12 Best ChatGPT Alternatives in 2023 (Free and Paid)

You must have seen how explodingly popular ChatGPT has become on the internet. The chatbot is based on OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 language models, allowing users to have a conversation with the AI. But that also brought a big downside with ChatGPT’s servers being overloaded with users. This has locked users out of using ChatGPT when needed. If you are one of the folks who find ChatGPT frequently down, you can follow our list of the best ChatGPT alternatives in 2023.

1. Microsoft Bing

One of the top ChatGPT alternatives on the model right now is Microsoft Bing AI. The revamped search engine is powered by an upgraded model of ChatGPT, which the company initially called the new “Prometheus model” but was later confirmed to be GPT-4.

The new Bing also has a Chat mode that pulls in web queries and allows users to ask contextual information based on them. The AI bot cum search engine recently even received a host of new features, including multimodal capability, visual answers, increased accuracy, and the Bing Image Creator. Bing even allows users to plan trips, get recipes, seek out advice, and a lot more, just like ChatGPT. While it was earlier available via a waitlist, this amazing ChatGPT alternative is now available to everyone.

Key Features: Powered by GPT-4, Supports visual input and output, Connects to the internet, Get the latest information on any subject, Chat history, Different chat modes, Cites sources

Pros	Cons
Different conversational modes	Responses could be faster
Provides accurate information
Credits sources

Try Microsoft Bing AI

2. Perplexity AI

Perplexity AI is a ChatGPT alternative that has also been trained on OpenAI’s API and, as such, performs well with good responses. The website itself has been packaged in a minimalist manner and is simple to use. The tool offers ChatGPT-like functionality, including the ability to hold conversations and provide simple to nuanced responses. However, unlike ChatGPT, Perplexity even cites the sources it is using to answer your queries.

Whenever asked something, the AI cites the source at the end of every sentence, like Wikipedia, and actually derives from it too. In the time I used the AI, I looked through the sources to spot copy-pasting but could find none. So it’s good to see Perplexity is doing its due diligence.

I had a variety of conversations with this chatbot, and it was able to hold its own without sounding confused. Perplexity even comes with a GPT-4 powered co-pilot mode that can respond with clarifying questions and help narrow the search. There is a neat dark mode on the website, so there’s that.

Key Features: Cites sources, Actionable results, Good for product recommendations, Features GPT-4 mode, Upload files

Pros	Cons
Holds good conversations without being confused	Might accidentally copy from sources
Cites sources with answers	No additional features
Minimalist website layout	Can’t remember past responses

Try Perplexity AI (Android/iOS)

3. Google Bard AI

Ever since ChatGPT went viral, a lot of users had their eye on Google. While the company was silent for a long time since it was concerned about the potential misuse of its chatbot AI, Google recently opened the gates. For those unaware, Google Bard is an experimental conversational AI service. Bard is powered by Google’s latest PaLM 2 LLM, Google’s own next-generation language and conversational model.

While it was only limited to a few people, you can now use Google Bard right now without delay. The company is even bringing generative AI to search, which will be a game changer. You will soon see quick answers to questions at the top of search results. Not to mention, you can also upload images to Google Bard now.

Google Bard piqued our curiosity, so we crafted a ChatGPT vs Bard battle and things got interesting. We even compared Google Bard vs MS Bing Chat and Bard performs differently than you would expect. Check the comparisons out and tell us if you plan to use this ChatGPT alternative.

Key Features: Upload images, Chat history, Powered by the latest PaLM 2 model, Export to Docs, Colab, Powerful coding and reasoning capability, Multilingual model, Implicit Code Execution

Pros	Cons
Fast response time	Previously plagiarised content from websites
Upload Images	Doesn’t provide sources

Try Google Bard

4. Jasper Chat

Jasper has been in the AI content generation business for some time now and has been well-accepted among users. However, apart from its content generation features and other services, Jasper also has a relatively new chatbot.

