⚠️ Affiliate Disclosure: This post is not an affiliate associated review. It may become one in the future and this disclosure will reflect that. This does not affect my reviews and I only recommend tools I genuinely believe in.
This ChatGPT review covers the AI assistant most people start with — and many never look beyond. We tested it across writing, research, coding, and brainstorming tasks to give everyday users a clear picture of what it can and can’t do. Here’s our honest take.
Update, September 2026: OpenAI has announced GPT-6 Astra, its new flagship model, rolling out over the coming days to Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise subscribers at no extra cost — with a Pro-grade version for the higher tiers. Notably, the free plan is not mentioned in the rollout: Astra is a paid-tier upgrade. OpenAI’s pitch is markedly better computer use, document and spreadsheet work, and coding. We will retest ChatGPT once Astra reaches our account and update the scores if the verdict changes.
ChatGPT Review
In this ChatGPT review we will tell you about our experience using it and why you should, or should not, use it yourself!
ChatGPT is probably the most talked-about piece of technology since the iPhone. But what is it actually like to use day-to-day? Is the free version good enough, or is it worth paying for ChatGPT Plus? And can everyday people — not just tech experts — get real value from it?
We’ve been using ChatGPT regularly for over a year. Read this ChatGPT review for our honest take.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an AI chatbot made by OpenAI. You type a question or request, and it writes back a response — like texting a very knowledgeable friend. It can answer questions, write emails, summarise documents, help with ideas, explain complicated topics in simple terms, and much more.
It launched in November 2022 and became the fastest-growing app in history, reaching 100 million users in just two months. As of 2026, it’s used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
What Can You Do With ChatGPT?
ChatGPT stopped being just a chatbot a while ago. Here is what it actually does now, with the free-plan limits noted where they matter.
- Hold a conversation about anything — ChatGPT gives unlimited text chats on every plan, including the free one.
- Search the web live — ChatGPT looks things up as you ask and has a built-in browser, on the free plan too.
- Generate images — ChatGPT makes pictures from a description; free users get a limited and slower allowance.
- Read your files — ChatGPT takes a PDF, spreadsheet or photo and answers questions about it, though uploads are capped on Free.
- Talk out loud — ChatGPT’s voice mode works on every plan, with voice-and-video from Go upwards.
- Remember you between chats — ChatGPT carries memory across conversations, limited on Free and longer from Go.
- Do deep research — ChatGPT spends several minutes reading sources and writes up a referenced answer; limited on Free and Go, full on Plus.
- Work through spreadsheets — ChatGPT analyses data and has extensions for Excel, PowerPoint and Google Sheets.
- Teach you something properly — ChatGPT’s Study Mode walks you through a topic step by step rather than just handing over the answer, and it is free on every plan.
- Run custom GPTs and apps — ChatGPT connects to Canva, Spotify and PowerPoint, and anyone can use custom GPTs, though building your own needs Go or above.
ChatGPT Pricing
ChatGPT now has four consumer plans. UK prices are shown before VAT, because that is how OpenAI lists them — 20% is added at checkout, so the figure on your card is higher than the one on the pricing page.
| Plan | UK price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | £0 | Unlimited text chats on GPT-5.6 Luna, web search, and limited images, uploads, memory and deep research |
| Go | About £5/mo + VAT | More messages, uploads and images, longer memory, voice with video, scheduled tasks — but may include ads |
| Plus | £16/mo + VAT (about £19) | Advanced reasoning with GPT-5.6 Sol — and GPT-6 Astra, rolling out from September 2026, full deep research, expanded memory, Sites, record mode, early access to new features |
| Pro | £160/mo + VAT (about £192) | Five to twenty times the usage, GPT-5.6 Sol Pro and GPT-6 Astra Pro as it rolls out, unlimited image creation and the largest context windows |
For most people the free plan is genuinely enough, and it is far more capable than it was a year ago — web search, images, voice and memory are all included in some form. Go is the cheapest step up, but be aware OpenAI says that plan may show ads. Plus is the sensible choice if you use it daily for work. Pro is for people who would notice Plus running out.
