Since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, the landscape of generative AI has exploded. In just a few months, dozens of new AI chatbots have emerged, groundbreaking models have been released, and existing tools now offer features like real-time web access, image generation, and plugin ecosystems.
But with all this rapid development, the market has become increasingly complex: What sets Claude apart from Gemini? How is Grok different from Copilot?
At WEVENTURE Performance, we’re cutting through the noise. In this guide, we break down the most important text-based AI tools, explore their strengths and weaknesses, showcase real-world use cases, and help you find the right chatbot for your needs. And we’re not just focusing on the big players like OpenAI and Google — we’re also highlighting exciting challengers like Mistral, Grok, and Perplexity.
Chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are powered by what’s known as large language models (LLMs). These neural networks are trained on massive amounts of text—ranging from Wikipedia articles and books to publicly available web content—with the goal of understanding, processing, and generating human-like language in context.
Unlike traditional rule-based chatbots that follow preset decision trees, LLMs work probabilistically: they predict the next most likely word in a sentence based on billions of previous examples. That’s why they can respond in such a natural and flexible way.
The key word here is generative. These models don’t pull from a fixed database of answers—they create brand-new content. Whether it’s blog posts, emails, poems, code snippets, or even data summaries, the use cases are almost limitless. A well-trained model can handle tasks it was never explicitly programmed to do—like drafting legal contracts or solving physics problems. Many modern models are now multimodal, meaning they can process not only text but also images, tables, and even voice input.
Today’s top-performing AI chatbots typically include features like:
Despite their impressive capabilities, AI chatbots are not infallible. Large language models generate content that sounds convincing, but isn’t always factually accurate. This phenomenon is known as “hallucination,” and it tends to crop up in areas like:
Bottom line:
Using generative AI responsibly means staying critical. Always guide the model with clear prompts, question the results, and double-check the facts—especially when accuracy matters.
The market for text-based generative AI chatbots is growing at breakneck speed. While OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft are locked in a race for dominance, a wide range of smaller, specialized players have also emerged—some open-source, others focused on unique use cases or hybrid integrations.
This section will help you navigate the current AI landscape and understand what sets each tool apart. You’ll also find a detailed comparison table further down the page.
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
Gemini (Google, formerly Bard)
Claude (Anthropic)
Copilot (Microsoft)
Grok (xAI)
Mistral / Mixtral (Europe, Open Source)
Claude via Poe (Quora)
DeepSeek (China)
Pi (Inflection AI)
YouChat (You.com)
Phind (formerly Hello Cognition)
ChatSonic (by Writesonic)
HuggingChat (Open Source, HuggingFace)
ZenoChat (by WriteSonic)
The most popular AI chatbots vary widely—not just in pricing and performance, but also in terms of usability, multimodal capabilities, and use case focus. Whether you’re creating content, writing code, conducting research, or collaborating with teams, choosing the right tool depends on your needs.
The comparison table below offers a snapshot of the biggest players—like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude—so you can quickly identify which one fits your workflow best. (Note: Pricing refers to general usage tiers and does not include API access, which follows different cost structures.)
