Side-by-side comparison · Research & Search
ChatGPT Deep Research vs Exa vs NotebookLM
Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.
Comparing 3 tools, the maximum.
At a glance
ChatGPT Deep Research
3.8Pick it if: ChatGPT users who want a proper write-up on a question and are happy to wait a few minutes for it.
Exa
4.0Pick it if: People using Claude Code or building their own assistants who want real web search behind them.
NotebookLM
4.5Pick it if: Anyone who needs to understand or explain a set of documents they don't have time to read properly.
Overview
| Attribute | ChatGPT Deep Research | Exa | NotebookLM |
|---|---|---|---|
| In one line | ChatGPT's research mode, which browses for you and writes up a cited report. | A search engine built for AI tools, so Claude can find exactly the pages it needs. | Upload your own documents and ask questions that only draw on those sources. |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $8/mo | From $4 per 1 | $4.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Works with Claude Code | No | Yes | No |
Rating breakdown
Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.
| Attribute | ChatGPT Deep Research | Exa | NotebookLM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.5Winner |
| Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it. | 4.0 | 3.0 | 5.0 |
| FeaturesHow much it can do, and how well the pieces fit together. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them. | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan. | 3.5 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over. | 3.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 |
Feature comparison
A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.
| Attribute | ChatGPT Deep Research | Exa | NotebookLM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access & platform | |||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | No | Yes |
| Desktop app | Yes | No | No |
| Browser extension | Yes | No | Yes |
| API access | Yes | Yes | – |
| Teams & business | |||
| Team workspace | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Enterprise plan or SSO | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Connects to other apps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Open source or self-hosted | No | No | No |
| AI abilities | |||
| Works with your files | Yes | No | Yes |
| Understands images | Yes | No | Yes |
| Makes images | Yes | No | Yes |
| Makes video | Yes | No | Yes |
| Writes code | Yes | No | No |
| Runs agents or automations | Yes | Yes | No |
| Learns your brand or style | Yes | No | No |
| Works in many languages | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Capabilities score | 16/ 17 | 7/ 17 | 11/ 17 |
Pricing
Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.
| Attribute | ChatGPT Deep Research | Exa | NotebookLM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plans | Free Free Seeing what a report looks like. | FreeOur pick Free Personal use inside Claude Code. | FreeOur pick Free Almost everyone. Try this before paying for anything. |
Go $8/mo Casual users who want more chat, not more research. | Pay as you go From $4 per 1,000 searches Anyone whose usage outgrows the free credit. | Google AI Plus $4.99/mo People who hit the free limits now and then. | |
PlusOur pick $20/mo Anyone who wants deep research weekly. | Enterprise Custom Companies building products on top of it. | Google AI Pro $19.99/mo Heavy users who also want Gemini Pro and Deep Research. | |
Pro From $100/mo Heavy users who run research daily. | Google AI Ultra From $99.99/mo Power users who want the top of everything Google offers. | ||
| Which plan to pick | If you have Plus already, you are set; its deep research allowance covers most people. Do not buy ChatGPT just for research unless you also want the rest of it, because Perplexity Pro costs less and is faster. Pro is only worth it if you run reports every day. | Start free. The monthly $10 of credit is plenty for one person using it from Claude Code, and if you do run out you only pay for what you use. Enterprise is for software companies, not for a business that just wants better search. | Stay on Free until it stops you doing something. If that happens, Google AI Pro is the sensible step because it also upgrades Gemini and Deep Research, which you will probably want anyway. AI Plus is a cheap middle step if NotebookLM is all you care about. |
Key features
| Attribute | ChatGPT Deep Research | Exa | NotebookLM |
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Pros and cons
| Attribute | ChatGPT Deep Research | Exa | NotebookLM |
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Who each one is for
| Attribute | ChatGPT Deep Research | Exa | NotebookLM |
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How we compare
Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability. The "Visit" buttons may use affiliate links, which never affect a score.
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