How much is Google AI Pro compared with ChatGPT Plus?

Google AI Pro costs $19.99 a month in the US and ChatGPT Plus $20 a month, billed monthly, so a year costs $239.88 versus $240.00. AI Pro includes 5 TB of storage and a published 1 million token window; Plus adds Codex on the web, CLI, IDE and iOS to the plugin directory. Prices checked on 22 October 2026.

What is Google AI Plus?

Google AI Plus is Google's lowest paid AI plan, $4.99 a month in the US on 22 October 2026. It gives twice the free usage in Gemini, a 128K token context window, video generation, Gemini in Gmail and Vids, and 400 GB of storage. Its nearest ChatGPT equivalent is ChatGPT Go at $8 a month.

Which is better for studying, ChatGPT or Gemini?

For US college students Gemini has the documented advantage: Google AI Pro free for a year for eligible students 18 and over who redeem by 31 December 2026, plus a published 1 million token window for long readings. ChatGPT's free plan covers web search, uploads and data analysis. Follow your school's rules on AI use.

Is Gemini Pro free for students?

Google offers eligible US college students aged 18 and over a free year of Google AI Pro if they redeem by 31 December 2026. A payment method is required at sign-up, eligibility is checked each year, and the plan then renews at $19.99 a month unless cancelled. Students in other countries should check Google's page for their country.

How big is Gemini's context window?

Google publishes three sizes: 32K tokens without a plan, 128K tokens on Google AI Plus, and 1 million tokens on Google AI Pro and Ultra. For Gemini models, 100 tokens is about 60 to 80 English words, so 1 million tokens holds roughly 600,000 to 800,000 words. OpenAI publishes no ChatGPT figure on an open page.

Does Gemini use my chats to train its models?

It can while Keep Activity is on. With Keep Activity off, Google says future chats won't be used to train its AI models unless you send feedback, and they are kept for 72 hours. Temporary chats are never used for training. Chats reviewed by people are kept up to three years, even if you delete your activity.

ChatGPT vs Gemini 2026: Plans, Images, Limits, Which to Use

ChatGPT vs Gemini — NOXI comparison cover: two assistants scored on seven printed rules from official pages, Gemini 94 and ChatGPT 88, with plans, prices and privacy settings side by side

Disclosure: NOXI publishes this comparison. NOXI is a presentation maker, not an assistant, so it is not scored here; it appears only in the presentation section and the build-it steps. Every score below comes from OpenAI's and Google's own pages, opened on 22 October 2026.

Quick answer: Pick Gemini if your work lives in Gmail, Docs and Drive, you want storage with your AI plan, or you need a published 1 million token window: it scores 94 of 100 on our seven printed rules. Pick ChatGPT if you want the assistant more US adults use (44% against 24% in Pew's 2026 survey), a plugin directory on every plan and Office-file work in one app: it scores 88.

Whether you search ChatGPT vs Gemini or Gemini vs ChatGPT, the starting point is the same: both assistants are free to start, both have a plan near $20 a month, and both now make images, run deep research and talk back by voice. The differences that decide the choice are documented ones: price steps, storage, published limits, add-ons and privacy settings. This page puts them side by side with the official page for each fact, checked on 22 October 2026.

In short

ScoresGemini 94, ChatGPT 88 of 100 on seven documented-capability rules; they tie on six rules and Gemini leads on long documents (+6).
Cheapest paidGoogle AI Plus $4.99 a month; ChatGPT Go $8 a month (US prices, 22 October 2026).
Near $20Google AI Pro $19.99 with 5 TB of storage; ChatGPT Plus $20, billed monthly only.
Long documentsGemini publishes 32K tokens free, 128K on AI Plus and 1 million on AI Pro; OpenAI publishes no figure on a page that opens without logging in.
StudentsEligible US college students 18+ can get Google AI Pro free for a year if they redeem by 31 December 2026; it then costs $19.99 a month.
Not measuredAnswer quality and accuracy: no official page documents them, so the score leaves them out.

Key numbers

1.2B+

People who use ChatGPT each week, OpenAI, 21 October 2026 (a weekly measure) [1]

1B+

Monthly users of the Gemini app, Google, 11 August 2026 (a monthly measure, not comparable with the weekly one) [2]

44% / 24%

US adults who say they ever use ChatGPT / Gemini, Pew Research Center survey of 17–23 February 2026, published 17 June 2026 [3]

$4.99

Google AI Plus per month in the US, with 400 GB of storage and "2x higher usage access than Free" [4]

ChatGPT Go per month, the cheapest paid ChatGPT plan, billed monthly [5] [8]

Tokens in the Gemini context window on Google AI Pro and Ultra (32K without a plan, 128K on AI Plus) [6]

ChatGPT vs Gemini in 2026: side by side

ChatGPT and Gemini cost the same near $20 a month, but Gemini's plans add cloud storage and a published context window, while ChatGPT's add a plugin directory on every plan and an Excel add-in. The table lists what each vendor's own pages state on 22 October 2026.

