ChatGPTFree plan
Paid from
$8 a month
View plans and limitsUpdated 4 September 2026 · Independent comparison
ChatGPT vs LongCat:
which should you use?
ChatGPT and LongCat, side by side. Find the one that fits what you need to do.
Find your best fitThe 30-second answer
ChatGPT is built for general-purpose ai assistants.
LongCat meituan’s free chat on its own LongCat models, with Think, Search, Image, Video and Deep Research modes.
Pricing, simplified
Start free. Upgrade when you need more.
LongCatFree plan
Pricing
No verified ladder yet
View plans and limitsThe 30-second comparison
If you only read one section, make it this one. Rows where both sides say the same thing are left out — the point is where they differ. Where each row came from is listed underneath.
| Category | ChatGPT | LongCat | Better fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it's built for | The broadest feature set — voice, images, files, a large app ecosystem. Usually the easiest starting point. | Meituan’s free chat on its own LongCat models, with Think, Search, Image, Video and Deep Research modes. | ChatGPT |
| Fit for general-purpose ai assistants | Built for this | Strong fit | ChatGPT |
| Free plan | Yes. Free tier, ad supported; unlimited everyday text chats, limited image creation, memory and voice | Yes. Free to use at longcat.chat | Tie |
| Cheapest way to pay | $8 a month. | No paid tier — it is free. | LongCat |
| What the paid tiers cost |
| No paid tier — it is free. | Tie |
| What to watch out for | Check your data settings. On consumer tiers conversations may be used to improve models unless you turn that off. | Built for China first: the service runs from mainland China, data collected there is stored there, and its terms forbid commercial use of what it produces without Meituan’s permission. | Tie |
| Who it is usually for | students, working professionals, people exploring, developers | people exploring | Tie |
| What it asks of you | No setup — it works in a browser. | Expects some technical comfort to get going. | Tie |
| Made by | OpenAI — San Francisco, US. | Meituan LongCat — Beijing, CN. | Tie |
ChatGPT is ahead on 2 of the 9 rows compared, 2 of them about how well it does the job itself, against 1 to LongCat. That is a clear lead rather than a tiebreaker.
ChatGPT
The broadest feature set — voice, images, files, a large app ecosystem.
✓ The job is mainly general-purpose ai assistants
✓ The broadest feature set — voice, images, files, a large app ecosystem.
✓ You would rather not configure anything first
✓ You are among students or working professionals or developers
Meituan’s free chat on its own LongCat models, with Think, Search, Image, Video and Deep Research modes.
LongCat is the better answer when the job is what it was built for rather than what the pick above does broadly.
✓ Meituan’s free chat on its own LongCat models, with Think, Search, Image, Video and Deep Research modes.
✓ You would rather not take on a subscription at all
✓ Free to use at longcat.chat
✓ It is aimed at people exploring
How we know
Every row that separated these two, and where it came from. Nothing here is a hands-on test — if a line rests on a vendor’s own pricing page, it says so and links it.
| Row | Favours | Weight | Where it came from |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it's built for | ChatGPT | How well it does the job | From this site’s own catalogue record for each product — compiled by hand, not imported. How a product gets listed |
| Fit for general-purpose ai assistants | ChatGPT | How well it does the job | Both products are listed under general-purpose ai assistants in the catalogue, and this is the fit recorded against each listing. Everything listed under general-purpose ai assistants |
| Cheapest way to pay | LongCat | Everything else | From each vendor’s own pricing page. Dates and pages are listed below. |
The prices
ChatGPT. Read by hand on 4 September 2026, because ChatGPT cannot be read automatically: chatgpt.com refuses automation (403); openai.com/chatgpt/pricing carried no readable prices. Verify by hand. chatgpt.com/pricing
LongCat. Read by hand off longcat.chat on 4 September 2026. It is not on the monthly re-check, so confirm there before paying. longcat.chat
The ratings
The category these two share. General-Purpose AI Assistants — both are listed there in the catalogue, and the fit recorded against each listing is a judgement made here, by hand.
The nine-category grid below. Derived from what each product is listed for, by one script, once per build — so the same pair always reads the same. It is a derivation, not a review.
What this is not
Neither product was run side by side to produce this page. Nobody was paid to appear on it and nothing here is ranked by commission.
To put the same question to both and read the answers yourself, run them side by side — that is a live test, and this is not.
Choose based on what you’re doing
All ten categories, including the ones where neither of these is the answer. These ratings are derived from what each product is listed for, not from running it — a rating here is a reading of the record, and the record is linked.
01
General-Purpose AI Assistants
Questions, brainstorming, explanations, everyday tasks, decision-making, general advice.