🤖 Tool | 💸 Pricing (as of 03/2025) | 🌐 Data Access / Recency | 🧠 Multimodal Capabilities | ✅ Strengths | ⚠️ Limitations | 🎯 Best For |
ChatGPT (OpenAI) | Free (GPT-4o, limited); $20/mo (Plus, GPT-4.5); $200/mo (Pro) | GPT-4.5 w/ Memory & Web Browsing | Text, deep research, code, images, file upload, voice (mobile) | Feature-rich, strong ecosystem, high-quality responses | Gaps in factual accuracy without web; hallucinations | Content creation, dev work, agencies |
Gemini (Google) | Free; from €21.99/mo via Google One AI Premium | Gemini 2.0 Pro w/ real-time web access | Text, deep research, images, voice input + understanding | Google integration, precise + realistic image generation | Sometimes vague answers, privacy concerns | Marketing, education, Google Workspace power users |
Claude (Anthropic) | Free; $18/mo for Claude 3.7 Sonnet Pro | Claude 3.7 Sonnet (no real-time web access) | Text + limited image understanding | Huge context window, reliable and safe responses | No live web access, conservative tone at times | Long-form content, in-depth research |
Copilot (Microsoft) | Free with limited access; $20/mo Pro | Own LLM or GPT-4 Turbo, depending on product | Text + code, image via plugins | Seamless Office integration, productivity-focused | Limited outside Microsoft ecosystem | Businesses using M365, productivity power users |
Grok (xAI) | Free; X Premium from €8.33/mo, Premium+ from €37.39/mo | Real-time access to X (Twitter) data | Text and images | Up-to-date, edgy tone, fast access, ultra-realistic images | Privacy concerns, higher risk of misuse | X users, meme culture, real-time commentary |
Perplexity.ai | Free; unlimited Pro searches $20/mo | Live web search + cited sources | Text + source previews (no images) | Excellent research tool, supports multiple LLMs (GPT-4, Claude, DeepSeek) | Weak in creative writing, no memory function | Research, journalism, academic work |
Mistral / Mixtral | Free; Pro from €14.99/mo | Model only – no live data | Text + code (depending on host), no image support | Fast, cost-effective, open-source, strong for developers | No interface, no memory, no built-in web search | Developers, tech startups, open-source fans |
With over 400 million active users per week (as of February 2025), ChatGPT remains the frontrunner in generative AI. Built on the GPT-4 architecture, it has become the go-to tool for text-based AI applications—and here at WEVENTURE, we’re big fans of “Chatty,” as we affectionately call it. Why? It’s incredibly versatile, packed with features, and consistently delivers strong results.
For marketers, writers, and content teams, ChatGPT offers exceptional tools:
At WEVENTURE, we use it for everything from SEO-optimized blog posts to campaign copy.
Beyond content, ChatGPT also excels with:
A major leap came with the rollout of GPT-4o, replacing the previous DALL·E 3 tech. This multimodal model lets ChatGPT generate and edit high-quality images from text prompts. Released in March, demand was so high that usage limits had to be temporarily introduced.
Key image features with GPT-4o:
Gemini, formerly known as Google Bard, is Google’s flagship AI chatbot. Since its launch in March 2023, Gemini has rapidly evolved and now supports more than 40 languages.
Gemini offers a wide range of writing tools and integrations:
One of Gemini’s standout capabilities is its hyper-realistic image generation—often more accurate than Midjourney when it comes to text. Powered by the Imagen 3 model, it produces incredibly detailed visuals.
What makes Gemini shine in this area:
Claude is the flagship chatbot from Anthropic, a US-based startup positioning itself as a more ethical alternative to OpenAI. The Claude 3 model family—Haiku, Sonnet, and Opus—launched in March 2025 and is now considered a benchmark for safe and natural AI interaction.
Anthropic’s philosophy, known as Constitutional AI, focuses on rule-based guardrails for transparency, fairness, and safety.
Claude excels in scenarios where precision, tone, and structure are key:
Unlike standalone AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude, Microsoft Copilot is deeply embedded into the Microsoft 365 suite. It’s not a separate chatbot, but rather an AI-powered assistant that enhances apps like Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Teams. Built on OpenAI’s GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo, Copilot adds intelligent features for writing, analysis, and automation directly within your workflow.
Copilot shines when it comes to productivity-driven, context-aware writing:
Grok, built by xAI (now part of X, formerly Twitter), is an unconventional entry into the chatbot space. Deeply integrated into the X ecosystem, Grok is intentionally more open, bold, and raw than other tools. The name is a nod to the sci-fi novel Stranger in a Strange Land, where “to grok” means to fully and intuitively understand something.
Grok takes a very different approach to content creation:
That said, Grok isn’t ideal for formal tasks like whitepapers or newsletters. If structure and tone control are priorities, ChatGPT or Claude are better fits.
