You know me - I can't resist poking around when a new tool shows up. And since both ChatGPT and Perplexity are now on WhatsApp, I decided to do a real-world test. Just a casual chat, no "professional reviewer" energy here.
Quick Guide: How to Get Them on WhatsApp
If you want to start chatting with them too, here’s how:
Perplexity on WhatsApp:
-
Save this number in your contacts: +1 (833) 436-3285
-
Open WhatsApp, start a chat, and just type your question!
ChatGPT on WhatsApp:
-
Save this number in your contacts: +1 (800) 242-8478
-
Open WhatsApp, start a chat, and explore what they can do!
Both services are free , and super easy to use. (No app download, no weird setup.)
First Impressions: Who’s More Fun to Text With?
ChatGPT: Right off the bat, super friendly. Sent me a cheerful "Hey! How's it going?" with emojis. Gave me a neat little list of things it could help with (answering questions, creative writing, solving problems, etc.). Felt like texting a smart, very polite friend.
Perplexity: Also friendly, but much more "nerd in the best way." I said "hiii," and before answering anything else, it told me with a source, no less - why people write "hiii" instead of "hi." (Yes, really.)
Verdict:
-
ChatGPT = Chatty buddy.
-
Perplexity = Helpful nerd.
Asking About New Features: Who Actually Answered Me?
ChatGPT: At first, it said it didn't know about upcoming features. Cool, fair. But then, when I pushed a little, it dropped a giant list of platform updates: shopping features, voice mode, deep research agent, new reasoning model...
Only problem? These updates were about ChatGPT in general, not about WhatsApp. :(
Perplexity: Straight to the point. It confirmed yes, new features are coming specifically for Perplexity on WhatsApp, according to the CEO. No major spoilers yet, but it mentioned the current abilities (quick answers, summaries, image generation) and hinted that more features are in the works.
Verdict:
-
ChatGPT = Not specific.
-
Perplexity = Short, sweet, and actually answered the question.
Fun Test Questions: Battle of the Brains
| Question | ChatGPT | Perplexity |
|---|---|---|
| Surprising chocolate fact | Explained cacao beans were currency; sourced The Daily Meal. | Same fact, but sourced English Heritage (better source!). |
| Why is the sunset red? | Very clean, friendly 3-sentence explanation. Named Rayleigh scattering. | Same answer, even more source links. |
| Major AI news this week | Covered AI ethics, OpenAI updates, workplace AI. | Focused on big factual news: Microsoft scams, Manus AI funding, Google search updates. |
Both answered correctly, but they have different personalities:
-
ChatGPT = Feels more like storytelling.
-
Perplexity = Feels more like bullet points from a super smart news bot.
And the winner is?
Right now? ChatGPT feels better for me.
It’s easier to talk to, gives more natural answers, and just fits better into how I actually use WhatsApp.
That said, Perplexity has some seriously cool features on the way.
But let's be honest - ChatGPT will probably release the same features a week later and pretend it invented them. 😅
So for now, I'm sticking mostly with ChatGPT - but keeping an eye on Perplexity.
Have you already tried them? Which one did you like more? Drop your thoughts in the comments or send me a "hiii"! (Yes, with three i's.) 😊
