Have you ever been close to buying the paid version of ChatGPT but weren’t sure if it’s worth the money? As AI tools like ChatGPT become more common, it’s important for students, teachers, and researchers to understand their full capabilities. In this article, we will provide you with all the details about the ChatGPT Plus subscription so you can make an informed choice and answer the question: Is ChatGPT Plus worth it for students?
What is ChatGPT Plus?
ChatGPT Plus is the top-tier version of OpenAI’s large language model, ChatGPT. Unlike the free version, this subscription service comes with extra features you pay for each month. So, what makes it special, and should students consider taking a subscription? Let’s take a clear look at its features, evaluate its price, and understand how it can help you with your studies.
How Much Does ChatGPT Plus Cost?
ChatGPT Plus is priced at around $20 per month. This subscription fee unlocks the advanced capabilities of GPT-4, setting ChatGPT Plus apart from its free version. While the price may be an issue for students on a tight budget, the range of advanced features offered by ChatGPT Plus could justify the investment for those who require extensive use of AI tools in their academic career.
Comparing Free v.s Paid
To make an informed choice between the free version of ChatGPT and ChatGPT Plus, it’s important to know their differences. The free version uses the GPT-3.5 model, offering good functionality but with some limits in quality and access to new information. ChatGPT Plus runs on the newer GPT-4.0 model, bringing enhanced features and better performance. Let’s dive into a side-by-side comparison of these two models and see whether the ChatGPT 4 version is worth it for students.
| Feature | GPT-3.5 | GPT-4 |
|---|---|---|
| Training Data | Trained on data up to June 2021. | Includes data up to April 2023, with some newer information. |
| Parameters | 175 billion parameters. | Over 1 trillion parameters, enhancing complexity and understanding. |
| Accuracy | Impressive linguistic abilities but more prone to errors. | Reduced hallucinations and 40% more likely to produce factual responses compared to GPT-3.5. |
| Context Awareness | Limited to handling simpler prompts. | Improved in handling complex prompts with multiple factors. |
| Context Window | Short-term memory of about 3,000 words. | Expanded memory, retaining about 25,000 words of conversation. |
| Response Time | Typically faster response time. | Slower in delivering larger, complex responses due to increased context window. |
| Coding Capabilities | Basic code writing, less effective in iteration and debugging. | Advanced in understanding and improving code, more effective in fixing errors. |
| Visual-Textual Interactions | Primarily a text tool. | Can understand, respond and create images, enhancing its application scope. |
| Safety | Basic safety mechanisms in place. | 82% less likely to produce disallowed content compared to GPT-3.5. |
Free Alternative Options
It’s important for students and teachers to look at AI tools other than ChatGPT Plus to make sure they find the one that works best for them. Here are four good options that are mostly free and similar to ChatGPT:
- Perplexity AI
- We highly recommend Perplexity AI, because it combines real-time data from the internet with AI responses. With this technology, it can also verify its own answers (something that would otherwise require a ChatGPT Plus subscription). While it already has more than enough capabilities, it also offers a premium with more advanced features.
- UPDATE 4 Jan 2024: Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, decided to invest in this AI start-up to start battling with Google!
- Google Bard AI
- Google’s Bard AI, powered by the PaLM 2 large language model, presents a free alternative to ChatGPT Plus. Bard AI excels at writing articles, solving math problems, and helping with language learning. Its internet connection keeps it current with the latest trends.
- UPDATE 6 december 2023: Google just announced the launch of their new Gemini AI-model. Google claims the model is is its “most capable” AI model ever. As of the time of writing, the Gemini model 1.0 is now integrated into Bard instead of the PaLM 2 LLM and is free to use. Google claims that the output of this model is superior to OpenAI’s GPT 3.5 version.
- Note: Gemini might not be available yet for certain countries, please check the Gemini website to see if it is available in your area.
- Copilot
- Copilot (or Bing Chat which it was called before) is another free AI chatbot that uses OpenAI’s GPT-4 technology. It merges GPT-generated results with Microsoft’s technology, providing factual and up-to-date responses. Its integration with live internet data makes it highly relevant for users needing real-time information. Not too long ago, Bing also added DALL·E 3 integration to the tool, even though ChatGPT requires a Plus subscription to access this feature. For an in-depth review of Copilot’s capabilities, we refer you to this article.
- Claude
- Claude, developed by Anthropic AI, is both an AI chatbot and the name for the underlying Large Language Models (LLMs) that power it. The model is trained to have natural, text-based conversations, and it excels in tasks like summarization, editing, Q&A, decision-making, code-writing, and more. Claude stands out for its 100K token input limit which is significantly higher than ChatGPT’s token limit. One downside is that Claude is currently only available in a few countries, including the US and the UK, but not in the Netherlands. Users in other regions may need a VPN connection to access Claude.