Question	ChatGPT (OpenAI)	Gemini (Google)
Free plan	Web search, file and image uploads, image creation, data analysis [7]	Canvas, connected apps, slide generation, Deep Research, image generation, Gemini Live [4] [6]
Cheapest paid	Go, $8/month, monthly billing only [5] [8]	Google AI Plus, $4.99/month, 400 GB [4]
Plan near $20	Plus, $20/month, billed monthly [9]	Google AI Pro, $19.99/month, 5 TB [4]
Top personal tier	Pro, from $100/month ($100, $200 or $500) [5]	Google AI Ultra, from $99.99/month (also $199.99) [4]
Storage	Library with 500 MB on Free [7]; no cloud-storage bundle on the plan pages	15 GB free, 400 GB, 5 TB, from 20 TB [4]
Context window	No figure on an open page; Go says "a larger context window" [8]	32K free, 128K AI Plus, 1M AI Pro and Ultra [6]
Video generation	Not listed on the Plus page [9]	AI Plus and AI Pro list video generation; not without a plan [4] [6]
Add-ons	Plugin directory on all plans; custom MCP with read/fetch permissions on Pro, full MCP on Business and Enterprise/Edu [11] [12]	Connected apps on all plans; custom MCP apps for personal accounts, 18+ and in the US [6] [13]
Training opt-out	"Improve the model for everyone" off; Temporary chat [14]	Keep Activity off; Temporary chats [15]
Where it works	Web, desktop, mobile, Chrome browser control, ChatGPT for Excel, Codex [5] [22]	Web, Mac and Windows apps, mobile, Gemini in Chrome, Gmail and Docs, Jules and Antigravity [4] [16]
Users	1.2 billion+ a week (21 Oct 2026) [1]	1 billion+ a month (11 Aug 2026) [2]
Our score	88 of 100	94 of 100

How we compared ChatGPT and Gemini

We scored ChatGPT and Gemini on documented capability from official pages opened on 22 October 2026: plan and pricing pages, help centres, product docs and privacy pages, read without logging in. It is not a new hands-on test, and we ran no prompts through either assistant for this page.

Method Checked 22 October 2026. Seven criteria, one printed rule each, applied identically to every assistant we score (the same rubric covers our ChatGPT vs Claude comparison and our nine-assistant ranking, so the three pages agree). Weighted score = rating ÷ 5 × weight; the weights total 100. A capability counts only when an official page opened that day states it. Answer quality, accuracy and "intelligence" are not scored, because no official page documents them. US prices in US dollars.

Criterion	Weight	The rule (identical for every assistant)
A1 Free plan	20	Count five capabilities documented for the free plan: web search; file uploads; image generation; file creation (a .docx, .pptx, .xlsx or PDF, or an export to Docs or Slides; an in-chat canvas without a documented export does not count); connections to other apps. 5 = all five; 4 = four; 3 = three; 2 = two; 1 = 0–1.
A2 Entry price	10	The cheapest paid tier per month (annual price ÷ 12 if annual billing is published). 5 = ≤ $10 or no paid tier needed; 4 = $10.01–15; 3 = $15.01–20; 2 = $20.01–30; 1 = over $30.
A3 Long documents	10	The largest context window published for the consumer plan nearest $20 on a page that opens without logging in (API pages excluded). 5 = ≥ 1M tokens; 3 = 128K to under 1M; 1 = under 128K; 2 = not published.
A4 Tools near $20	20	Count six tools documented for that plan: web search, deep research, image generation, voice conversation (not dictation), file creation, video generation. 5 = 5–6; 4 = 4; 3 = 3; 2 = 2; 1 = 0–1.
A5 Add-ons	15	5 = custom MCP connectors on free and paid personal plans; 4 = custom MCP on paid personal plans only, or with age or region limits; 3 = an app or plugin directory for individuals, custom MCP only in business workspaces; 2 = built-in links to a few services; 1 = none.
A6 Training control	15	5 = consumer chats are stated not to be used for training; 4 = an opt-out setting plus a chat mode excluded from training; 3 = an opt-out setting only; 2 = opt-out by request or form; 1 = none stated.
A7 Where it works	10	Count six surfaces: web, desktop app, mobile app, browser extension or own browser, office-suite add-in or integration, own coding agent. 5 = 6; 4 = 5; 3 = 4; 2 = 3; 1 = 2 or fewer.

Why these seven: each is a fact people check before they pay, and each is printed on a vendor page anyone can open and re-check next month.

ChatGPT vs Gemini scored: 94 vs 88

Gemini scores 94 and ChatGPT 88 of 100. They tie on six of the seven rules; Gemini's 6-point lead comes from one rule, a published 1 million token window (A3). Both score 4 on add-ons for different reasons, and ChatGPT has no rule on which it scores above Gemini.

Criterion (weight)	ChatGPT	Gemini	Points (ChatGPT / Gemini)	Pages opened
A1 Free plan (20)	5: web search, uploads, image creation; Work creates documents, spreadsheets and presentations; plugin directory	5: Deep Research with Google Search as a source, uploads, image generation, Canvas export to Docs and Slides, connected apps	20 / 20	OpenAI [7], [5], [10]; Google [6], [18]
A2 Entry price (10)	5: Go $8	5: AI Plus $4.99	10 / 10	[5]; [4]
A3 Long documents (10)	2: not published on an open page	5: 1 million tokens on AI Pro	4 / 10	[8]; [6]
A4 Tools near $20 (20)	5: Plus has web search, Deep Research tools, image generation, voice conversations, file creation (5 of 6)	5: AI Pro has all six, including video generation	20 / 20	[9], [5]; [4], [6]
A5 Add-ons (15)	4: plugin directory for all; custom MCP with read/fetch permissions on Pro (full MCP on Business and Enterprise/Edu)	4: custom MCP apps for personal accounts, 18+ and in the US	12 / 12	[12]; [13]
A6 Training control (15)	4: opt-out toggle plus Temporary chat	4: Keep Activity off plus Temporary chats	12 / 12	[14]; [15]
A7 Where it works (10)	5: all six surfaces	5: all six surfaces	10 / 10	[5]; [16], [4]
Total (100)	88	94	20 + 10 + 4 + 20 + 12 + 12 + 10 = 88 / 20 + 10 + 10 + 20 + 12 + 12 + 10 = 94	Checked 22 October 2026

Two stacked bars scored out of 100 on seven criteria: Gemini 94 (free plan 20, entry price 10, long documents 10, tools 20, add-ons 12, training control 12, surfaces 10) and ChatGPT 88 (20, 10, 4, 20, 12, 12, 10). The only difference is long documents, 10 vs 4. — Six of seven rules tie; the 6-point gap is a published context window.

