Bing Chat, ChatGPT, Chatsonic, Google Bard AI: an Analysis of Commercial LLM Chatbots

Key Points

• Bing Chat, ChatGPT, Chatsonic, and Google Bard AI are large language models (LLMs) that provide conversational text-based chatbots.
• Each chatbot has different platforms, with ChatGPT and Chatsonic being web-based and accessible through various browsers, while Bing Chat is only available on Microsoft Edge.
• ChatGPT and Chatsonic offer premium versions with additional features, while Google Bard AI and Bing Chat are entirely free.
• Registration is required for ChatGPT, Chatsonic, and Google Bard AI, but Bing Chat does not require registration.
• Bing Chat has the most restrictive query limit, with 30 turns per conversation and 300 total turns per day, while ChatGPT and Google Bard AI have no query limits.

Large language models, or LLMs, are all the rage! For better or for worse, this technology has taken the world by storm, and people are using (or misusing!) them for all kinds of purposes, from research to automation to companionship. ChatGPT is probably the most well-known web-based LLM chatbot, but competitor services like Bing Chat, Chatsonic, and Google Bard AI have also been developed and released. Let’s look at these LLM chatbots and determine what makes them similar and different.

Bing Chat, ChatGPT, Chatsonic, and Google Bard AI: Side-by-Side Comparison

Bing Chat, ChatGPT, Chatsonic, and Google Bard AI: What’s the Difference?

Bing Chat, ChatGPT, Chatsonic, and Google Bard AI are all large language models that focus on providing conversational text-based chatbots. They’re designed to simulate human conversation using natural language processing. However, these bots have many differences that separate them. Let’s take a look at those.

Platform

One of the most significant differences between these chatbots is their platform. ChatGPT, Chatsonic, and Google Bard AI are web-based, meaning you can access them through their websites using your web browser of choice. However, Bing Chat is only available using Microsoft Edge. 

Bing Chat

As mentioned, Bing Chat is only available when using the Microsoft Edge browser. The Bing Chat features is an integrated part of the Microsoft Edge browser and cannot be accessed with a web portal. This lack of accessibility makes it quite challenging to recommend Bing Chat to someone since only about 5.28% of internet users worldwide use Microsoft Edge as their preferred browser. Thus, only about 5.28% of users can access Bing Chat without going out of their way to find it by using a browser they don’t prefer.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is accessible through OpenAI’s web portal. Most people recommend using Google Chrome if you want to use ChatGPT since there are hundreds of extensions to improve your ChatGPT experience for Google Chrome. However, ChatGPT is compatible with all major web browsers. It even has a Safari version for iPhone users who want to use the service on their phones.

Chatsonic

Like ChatGPT, Chatsonic is available for all major web browsers. However, unlike ChatGPT, there are no extensions you can use to customize and improve your experience with Chatsonic’s AI. What you see is what you get with Chatsonic.

The only Chatsonic extension you can get is an integration for Google Chrome that allows you to access Chatsonic outside the web portal. This extension is made by Writesonic, the creator of Chatsonic, and includes many of Chatsonic’s features integrated into Google Chrome with the extension. Chatsonic also features an app that mobile users can download to access Chatsonic outside the web portal.

Google Bard AI

Google Bard AI is available through Google’s web portal for the AI. Bard is available for all major web browsers. However, it was not available in all countries when writing this article. If Google Bard AI does not support your country, you won’t be able to access it. However, Google Chrome users may be able to brute force access to some of Bard’s features using the Bard for Google Pro extension in Google Chrome to get search results powered by Google Bard.

Premium Version

With many services providing premium versions that give access to additional features, it makes sense to consider whether the LLM chatbot you’re using has a premium version. ChatGPT and Chatsonic have premium versions you can pay for to get extra features, but Google Bard AI and Bing Chat are entirely free.

Bing Chat

Bing Chat is entirely free. There is no premium version of Bing Chat.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT’s premium version, ChatGPT Plus, is $20/month. ChatGPT Plus features include general access priority to ChatGPT’s platform, including during peak times when access might be restricted to lessen the server load, faster response times, and early access to new features and updates to the platform.

Chatsonic

Chatsonic’s premium version isn’t Chatsonic itself, but the Writesonic application designed as an AI writing tool rather than a simple chatbot. Writesonic is the actual program that the parent company, also named Writesonic, develops. 

