💥 Head-to-Head Battle of AI Titans: Custom GPTs in ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini

Introduction

Have you ever had this feeling like me? When I first started using GPTs, I was overwhelmed by all the options. Each one seemed amazing in its own way, but it was tough to figure out which one would actually work best for what I needed. Over the years, after testing dozens of models and tools, I realized something: not all GPTs platforms are the same. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and the best choice depends on what you want to achieve.

Let me make it easy for you. In this part today, I’ll help you understand the key differences between OpenAI’s GPTs, Claude’s Projects, and Gems of Gemini. This way, you won’t waste time figuring it out on your own.

Why Choosing the Right GPT Matters

Think about this: GPTs are like tools in a toolbox. You wouldn’t use a hammer to fix a watch, right? The same goes for AI. The wrong GPT can lead to wasted hours, poor results, or unnecessary frustration. But with the right GPT, you can unlock massive productivity, create content faster, or streamline your work like never before.

For example:

• A report by McKinsey in 2023 showed that companies using AI tools correctly saved an average of 20 hours per week.

• In my own experience, using the wrong GPT for a project added an extra 30% to my workload. It was a game-changer when I found the right one.

Here’s what you’ll get from this part of the Advanced Omni-GPTs Playbook:

1. A clear breakdown of ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini so you can easily see their differences.

2. Real-life examples showing you how each one fits specific needs.

3. Simple tips to help you decide which one matches what you’re working on.

By the end of this section, you’ll feel confident about picking the GPT platform that’s just right for your goals. You’re not alone in this cause I’m sharing everything I’ve learned to save you that time. Let’s make sure you get the best tool for the job.

I. Why We Choose to Focus on Custom GPTs Over Others in this Playbook

When you’re deciding which platform to use - OpenAI’s custom GPTs, Claude’s Projects, or Gems of Gemini - it helps to break them down into their standout strengths. I’ve worked with these platforms in different scenarios, so I’ll share what makes each of them unique based on my experience and what I’ve seen others achieve with them.

Personally, I think when it comes to practical and useful AI tools, Custom GPTs and Claude Projects are definitely two of the most powerful options available today, and ChatGPT may hold a little higher score cause its user base is also…hmm… much higher (but let’s see if you would think like me👍).

1. OpenAI’s Custom GPTs vs Claude’s Projects

Claude and ChatGPT are two of the biggest players in the AI space, often competing for the top spot. Both have unique offerings, and the battle between them is ongoing.

In response to ChatGPT's release of Custom GPTs in November 2023, Claude quickly introduced its own version called Claude Projects. These projects serve a similar function: they allow users to create a specific setup with their own set of instructions and a custom knowledge base for a focused task, just like Custom GPTs. The goal with both systems is to take the base model - Claude or ChatGPT - and refine it for specialized tasks that can be handled better than the general model.

While both serve similar purposes, there are some distinctions:

Ease of Use

• ChatGPT Custom GPTs definitely shine here. The process of setting up a Custom GPT is simple and intuitive. Once you have a ChatGPT Plus or GPT Teams account, it’s easy to navigate through the Create GPT tab, where you can build a custom assistant for specific tasks. The interface is user-friendly, and the GPT Store gives you easy access to shared models, making it even simpler for new users to get started.

• Claude Projects, however, are a bit more complex. To create a Claude Project, you need a paid Claude subscription, and the process is a bit more involved compared to ChatGPT. Additionally, Claude Projects have limited sharing capabilities, as they are only available for internal sharing within teams.

Custom Instructions & Knowledge Base

• ChatGPT offers a Custom Instructions feature that allows you to personalize your GPT by uploading documents, setting specific instructions, and even turning on or off certain capabilities (e.g., web browsing, code interpreter). This makes it highly customizable for different tasks, and it's easier to set up and maintain.
  
  => Claude also allows you to upload a knowledge base and provide custom instructions, but it doesn’t have the same level of intuitive options and ease of setup that ChatGPT offers. Claude Projects are still catching up in this area, although they offer a 200k context window for massive data processing, which could be a game-changer for certain use cases.

• Custom GPTs handle knowledge bases well, but note that there are some limitations when it comes to the size of the documents you can upload. Large documents can slow down the model.
  
  => In this term, Claude Projects handle larger knowledge bases more efficiently, with a 200k context window. This could be very useful when you’re working with extensive documents or managing large-scale knowledge bases.

