that ChatGPT has been round longer than the others, and it doesn’t imply you will have to steer clear of the others. In my view, I have come to actually like Anthropic’s Claude 4. However in case you most effective subscribe to just one AI assistant, I feel ChatGPT will have to be your go-to.
In 2nd position used to be Grok, which is the latest of the 3. Final used to be Google’s Gemini, which presented false data and vulnerable analysis, and paradoxically wasn’t as just right at internet searches as the opposite two. (Alternatively, relating to video technology, Google Veo 3 stays unrivaled.) It is price repeating that not one of the 3 AI assistants had been totally correct the entire time. None of them picked up on false data in deep analysis, and all 3 of them had been slightly off when it got here to directions for changing my ice maker.Â
The takeaway? Even supposing ChatGPT continues to be king of the AI hill, you continue to wish to do your personal analysis. And till AI corporations clear up the hallucination drawback, you will have to be expecting your new chatbot to be hopefully mistaken with some frequency.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s guardian corporate, in April filed a lawsuit towards OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in coaching and working its AI methods.