How sensitive are the scores?

The ChatGPT total depends on two cells that rest on pages we could only partly open. Each line below applies the same rule; nothing is re-weighted.

ChatGPT long documents (A3). OpenAI's per-plan context windows sit behind a login on chatgpt.com/pricing. If OpenAI publishes 1 million tokens or more on an open page, ChatGPT scores 94 and ties Gemini; if it publishes 128K to under 1 million, ChatGPT scores 90 and Gemini still leads.
ChatGPT free plan (A1). File creation on Free rests on OpenAI's statement that "ChatGPT Work and Codex are included in your ChatGPT Free" plan, with desktop availability subject to rollout [5]. Without that capability ChatGPT scores 84.
Gemini free plan (A1). Web search on Free is counted through Deep Research, which "includes Google Search as a source" by default [18]; no Gemini help page says "web search" in those words. Without it, Gemini scores 90 and still leads 90 to 88.

The same rubric scores Claude at 85, third behind Gemini and ChatGPT in our nine-assistant ranking of the best AI chatbot; the two-way scores are in ChatGPT vs Claude. If you are weighing ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Claude, the third assistant's strengths are a published 1 million token window on Pro and custom connectors on its free plan.

Where ChatGPT is stronger, and where Gemini is

ChatGPT's documented strengths are reach, a plugin directory on every plan, file work across Office and Google formats, and a training opt-out that keeps your chat history. Gemini's are price steps, storage, a published context window, video on paid plans and personal custom apps. The score counts only some of these, so read both lists.

ChatGPT's documented strengths

Reach. OpenAI says "More than 1.2 billion people use ChatGPT each week" (21 October 2026) [1]. In Pew's February 2026 survey, 44% of US adults said they ever use ChatGPT, against 24% for Gemini [3]. A tool your colleagues already use is easier to share prompts and habits around.
A plugin directory on every plan. "The plugin directory is available across ChatGPT plans"; plugins bundle connected apps such as Slack with skills for a task [11]. Pro users can also connect custom MCP servers with read/fetch permissions [12].
Files in your formats. ChatGPT Work "can create or edit documents, spreadsheets, presentations, reports, and analyses", supports native Google Docs, Sheets and Slides [10], and ChatGPT for Excel and Google Sheets is available to Free, Go, Plus and Pro users [22].
Opt out and keep your history. With "Improve the model for everyone" off, new conversations aren't used for training but "can still appear in your chat history" [14].
A coding agent on every plan. Codex is included on Free and above; Plus adds Codex on the web, in the CLI, in the IDE extension and on iOS [5].

Gemini's documented strengths

Cheaper steps and storage. Google AI Plus is $4.99 with 400 GB; AI Pro is $19.99 with 5 TB of storage [4].
A published context window. 32K tokens without a plan, 128K on AI Plus, 1 million on AI Pro and Ultra [6].
Video generation from $4.99. AI Plus and AI Pro list video generation; AI Pro's FAQ mentions "a limited trial of Veo 3.1 Lite" [4].
Gemini inside Google's apps. AI Plus lists "Gemini in Gmail, Vids, and more" and AI Pro "Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Vids, and more" [4].
Personal custom apps. A personal Google account can connect a custom MCP server, if you are 18 or over and in the US [13].
A student year. Eligible US college students can claim Google AI Pro free for a year [17].

ChatGPT vs Gemini price: every plan, side by side

Both ladders have four personal steps: free, a low-cost tier ($8 Go vs $4.99 AI Plus), a tier near $20 ($20 Plus vs $19.99 AI Pro) and a top tier from about $100. ChatGPT is billed monthly only; Google's US page shows monthly prices and no annual option.

Step	ChatGPT, per month	Gemini, per month	What the step adds (vendor wording)
Free	$0	$0 (15 GB)	ChatGPT: search, uploads, image creation [7]. Gemini: Deep Research, image generation and editing, Canvas, Gemini Live [4]
Low-cost	Go $8	AI Plus $4.99 (400 GB)	Go: higher limits for images, uploads and data analysis, "a larger context window" [8]. AI Plus: "2x higher usage access than Free", video generation, 128K tokens [4] [6]
Near $20	Plus $20	AI Pro $19.99 (5 TB)	Plus: voice conversations, image generation, file uploads, Deep Research tools (where available) [9]. AI Pro: "4x higher usage access than Free", Gemini in Docs, 1M tokens, Jules and Antigravity limits [4] [6]
Top	Pro from $100 ($100, $200, $500)	AI Ultra from $99.99 (also $199.99; from 20 TB)	Pro: higher limits and premium tools [5]. Ultra: 5x or 20x the AI Pro usage limits [4]

Plan ladder in US dollars per month, ChatGPT beside Gemini: Free $0 and $0; ChatGPT Go $8 and Google AI Plus $4.99 with 400 GB; ChatGPT Plus $20 and Google AI Pro $19.99 with 5 TB; ChatGPT Pro from $100 and Google AI Ultra from $99.99. Prices from OpenAI's and Google's pages, 22 October 2026. — The two ladders match step for step; Google's steps are a little cheaper and carry storage.

Outside the US, prices and currencies differ. OpenAI says ChatGPT Go is sold in every country ChatGPT supports, with purchases in US dollars and local-currency billing "in a limited set of countries" [8]; Google's subscriptions page has a version per country. We quote only the US pages.

