Comparison · AI assistants
Perplexity AI vs ChatGPT: answer engine or all-round assistant
Perplexity and ChatGPT overlap more every year, but they still start from different places. Perplexity is built as an answer engine: you ask a question, it searches the web and replies with a summary and numbered sources you can check. ChatGPT is a general assistant for writing, coding, analysis, images and voice, with web search as one feature among many. Both have free tiers. In India, ChatGPT’s paid plans start at ₹399 a month for Go and ₹1,999 for Plus. Millions of Indians got Perplexity Pro free through Airtel, but that offer closed to new users on 16 January 2026. Here is how the two compare, what they cost now and which one to pay for, if any.
- ChatGPT Go
- ₹399/month
- ChatGPT Plus
- ₹1,999/month
- Airtel free Perplexity Pro
- Closed to new users
Perplexity plans on Subspace right now
| Plan | Price | Members | Per member |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro Monthly Plan | ₹1,712 | 4 | ₹428 |
| yearly plan | ₹16,814 | — | — |
Per-member share = plan price ÷ group size, as listed on Subspace.
| Paying alone | ₹1,712 |
|---|---|
| Shared by 4 | ₹428 |
Join an existing group or start your own on the Perplexity groups page.
ChatGPT plans on Subspace right now
| Plan | Price | Members | Per member |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go Monthly Plan | ₹399 | 2 | ₹200 |
| Go Half yearly plan | ₹1,650 | 3 | ₹550 |
| Plus Monthly | ₹2,100 | 3 | ₹700 |
Per-member share = plan price ÷ group size, as listed on Subspace.
| Paying alone | ₹275 |
|---|---|
| Shared by 3 | ₹92 |
Join an existing group or start your own on the ChatGPT groups page.
How they differ in daily use
Use Perplexity when the answer lives on the web. Comparing phones, checking a policy change, summarising news or finding a research paper: Perplexity shows its sources inline, so you can open the original and verify. That makes it strong for anything you will quote or act on.
Use ChatGPT when you need something made. Drafting an email, rewriting a CV, explaining code, building a spreadsheet formula, brainstorming, or talking through a problem by voice. ChatGPT can search the web too, but its strength is generating and editing content across long conversations.
Both can be wrong. Perplexity’s citations make mistakes easier to catch; with ChatGPT, ask for sources or verify important facts yourself.
Plans and prices in India
ChatGPT’s INR prices below include GST and come from Indian news coverage, because OpenAI’s pricing page could not be read directly. Perplexity has not published an INR price we could verify; the app shows the current price at checkout.
| Plan | Price | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Free | ₹0 | Occasional questions and short drafts, with usage limits |
| ChatGPT Go | ₹399/month | Regular users who keep hitting free limits |
| ChatGPT Plus | ₹1,999/month | Daily work use, more advanced models and tools |
| ChatGPT Pro | ₹19,900/month | Professionals with very heavy usage |
| Perplexity Free | ₹0 | Quick cited answers, limited advanced searches |
| Perplexity Pro | Shown in app at checkout | Heavy research; Airtel valued it at about ₹17,000/year in 2025 |
What ChatGPT costs per month
The jump from Go to Plus is large, so try Go first if the free tier feels tight. Pro, at ₹19,900 a month, is left off the chart because it would dwarf the other bars.
Prices from Indian news reports, Aug 2026. ChatGPT Pro (₹19,900/month) omitted for scale.
| Free | ₹0 |
|---|---|
| Go | ₹399 |
| Plus | ₹1,999 |
Airtel’s free Perplexity Pro and promo codes
Airtel gave its customers a free year of Perplexity Pro in 2025. The offer closed to new redemptions on 16 January 2026. If you activated it before then, it runs for the full 12 months and renews automatically unless you cancel, so check your Perplexity account settings now and set a reminder before the renewal date.
Searches for a “Perplexity code” mostly lead to coupon sites. Their codes are usually expired, one-time partner codes, or fakes. Only redeem an offer inside Perplexity’s own app or website, or through a telecom, bank or employer you actually have a relationship with.
OpenAI ran a similar promotion in late 2025, giving Indian users 12 months of ChatGPT Go free. If you claimed it, Go renews at ₹399/month once the free year ends unless you cancel.
Which one to pay for
- Students and researchers: start with Perplexity Free for cited answers and ChatGPT Free for writing help. Pay only when you hit limits every week.
- Writers, marketers and developers: ChatGPT Go or Plus earns its cost faster.
- You want one paid tool: choose by your most common task. Mostly looking things up, Perplexity; mostly making things, ChatGPT.
Subspace has groups for both where members split a plan’s cost. The live table above shows current per-member prices when listings exist, or see the Perplexity groups and ChatGPT groups. For another free rival, read ChatGPT vs DeepSeek.
Frequently asked questions
Is Perplexity better than ChatGPT?
For research where you need sources, often yes: Perplexity searches the web and cites every answer. For writing, coding, brainstorming, images and voice, ChatGPT is the stronger all-round assistant. Many people use the free tiers of both.
Perplexity AI vs ChatGPT: which is better for studying?
Use Perplexity to find and check information, because its citations let you open the original source. Use ChatGPT to explain concepts step by step, quiz you or improve your writing. Verify facts from either before submitting work.
Is there a working Perplexity promo code?
Not one you can rely on from coupon sites. Their codes are usually expired or fake. Airtel’s free Perplexity Pro offer closed to new users on 16 January 2026. Check Perplexity’s own app for current offers.
Is Airtel’s free Perplexity Pro still available?
Not for new users. It closed to new redemptions on 16 January 2026. Existing activations run their full 12 months and then auto-renew unless you cancel.
How much is ChatGPT Plus in India?
About ₹1,999 a month including GST, according to Indian news coverage. ChatGPT Go costs ₹399 a month and Pro ₹19,900.
Can I use Perplexity and ChatGPT for free?
Yes. Both have free tiers with usage limits. Perplexity Free gives cited answers with a limited number of advanced searches; ChatGPT Free covers everyday questions and drafts.
Ready? Join a group and split the cost
Perplexity vs ChatGPT in India: free tiers, ChatGPT Go at ₹399/month, what happened to Airtel’s free Perplexity Pro, and which suits research or writing.
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Facts on this page were last checked on 2026-10-12. Prices and plans change; the final amount shows before you pay.