ChatGPT
Built for thisLongCat
Bad fitBest choice: ChatGPT
02
Search, Research & Academics
Web research, deep research, books, academic papers, citations, news, fact-checking.
ChatGPT
Limited fitLongCat
Bad fitBest choice: ChatGPT
03
Writing, Communication & Language
Emails, reports, essays, editing, summarizing, translation, presentations.
ChatGPT
Built for thisLongCat
Bad fitBest choice: ChatGPT
04
Coding, Data & Technical Work
Programming, debugging, data analysis, spreadsheets, math, engineering, technical research.
ChatGPT
Built for thisLongCat
Bad fitBest choice: ChatGPT
05
Business, Finance & Professional Work
Business strategy, investing, market research, legal, sales, HR, accounting, consulting.
ChatGPT
Built for thisLongCat
Bad fitBest choice: ChatGPT
06
Image & Design
Image generation, photo editing, logos, graphics, product design, advertising creatives.
ChatGPT
Not a good fitLongCat
Bad fitBest choice: Neither
07
Video
Video generation and editing, clipping, subtitles, avatars, animation and motion capture.
ChatGPT
Not a good fitLongCat
Bad fitBest choice: Neither
08
Audio, Voice & Music
Voice generation, transcription, music, dubbing, sound cleanup and podcast production.
ChatGPT
Bad fitLongCat
Bad fitBest choice: Neither
09
Marketing & Content Creation
Social media, SEO, advertising, copywriting, content ideas, scripts, brand development.
ChatGPT
Built for thisLongCat
Bad fitBest choice: ChatGPT
10
Productivity, Automation & Personal Life
AI agents, workflows, scheduling, meetings, organization, shopping, travel, personal finance.
ChatGPT
Built for thisLongCat
Bad fitBest choice: ChatGPT
The broadest feature set — voice, images, files, a large app ecosystem.
by OpenAIThe job is mainly general-purpose ai assistants
The broadest feature set — voice, images, files, a large app ecosystem.
You would rather not configure anything first
You are among students or working professionals or developers
Meituan’s free chat on its own LongCat models, with Think, Search, Image, Video and Deep Research modes.
by Meituan LongCatMeituan’s free chat on its own LongCat models, with Think, Search, Image, Video and Deep Research modes.
You would rather not take on a subscription at all
Free to use at longcat.chat
It is aimed at people exploring
Pricing, simplified
The plans people actually compare, read from each vendor’s own page.
PricingSimple, up-to-date plan overview.
Free version
ChatGPT
Yes — Free plan availableAd supported; unlimited everyday text chats, limited image creation, memory and voice
LongCat
Yes — Free plan availableFree to use at longcat.chat
Individual plans
ChatGPT
Go
$8 / month
Plus
$20 / month
Pro
$100 / monthor $200 / month
LongCatFree plan only
Business plans
ChatGPT
From $25 / user / monthFrom $20 / user / month (annual)Business standard seat, Business premium seat
LongCatNot sold to teams
Enterprise
ChatGPTNot published
LongCatNot published
Tell us what you use AI for
Pick your main job and the verdict below changes to match. Every answer is on the page already, so this works as a reader, not a lookup.
The verdict for that job
ChatGPT
ChatGPT. It is built for general-purpose ai assistants; LongCat does it well without it being its focus; both have a free plan you can start on.
9 rows compared
Frequently asked questions
Is ChatGPT or LongCat better?
ChatGPT is ahead on 2 of the 9 rows compared, 2 of them about how well it does the job itself, against 1 to LongCat. That is a clear lead rather than a tiebreaker. ChatGPT is built for general-purpose ai assistants; LongCat does it well without it being its focus; both have a free plan you can start on. ChatGPT: The broadest feature set — voice, images, files, a large app ecosystem. Usually the easiest starting point. LongCat: Meituan’s free chat on its own LongCat models, with Think, Search, Image, Video and Deep Research modes.
Is ChatGPT or LongCat cheaper?
Only one of the two publishes a ladder we have verified, so a like-for-like comparison is not possible yet.
Do ChatGPT and LongCat both have free plans?
Yes. ChatGPT: Free tier, ad supported; unlimited everyday text chats, limited image creation, memory and voice. LongCat: Free to use at longcat.chat.
What should I watch out for?
ChatGPT: Check your data settings. On consumer tiers conversations may be used to improve models unless you turn that off. LongCat: Built for China first: the service runs from mainland China, data collected there is stored there, and its terms forbid commercial use of what it produces without Meituan’s permission.
Read more
ChatGPT
What it is for, who makes it, what it costs and what to use instead.
LongCat
What it is for, who makes it, what it costs and what to use instead.
Best AI Assistants
Questions, brainstorming, explanations, everyday tasks, decision-making, general advice.