ChatGPT Plus vs. Free: My In-depth Experience and Comparisons

I’ve been using ChatGPT since its early days, from when it was free to its paid version, which I now use daily. It’s an incredible tool that truly demonstrates the power of AI. I remember my first time using it – a truly magical experience. Since then, I’ve been a frequent paid user. In this article, I’ll break down ChatGPT Plus, compare it with the free version using real-world examples, and share my in-depth experience to help you decide if it’s worth the investment.

Understanding ChatGPT and ChatGPT Plus

ChatGPT is a free AI tool by OpenAI, Inc., a company with a unique structure. It’s a for-profit entity but operates under a non-profit organization. This was set up to balance the high cost of operating AI with their commitment to ethical AI development. This may explain why, compared to other online products I’ve used, ChatGPT Plus doesn’t seem too expensive.

When ChatGPT first came out, it was free. But as its popularity grew worldwide, OpenAI needed a way to cover the substantial daily computing costs. Hence, they introduced a $20 monthly plan with perks like:

• ChatGPT access during busy hours
• Faster response times
• First dibs on new features and upgrades

These benefits might not seem clear if you’re new to it. No worries – I’ll illustrate these with real-life experiences.

ChatGPT Plus Feature: Access to GPT4 and GPT 3.5

Upgrading to ChatGPT Plus unlocks GPT4, a vast improvement from GPT3.5. It now excels in tasks like solving complex mathematical problems, which was a challenge for its predecessor. Not only can you access GPT4 as a paid user, but you also have access to GPT3.5.

ChatGPT4: Advanced Reasoning Capabilities

What sets GPT4 apart? It uses a method called “Chain-of-Thought” prompting. This means it can take complex tasks and break them down into simpler steps, making multi-step reasoning tasks easier.

I tested it out using a logic problem:

There were four gold coins on the table. After a few days, all the coins were gone. To talk about this, four people, named A, B, C, and D, gathered. A spoke up to B, C, and D, saying, “I think we all took the coins.” B responded, “I’m not sure.” C shared, “I don’t think any of us took them.” D remained silent throughout the conversation. It’s worth noting that none of the four people told lies. Who among them took the gold coins, and how many coins did each person take?

Let’s see how ChatGPT3.5 solved this problem:

Let’s analyze the statements made by each person and deduce who took the gold coins.

A said, “I think we all took the coins.” Since A is stating that everyone took the coins, we can conclude that A took at least one coin.

B responded, “I’m not sure.” This statement doesn’t provide any conclusive information. We cannot determine whether B took any coins or not based on this response.

C shared, “I don’t think any of us took them.” C states that none of them took the coins. Since we know that A took at least one coin, C’s statement contradicts A’s claim. Therefore, C must be lying, which means C took some coins.

D remained silent throughout the conversation, so we cannot infer any information about their involvement in taking the coins.

Based on the information above, we can deduce that A and C took the gold coins. However, we cannot determine how many coins each person took from the given information.

As you can see, ChatGPT3.5 couldn’t solve this complex logical problem. Let’s try it out with ChatGPT4, here’s its answer:

Given that none of the four people told lies, we can deduce the following:

• A thinks they all took coins, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that each one took a coin.
• B is not sure, which implies they can’t confirm or deny if they took a coin, suggesting that B might have taken at least one.
• C doesn’t think any of them took the coins. If C took a coin, they would know that at least someone (themselves) took the coins, so we can assume that C didn’t take any coins.
• D remains silent, neither confirming nor denying any coins were taken by them, implying D might have taken at least one.

Taking all these statements into account, a possible solution could be:

• A took one coin (because they stated that they all took the coins, implying A took at least one coin)
• B took one coin (because they didn’t deny taking any)
• C took no coins (based on their statement)
• D took two coins (because there are two coins left and D’s silence leaves the possibility of them taking more than one)

This results in all four coins being accounted for, fitting with the statements made by A, B, C, and D.

You can see very clearly how it breaks down complex problems to get the right answer step by step.

Chat GPT4: More Reliable Answers

One common criticism of ChatGPT is its tendency to spew gibberish, but GPT4 has significantly improved on this. People often use this question to distinguish between ChatGPT3.5 and ChatGPT4.

Why my parents didn’t invite me to their wedding？

ChatGPT3.5 would answer like this:

I’m sorry to hear that you weren’t invited to your parents’ wedding. As an AI, I don’t have access to personal information about you or your family, so I can’t provide a specific reason for their decision. However, there could be various factors that contributed to this situation.

1. Communication: There may have been a breakdown in communication between your parents and yourself. It’s possible they assumed you were aware of the wedding and didn’t realize you wanted to be invited. It’s important to express your feelings and concerns to them to gain a better understanding of their decision.
2. Intimacy or privacy: Some couples prefer to have a small, intimate wedding with only close family and friends. They may have chosen to keep the event limited to a select group of people, and unfortunately, you weren’t included in that group.
3. Personal reasons: While it may be disappointing, there could be personal reasons behind their decision that are unrelated to you. They might have had their own reasons for keeping the wedding small or private.
4. Unresolved issues: If there are unresolved conflicts or strained relationships within your family, it’s possible that these factors influenced their decision not to invite you. However, it’s important to approach this possibility with sensitivity and open communication to address any underlying issues.

It’s essential to have an open and honest conversation with your parents to understand their perspective and express your feelings. Clear communication can help bring clarity and potentially resolve any misunderstandings.

Clearly, ChatGPT3.5 found this problem, which is commonly understood by humans, difficult to comprehend.