ChatGPT Plus vs Gemini Pro

ChatGPT Plus costs $20 a month and Google AI Pro $19.99, so the price is a wash: $240.00 vs $239.88 a year. What differs is the bundle. AI Pro includes 5 TB of storage, video generation, Gemini in Gmail and Docs and a published 1 million token window [4] [6]; Plus adds Codex on the web, in the CLI, the IDE extension and iOS, while the plugin directory and ChatGPT for Excel come with every ChatGPT plan [5] [11] [22]. Both list voice, images and deep research.

Gemini free vs Pro

Gemini without a plan already has Deep Research, image generation, Canvas, connected apps and Gemini Live, with a 32K token window [4] [6]. Google AI Pro raises the window to 1 million tokens, gives "4x higher usage access than Free", adds video generation, Gemini in Gmail and Docs, and 5 TB of storage, and lifts upload limits for video and audio to 1 hour and 3 hours [4] [20].

Google AI Plus vs Pro

Google AI Plus ($4.99) doubles the free usage, includes 400 GB, a 128K token window, video generation and Gemini in Gmail and Vids. AI Pro ($19.99) quadruples free usage and adds 5 TB, a 1 million token window, Gemini in Docs, and limits for Google's coding agents, Jules and Antigravity [4] [6]. Choose Plus for everyday chat with storage; choose Pro for long files, heavier use or coding.

Is Gemini free?

Yes. Gemini works without a plan once you sign in to a Google account, with Deep Research, image generation and editing, Canvas, connected apps and Gemini Live included, and 15 GB of Google storage. Usage limits refresh every 5 hours until you reach a weekly limit [4] [6].

Is Gemini better than ChatGPT? A task chooser

Gemini is better than ChatGPT on the documented facts that this rubric weighs, but which is better for you depends on the task. Use the table: each row names the assistant whose official pages document the stronger offer for that need, and "either" where both document it.

If you need…	Choose	The documented reason
The cheapest paid plan	Gemini	AI Plus $4.99 vs ChatGPT Go $8 [4] [5]
Storage with your AI plan	Gemini	400 GB on AI Plus, 5 TB on AI Pro [4]
Very long documents	Gemini	1M tokens published for AI Pro; no ChatGPT figure on an open page [6] [8]
AI inside Gmail and Docs	Gemini	Listed on AI Plus and AI Pro [4]
Video generation	Gemini	Listed from AI Plus; not on the ChatGPT Plus page [4] [9]
Ready-made plugins from other companies	ChatGPT	Plugin directory on every plan [11]
Excel work and Office-format files	ChatGPT	ChatGPT for Excel on every plan; Work creates documents, spreadsheets, presentations [10] [22]
Training opt-out without losing history	ChatGPT	Chats stay in history with the opt-out on [14]; Gemini's opt-out is Keep Activity off [15]
The assistant more people around you use	ChatGPT	1.2B+ weekly (OpenAI); 44% vs 24% of US adults (Pew) [1] [3]
Images, deep research, voice	Either	Both list all three [4] [7] [9]
A coding agent	Either	Codex on every ChatGPT plan; Jules and Antigravity on AI Pro [4] [5]

Which AI is better, ChatGPT or Gemini, for everyday use?

For everyday questions both free plans document web search, uploads, images and voice, so the deciding factor is where you work. If your mail, files and calendar are Google's, Gemini reads them through connected apps; if you live in Microsoft Office or want third-party plugins, ChatGPT documents more of that.

What about ChatGPT vs Gemini on Reddit?

Reddit threads mostly argue about answer quality, which changes with every model update and which no official page documents. Treat them as anecdotes, and test both free plans on the same three tasks from your own work.

ChatGPT vs Gemini for image generation

Both assistants document image generation on their free plans, and both raise the limits on paid plans. Gemini also documents video generation from Google AI Plus; ChatGPT's Plus page lists image generation but no video. We don't score image quality, because no official page measures it.

Plan step	ChatGPT images	Gemini images and video
Free	"Create images in ChatGPT", with separate usage limits [7]	"Image generation and editing" [4]; no video [6]
Low-cost	Go: "Extended access to image generation" [8]	AI Plus: images plus video generation [4] [6]
Near $20	Plus: "Image generation" [9]	AI Pro: images, video, a "limited trial of Veo 3.1 Lite" [4]
Scale	No figure published	"150 million+ images every day" (Google, 11 Aug 2026) [2]

One conflict to know: OpenAI's Free Tier FAQ (updated three days before our check) lists "Create images in ChatGPT", while learn.chatgpt.com's plan page for Work and Codex says "Image generation isn't available on the Free plan" [5] [7]. Our score follows the consumer help centre; if image generation isn't counted, ChatGPT's free-plan rating drops to 4 and its total to 84.

Nano Banana vs ChatGPT

Nano Banana is Google's name for the image model inside Gemini: the Gemini limits page lists "Image generation (Nano Banana 2)" on every plan, including no plan [6], and Google AI Plus adds "More access to Nano Banana in Search" [4]. ChatGPT's image tool has no separate brand on the pages we opened; OpenAI calls it image generation. Both edit images you upload.

ChatGPT vs Gemini for students

For US college students Gemini has the documented offer: Google AI Pro free for a year for eligible students 18 and over who redeem by 31 December 2026, then $19.99 a month unless cancelled. None of the OpenAI plan and help pages we opened on 22 October 2026 lists a student price.

Google's terms The offer is a "Free student plan for 1 year" of Google AI Pro for "eligible U.S. college students ages 18+", including new users and students whose 2025 AI Pro trial has expired. "Redeem until December 31, 2026." A valid form of payment is required at sign-up, eligibility is verified each year, and "Google AI Pro will automatically charge $19.99/month after the trial ends" unless cancelled earlier [17].