Perplexity positions itself not as a chatbot, but as an “Answer Engine.” It merges the power of generative AI with structured, source-based web research—making it an ideal tool for anyone who values accuracy and clarity over creativity.
If you’re writing to inform rather than to entertain, Perplexity is a strong choice:
Mistral AI is a French AI company founded in 2023 with a mission to build powerful, open-weight language models from Europe. Their flagship model, Mixtral 8x7B, is a Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) model—known for being extremely fast, efficient, and high-performing. And best of all: it’s fully open-source and freely accessible.
While Mistral models weren’t originally built for high-end creative writing, Mixtral—especially when hosted via providers like Groq—has become a solid, fast, and affordable tool for content creation and editing.
That said, Mixtral does have limitations. It currently lacks memory, web access, and advanced tool integration—so it’s not ideal for long-form, creative, or multi-step writing.
At WEVENTURE Performance, we regularly test emerging AI tools—especially those that show technical promise. DeepSeek, a Chinese open-source model focused on coding, math, and multimodal capabilities, has crossed our radar more than once.
Still, we’ve made a clear decision not to use DeepSeek in our client projects or internal workflows. Its risks and concerns simply outweigh the benefits.
According to its own documentation, DeepSeek collects a broad range of personal information—including email addresses, phone numbers, chat logs, and even keystroke patterns. All of this is stored on servers in China and may be shared with third parties, including advertisers and service providers.
Reports also suggest that user data is transmitted to state-linked enterprises such as China Mobile, a company with documented ties to the Chinese military. This raises serious concerns about compliance, data ownership, and user privacy—especially for businesses in regulated environments.
DeepSeek is subject to China’s strict censorship regulations. When asked about politically sensitive topics—like the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre or the status of Taiwan—the chatbot either refuses to answer or returns state-filtered responses.
This lack of information transparency can distort facts and seriously undermine content credibility. For applications like SEO, that’s a major red flag. Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) place a high value on factual accuracy—and tools that distort or censor information can hurt your topical authority, ranking, and overall trustworthiness.
In the world of AI-powered chatbots and image generators, capabilities are evolving at lightning speed. Many tools now go far beyond basic text generation—offering features like image and video creation, voice input, and audio output. Some apps are even built specifically for visual content.
Here’s a look at today’s most advanced AI tools and their unique feature sets.
Beyond chatbots, there are tools built solely for image creation:
Which AI chatbot is best? That depends entirely on your needs. Whether you’re producing content, writing code, conducting research, or just getting started, different tools suit different workflows.
Here’s a quick guide based on your goals:
Typical needs:
Recommended tools:
Pro Tip: Combine ChatGPT with Midjourney or Gemini for unified content + visual creation. That’s how we do it at WEVENTURE Performance.
Typical needs:
Recommended tools:
Pro Tip: Want to self-host? Use Mistral/Mixtral with Ollama.
Typical needs:
Recommended tools:
Pro Tip: Create GPTs with defined roles (like “PM-GPT,” “Feedback-GPT,” or “Social Copy GPT”) to streamline your workflows.
Typical needs:
Recommended tools:
Pro Tip: Stay away from tools like DeepSeek if GDPR compliance is critical.
Typical needs:
Recommended tools:
Pro Tip: Don’t try everything at once. Start with ChatGPT and Gemini, ask them the same questions, and compare the answers.
Typical needs:
Recommended tools:
Typical needs:
Recommended tools:
Pro Tip: For visual consistency, keep your style settings steady across prompts.
Typical needs:
Recommended tools:
Pro Tip: Use Claude for story depth, Grok for unexpected twists, and ChatGPT for serialized writing.
The generative AI space is evolving faster than ever. New models are released monthly, and existing tools are constantly updated, upgraded, or replaced—at a pace that even seasoned experts find hard to keep up with. That’s why it’s more important than ever not just to understand the tech, but to evaluate each tool strategically:
Does it align with your workflow? Your tone? Your security standards?