Functionality & Versatility

• GPTs wins in this department, hands down. Not only can you create Custom GPTs for various tasks, but you can also integrate image generation with DALL·E, and other advanced features such as code interpretation, data analysis, and much more. You have a wide array of capabilities at your disposal, making it incredibly versatile and capable of handling multiple tasks.

• Claude Projects do not have image generation or the same range of functionalities. Although Claude excels in some advanced features like artifacts (but now GPTs have GPT Canvas), that’s why I choose GPTs, they are updating everyday!!!

Sharing & Accessibility

• Custom GPTs are a lot easier to share. There is a GPT Store where creators can share their GPTs publicly. This makes it more community-driven and accessible, as you can share your models or explore others' creations.

• Claude Projects are more difficult to share compared to Custom GPTs, as there isn't a widely accessible project store for others to access and use, unlike ChatGPT's GPT Store. Maybe they'll come up with that but right now they're only available to be shared inside of the Teams plan with other team member in Claude.

  

2. OpenAI’s Custom GPTs vs Gems of Gemini

As a solopreneur for more than 10 years, I’ve been using Google Workspace as a secure, flexible, efficient, and affordable solution for productivity tools.

Launched August 28th 2024, Gems are available to premium users.

Custom Documents: A Missing Feature in GEMs

One major advantage that OpenAI's Custom GPTs have over Google's GEMs is the ability to incorporate custom documents. This feature allows users to upload and integrate specific documents directly into their GPTs, ensuring that the AI's responses are adjusted to a particular industry or use case.

=> For businesses with specialized knowledge or those that need to align AI responses with internal documentation, this feature is invaluable. Unfortunately, GEMs do not yet offer this capability, which restricts their ability to provide context-specific accuracy and limits their overall customization potential.

📌 Here you might have an opposite opinion, so let me go ahead: Gems does have that cool feature of working with live, dynamic documents inside a customizable language model. You can upload a document during the chat but not as part of the customization ahead of time.

Personalization with Logos and Icons

Branding is essential for businesses to maintain a consistent and professional image. OpenAI understands this need and provides the option to add custom logos and icons to GPTs => Super helpful to monetize your GPTs.

This enables users to align the AI with their brand, creating a seamless experience for both internal and external interactions. On the other hand, GEMs currently lack this feature, which could be a significant drawback for businesses that want to integrate AI into their existing brand identity.

=> Without this level of personalization, GEMs might not feel as cohesive or aligned with a company’s visual language.

Guided Interactions with Starter Prompts

Custom GPTs offer another valuable feature: starter prompts. These prompts guide the AI's behavior right from the start, ensuring that users receive relevant and on-topic responses. This is particularly useful in environments where clear and efficient communication is crucial.

=> Once again, GEMs lack this functionality, which can make interactions with the AI feel less streamlined. Without a guiding structure, users may have to spend more time rephrasing their queries to get the desired results, resulting in a less efficient user experience.

❗❗ NOTE: Currently, it only support Gems with Gemini 1.5 Pro, so we will reconsider and test again when Gem Manager allows the use of the latest model, Gemini Exp-1206, the best model from Google until now.

BUT, Gems also have some points that I love, and I think you should consider if you’re a beginner. First, I love that Gemini Gems come with pre-set templates. This makes it less scary for some and a great choice for newbies. You simply provide instructions (up to a massive 15,000 tokens), name your Gem but not logo (like I said before), and you’re ready to roll! Here is the comparison:

Next, Gemini Gems directly go into your Google Drive, Docs, and Gmail. They dynamically access files in real-time, which means that as you modify or update your files, your Gems get access to the most recent data automatically! Just remember to upload all your files to your Drive.

One more thing, complex tasks require more processing power, and that’s where Gemini Gems hold a serious edge. With a 15,000-token limit, Gems can handle more intricate prompts and tasks compared to OpenAI’s Custom GPTs, which cap at 4,096 tokens.

=> If you’re a Google Workspace user, I highly recommend giving Gems a try.

II. A Simple Ending Outcome For Everyone (Suggested)

Now, I’ll rank these 3 platforms for building custom GPTs, let’s assign 3 points to the first-place option, 2 points to the second-place option, and 1 point to the third-place option.

