Side-by-side comparison · Research & Search
ChatGPT Deep Research vs Exa vs Wokelo
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
Pick it if: ChatGPT users who want a proper write-up on a question and are happy to wait a few minutes for it.
Pick it if: People using Claude Code or building their own assistants who want real web search behind them.
Pick it if: Private equity, venture, investment banking, consulting and corporate development teams that research companies and markets every week.
Overview
| Attribute | ChatGPT Deep Research | Exa | Wokelo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. | AI research agents that write company, market and due diligence reports for dealmakers. |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium | Paid |
| Starting price | $8/mo | From $4 per 1 | See website |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | No |
| Works with Claude Code | No | Yes | Yes |
Rating breakdown
Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.
| Attribute | ChatGPT Deep Research | Exa | Wokelo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.8 | 4.0Winner | 3.8 |
| Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it. | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together. | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| 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 | 3.0 |
| 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 | Wokelo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access & platform | |||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | No |
| Mobile app | Yes | No | – |
| Desktop app | Yes | No | – |
| Browser extension | Yes | No | – |
| API access | Yes | 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 | – |
| Makes images | Yes | No | No |
| Makes video | Yes | No | No |
| Writes code | Yes | No | No |
| Runs agents or automations | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Learns your brand or style | Yes | No | – |
| Works in many languages | Yes | Yes | – |
| Capabilities score | 16/ 17 | 7/ 17 | 6/ 17 |
Pricing
Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.
| Attribute | ChatGPT Deep Research | Exa | Wokelo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plans | Free Free Seeing what a report looks like. | FreeOur pick Free Personal use inside Claude Code. | EnterpriseOur pick Custom Investment, consulting and corporate strategy teams. |
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. | ||
PlusOur pick $20/mo Anyone who wants deep research weekly. | Enterprise Custom Companies building products on top of it. | ||
Pro From $100/mo Heavy users who run research daily. | |||
| 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. | There is only a sales-led contract. Ask for a trial on a live deal or project before you sign, and check which premium data sources are included at your price. |
Key features
| Attribute | ChatGPT Deep Research | Exa | Wokelo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standout features |
|
|
|
Pros and cons
| Attribute | ChatGPT Deep Research | Exa | Wokelo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pros |
|
|
|
| Cons |
|
|
|
Who each one is for
| Attribute | ChatGPT Deep Research | Exa | Wokelo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for |
|
|
|
| You'll find it used by |
|
|
|
Questions people ask
Which is better, ChatGPT Deep Research, Exa or Wokelo?
Exa scores highest overall in our ratings (ChatGPT Deep Research 3.8/5, Exa 4.0/5 and Wokelo 3.8/5). ChatGPT Deep Research is best for market and industry scans and comparing products or suppliers. Exa is best for web search inside Claude Code and finding sites like one you know. Wokelo is best for first-pass due diligence on a target and industry and market landscapes.
Which is cheaper, ChatGPT Deep Research, Exa or Wokelo?
ChatGPT Deep Research: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $8/mo. Exa: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at From $4 per 1. Wokelo: Pricing isn't published; check the vendor's site for a quote.
How we compare
Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.
Swap in another tool
More tools from Research & Search in the library.
