ChatGPT and Google Gemini compared side by side: pricing, platforms, features, pros and cons, from the facts in our listings.
ChatGPT
OpenAI's all-purpose AI assistant for chat, writing, images and code
Google Gemini
Google's AI assistant for writing, planning and research
| Feature | ChatGPT | Google Gemini |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 97/100 | 89/100 |
| Pricing | Freemium · from $20/month (Plus) | Freemium · from $19.99/month (Google AI Pro, US) |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows | Web, iOS, Android |
| Categories | AI Chatbots & Assistants, AI Productivity Tools, AI Writing Tools | AI Chatbots & Assistants, AI Research & Search |
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| Last checked | October 22, 2026 | October 22, 2026 |
Which should you choose?
- Choose ChatGPT if you mainly need drafting emails, essays and reports.
- Choose Google Gemini if you mainly need planning trips and schedules.
- Both run on Web, iOS, Android.
Our score is calculated from the facts in each listing with a published rubric (how we score); it is not a hands-on benchmark. Confirm prices on the official sites before you buy.
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How ChatGPT and Gemini really differ
The biggest difference between ChatGPT and Google Gemini is not the chat window, it’s what surrounds it. Gemini is woven into Google’s own products: Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Drive, Meet, Android and Search. ChatGPT is a standalone app that tries to do everything inside itself, with its own tools for images, voice, research, custom GPTs and coding.
Pricing compared
Both start free. ChatGPT Plus costs $20 a month, with a cheaper Go plan at $8 and Pro plans from $100. Google sells Gemini through Google AI plans: AI Plus at $4.99 a month, AI Pro at $19.99 a month and Ultra from $99.99 a month (US prices). The catch is that Google AI Pro also includes 5 TB of Google storage and Gemini inside Gmail and Docs, so if you already pay Google for storage, the real extra cost of Gemini can be much lower than the sticker price suggests.
Where Gemini wins
- You live in Google Workspace. Asking Gemini to draft a reply in Gmail, summarise a Drive folder or tidy a Sheet saves copying and pasting between apps.
- Very long inputs. Google AI Pro advertises a 1 million token context window, useful for huge documents, long videos or a whole codebase.
- Android phones. Gemini is the built-in assistant on most Android devices.
- Bundled value. Storage, and in some countries YouTube Premium Lite, come with the plan.
Where ChatGPT wins
- One place for many kinds of work. Projects, custom GPTs, scheduled tasks and Codex all sit in one app on web, desktop and mobile.
- Third-party ecosystem. Many apps and tutorials assume ChatGPT, so help is easy to find.
- Platform-neutral. It works the same whether you use Microsoft, Apple or Google tools.
Who should choose which
| You are… | Pick | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| A student using Google Docs and Drive | Gemini | It works where your files already are |
| A freelancer on a Mac using Notion | ChatGPT | Doesn’t depend on Google apps |
| Someone paying for Google One storage | Gemini | AI Pro replaces the storage bill |
| A developer wanting a coding agent in the same plan | Either | Codex with ChatGPT; Jules and Gemini CLI with Google AI Pro |
| On a tight budget | Gemini AI Plus or ChatGPT Go | $4.99 vs $8 entry plans |
The bottom line
Both cost about $20 a month at the main tier, so decide by ecosystem. If your mail, files and phone are Google, Gemini fits in with less friction and the bundled storage tips the value. If you want a self-contained assistant that doesn’t care which apps you use, ChatGPT is the safer default. Try each on the free plan with a real task from your week before paying.