• Instruction Capacity: Claude Projects > Google Gems > ChatGPT GPTs

• Knowledge Integration: Claude Projects > ChatGPT GPTs > Google Gems

• App Integration: ChatGPT GPTs > Google Gems > Claude Projects

• Sharing Capabilities: ChatGPT GPTs > Claude Projects > Google Gems

• Mobile Performance: Claude > ChatGPT > Google Gems (based on limited testing)

• Cost: All (subscription required)

• Model Flexibility: ChatGPT GPTs > Google Gems > Claude Projects

• Ecosystem Maturity: Google Gems > ChatGPT GPTs > Claude Projects

Now you see why I choose custom GPTs as the first choice right. Feel free to take a look at the summary below👇

1. Google Gems: customizable AI assistants integrated with Google Workspace.

Pros:

• Seamless integration with Google Workspace apps (Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.)

• Large instruction capacity (~15,000 tokens)

• Internet access via Google search

• Ability to run code, analyze data, and perform mathematical operations

• Consistent user experience across Google products

Cons:

• No knowledge file uploads

• Limited sharing capabilities (only Google-made Gems are shareable)

• $20/month subscription required for creation and use

• Limited to Google ecosystem

2. Claude Projects: AI assistants created by Anthropic, known for their large context windows.

Pros:

• Massive context window (200,000 tokens for instructions and knowledge files combined)

• Excellent for summarizing long texts or handling complex data-driven inquiries

• Fast response times in mobile app

• Ability to run code and perform data analysis

• Strong focus on safety and ethical AI

Cons:

• No web search

• No image generation capability

• Limited app integrations compared to others

• Requires $20+/month subscription for creation and use

• Less known brand compared to Google or OpenAI

3. ChatGPT GPTs: customizable versions of OpenAI's popular ChatGPT model.

Pros:

• Versatile toolset including web browsing, data analysis, and image generation (DALL-E)

• Ability to upload knowledge files (20x 512MB files)

• Extensive API connections with various apps

• Shareable with others via links or GPT Store

• Backed by OpenAI's powerful language models

Cons:

• Smaller instruction capacity (8,000 characters, ~1,800 tokens)

• Mobile app can experience connection issues

• $20/month subscription required for creation, but free to use for others

• Slower response times compared to Claude in mobile app testing

• Potential privacy concerns due to data collection practices

III. Choose Your Best Fit Before Moving Forward (if you don’t like GPTs)

Yeah, maybe you won’t love every GPT as much as I do. That’s okay. If GPTs don’t click for you, I’ll help you decide before you invest too much time or energy: Projects or Gems

The key here is to follow the table above. The choice between these platforms depends on specific needs, such as required app integrations, context capacity, desired features (e.g., image generation, internet access), budget constraints, and familiarity with AI customization => all the categories in the table.

Here's how they map:

1. Required App Integrations → App Integration

2. Context Capacity → Instruction Capacity and Knowledge Integration

3. Desired Features (e.g., image generation, internet access) → Model Flexibility

4. Budget Constraints → Cost

5. Familiarity with AI Customization → Ecosystem Maturity

6. Performance on mobile devices → Mobile Performance

7. Ease of sharing outputs or projects → Sharing Capabilities

See the table again, and you’ll know exactly what you need.

As the field of AI assistants continues to evolve, you should stay informed about new features and improvements across all platforms to make the best choice for their use case.

Next Step

I have to say this again and again whenever someone asks me to compare: the “right” depends on what you need. Take your time to explore and pick the one that helps you the most. You don’t have to pick the most advanced or expensive option, you just need the one that works for you.

Here’s what you can do next:

1. Define your main goal. Ask yourself: Do I need help with day-to-day tasks, long-term projects, or something creative?

2. Try before committing. Many tools offer free trials or basic versions. Spend 10-15 minutes testing each one. That’s how I figured out which fit my workflow.

3. Combine tools if needed. One of my team members often use GPT for fast answers, Claude for detailed tasks, and Gemini for creative work. Mixing them can give you the best of all worlds.

From my experience, taking the time to pick the right tool pays off. It’s like choosing the perfect assistant, you want one that makes your life easier, not harder. And remember, it’s okay to experiment. The best tool for you might change over time as your needs evolve.

I hope this helps you feel confident about your choice. Give it a try, and let me know how it works for you!

Next part: Building a Custom GPT from Scratch (Cause you have enough materials!)