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ChatGPT vs Vellum

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors. ChatGPT starts at $8, Vellum at $30. Both have a free tier. Both ship a public API.

ChatGPTGeneral assistant with tools, memory, files and voiceVellumPersonal AI assistant with persistent memory that acts across email, calendar, files and chat apps

Side by side

FactChatGPTVellum
CategoryGeneral-purpose AI ChatbotsPersonal AI Assistants
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$8 month$30 month
Public APIYesYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, APIWeb, macOS, iOS, Slack App
CompanyOpenAI—
Launched2022—
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is the default general assistant and the one everyone else is measured against, but the tier you need is rarely the one you first buy. Free is now ad-supported, and the jump to genuinely unlimited reasoning is steep.

Pros

  • Broadest tool surface of any consumer assistant: browsing, code, images, voice, connectors
  • The $8 Go tier closed the gap between free and a $20 commitment
  • Apps on every desktop and mobile platform, not just a web wrapper
  • Model quality is consistently at or near the front of the field

Cons

  • Advertising now appears on the free and Go tiers
  • Message and reasoning limits are opaque and change without notice
  • Tier structure has churned repeatedly, so any price you quote ages fast
  • The API is a separate purchase, which surprises buyers who assume Plus includes it

Vellum

An ambitious personal agent that pairs deep memory with real tool access, and the MIT-licensed runtime is a rare escape hatch in this category. The company is visibly mid-pivot - its docs subdomain still describes the earlier enterprise LLM platform - so expect product churn and check that plan credits cover your actual usage.

Pros

  • Persistent memory plus real actions, not just chat
  • Open-source MIT runtime allows self-hosting without platform fees
  • Wide surface: web, macOS, iOS, CLI, Slack, Telegram
  • Transparent hosted pricing with defined compute and credit bundles

Cons

  • Brand confusion: documentation and older coverage describe a different enterprise product
  • Usage credits on top of the subscription make heavy use costlier than the sticker price
  • Company details for the current product are thin on the site

Which one fits

Choose ChatGPT if you need

  • General knowledge work, drafting, analysis and code across one interface
  • Anyone who wants file, image, voice and browsing input without assembling tools
  • Teams that need admin controls and data-retention terms via Business or Enterprise
  • Light users who want more headroom than free without paying $20

Choose Vellum if you need

  • Individuals who want one assistant with memory across email, calendar and chat
  • Tinkerers willing to self-host an open-source assistant runtime
  • Mac-centric users who want a native app plus mobile and Slack access

More comparisons

All ChatGPT alternatives →All Vellum alternatives →Browse all General-purpose AI Chatbots →