ChatGPT4 could come up with a better answer:

Your question assumes that you are asking about a hypothetical situation, since typically children are born after their parents’ wedding. If you’re asking this question about a unique situation, such as a vow renewal ceremony or a wedding after a previous divorce or separation, then the reasons could be varied.

1. It might be a small, intimate ceremony with just the couple and the officiant.
2. They might be trying to reduce potential stress or tension, especially if there are complex family dynamics at play.
3. They might think that you wouldn’t be interested or that it wouldn’t be an appropriate environment for you.
4. It could be a financial consideration; perhaps they are trying to keep costs down by limiting the guest list.
5. It might be a legal consideration, depending on the laws of the country or state where the wedding is taking place.

In any case, it’s probably best to speak with your parents directly about this. Open, honest communication is usually the best way to understand their motivations and express your feelings.

ChatGPT4’s success is mainly due to OpenAI’s continued development and incorporation of user feedback. As more people use it, the AI’s ability to deliver factual responses will keep improving.

Chat GPT4: Larger Context

ChatGPT4 can handle over 25,000 words of text, which means users can interact more and input complex tasks. This longer word limit leads to more potential applications.

For example, the expanded limit enables the creation of longer, more in-depth articles, essays, and reports.

This is a huge plus for content creators. It also improves ChatGPT4’s document analysis ability, making it a valuable tool for fields like law and academia.

Chat GPT4: Improved Creativity

ChatGPT4 is a remarkable step up, especially when it comes to writing. Whether it’s creative or technical, it displays a deeper understanding of rhythm and thematic consistency. It can help you craft songs, write scripts, and pen poems.

But don’t just take my word for it, here’s a task I gave to GPT4:

Comparing GPT4’s response to that of GPT3.5, you’ll notice a clear difference.

GPT4 has a better understanding of context and adapts to your style, offering professional and creative suggestions. It’s also handy for technical tasks, like writing documentation or technical specifications.

ChatGPT Plus Feature: Bing Search and Plugins

One major advantage of ChatGPT Plus is its ability to access real-time information. It does this through Bing’s search engine. For instance, if I wanted to know how many Apple shares I could buy with $10,000 without an internet connection, ChatGPT’s response would be less accurate.

But with internet access, it would calculate based on the current stock price.

Plus, users can enhance ChatGPT’s functionality with plugins from the store. For instance, if ChatGPT is struggling with a specialized question, the Wolfram plugin can provide reliable answers from a verified database.

In my previous post, I asked ChatGPT a question about the population growth and growth rate of China compared to the US in the last 50 years. Now, I’m curious about how well ChatGPT+Bing performs without the Wolfram plugin. As you can see in the image below, ChatGPT tried its best, but the initial answers didn’t meet the requirements because it couldn’t access immediate data on the US population. In the following attempts, it started giving irrelevant information again.

However, once the Wolfram plugin was installed, ChatGPT used it twice to obtain population statistics for both China and the US. The answers it provided were clear and precise. Additionally, I requested ChatGPT to generate some charts to visually represent the data.

The Wolfram plugin is just one example of the powerful plugins available. There are several others that enhance ChatGPT’s capabilities. For instance, the VoxScript plugin enables searching for Youtube video scripts, the ScholarAI plugin allows searching scientific papers, and the Show Me Diagrams plugin can generate charts and diagrams. These plugins provide a wide range of functionalities to make ChatGPT more versatile and helpful.

ChatGPT Plus Feature: Faster response

In terms of response time, Plus users get quicker replies from ChatGPT 3.5. One YouTuber even tested it, asking three questions that were originally displayed on the access screen (explaining quantum computing in simple terms, suggesting creative ideas for a 10-year-old’s birthday party, and explaining how to make an HTTP request in JavaScript).

During all three tests, ChatGPT Plus demonstrated better responsiveness compared to regular ChatGPT.

Additionally, Plus users do not face any issues of unavailability, even during peak hours. Personally, I have not experienced any instances of unavailability myself.

Limitations of ChatGPT Plus

While ChatGPT Plus offers many advantages, it also has certain limitations.

One downside is a limit on the number of requests per period. Currently, it’s capped at 50 requests every three hours, which can be an inconvenience for heavy users like me.

Also, sometimes ChatGPT4 can be a bit too verbose, which affects reading efficiency. Therefore, it is beneficial to use prompt words or phrases to convey your specific requirements more concisely and precisely. This helps maintain the effectiveness of the interaction.

Conclusion: Is ChatGPT Plus Worth It?

For those who want uninterrupted access without upgrading, you can try OpenAI Playground. It’s similar to ChatGPT and allows customization and testing of different models. Once you create an account, you’ll receive an $18 credit valid for 3 months.

But even ChatGPT Plus users can’t use GPT4 in the Playground. To do so, you have to join a waitlist. If you find that the API price exceeds $20 per month, then upgrading to Plus makes sense. Also, if you need the networking and plugin functions, consider upgrading.

In conclusion, Upgrading to ChatGPT Plus may not be the right fit for everyone, as it largely depends on individual needs and usage patterns. If you’re a casual user, the free version might suffice. But for those who frequently engage with ChatGPT or require real-time data access and specialized input, ChatGPT Plus could be a game-changer.

The advancement of AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, continues to revolutionize how we interact with information and express our ideas. As we embrace this digital age, the potential for AI to augment our creativity and productivity is only increasing.

To keep up with the latest advancements, stay informed and open-minded. AI is not a replacement for human intelligence, but a tool to enhance it. It’s exciting to think about where the future of AI might take us, and how it will continue to transform our daily lives and interactions.