Worked example: two years of study, four options

Example Arman Sadykov is a fictional US college junior. He redeems the student plan on 15 December 2026 and compares 24 months of cost from that date with the three alternatives, at list prices checked on 22 October 2026.

Option	Months 1–12	Months 13–24	24-month total
ChatGPT Plus	12 × $20 = $240.00	12 × $20 = $240.00	$480.00
Google AI Pro, student year	$0	12 × $19.99 = $239.88	$239.88
ChatGPT Go	12 × $8 = $96.00	12 × $8 = $96.00	$192.00
Google AI Plus	12 × $4.99 = $59.88	12 × $4.99 = $59.88	$119.76

The arithmetic: AI Pro saves $480.00 − $239.88 = $240.12 against Plus, which is $240.12 ÷ $480.00 = 50.0% less. ChatGPT Go is $239.88 − $192.00 = $47.88 cheaper than AI Pro over the two years, but it lists no published context window and no storage. AI Plus is the cheapest at $119.76.

Then the thesis. Arman's drafts and sources come to about 90,000 words. Google says that for Gemini models "100 tokens is equal to about 60-80 English words" [21], so 90,000 words is 90,000 ÷ 80 × 100 = 112,500 to 90,000 ÷ 60 × 100 = 150,000 tokens. That is 3.5 to 4.7 times the 32K window without a plan (112,500 ÷ 32,000 = 3.5; 150,000 ÷ 32,000 = 4.7), may or may not fit AI Plus's 128K, and uses at most 15% of AI Pro's 1 million (150,000 ÷ 1,000,000). He claims the student year and keeps ChatGPT's free plan for its plugins and Codex.

Bar chart of 24-month cost for a fictional US college student, in US dollars: ChatGPT Plus $480.00, Google AI Pro with the free student year $239.88, ChatGPT Go $192.00, Google AI Plus $119.76. The student year cuts the cost of a $20-class plan by 50.0%. — Over two years the student year halves the cost of a $20-class plan; the cheaper tiers trade away the long context window.

Which is better for studying?

For studying, the documented differences are the Google student year, the published 1 million token window for long readings and theses, and study features Google lists on its student page, such as study notebooks and Gemini Live [17]. ChatGPT's free plan documents web search, file uploads, data analysis and image creation for coursework [7]. Check your school's rules on AI use before either; our AI in education statistics collect sourced figures on AI use in schools.

Here are two slides from this article's worked example, as NOXI built them, unedited.

NOXI slide: on seven printed rules Gemini scores 94 and ChatGPT 88, a 6-point lead; six criteria tie and long documents (Gemini 10, ChatGPT 4 of 10 points) supplies the whole gap. — The score slide: seven weighted rules, six ties, and the one rule (long documents) that makes the 6-point gap.

NOXI slide: 24-month cost by plan, ChatGPT Plus 24 × $20 = $480.00, Google AI Pro with the student year 12 × $0 + 12 × $19.99 = $239.88, ChatGPT Go $192.00, Google AI Plus $119.76; the student year saves $240.12, 50.0% less. — The worked example: what two years cost with and without Google's student year, from US list prices on 22 October 2026.

ChatGPT vs Gemini for research

Gemini documents Deep Research for every signed-in user 18 and over, including without a plan; OpenAI lists "Deep Research tools (where available)" on ChatGPT Plus and web search on Free. For long reports the practical difference is access on the free plan.

Google describes Deep Research as "in-depth and real-time research on almost any subject": Gemini drafts a plan you can edit, uses Google Search as a source by default, can add Gmail, Drive, uploaded files or NotebookLM notebooks, and "usually takes about 5-10 minutes" to write the report, which you can export to Google Docs [18]. ChatGPT's Free plan can "Search the web and obtain up-to-date information" [7], and Plus adds Deep Research tools where available [9].

Definition What is Deep Research? Deep Research is an assistant mode that plans a multi-step investigation, searches many sources on its own, and writes a cited report instead of a single chat answer. Gemini and ChatGPT both use the name; Gemini's version takes about 5 to 10 minutes and can be exported to Google Docs.

ChatGPT vs Gemini for coding

Both vendors document a coding agent with their plans: OpenAI's Codex is included on every ChatGPT plan from Free, and Google AI Pro lists higher limits for Jules, Google's asynchronous coding agent, and entry limits for its Antigravity agent. Neither page measures code quality.

On ChatGPT Plus, Codex runs on the web, in the CLI, in the IDE extension and on iOS [5]. On Google AI Pro, the subscriptions page lists "Higher limits to our asynchronous coding agent for software developers" and "Entry rate limits to agent model in Google Antigravity"; Ultra raises both [4].

ChatGPT vs Gemini context window and usage limits

Gemini publishes its context window per plan: 32K tokens without a plan, 128K on AI Plus and 1 million on AI Pro and Ultra. OpenAI publishes no per-plan figure on a page that opens without logging in; the ChatGPT Go page says only "a larger context window" than Free.

Definition What is a context window? A context window is the amount of text, measured in tokens, that an AI model can take into account at once: your messages, its replies and any files you upload. When a conversation or document exceeds it, the assistant can no longer see the earliest parts. For Gemini, 100 tokens is about 60 to 80 English words.

Limit	ChatGPT	Gemini
Context, free	Not published on an open page	32K tokens [6]
Context, low-cost	Go: "a larger context window" [8]	AI Plus: 128K tokens [6]
Context, near $20	Plus: behind a login	AI Pro: 1 million tokens [6]
Usage	No fixed cap on everyday text chats on Free and Go, with separate limits for uploads, images, voice and data analysis [7] [8]; Plus has "Higher model limits" and may have message caps [9]	Limits refresh every 5 hours until a weekly limit; AI Plus 2x, AI Pro 4x the free usage [4] [6]
Uploads	Separate limit for file and image uploads [7]	Up to 10 files per prompt, 100 MB each (video 2 GB) [20]

Why it matters: a 300-page report or a full thesis fits a 1 million token window in one go, while a 32K window takes only a few chapters.