None of the consumer plans offer an annual discount — Go, Plus and Pro are monthly only. You can cancel any of them from account settings and keep access until the end of the billing period. If you are VAT-registered, OpenAI issues a proper VAT invoice you can reclaim against.
Key Use Cases
Here’s where ChatGPT really shines for everyday people:
- Writing emails — draft a professional email in seconds, even if you hate writing
- Explaining things simply — ask it to explain your mortgage, a medical letter, or a tax form in plain English
- Brainstorming ideas — stuck on a birthday gift, a holiday destination, or a business name? Ask ChatGPT
- Summarising long documents — paste in a lengthy report and ask for the key points
- Helping with CVs and cover letters — give it your experience and the job description, and it’ll write a tailored application
- Cooking and recipes — tell it what’s in your fridge and it’ll suggest a meal
- Learning new things — it’s like having a patient tutor available 24/7
What Are the Downsides of ChatGPT?
It’s not perfect. Here are the limitations you should know about:
- It can make things up — this is called “hallucination.” Always double-check any facts, figures, or medical/legal advice it gives you
- It can still be out of date — ChatGPT searches the web now, on the free plan too, but it does not always choose to, so recent events can slip past it
- It’s not always right — it’s confident even when it’s wrong, which can catch you out
- Free limits bite quickly — memory, file uploads, image generation and deep research are all capped on the free plan, and real use hits those ceilings within a day
ChatGPT Review: Pros and Cons
ChatGPT Pros
- ChatGPT is genuinely useful for ordinary everyday tasks, not just clever demos
- ChatGPT’s free plan now includes web search, images, voice and memory
- Easy to use — just type and chat
- Works in any language
- Available on web, iOS, and Android
- Constantly improving
ChatGPT Cons
- ChatGPT can make up convincing-sounding nonsense and state it confidently
- Best features cost £16 a month plus VAT
- Free plan can be slow at peak times
- Free plan caps memory, uploads, images and deep research
- Not reliable for medical, legal or financial advice
Who Is ChatGPT For?
ChatGPT is best for people who want to save time on writing, research, and learning. It’s particularly useful for:
- Professionals who write a lot of emails or reports
- Students looking for help understanding topics (not doing their homework for them!)
- Small business owners who need marketing copy, social media posts, or customer replies
- Anyone who wants to learn something new without wading through long articles
- People who struggle with writing and want a first draft to work from
Is ChatGPT Good? Our Verdict
Yes — we scored ChatGPT 9/10. It is the right starting point for almost everyone, and the free plan is far more capable than most people realise: web search, images, voice and memory are all included in some form. It still states wrong things confidently, so anything that matters needs checking.
Our ChatGPT review draws this conclusion – this is the best AI tool for most people to start with. The free version alone can genuinely save you hours every week once you get the hang of it. It’s not perfect — you should always fact-check important information — but as a thinking partner, writing assistant, and research tool, nothing else comes close at this price.
If you use it daily for work, upgrading to Plus is worth the £16 a month plus VAT. If you’re just curious, start with the free plan and see how it fits into your life.
ChatGPT Score Breakdown
| Output quality | 9/10 | Reliable across writing, explaining and research; still hallucinates when pushed |
| Ease of use | 9.5/10 | The easiest AI tool to pick up cold — you just type and it works |
| Features | 9/10 | Search, images, voice, memory, deep research, Study Mode and app connections in one place |
| Value for money | 8.5/10 | The free plan does real work; Plus is fair, but there is no annual discount and Go may show ads |
| Overall score | 9/10 | The right starting point for almost everyone, and still the one to beat |
ChatGPT Review Rating: 9/10
Best for: Everyone — especially beginners
Free plan: Yes
Paid plans: Go from about £5/mo, Plus £16/mo, Pro £160/mo (all plus VAT)
Available on: Web, iOS, Android
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ChatGPT worth it?
