Chapter 1: Initial Impressions of ChatGPT Plus

After trying out ChatGPT for several days, I’ve decided that my $20 subscription to ChatGPT Plus may not be justified. While I appreciate ChatGPT, I’m reconsidering the value of the Plus plan.

A week ago, I eagerly signed up for ChatGPT Plus, expecting it to enhance my experience. Initially, I thought the upgrade would be beneficial, especially given the differences between the free and premium versions.

One of the main advantages of the paid version is the elimination of the frustrating “too many requests” message. However, I rarely encountered this issue even during peak usage.

The primary motivation for upgrading was the promise of increased speed. I had heard that the Turbo mode in ChatGPT Plus would provide a quicker response than the free version, and this turned out to be accurate.

That said, the speed improvement wasn’t as significant as I had anticipated, especially considering the $20 monthly fee. Let’s delve into whether ChatGPT Plus offers enough value for you.

Section 1.1: Speed Testing Methodology

To evaluate the performance of ChatGPT Plus, I conducted a series of tests with prompts designed to generate 100, 1000, and over 1000 words.

Subsection 1.1.1: Test #1 - Generating Short Responses

I began with a straightforward prompt to generate a SQL query, comparing the performance of both versions.

ChatGPT Plus completed the task in approximately 7 seconds, while the free version took 38 seconds, resulting in a 31-second advantage for the Plus version.

To ensure these results were consistent, I tested both versions again with a prompt to send an email using Python.

In this case, ChatGPT Plus took 14 seconds, compared to 47 seconds for the free version. While the results were promising, I expected an even greater speed boost for the paid version, particularly with more complex requests.

Section 1.2: Evaluating Performance with Longer Prompts

Next, I aimed to see if the speed difference would increase with longer responses. I tasked both versions with simulating a job interview conversation, aiming for a maximum of 1000 words.

After stopping the test 5 seconds after it concluded, ChatGPT Plus generated 655 words in 1 minute and 2 seconds, while the free version produced 589 words in 1 minute and 53 seconds. This resulted in a 51-second difference.

However, I wouldn’t pay $20 for a subscription just to save a minute on generating 600 words—especially when I can achieve similar speeds with OpenAI Playground.

While Playground isn’t identical to ChatGPT, its capabilities might be sufficient for many users. Furthermore, they offer an $18 credit, which can cover a substantial trial period.

Chapter 2: Final Assessment of ChatGPT Plus

The first video titled "How To Easily Cancel Your ChatGPT Plus Subscription (Quick Tutorial)" provides a straightforward guide on how to terminate your subscription, should you choose to do so.

The second video, "How to Cancel ChatGPT Plus Subscription," further elaborates on the cancellation process, making it easy for users to understand their options.

In conclusion, while ChatGPT Plus offers some advantages, I’m not convinced that the $20 price tag is warranted, especially when free alternatives are available that deliver comparable features and performance.