ChatGPT vs Perplexity
ChatGPT and Perplexity both learn from what you type unless something stops them, and only OpenAI explains in its published policy how to stop it. This comparison covers training, how long your data stays and what the paid plans cost, for anyone who pastes work or personal details into an AI chat.
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ChatGPT
AI chatbot that trains on your chats by default unless you opt out.
Perplexity
Answer engine with citations that trains on your chats by default.
Prices last checked on
| Feature | ChatGPT | Perplexity |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | n/a | n/a |
| Price | From €8/mo | From $17/mo |
| Same currency (ECB 2026-09-01) | $9.27/mo | $17/mo |
| Free plan | ||
| Best for | Anyone comparing mainstream AI assistants on privacy | Anyone who wants AI answers with citations |
| Category | Private AI and encrypted apps | Private AI and encrypted apps |
| Provider | OpenAI | Perplexity AI, Inc. |
| Visit ChatGPT | Visit Perplexity |
Our verdict
ChatGPT is the safer choice for your data, as long as you switch off training on the first day. Both services learn from your conversations by default, but OpenAI tells you how to stop it: "do not train on my content" at privacy.openai.com, or a Temporary Chat for one-off questions.
Perplexity's privacy policy says your data helps "improve or create" its AI models, and it describes no setting that stops this. It keeps data "for only as long as necessary", with no fixed period. OpenAI's training page names no retention period either.
Perplexity is the stronger tool for checking facts, because each answer links to the sources behind it. ChatGPT Go costs €8 a month. Perplexity Pro costs $17 a month on yearly billing, $204 up front.
Frequently asked questions
Does Perplexity train on my searches?
Yes, by default. Perplexity's privacy policy lists "improve or create services and products, including our AI models" among the ways it uses your data. The one exception it names is its email integration: the content of those emails is not used to train or fine-tune models. The policy describes no switch to turn training off, so look through your account settings before you share anything sensitive.
How do I stop ChatGPT from using my chats for training?
Open privacy.openai.com and choose "do not train on my content". For a single sensitive question, start a Temporary Chat instead: it stays out of your chat history and OpenAI does not train on it. Where the matching setting sits inside the ChatGPT app is covered in OpenAI's Data Controls FAQ, which its policy page refers to.
Which is cheaper, ChatGPT or Perplexity?
ChatGPT, if its cheapest paid plan is enough for you. Go costs €8 a month, paid monthly. Perplexity Pro costs $17 a month, but that rate applies to yearly billing, so you pay $204 at once; the Perplexity pricing page we read showed only the annual rate. OpenAI listed its prices in euros when we read them. Both services also have a free tier.
Is ChatGPT or Perplexity better for checking if a message is a scam?
Perplexity makes the checking easier, because every answer comes with inline citations you can open yourself. ChatGPT can search the web too, and it can read a screenshot or an uploaded file, which helps with a text claiming your parcel is stuck at customs. Either way, remove names, account numbers and addresses before you paste anything in, since both train on chats by default.