Save Your Money: My Honest Take on ChatGPT4, Claude Pro, Gemini Advanced, Perplexity Pro

Hey there! So, we all know the drill. We start using the free version of an app, fall in love, and then a little voice (usually that of a savvy salesperson) whispers, "What if you go premium?" But let's face it—AI is changing so rapidly. And there's a new "best" AI every other week. Instead of chasing that elusive AI unicorn, why not find the one you'll actually use daily? That's the real trick. Here’s my honest two cents on these AI powerhouses, which may help you decide which one suits your needs best, not necessarily the “best,” out there.

But first, a little disclaimer: I use these tools primarily for digital marketing and business tasks. If you're a coder or looking to build apps, this review might not be your cup of tea. Also, I mainly use desktop versions. The only app I use on the go is Perplexity. And yes, I'm talking about both free and paid plans, except I haven’t played with Gemini Advanced’s paid version yet. So grab a cup of coffee, and let's dive in!

ChatGPT4: The Veteran in the Room

ChatGPT4 was the first to hit the market among these competitors, making it super popular for obvious reasons. When it burst onto the scene with its 3.5 model, I was spellbound. Now, with a slew of competitors and more advanced models, ChatGPT4 has lost a little of its sparkle for me. It’s good, don't get me wrong, but not quite as exhilarating as it once was.

Strengths: This tool is a versatile workhorse, perfect for various tasks, both simple and complex. I mainly use it to generate and brainstorm new ideas and perform small-scale data analyses. It’s a real time-saver. Also, customization is a definite plus—there are countless GPTs to use, or you can craft your own for those unique needs. It's widely integrated with platforms like Zapier, Notion, and Shopify. Another bonus: ChatGPT4 is generous with its usage limits, especially when compared to other AI like Claude.

Limitations: My biggest gripe? Hallucination. ChatGPT4 tends to make up facts, which means you need to double-check its info. It forgets details as messages get lengthy due to its lower contextual window limit compared to Claude Pro or Gemini Advanced. But hey, they recently added memory features, making it more competent. If you're looking for an all-in-one solution for daily productivity, this one’s a keeper.

Claude Pro: The New Favorite

I've got to admit it—Claude Pro has quickly become my go-to choice, especially for brainstorming and content creation. It’s like having a buddy who always gives you fresh, dynamic perspectives on your business strategies.

Strengths: Claude Pro is a genius at keeping context. It can juggle around 500 pages worth of text, thanks to its sizable contextual window of 200,000 tokens. This feature is a game-changer when working on projects where you need to feed in lots of background information without having to continuously remind it of the details. And it feels like chatting with a human!

Limitations: Sadly, it can't browse the internet in real-time. Its lack of transparency with usage limits can be annoying, too. And no image generation capability due to safety concerns. Also, no plugins for extended functionalities exist. But hey, that human-like response might make it worthwhile.

Gemini Advanced: The Unpredictable Talent

Until now, I’ve stuck to Gemini’s free version; its creative writing ability had me impressed from the get-go. Its multimodal capability allows it to cook up some natural, human-like text options, which is rather unique.

Strengths: The contextual window is huge—1 to 1.5 million tokens. Ideal for documents, images, you name it, plus reduced hallucinations. Its Google integration—Maps, Gmail, Drive—is seamless. The upgrade package is tempting with a free trial and 2TB of Google One Storage.

Limitations: The way Gemini handles responses isn’t always consistent or deep. Its corporate roots mean it errs very much on the side of caution, sometimes to a fault. It's a bit too restrictive, especially on potentially risky topics. So this makes its performance feel less rich than Claude or ChatGPT4. I feel pretty satisfied sticking with the free version for most tasks.

Perplexity Pro: The Real-Time Ninja

Let’s talk about Perplexity Pro—a delight for real-time search demands. This is my daily secret weapon for research. You get more detailed analyses, more profound answers, and you can switch between advanced models. Its re-writing function is also pretty excellent.

Strengths: It's the hero of up-to-date information. Perplexity operates almost in real-time, pulling data from various sources, making it feel just like an extended feature of your typical search engine but way smarter!

Limitations: It's not really built for tasks like data analysis or creative text generation. Also, the site is prone to outages and lag occasionally. But for research and staying updated on trends? It's a gem.

Now, these were my takes on some of the more popular AIs out there, but there’s no universal winner here. It ultimately boils down to what you need. If real-time info is your top priority, Perplexity should be your pick. If a human touch in writing is crucial, Claude is your match. The key takeaway? Weigh your priorities and consider whether free versions suffice—because they often do the job just fine.

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Until next time, happy exploring the world of AI!

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Feel free to explore these tools further and remember—when it comes to AI, it’s all about making them work for you, not the other way around. Stay curious, my friend!