Writesonic plans start at $0/month, but the free trial plan is heavily restricted. Starting at $16/month, you can get an unlimited plan, which allows you to generate an “unlimited” amount of written text each month using Writesonic’s platform. “Unlimited” plans are, notably, still restricted by Writesonic’s “Fair Usage Policy.” The Fair Usage Policy states that unusually high usage of the Writesonic platform or sharing login credentials could result in suspending your account. 

Writesonic encourages users who intend to use the platform for high-volume production to choose “more robust” plans. However, when looking at the plans, we can see that the business plan maxes out at 200,000 words per month. Most writers will be able to operate within these parameters, but high-volume writers will want to choose more robust plans that allow them to produce more words. 

Google Bard AI

Google Bard AI is entirely free. There is no premium subscription or version for Google Bard AI.

Registration

Most LLM chatbot services require registration to use them. Bing Chat has no registration requirement, but ChatGPT, Chatsonic, and Google Bard AI require registration to start chatting with the AI. Let’s take a look at the registration requirements for each AI.

Bing Chat

As noted above, Bing Chat requires no registration. Any user of Microsoft Edge can access and use Bing Chat without registration or login credentials.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT requires an OpenAI account to access the chatbot. Required credentials are standard: email, password, and email verification. Once you’ve verified your email, you can start using ChatGPT immediately. Registration for ChatGPT is open to the public.

Chatsonic

Like ChatGPT, Chatsonic requires an account to use the service. The credentials required are the same: email, password, and email verification. Logging in with your provided credentials will grant you access to the Chatsonic platform. Chatsonic’s registration is open to the public.

Google Bard AI

Google Bard AI used to be an invite-only experiment run by Google. However, at Google I/O 2023 in May, Google announced that Bard would be available to the public in over 180 countries. Registration requires an active Google account, but users in countries where Bard is available can register on Bard’s website page.

Query Limit

Chatbots operate on a system of queries and responses. Each query and response puts a load on the server hosting and running the bot. Thus, some services limit the number of queries users can make to reduce the strain of the chatbot’s presence on their servers.

Bing Chat

Bing Chat is the most restrictive chatbot in this list. Each conversation with Bing Chat is limited to just 30 turns per conversation, and the service is limited to 300 total turns per day as of the writing of this article. This limit means that after 30 responses, the user is forced to wipe the bot and start over, and if you reach 300 responses in a day, you can no longer access Bing Chat until your limit resets.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT has no hard limit on queries per day or interaction. However, the service may be unavailable to free users when the server is under heavy load. ChatGPT Plus users have priority during periods of heavy load. However, it is worth noting that ChatGPT Plus does not guarantee you service. It merely grants you higher priority.

Additionally, ChatGPT limits the number of words generated per message. The limit is nebulous, but you can expect to hit the limit within 500 to 750 words in a single message.

Chatsonic

Chatsonic doesn’t have a hard limit on queries. However, Writesonic does have a limit on how many words the service can produce per month. While their paid plans allow for “unlimited” word generation, the limit is based on usage. The unlimited plan doesn’t specify a number of words. It’s left intentionally vague so that Writesonic can ban accounts that overuse the service as they see fit. 

Google Bard AI 

Google Bard AI doesn’t have a query limit or word generation limit.

Bing Chat, ChatGPT, Chatsonic, and Google Bard AI: Which One Should I Use?

From my experience trying and using the above services, I found Google Bard AI to be the most comprehensive and advanced choice. It does have some notable things that could be improved, namely its ability or lack thereof to follow specific instructions. However, Bard had the best conversational flow and the least limitations, making it an ideal choice for someone looking for a free chatbot.

If you’re looking for a free integration of the GPT-4 engine, your best bet is Bing Chat. Bing Chat offers the most accessible access to the GPT-4 engine, albeit very limited, with just 300 daily queries. However, Bing Chat comes free with every Windows machine running Windows 10 or above, as it’s a native integration to Microsoft Edge.

Final Thoughts

Conversational LLM chatbots have captured the world’s attention. No matter whether you think they’re a good or a bad thing, they’re here to stay. So it’s probably best to learn to coexist with them and use them to improve your workflow! There are several chatbots to choose from. These choices above are just some of the many LLM chatbots that can enhance your life!

The image featured at the top of this post is ©TippaPatt/Shutterstock.com.