Aptly named Jasper Chat, this ChatGPT alternative is also based on GPT 3.5, among more language models, and has OpenAI as its partner. However, unlike ChatGPT, which can effectively be used by anyone, JasperChat has been built for businesses like advertising, marketing, and such.

According to the company, Jasper Chat has learned from billions of articles and other pieces of information before mid-2021 in 29 languages. So while it might not include the most recent information, it can still hold medium to complex conversations. There is also a convenient toggle to include Google search data that lends it more power.

Jasper Chat itself is free, but you require Jasper’s Boss or Business plan to access all the features. The Boss Plan starts at $59 per month. It’s not exactly cheap, but it also gives you access to all of Jasper’s services. Get the 5-day trial to see if it fits you.

Key Features: Powered by OpenAI models, Expansive knowledge till mid-2021, Remembers conversation, Plagiarism free output, Supports 29 languages

Pros	Cons
Can hold intelligent conversations	Locked behind an expensive paywall
A boon for marketers and working professionals	Slightly old dataset

Try Jasper Chat

5. Chatsonic

Chatsonic is one of the newest and quite expansive ChatGPT alternatives that has been making the rounds lately. It has been built on top of ChatGPT and hence, inherits its vast potential. However, this AI chatbot comes backed by more features and broader knowledge as it can access the Internet, which is something the former still can’t do.

The ability to output answers using internet results gives Chatsonic the ability to dissipate correct information, making it a bit less prone to errors. The AI chatbot also remembers conversations and draws on them to continue the flow. It even comes with 16 different personas, ranging from an accountant to a poet, in case you feel like having a conversation with different people.

Besides text, Chatsonic also has a built-in image generator that makes decent images out of the prompts you give. While the bot is not free, it gives you 25 free generations every day. Moreover, you can make use of this impressive ChatGPT alternative using its browser extension and an Android app.

Key Features: Offers GPT-4 model, Image creation, Voice command, Translation, Character-based chat, Internet access

Pros	Cons
Internet access brings broader knowledge	Only 25 free generations
Different personas bring variety to conversations
Companion browser extension and Android app
Can read the response back

Try ChatSonic

6. Claude 2

ChatGPT has no shortage of rivals in the AI space. Enter Claude 2, an upgraded AI chatbot by the company Anthropic. The company has been backed by Google, making it an OpenAI competitor. Claude doesn’t use an LLM model in the traditional sense. It instead uses a collection of what it calls “proprietary AI techniques” that include a neural network, training data, and more. This is focused more on natural conversation. This makes Claude a helpful, harmless, and honest bot for use.

While initially accessible only through Slack, Claude is now available through a website to users in the U.S. and the U.K.

Besides that, however, Claude is capable of a lot, including writing complex content and code, solving riddles, telling jokes, general conversations, and more. It even comes with the option to attach files to extract text from them. However, do note that Claude 2 cannot access the Internet and is limited by its data.

Claude is free to use right now for users in select countries. Try it out and let us know what you think.

Key Features: 100k context window, Can load libraries of books, comparable to the GPT-4 model, Upload PDF files, Cheaper than GPT-4, Safe to use LLM

Pros	Cons
Fully free to use for now	Limited Availability
Quick response time

Try Claude 2

7. Llama 2

After the success of Llama, Meta launched Llama 2 to the open-source community. This time, the company has released both pre-trained and fine-tuned models ranging from 7B to 70B parameters. It supports a context length of 4096 tokens. In comparison to its older model, Llama 2 has double the context length and is trained on 2 trillion tokens.

In terms of abilities, Llama 2 has a strong hold on reasoning and coding. However, in the HumanEval benchmark, it is significantly behind GPT-4 and even GPT-3.5 models. To sum up, among all the open-source models, Llama 2 is one of the most powerful foundational models that gives tough competition to ChatGPT. You should definitely try it and see if Llama 2 can replace ChatGPT for you.