Recommendation:
Each of these tools can be used for free and have distinct advantages that could be more suitable for certain applications than ChatGPT Plus. As a result, we strongly advise you to try these options before determining whether a ChatGPT plus subscription appeals to you.
Practical Applications in Academia
In research, ChatGPT Plus can assist in the first stages of gathering resources and formulating research questions for your thesis, making the process much smoother. It could for example help you with writing your thesis introduction or with your data analysis.
TIP:
Take a look at the ResearchGPT tool from Consensus that allows users to find answers, search for papers, and draft content grounded in scientific research by searching their database of 200M+ papers directly within the ChatGPT interface (note: only available for ChatGPT Plus users).
Pros and Cons of ChatGPT Plus
Advantages
- Advanced AI Capabilities: GPT-4 is trained on 1.7 trillion parameters, significantly enhancing its ability to recognize complex patterns and provide higher quality responses. GPT-4 output has proven to be significantly superior to GPT-3.5 output.
- Visual-Textual Collaboration: With DALL·E 3 integration, ChatGPT Plus allows users to create art and visual aids, which can improve educational processes.
- Up-to-date Information: The ‘Browse with Bing’ feature addresses the knowledge cutoff issue, enabling the tool to access current information, crucial for research.
- Advanced Data Analytics: ChatGPT Plus can analyze and visualize data, assisting in more informed decision-making.
- Availability of Plugins: Plugins, like Canva or Expedia, are additional tools you can use inside ChatGPT. They allow ChatGPT do perform tasks beyond its basic functions. When you have the Plus subscription, you can access thousands of useful plugins within ChatGPT.
- Priority Access to New Features: Subscribers get early access to new features and improvements, staying ahead in utilizing AI advancements. For instance, the recently introduced customized GPT’s and the upcoming GPT store.
Limitations
- Limited Number of Prompts: While GPT-4 allows for longer and higher quality responses, there is a cap on the number of messages you can send (50 every three hours).
- There are free alternatives: Even though ChatGPT Plus has a ton of additional features, there are free options like the ones listed above that work just as well. Make sure to check our website regularly as we will soon be providing a more thorough overview of free ChatGPT alternatives!
- Cost: The subscription fee of 20$ (€22,50) may be a consideration for students with limited budgets.
- Over-reliance Risk: Relying too much on AI tools like ChatGPT Plus could affect how students learn on their own.
Additional Insight:
Think of ChatGPT Plus as a central point for diverse AI tools, offering what you might find across various other websites in one user-friendly interface. Keep in mind that the quality of other AI tools might differ. Also, with thousands of new AI tools being introduced every week, it becomes challenging to find and be aware of every alternative AI tool that could be used instead of ChatGPT Plus.
Making an Informed Decision
When deciding whether ChatGPT Plus is the right tool for your academic needs, consider the following:
- Assess Your Requirements: Reflect on how often you would use the advanced features of ChatGPT Plus and whether these features align with your academic goals.
- Budget Considerations: Evaluate if the subscription cost fits within your budget and if the benefits justify the expense.
- Explore Alternatives: Look into free alternatives to see if they meet your needs before choosing for the paid subscription.
- Experiment for Yourself: We highly recommend experimenting with the ChatGPT Plus subscription yourself to explore all its capabilities and improvements compared to the free version. You always have the option to cancel the subscription after one month if it doesn’t meet your expectations
Conclusion
In conclusion, ChatGPT Plus has more to offer than the free version, which could improve learning for students. But, whether it’s worth it depends on your specific needs, how much you use it, and your budget. At Tilburg.ai, we focus on advising about AI in education. We hope our insights help you choose if ChatGPT Plus is right for your studies. Remember, the right tools can really boost your learning experience, but learning is always a personal and active process that takes time and effort.
Important:
“AI isn’t here to take your place, but keep in mind, people who use AI better than you might get ahead“.
FAQ Section
- How much money does a ChatGPT Plus subscription cost? The subscription costs 20$ per month (€22,50).
- Can I use ChatGPT Plus for exam preparation? While helpful, it should complement traditional study methods and not be the sole resource (see also: Preparing for your exams with ChatGPT)
- Is there a trial period for ChatGPT Plus? Currently, ChatGPT Plus does not offer a trial period, but you can cancel the subscription any time.
- Can I cancel my ChatGPT Plus subscription anytime? You may cancel your subscription at any time. Click “My Account” in the sidebar. Then click “Manage my subscription” in the pop-up window. You’ll be directed to a Stripe checkout page where you can select “Cancel Plan”.
- Can I share my ChatGPT Plus account with others? Account sharing is not recommended as it may violate OpenAI’s terms of service.
