ChatGPT search vs. Google: What’s the difference?
The AI revolution is here, and it's changing everything—even search. Does ChatGPT search have what it takes to beat Google?
Updated March 6, 2025.
When you need information fast, do you turn to Google or ChatGPT? While both offer answers to your queries, they work in fundamentally different ways. So, which one is actually better for search?
Below, we compare the differences between these two tools and examine if ChatGPT can truly dethrone Google when it comes to search.
Key takeaways
- Google adapts to global trends algorithmically, while ChatGPT adapts contextually within a conversation.
- You should choose ChatGPT for exploring ideas, tutoring, or creative tasks.
- Google Search is best for getting quick factual answers, purchasing products, or accessing trusted websites.
- Both tools are complementary: ChatGPT can be a research assistant, while Google acts as a librarian and marketplace.
What is ChatGPT search?
ChatGPT search (often called "Browse with Bing" or "Web Browsing" mode) is a feature that allows ChatGPT to access real-time information from the internet to supplement its responses. Unlike standard ChatGPT, which relies solely on pre-trained knowledge (up to its cutoff date), the search-enabled version can retrieve and incorporate current data from the web.
How it differs from regular ChatGPT
| Feature | ChatGPT search | ChatGPT |
|---|---|---|
| Information source | Combines pre-trained data + live web content (via Bing). | Limited to pre-trained knowledge (e.g., cutoff date for GPT-4 is Oct 2023). |
| Real-time data | Can answer questions about recent/current events. | Can't address events or data after its knowledge cutoff. |
| Answer generation | Augments responses with web-retrieved info (may cite sources). | Relies entirely on internal knowledge, risking outdated or hallucinated answers for post-cutoff topics. |
| Functionality | Requires explicit activation (e.g., "Browse with Bing" mode). | Default mode with no internet access. |
| Use cases | Ideal for time-sensitive queries (news, stock prices, trends). | Best for general knowledge, creative tasks, or historical data. |
| Open AI model | GPT-3.5 Turbo or GPT-4 | GPT-3.5 Turbo or GPT-4 |
» Find out how ChatGPT is changing content marketing.
How ChatGPT search works
ChatGPT search retrieves information relevant to a user's prompt from selected data sources.
It passes this information to its large language model.
The model then parses the information to generate an appropriate response.
The system maintains context across multiple questions, enabling more conversational and intuitive responses.
ChatGPT search vs. Google: 6 main differences
1. Core technology
ChatGPT search combines generative AI (like GPT-4) with a web-browsing API (e.g., Bing) to analyze queries contextually and synthesize conversational answers. Google, by contrast, relies on web crawlers that index billions of pages and ranks results using PageRank algorithms.
2. Information sources
ChatGPT accesses curated web content (via partners like Bing) and its pre-trained dataset, prioritizing reliability. Google draws from the entire indexed web, including real-time updates like news and social media.
» Learn how to ask Google to index your site.
3. Information delivery
Because of its diverse information sources, ChatGPT search generates concise, conversational summaries, which are great for quick answers. However, they can sometimes be prone to oversimplification or AI "hallucinations," such as confidently providing incorrect historical dates or fabricating source material.
Google provides ranked links and snippets, requiring users to manually parse and verify sources.
4. E-commerce integration
E-commerce integration further separates the two: Google seamlessly embeds ads, price comparisons, and local inventory, while ChatGPT offers product descriptions or external links but lacks built-in shopping features.
5. Citations
Citations highlight another gap. ChatGPT cites sources inline (e.g., "According to [Source]...") but may lack granularity, whereas Google lists direct URLs, letting you assess the website and check it out firsthand.
6. Real-time data
Real-time data also favors Google, which delivers instant updates (e.g., sports scores), while ChatGPT's browsing feature retrieves current information more slowly.
» Find out how ChatGPT forced Google to innovate.
ChatGPT search vs. Google: Which one produces better answers?