Key Features: Best among open-source models, Trained on 7B to 70B parameters, Context length 4096 tokens, Comparable to GPT-3.5, Expertise in reasoning and coding

Pros	Cons
Free and open-source	Poor HumanEval performance
Very good at reasoning and coding
Fast performance

Try Llama 2

8. HuggingChat

One of the best open-source ChatGPT alternatives, HuggingChat is an AI chatbot that has been created by HuggingFace, one of the premier websites hosting many AI services. This chatbot is based on the Meta AI (LLaMA) language model, which hosts about 65 billion parameters. What may seem moderate doesn’t stop HuggingChat from being any less efficient.

HuggingChat can do everything ChatGPT would. It can write interesting blog posts and jokes, curate HTML code for websites, give you recipes, and much more. There is also a handy toggle to enable web access. Once done, the AI bot can search the Internet and respond back with even more contextual information. Try out this ChatGPT alternative the next time the former goes down.

Key Features: Decent general-purpose model, Supports web access, Good for coding, Powered by Meta’s open-source models

Pros	Cons
Fast and snappy replies	Fewer parameters than ChatGPT
Can perform a variety of functions

Try HuggingChat

9. Pi, your personal AI

Among all the other ChatGPT alternatives, Pi is possibly the only one that will provide you with a different experience altogether. Based on being a supportive and smart AI, Pi is a chatbot that follows a unique design. Instead of full-blown chats, conversations on Pi happen dialogue by dialogue. What makes it more interesting is that Pi is also one of the only assistants that talk back. The website has four different voices to choose from, and each one is eerily realistic and oddly comforting.

Pi starts the conversation itself and tries to glean in every message you send. Speaking something about how a therapist would, the ChatGPT alternative is quite inquisitive and tries to comfort the user. While it can get tedious if you keep talking, Pi is one of the best ChatGPT alternatives out there. However, you need an account and a working phone number to sign up which can be a downside for some. Nonetheless, check it out.

Key Features: Personal AI chatbot, Speaks like a therapist, Engaging and conversational

Pros	Cons
Quite effective at mental health conversations	Needs a phone number to sign up
Realistic and comforting voice

Try Pi, your personal AI

10. GitHub Copilot X

Students are not the only ones who can benefit from tools like ChatGPT. Github Copilot X is the company’s solution for programmers who find themselves at their wit’s end. Copilot is based on the concept of auto-completion but goes much further than that. As such the tool helps programmers by suggesting and completing code and entire functions in real-time. Consider Copilot X as a tool to help with programmers’ block.

Github Copilot is on OpenAI’s latest GPT-4 model and has been trained on millions of lines of code. Copilot is compatible with all popular coding editors platforms, including VS Code, Visual Studio, Neovim, and JetBrains. This intuitive ChatGPT alternative can also generate syntax in various languages, including Javascript, PHP, BASH, and more.

GitHub has also introduced chat and voice for Copilot, which will give users a ChatGPT-like experience, and even GitHub Copilot Voice, where developers can verbally give natural language prompts. You can simply ask Copilot X for code improvements, and it will suggest them in real-time.

Besides writing code, Copilot X can give users an in-depth analysis and explanations of code blocks through the power of GPT-4. It supports pull requests, answers questions on docs, and provides a personalized developer experience. Copilot is priced at 10$ per month for individuals and $19 per user per month for businesses.

Key Features: Powered by GPT-4, Great coding model for developers, Supports numerous IDEs, Autocomplete code, Write test functions, Supports GitHub functionalities, Debug code

Pros	Cons
Helps generate code	Cannot write perfect code
Provides in-depth analysis and explanation of code	Tad expensive
ChatGPT-like experience with coding

Try Github Copilot X

11. OpenAI Playground

From the start, it is worth noting that OpenAI Playground is a tool not meant for daily users. However, if you find yourself locked out of ChatGPT and still want a taste of its capabilities, OpenAI Playground is the way to go. This web-based tool works like ChatGPT but provides much more advanced options, including the ability to select a specific language model to experiment with. Once you have selected the model, you can tinker with other factors such as the model’s randomness, number of tokens, frequency penalty, stop sequences, and more.

