ChatGPT vs Gemini: What's the difference and which one to use?

We finally have our hands on Google’s long-awaited Gemini chatbot. It aims at the increasingly popular ChatGPT and Bing Chat, both of which are based on the same foundation. Meanwhile, Google has developed its large language model for Gemini. This is our first encounter with Google’s chatbot, but we’ve already found some aspects that separate Gemini from ChatGPT.

So in this article, let’s pit these two rival chatbots against each other and find out once and for all which one you should use.

Gemini vs ChatGPT: Knowledge and accuracy

Let’s start by analyzing a scenario where both chatbots showed signs of weakness.

OpenAI’s language model used for ChatGPT was trained on nearly half a terabyte of text. However, all of that data was collected before 2021. This means that ChatGPT simply doesn’t know about any events that transpired after that point in time. So when I asked about the Galaxy S23 Ultra (launched in early 2023), it simply couldn’t generate an answer.

Gemini, meanwhile, doesn’t have a knowledge cut-off because it’s connected directly to Google Search. It can search the internet for current, up-to-date information and use that to generate responses. So how did it perform? From a grammatical standpoint, the response I got was perfect.

But what if you don’t care about the bleeding edge or recent events? Can ChatGPT keep up with Google Gemini, or vice-versa? Let’s take a look at another example.

When I asked the chatbots to write a biography of Steve Jobs, both performed quite well and covered the highlights. However, if you care about detail and length, ChatGPT seems to have a clear advantage over Gemini. We already know ChatGPT has a decent character limit, but Google may keep Gemini’s responses short since it’s meant to serve alongside the search engine.

I also followed up and asked why Jobs is considered to be such a controversial figure. The results speak for themselves. Gemini responded with 4 short bullet points. Meanwhile, ChatGPT went into deeper detail on lesser-known controversies like Apple’s product pricing.

ChatGPT vs Gemini: Coding and software development

We already have a dedicated article on ChatGPT’s outstanding ability to write code, but how does Gemni perform in the same context? Google hasn’t revealed much about its language model, but it likely had some programming languages included in its training data.

Let’s test it with a straightforward example. I asked both chatbots to write code for a website that shows the current trading price of the S&P 500 index.

On the right, you can see that ChatGPT started off by explaining how I’d need to sign up for a financial API to get live pricing data. It then generated the HTML and JavaScript code I could use to create a fully functioning website. I tested the code and it worked as expected.

How did Gemini perform? Same as ChatGPT. The only difference is Gemini also has Explanation and Important Notes sections, which also include the sign-up part.

Digging into Gemini’s documentation, I found this snippet: “Gemini can help with coding and topics about coding, but you are responsible for your use of code or coding explanations. So you should use discretion and carefully test and review all code for errors, bugs, and vulnerabilities before relying on it. Code may also be subject to an open source license and Gemini provides related information.”

That explains everything we need to know about using Gemini for software development — it simply can do it. So you can use Gemini as well as ChatGPT and ChatGPT alternative designed for coding like GitHub Copilot.

ChatGPT vs Gemini: How and where to use them?

ChatGPT has gone through numerous updates since its release. Google also occasionally announces the release of new versions of Gemini, like the recent release of Gemini 1.5 Pro.

You can use ChatGPT and Gemini right away. The only exception is during periods of heavy demand. You can pay for priority access, though — more on that later.

Both ChatGPT and Gemini require you to access them via a web browser like Chrome or Edge, with no word on a mobile app yet. You don’t get the option of voice input with ChatGPT, so you’ll have to type your prompts in each time. But with Gemini, you can either type or talk.

In these respects, Bing Chat pulls ahead as it’s integrated into more platforms such as Windows 11. You can also use the Bing mobile app and add the chatbot to Skype group chats.

ChatGPT vs Gemini: Limitations and pricing

We already know Gemini can write code. Moreover, it also can generate text in languages other than US English. Even though English accounted for over 90% of ChatGPT’s training data, it also supports many more languages. You can talk to ChatGPT in French or Chinese, for example, and it will even respond in that language.

Moving on, ChatGPT can hold multiple conversations in memory at once. You can return to past conversations via the history bar to the left of your screen. Gemini also can keep track of many conversations.

Circling back to accuracy, both chatbots can hallucinate or confidently lie when asked about obscure topics. Gemini does offer a link to search results and will sometimes cite a source or two. However, Google states that Gemini can even lie about its inner workings so you cannot trust everything it says. Of course, the same is true for ChatGPT as well.

Finally, let’s talk about pricing. Gemini is currently free to use and will likely remain that way as most Google services don’t cost anything upfront. ChatGPT, meanwhile, is also free but we’re not sure if it will stay that way beyond the ongoing research preview.

That said, you can pay for ChatGPT Plus — an optional $20/month subscription that gives you added benefits over the free tier. If you use ChatGPT regularly, you will likely benefit from the subscription as it also unlocks the more advanced GPT-4 language model.

Gemini Advanced also has $20/month subscription. Gemini Advanced represents a significant step forward in AI technology, offering powerful tools for complex tasks, creative endeavours, and in-depth learning.