Below, we're going to compare ChatGPT and Google's search results on four types of queries:
- Query 1: Informational
- Query 2: Transactional
- Query 3: Navigational
- Query 4: Commercial
But first, how do you access ChatGPT search?
All you need to do is enter a new chat and click the "Search" button in the input textbox:
Query 1: "How to bake a chocolate cake?"
ChatGPT search's response
ChatGPT search provided a detailed step-by-step guide for baking a chocolate cake, including ingredients, instructions, and tips for achieving the best results. The response was conversational and easy to follow but lacked specific references to external sources.
It started with the ingredients:
And continued on with the step-by-step instructions:
Finally, it finished off with frosting suggestions and tips and listed the sources below the answer:
It also listed the sources it used to provide the answer:
» Find out how AI-generated content affects SEO.
Google search's response
Google displayed links to multiple recipes from reputable cooking websites (e.g., Swasthi's Recipes and Bake With Zoha). Each link offered a detailed recipe, allowing users to choose based on their preferences (e.g., quick recipes, traditional methods).
Winner: Google search
Google's results were more versatile, offering multiple reliable sources with varied approaches to baking a chocolate cake. I could also see the recipe's rating, images, and baking time, which affected my choice.
» Learn more about how Google Search is changing.
Query 2: "What are the best gaming laptops in 2025?"
ChatGPT search response
ChatGPT search listed several gaming laptops with brief descriptions of their features (e.g., Razer Blade 18 and Asus ROG Strix G16). However, the response lacked depth when comparing the different models.
Google search response
Google offered links to curated lists from tech-focused websites like Tom's Hardware and GamesRadar+. These articles included in-depth reviews, pros and cons, specifications, and pricing for each laptop.
I could also filter the results based on installed memory, graphics processor, drive capacity, and more.
Winner: Google search
Google provided access to expert reviews and detailed comparisons, making it easier for me to make an informed decision. I could also personalize results by using filters based on the specs I wanted for my laptop.
ChatGPT's summary was concise but lacked the depth of information I needed to make an actual purchase decision.
» Learn how Google's AI search experience reaches further down the sales funnel.
Query 3: "Where can I buy concert tickets for 2025?"
ChatGPT search response
ChatGPT search listed a couple of websites where I could buy concert tickets, including platforms like Ticketmaster and Live Nation. I could also click on the card with the website's name, and it would take me there straight away.
Google search response
Google displayed direct links to ticket-selling platforms like Vivid Seats and Seat Geek. I could browse the website and search by artist, location, or date, which gave me a chance to buy a ticket immediately.
Winner: Google search
ChatGPT's response was informative but felt redundant. I don't see a reason why I would use an extra step when searching for navigational queries. I can just get results directly from the source.
» Find out how AI can boost your conversion rates
Query 4: "Best wireless headphones under $100"
ChatGPT search
Like in the previous example with gaming laptops, ChatGPT search provided a couple of wireless headphones with a short, two-sentence description. I could click on the small banner below the paragraph to go to the website from which it sourced the information.
Google search
Google search provided a list of blogs—and one Reddit post—listing the best wireless headphones under $100. I could also check the boxes on the left-hand side to further narrow down the results.
Winner: Google search
Again, I see no reason why I would use ChatGPT search for commercial queries, as Google already does it so well. ChatGPT search also used a lot of the products from the #1 SERP result (RTINGS.com), and I couldn't filter results by the features I wanted in my headphones.
Is ChatGPT search a threat to Google?
Google search comes out as the clear winner in our evaluation, but you should remember that each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses. It depends on what you're planning to use them for.
ChatGPT search excels in personalized conversations with detailed explanations and an ad-free experience, which makes it ideal if you want to explore and research a topic in-depth.
Google search delivers quick facts, real-time information, and visual content and allows you to take immediate action when making purchases or bookings. While ChatGPT search has an innovative approach, it's not a threat to Google's search market at the moment.
READ MORE: How will Google handle the AI content surge?