Since OpenAI Playground is simply a demo version of the ChatGPT service, its outputs are on par with ChatGPT and give a good feel of the actual service. You can try out some cool ChatGPT prompts mentioned in this article. This chatbot demo also supports speech-to-text inputs, and you can even upload an audio recording.

Unlike some AI bots, Playground doesn’t slow down and responds on the fly. It’s also free to use, provided you sign up for an account. However, do be aware that you might lose access, just like ChatGPT, if the server is in high demand.

Key Features: Lots of model customizations, Access to various models, Upload audio recording, Free to use

Pros	Cons
Spoiled for choice with language learning models	Not for everyday users
ChatGPT level accuracy and response speed

Try OpenAI Playground

12. Quora Poe

Introduced in early 2023, Poe by Quora is not an AI itself but more of a platform where you can talk to AI bots. Poe stands for ‘Platform for Open Exploration.’ True to its name, Quora Poe is a place where users can talk to and experiment with various kinds of AI chatbots. Quora mentions that Poe lets people ask questions, get instant answers, and have back-and-forth conversations with several AI-powered bots.

For those thinking that Poe is an AI chatbot that is going to use the question-answer data on Quora, you can rest easy as that’s not the case. Poe’s website is neatly packaged and currently provides users to talk with AIs like Sage, ChatGPT, Dragonfly, and even GPT-4 and Claude+. However, access is limited for the last two, so you must get a subscription for the same.

Quora Poe works extremely well and has little to no downtime while you talk away with the various AI bots. However, you do need to create an account to access it. Thankfully, you don’t need to create separate accounts for all services, so that’s the bright side. If you’re the sort who loves all these ChatGPT-like tools but can’t be bothered to open them all, Poe can be your one-stop platform for them.

Key Features: One-stop platform for various models, Supports GPT-4, Claude, and more, Easy to use, No downtime

Pros	Cons
All-in-one platform to access almost all AI bots	Limited access to GPT-4
Little to no downtime

Try Quora Poe (iOS/Android)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are AI Chatbots?

For those unaware, AI chatbots are virtual programs and apps designed to simulate human conversation. To break it down even further, AI chatbots make users feel like they’re talking to another human instead of bots. Ever since the rise of ChatGPT, AI chatbots have vastly increased in quantity. Besides talking, AI chatbots can do a lot of other things, including writing essays, solving calculations, and more. As mentioned in the piece, a lot of ChatGPT alternatives here function as full-fledged AI chatbots. So you can go ahead and have conversations with these bots and have them respond in kind.

2. Is There Any Alternative to ChatGPT?

There are, in fact, a lot of alternatives to ChatGPT in 2023. From the list above, you might have deduced that no matter which field you’re in, an AI chatbot will suit your needs. Whether it’s a ChatGPT alternative for coders, writers, or even people with simple search engine queries, there’s something for everyone. While alternatives like Tome for presentation or Bard for conversation, you will find plenty of ChatGPT alternatives.

3. Is There a Free Version of ChatGPT?

ChatGPT itself is free to use and experiment with by anyone. However, users who want to try out the new GPT-4 model must pay $20 monthly to access it. This will not only give them a better language model but no downtime. Check out how to get access to GPT-4 right now and get started.

4. Is There Any Other Tool like ChatGPT?

As mentioned above, there are plenty of tools like ChatGPT you can try. If you’re a user strictly interested in an AI chatbot like ChatGPT, then check out Chatsonic and Jasper Chat from the list above and begin chatting with these ChatGPT alternatives.

5. What Is Google Equivalent of ChatGPT?

Google has worked on a number of different language models in the past. The list includes models like BERT, MUM, and LaMDA. However, Google’s latest and most fitting ChatGPT equivalent is Bard. As mentioned above, Google Bard is an experimental conversational AI service. Do keep in mind that Bard itself is not a language model but instead based on a lightweight version of LaMDA. Google Bard also has access to the Internet, which is something even ChatGPT cannot do. However, this ChatGPT equivalent isn’t fully out yet, so you will have to wait to access it.