One thing is clear: there’s no such thing as the best AI for everyone. There’s the right tool for the right job—and more often than not, a smart combination of tools is the real game-changer.
What’s cutting-edge today might be outdated tomorrow. Our advice:
A mix of solutions—a creative LLM like Claude, a research-driven engine like Perplexity, and a high-end image generator like Gemini or Midjourney—is often more powerful than relying on a single, monolithic AI system.
At WEVENTURE Performance, we use generative AI daily—not to replace people, but to enhance our work. We use it to create better content, accelerate SEO/SEA/SMA processes, and bring more efficiency and creativity to everything we do.
Our AI strategy combines:
Because in the end, the best results come when humans and AI work together.
Want help building your own AI setup? Get in touch – we’re happy to help you find the right tools and strategy for your business.
Right now, we’d say ChatGPT. “Chatty,” as we call it, delivers excellent text quality, powerful image and data capabilities, and one of the most robust plugin ecosystems out there. We use the Pro version to get unlimited access. That said, Claude and Gemini have their own strengths—Gemini is strong in visuals, Claude is best for long-form writing. The “best” tool really depends on what you’re trying to do.
Yes! ChatGPT with GPT-4o is available for free (as of May 2024). Free users can access the latest multimodal model, though usage is limited to a few prompts per day. For features like Memory, Deep Research, or full access to GPT-4.5, you’ll need a ChatGPT Plus or Pro subscription.
ChatGPT is one of the strongest tools overall—but not the best at everything. It’s excellent for text generation, communication, structure, and light data analysis. But for ultra-realistic visuals, Gemini, Grok, or Midjourney do better. For technical research, Perplexity leads. For coding, Phind or DeepSeek Coder may be more precise. Differences are often subtle but can matter.
The free versions of ChatGPT and Gemini are both excellent. Gemini excels at real-time search and image generation, while ChatGPT (with GPT-4o) is a strong all-rounder. Perplexity is also a great choice for research. Just keep in mind that all free plans have limitations—so either manage multiple accounts or consider upgrading to a paid plan if needed.
ChatGPT by OpenAI is currently the market leader in generative AI, with over 400 million active users per week and integrations across countless apps and platforms.
As of April 2025, Claude 3 Opus is widely considered the most intelligent language model—especially in reasoning, context handling, and language depth (according to benchmarks like LMSYS Arena). ChatGPT-4.5 and Gemini 1.5 Pro are also top-tier, depending on the task.
Open-source models like Mistral are considered the most privacy-friendly. You can host them locally or on EU-based servers for full GDPR compliance. Avoid tools like DeepSeek, which processes data in China. For highly sensitive data, even U.S.-based models should be approached with caution due to differing data laws.
Gemini, Grok, and Midjourney currently produce the most impressive visuals. Gemini is great for realistic brand imagery and logos, Midjourney is unmatched for artistic and stylized output. ChatGPT with GPT-4o now creates high-quality images too, though it’s still catching up in terms of variety and effects.
Perplexity.ai is the go-to tool for fact-based research. It blends LLM capabilities with real-time search and includes clickable citations—ideal for journalism, academia, or content teams who need accuracy.
Agencies benefit most from ChatGPT Plus, Claude 3, and Gemini. These tools support writing, SEO, creative ideation, and visual generation—scalable, efficient, and adaptable. With Custom GPTs or Google Workspace integration, they fit neatly into any workflow.
ChatGPT is more versatile, Gemini excels in image quality and Google integration. For content, analytics, and automation, ChatGPT is often the better pick. For branding visuals and real-time search, Gemini shines. Using both together? That’s the power move.
Many AIs now support PDF and file analysis—including Claude 3, Gemini, Perplexity, Grok, and ChatGPT (with Advanced Data Analysis). Just upload your file and get summaries, insights, or structured breakdowns in seconds.