Google apps vs ChatGPT plugins

ChatGPT's add-on layer is a plugin directory open on every plan, custom MCP servers with read/fetch permissions on Pro, and full MCP for Business and Enterprise/Edu workspaces. Gemini's is connected apps on every plan, plus custom MCP apps that a personal Google account can add if the user is 18 or over, in the US, with Keep Activity on.

OpenAI: "The plugin directory is available across ChatGPT plans"; installing an individual plugin "depends on your plan, workspace, role, region" [11]. "Custom MCP server connections and full MCP support are available for ChatGPT Business and Enterprise" and Edu, and "Pro users can connect custom MCP servers with read/fetch permissions" [12].

Google: connected apps are ticked for every plan on the limits page [6]. For custom apps you need a personal account (not work or school), must "Be 18 or over and in the US", and Keep Activity must be on: "Custom apps are unavailable when this setting is off." You add the MCP server URL under Settings, Connected Apps, Custom apps on gemini.google.com, and the app then works in the mobile app too [13].

Both score 4 on rule A5, for different reasons: Gemini lets an individual connect their own server without a paid plan, but only with activity saved and only in the US; ChatGPT offers ready-made plugins on every plan and custom servers from Pro (from $100 a month), read/fetch only outside business plans.

ChatGPT vs Gemini privacy: Keep Activity vs Improve the model

Both assistants let you stop your chats being used for training and both have a temporary chat that is never used for training. ChatGPT's switch is "Improve the model for everyone"; Gemini's is Keep Activity. The retention periods differ: 72 hours for Gemini's temporary chats, up to 30 days for ChatGPT's.

Setting	ChatGPT	Gemini
Training opt-out	Turn off "Improve the model for everyone" in Settings, Data controls; new conversations "won't be used to train OpenAI models" [14]	Turn off Keep Activity; future chats "won't be used to train our AI models" unless you send feedback [15]
History after opting out	Chats "can still appear in your chat history" [14]	Chats with Keep Activity off are kept with your account for 72 hours [15]
Temporary chat	Not used to improve models; "may be retained for up to 30 days for safety purposes" [14]	"Temporary chats are not used to train Google's AI models"; kept for 72 hours [15]
Default history	Saved chats stay until you delete them; the opt-out "does not delete or hide saved chats" [14]	Auto-deleted after 18 months by default; can be set to 3 or 36 months, or indefinite [15]
Human review	Feedback (thumbs up or down) may let the whole conversation be used for training [14]	Some chats are reviewed by people; reviewed chats are kept up to 3 years and aren't deleted with your activity [15]
Business plans	Business, Enterprise and Edu content not used for training by default [14]	Workspace: customer data is not used for training "without customer's prior permission or instruction" [23]

Definition What is Keep Activity? Keep Activity is the Gemini Apps setting that saves your chats to your Google account. While it is on, chats may be used to improve Google's AI and are auto-deleted after 18 months by default. Turning it off stops future chats being used for training, keeps them for 72 hours only, and disables custom apps.

Definition What is a temporary chat? A temporary chat is a conversation that does not appear in your history and is not used to train the vendor's models. ChatGPT's temporary chats may be kept up to 30 days for safety; Gemini's are kept with your account for 72 hours.

Business plans are not scored; rule A6 reads only the consumer settings. Google updated its Gemini Apps Privacy Hub on 19 October 2026 and OpenAI its data-controls article within hours of our check, so re-check both pages before you rely on a period. Neither setting is a reason to paste confidential material into a consumer plan; that is a question for your employer's policy.

If your goal is a presentation

Both assistants can now start a deck: Gemini's Canvas can create slides and "Export to Slides" or PDF [19], and ChatGPT Work can create presentations, including native Google Slides when that app is connected [10]. For slides, the comparison that matters is different from this one, and we cover it separately.

For a head-to-head on decks, read our tested comparison of Copilot, Gemini and ChatGPT for presentations.
For Gemini inside Google Slides and the tools that compete with it, see the best AI for Google Slides.
For ChatGPT's deck output against a dedicated maker, see ChatGPT for presentations, tested; for decks that start in Google's notebook tool, see NotebookLM slides to editable PowerPoint.

Our pick for turning a comparison like this one into a designed deck is NOXI. Describe the deck in one prompt and NOXI researches the topic on the web first, then builds the slides, and slides with figures carry a source line linking to where each number came from. You edit one slide or the whole deck by chat and download an editable PowerPoint (.pptx) with real text boxes and embedded fonts, or a PDF. If you already have a deck that needs a lift, the scored list of AI tools that make a PowerPoint look better covers that job.

Three prompts to turn this comparison into a deck

These prompts start a deck from text alone, so the deck builder researches current figures first. Replace the bracketed parts with your own audience and date.

Prompt 1 · A student briefing on two AI plans

Create a 9-slide briefing for [first-year students at our college], 10 minutes, titled "Which AI plan should students pick?". Compare ChatGPT (Free, Go, Plus) and Gemini (no plan, Google AI Plus, Google AI Pro) on monthly US price, storage, published context window, image and video generation, and training opt-out settings, using each vendor's official plan and help pages. Include the Google AI Pro student offer and its redeem-by date, a 24-month cost table for four options, and one slide of advice. Titles as full-sentence findings; put a source line on every slide with a figure.