The free plan is enough for most people. ChatGPT Free now includes web search, images, voice and memory in limited form, so try that before paying. Plus at £16 a month plus VAT is worth it if you use it daily for work; Go is cheaper but may show ads.
Is ChatGPT free to use?
Yes. ChatGPT has a free plan with unlimited text chats on GPT-5.6 Luna, plus web search, voice, memory and image generation in limited form. The paid plans lift those limits. Web search, image generation, voice and memory are all included on the free plan in some form — the paid tiers give you more of them, plus stronger reasoning models.
Is ChatGPT safe to use?
ChatGPT is safe for general use, but avoid sharing sensitive personal information like passwords, bank details, or private medical information in your chats. OpenAI may use conversations to improve its models.
Can ChatGPT replace Google?
For some tasks, yes — but not all. ChatGPT is great for getting explanations, writing help, and brainstorming. For finding current news, specific websites or checking live information, Google is often still quicker — though ChatGPT now searches the web and cites what it finds on every plan, including the free one.
What’s the difference between ChatGPT and other AI tools?
ChatGPT is the most widely used AI chatbot and is particularly strong at natural conversation, writing, and explaining things. Competitors like Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot offer similar features, often integrated into apps you already use.
Is there a free trial for ChatGPT Plus?
No. ChatGPT does not offer a free trial for Plus. You can use the free plan indefinitely, and upgrading to Plus or Go is a straightforward monthly subscription — cancel any time from your account settings and access continues until your billing period ends.
What is the ChatGPT Go plan?
Go sits between Free and Plus at around £5 a month plus VAT. It gives you more messages, more uploads, more image generation, longer memory, voice with video and scheduled tasks. OpenAI states that the Go plan may include ads, which is the main reason to think twice. If you want the advanced reasoning models and no ads, Plus at £16 plus VAT is the better choice.
How Does It Compare?
ChatGPT vs Claude AI
| Feature | ChatGPT | Claude AI |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Paid plan | £16/mo + VAT | £18/month |
| Image generation | ✓ Yes, limited on free | ✗ No |
| Context window | 27k free, 54k Plus, 128k Pro | 200k tokens |
| Web browsing | ✓ All plans | ✓ Pro only |
| Best for | General use & image gen | Long docs & nuanced writing |
See our full ChatGPT vs Claude AI comparison →
ChatGPT vs Perplexity AI
| Feature | ChatGPT | Perplexity AI |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Paid plan | £16/mo + VAT | ~£17/month |
| Real-time web search | ✓ All plans | ✓ All plans |
| Cites sources | ✓ Yes, when searching | ✓ Yes |
| Image generation | ✓ All plans, limited on free | ✓ Pro only |
| Best for | Writing & tasks | Research & fact-checking |
See our full ChatGPT vs Perplexity AI comparison →
ChatGPT Alternatives Worth Considering
ChatGPT is the best starting point for most people, but depending on what you need, one of these alternatives might suit you better:
🔍 Perplexity AI
Best if you need reliable, sourced answers. Searches the web in real time and cites every source — no more wondering if the AI made it up.
Read our Perplexity AI review →
✏️ Writesonic
Best if you need to write content regularly — blogs, social posts, ads. Built specifically for writers with 100+ templates.
📢 Copy.ai
Best if you run a small business and need marketing copy — ad copy, email campaigns, and product descriptions fast.
🧠 Claude AI
Best if you want the most thoughtful, nuanced AI conversations — Claude excels at long documents, careful reasoning, and producing high-quality prose.
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James is an SEO and content specialist with over 12 years’ experience, and tests AI tools so everyday people don’t have to. WhatAITools.co.uk covers honest, no-jargon reviews to help you find the right tool for your needs.
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