Prompt 2 · Add the score arithmetic

Add one slide after the price slide titled "On seven documented rules, Gemini scores 94 and ChatGPT 88". Show a table with the seven criteria and weights (free plan 20, entry price 10, long documents 10, tools near $20 20, add-ons 15, training control 15, surfaces 10) and each assistant's points: Gemini 20, 10, 10, 20, 12, 12, 10; ChatGPT 20, 10, 4, 20, 12, 12, 10. Add one line: answer quality is not scored. Change nothing else.

Prompt 3 · A team purchase decision

Create a 7-slide decision deck for [our 12-person marketing team] on which AI assistant plan to buy in 2027: [ChatGPT Business] vs [Google AI Pro]. Cover monthly cost per person and per year for [12] people, storage, add-ons, privacy defaults for business plans, where each works (web, desktop, mobile, browser, office apps), and a recommendation with a review date of [1 April 2027]. Use official vendor pages only and show every calculation.

Build it: from this comparison to a designed deck in NOXI

This flow uses one Home action, Create from scratch, because a prompt-started deck is researched on the web first and its figure slides carry source lines. NOXI is free, with no card and no watermark; each account gets 1,000 credits a month and a full deck uses about 25. Exports need a free account.

Step 1: Choose Create from scratch

Open noxi.ai, sign in to your free account and choose Create from scratch on Home. Paste Prompt 1 with your audience and date in place of the brackets.

Step 2: Review the outline first

Choose Plan mode to review the outline before any slide is drawn. Check that there are nine slides, that each title is a finding, and that the cost table and the advice slide are in the plan; edit the outline in plain words if not.

Step 3: Generate and let the research run

Generate the deck and watch each slide being built. Because the deck starts from a prompt, NOXI researches the topic on the web first, and slides with figures carry a source line linking to where each number came from.

Step 4: Check every price and date against the official pages

Open each source line and compare the prices, the redeem-by date and the context-window figures with the vendors' pages on the day you present. Edit text on the slide, edit table cells and chart numbers, or ask the AI to correct a figure.

Step 5: Add the score slide and refine by chat

Paste Prompt 2 to add the score arithmetic. Click any element and tell the AI what to change, or ask for an edit across the whole deck, such as shorter titles, and add your college's logo and brand colour.

Step 6: Present, share or export

Present full-screen from NOXI, share a view-only link before the session, or download an editable PowerPoint (.pptx) with real text boxes and embedded fonts, or a PDF.

Frequently asked questions

Is Gemini better than ChatGPT?: On documented facts, Gemini scores 94 and ChatGPT 88 of 100 on our seven printed rules, checked on 22 October 2026. Gemini leads only on a published 1 million token window; the two tie on free plan, price, tools, add-ons, privacy controls and surfaces. Answer quality is not scored, so test both on your own tasks.
Is Gemini free?: Yes. Gemini works without a paid plan once you sign in with a Google account. The free tier includes Deep Research, image generation and editing, Canvas, connected apps and Gemini Live, with a 32K token context window and 15 GB of Google storage. Usage limits refresh every 5 hours until you reach a weekly limit.
How much is Google AI Pro compared with ChatGPT Plus?: Google AI Pro costs $19.99 a month in the US and ChatGPT Plus $20 a month, billed monthly, so a year costs $239.88 versus $240.00. AI Pro includes 5 TB of storage and a published 1 million token window; Plus adds Codex on the web, CLI, IDE and iOS to the plugin directory. Prices checked on 22 October 2026.
What is Google AI Plus?: Google AI Plus is Google's lowest paid AI plan, $4.99 a month in the US on 22 October 2026. It gives twice the free usage in Gemini, a 128K token context window, video generation, Gemini in Gmail and Vids, and 400 GB of storage. Its nearest ChatGPT equivalent is ChatGPT Go at $8 a month.
Which is better for image generation, ChatGPT or Gemini?: Both document image generation on their free plans and higher image limits on paid plans, and neither publishes a quality measure. Gemini also documents video generation from Google AI Plus at $4.99 a month, while the ChatGPT Plus page lists images but no video. Try both on the same prompt and compare the results yourself.
Which is better for studying, ChatGPT or Gemini?: For US college students Gemini has the documented advantage: Google AI Pro free for a year for eligible students 18 and over who redeem by 31 December 2026, plus a published 1 million token window for long readings. ChatGPT's free plan covers web search, uploads and data analysis. Follow your school's rules on AI use.
Is Gemini Pro free for students?: Google offers eligible US college students aged 18 and over a free year of Google AI Pro if they redeem by 31 December 2026. A payment method is required at sign-up, eligibility is checked each year, and the plan then renews at $19.99 a month unless cancelled. Students in other countries should check Google's page for their country.
How big is Gemini's context window?: Google publishes three sizes: 32K tokens without a plan, 128K tokens on Google AI Plus, and 1 million tokens on Google AI Pro and Ultra. For Gemini models, 100 tokens is about 60 to 80 English words, so 1 million tokens holds roughly 600,000 to 800,000 words. OpenAI publishes no ChatGPT figure on an open page.
Does Gemini use my chats to train its models?: It can while Keep Activity is on. With Keep Activity off, Google says future chats won't be used to train its AI models unless you send feedback, and they are kept for 72 hours. Temporary chats are never used for training. Chats reviewed by people are kept up to three years, even if you delete your activity.
Can ChatGPT or Gemini make a presentation?: Yes. Gemini's Canvas can create slides and export them to Google Slides or as a PDF, and ChatGPT Work can create presentations, including native Google Slides when that app is connected. For a designed deck with sources on figure slides, use a dedicated presentation maker and check every number before you present.

Sources & methodology

How this comparison was made: every price, limit, setting and user figure comes from OpenAI, Google and Pew Research Center pages opened on 22 October 2026, logged out; OpenAI's help centre was read in a browser because it blocks automated fetches. Scores use our seven printed rules (documented capability, not a new hands-on test). Arman Sadykov and his figures are fictional.

[1] "More than 1.2 billion people use ChatGPT each week"; ads only on the Free and Go plans (21 October 2026) — OpenAI, ChatGPT Ads expands to 26 new countries. Checked 22 October 2026.
[2] "The Gemini app has officially surpassed 1 billion monthly users"; "150 million+ images every day" (11 August 2026) — Google, The Keyword: Gemini app one billion monthly users. Checked 22 October 2026.
[3] 44% of US adults say they ever use ChatGPT and 24% Gemini; survey of 5,119 US adults, 17–23 February 2026 (published 17 June 2026) — Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact. Checked 22 October 2026.
[4] Free, Google AI Plus $4.99 (400 GB, 2x usage), Google AI Pro $19.99 (5 TB, 4x usage, Gemini in Gmail and Docs, Jules and Antigravity limits, Veo trial), Google AI Ultra from $99.99 and $199.99; Gemini Live and Deep Research on Free — Google, Gemini subscriptions (US). Checked 22 October 2026.
[5] Free $0, Go $8, Plus $20, Pro from $100 ($100, $200, $500), Business $20 per user billed annually; "ChatGPT Work and Codex are included in your ChatGPT Free" and other plans; ChatGPT for Excel; Chrome browser control; "Image generation isn't available on the Free plan" (Work and Codex page) — OpenAI, ChatGPT pricing (learn.chatgpt.com). Checked 22 October 2026.
[6] Context windows 32k, 128k, 1 million tokens; feature table (Canvas, connected apps, slide generation, Deep Research, image generation with Nano Banana 2 on every plan, video generation from AI Plus); limits refresh every 5 hours until a weekly limit — Gemini Apps Help, Gemini Apps limits & feature availability. Checked 22 October 2026.
[7] Free tier: search the web, upload images or files, create images, data analysis, Library with 500 MB; separate limits for uploads and images — OpenAI Help Center, ChatGPT Free Tier FAQ. Checked 22 October 2026.
[8] Go: higher limits for images, uploads and data analysis, "a larger context window"; monthly billing only; local-currency billing in a limited set of countries — OpenAI Help Center, What is ChatGPT Go?. Checked 22 October 2026.
[9] Plus $20 a month billed monthly; voice conversations, image generation, file uploads, Deep Research tools (where available); no annual billing — OpenAI Help Center, What is ChatGPT Plus?. Checked 22 October 2026.
[10] ChatGPT Work creates or edits documents, spreadsheets and presentations; native Google Docs, Sheets and Slides; ChatGPT for Excel add-in — OpenAI Help Center, Creating and editing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations with ChatGPT Work. Checked 22 October 2026.
[11] "The plugin directory is available across ChatGPT plans" — OpenAI Help Center, Plugins in ChatGPT. Checked 22 October 2026.
[12] Custom MCP server connections and full MCP for ChatGPT Business and Enterprise/Edu; FAQ: "Pro users can connect custom MCP servers with read/fetch permissions" — OpenAI Help Center, Connecting custom MCP servers in ChatGPT. Checked 22 October 2026.
[13] Custom apps: personal account, 18 or over and in the US, Keep Activity on, MCP server URL, added on gemini.google.com — Gemini Apps Help, Connect custom apps. Checked 22 October 2026.
[14] "Improve the model for everyone"; chats stay in history; Temporary chat up to 30 days, not used to improve models; feedback may be used; business workspaces not used for training by default — OpenAI Help Center, Data controls in ChatGPT. Checked 22 October 2026.
[15] Keep Activity, 18-month default auto-delete (3 or 36 months, or indefinite), 72 hours with Keep Activity off and for Temporary chats, human review with retention up to three years; last updated 19 October 2026 — Gemini Apps Privacy Hub. Checked 22 October 2026.
[16] Gemini app on Mac; link to the Gemini app for Windows — Gemini Apps Help, Use the Gemini app on Mac. Checked 22 October 2026.
[17] Free Google AI Pro student plan for 1 year, eligible US college students 18+, redeem until 31 December 2026, then $19.99 a month; payment method and yearly eligibility check — Google, Gemini for students (US). Checked 22 October 2026.
[18] Deep Research: Google Search as a source by default, about 5–10 minutes per report, export to Docs, 18 or over — Gemini Apps Help, Use Deep Research in Gemini Apps. Checked 22 October 2026.
[19] Canvas creates docs and slides; Export to Docs, Export to Slides, PDF — Gemini Apps Help, Canvas in Gemini Apps. Checked 22 October 2026.
[20] Up to 10 files per prompt, 100 MB each, video 2 GB; higher video and audio limits on AI Pro and Ultra — Gemini Apps Help, Upload and analyze files in Gemini Apps. Checked 22 October 2026.
[21] "100 tokens is equal to about 60-80 English words" for Gemini models — Google AI for Developers, Understand and count tokens. Checked 22 October 2026.
[22] ChatGPT for Excel and Google Sheets "available globally to Business, Enterprise, Edu, and K-12 users, and to ChatGPT Free, Go, Pro, and Plus users" — OpenAI Help Center, ChatGPT for Excel and Google Sheets. Checked 22 October 2026.
[23] "Workspace does not use customer data for training models without customer's prior permission or instruction" (updated 6 October 2026) — Google Workspace, Generative AI in Google Workspace Privacy Hub. Checked 22 October 2026.

Turn this comparison into a briefing in NOXI, free: start from a prompt, let it research the current prices, check every source line, and export an editable PowerPoint or a PDF.