ChatGPT Review: I Used It Daily for 3 Years. Here’s the Truth

I’ve been glued to ChatGPT since the day it launched in November 2022.

From the innocent days of asking “tell me a joke” to now commanding “help me automate this entire workflow,” we’ve come a long way in three years, and so has the AI chatbot ecosystem.

Now it feels like we’re drowning in new AI chatbot options. But despite the noise, I’ve kept coming back to ChatGPT to see if it can still hold its crown.

Maybe it’s because, for many of us, ChatGPT feels personal at this point, less like a tool, more like a daily work companion. I’ve watched it grow up, evolving from the clumsy GPT-3.5 into today’s reasoning powerhouse, GPT-5.2. I've seen features like web search and "Deep Research" go from experiments to daily necessities. I’ve tested every button OpenAI has thrown at us, not in polished demos, but in the messy reality of everyday work.

I’ve used the free version. I’ve paid the $20 for ChatGPT Plus. And I’ve formed some strong opinions. Here’s my honest ChatGPT review after 3 years of daily use, supported by 1,000+ G2 reviews.

What is ChatGPT? Key features

ChatGPT is an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI that uses large language models to understand prompts and generate human-like responses. In practice, it acts as a general-purpose assistant that can help with writing, research, problem-solving, coding support, and everyday productivity tasks.

As of 2026, ChatGPT supports text, image, and voice interactions, allowing users to analyze information, summarize content, and handle complex requests in a conversational format across a wide range of use cases across industries.

ChatGPT at a glance on G2

What are the key features of ChatGPT?

When ChatGPT launched in 2022, it was a simple text box: I typed a prompt, and it typed back. But now, it can now see, hear, speak, analyze files, and browse the live internet.

Here’s a breakdown of the core engine and features that define the ChatGPT experience in 2026.

• Multiple LLM options: While the free tier runs on GPT 5.2 model, Plus and other paid plans unlock the heavy hitters: GPT-5.2 Thinking, Pro, and access to some legacy models. These models are built to "reason" — planning complex tasks and self-correcting, rather than just predicting text.
• True multimodality: It’s no longer text-only. You can generate images (via GPT Image 1.5), create cinematic video clips (via Sora), and hold real-time, emotional voice conversations without ever switching modes.
• Deep Research: A step beyond simple searching. It uses autonomous agents to perform multi-step research, cross-referencing sources to generate cited, structured reports.
• Web search: For quick answers, it browses the live web for real-time news, stocks, and sports, acting almost like a direct replacement for Google.
• Canvas: A dedicated split-screen workspace for writing and coding. It lets you highlight and edit specific sections of your work without regenerating the entire response.
• Advanced data analysis: Upload Excel, CSV, or PDF files, and ChatGPT acts as a junior analyst — writing and running Python code to clean data, create charts, and uncover insights.
• Memory: It remembers your preferences and project details across different conversations, so you don't have to keep repeating context.
• Agent mode: It doesn't just talk; it acts. In "Agent Mode," ChatGPT can control a browser to perform multi-step tasks like filling out forms, booking travel, or shopping, requiring only your final approval.
• Integrations: It integrates directly with Google Drive, GitHub, OneDrive, Slack, HubSpot, and many other tools. You can pull in live docs and spreadsheets for analysis without manually uploading files.

How ChatGPT performs in real-world tasks: My experience

Here’s how ChatGPT actually performs when you use it for real work, not just one-off prompts or demos.

1. Writing and editing

This is where I get the most value from ChatGPT. Before AI, staring at a blank Google Doc was often the hardest part of my day. But ChatGPT gets me started easily.

If I need to write a difficult email to a client, draft a project proposal, or come up with 10 headline ideas, ChatGPT is incredible. It provides structure, tone, and a starting point.

The only catch is the "default AI voice" I sometimes encounter. It tends to overuse words like "unleash," "delve," and "tapestry," making the output sound stiff and robotic.

However, when I started providing clear instructions on tone, asking for "conversational" or "direct" language, and mentioning the words to avoid, the output was often ready to use on the first pass. I could even add this to my personalization and memory tab so that I don’t have to repeat it for every conversation.

Even when it requires editing, treating ChatGPT as a rough-draft machine still cuts my writing time in half.

Of course, there’s Claude, which nails the human voice much better, and Gemini, which has improved a lot. But nonetheless, I keep defaulting to ChatGPT as my AI writing assistant.

2. Coding

I am a no-coder. But ChatGPT has helped me create tools and write code that I could have never written in my life. If I ask it to write a Python script to scrape headers from a URL list and save them to a CSV, debug a tricky JavaScript loop, or create a responsive CSS layout, it nails it.

I've asked it to build games, a reading app for my toddler, and full code for websites, landing pages, and it delivers exactly what I need every time.

The biggest beneficiaries I believe are often non-technical folks like product managers, designers, founders, and entrepreneurs. If you have an idea for a simple web tool or a landing page but lack the skills to build it from scratch, ChatGPT is your buddy.

That said, it’s not perfect. ChatGPT can sometimes generate responses that sound highly certain but aren’t fully accurate. I’ve had cases where it insisted broken code was fixed when it wasn’t, and I had to use another tool to pinpoint the issue before feeding that correction back into ChatGPT.

And when I compare it with other AI code generators like Claude Code, the competition is stiff. Even then, the value is undeniable. ChatGPT turns me from someone with an idea into someone with a working prototype. For a non-developer, that shift alone is worthy.

3. Research and summarization

Summarizing remains this tool's absolute superpower. I can paste a 2,000-word article and ask for the gist in 100 words, and it delivers instantly. But it’s more than just shrinking text. Even before the big updates, ChatGPT was my go-to for learning complex concepts. I have learned more about AI architecture and LLM utility from asking it conceptual questions than from any other source.

When SearchGPT arrived, it was a massive upgrade — finally, real-time data. But if I’m honest, it hasn't completely replaced Google or Perplexity for me. It isn't always as up-to-the-minute or comprehensive as a Google search for breaking news, and it can't match Grok’s ability to pull instant, raw reactions from X. For quick facts, it’s decent. But I still find myself switching to other tools when I need absolute real-time verification.

4. Deep research

Now, if you drown in open browser tabs, whether you're a student doing a lit review or an analyst needing market trends by 2 PM, this is where ChatGPT pays for itself.

Deep Research, which dropped back in February 2025, moved ChatGPT from being a smart reader to an active researcher. I can give it a vague topic, answer its follow up questions, and step away while it browses the web, reads multiple sources, and compiles a comprehensive, McKinsey-style report. It does the heavy lifting, turning what used to be a two-day manual slog into a 20-minute task.

A few months into the GPT-5 era, I’ve noticed a trade-off: speed over depth. The newer models deliver faster, more polished answers, but they can feel slightly shallower unless you deliberately slow them down with more specific prompts and the output you need.

Even with that extra friction, though, the math is simple: I would rather spend five minutes refining a prompt than two days drowning in tabs. It’s not perfect, but it is still the most powerful research assistant I have ever used.

5. Image generation

With the integration of GPT-4o Native (replacing the old DALL-E framework), ChatGPT became one of the best image generators in the market, and with GPT Image 1.5, it's become even better, in my view. Honestly, instead of hunting for stock photos, I now ask ChatGPT to generate those for me.

The biggest shift is that the images are actually usable. Three years back, if you asked for a logo that said "shop," the AI would spit out "sop." Today, I can ask ChatGPT to "mock up a landing page for a coffee shop called 'The Daily Grind' with a 'Buy Now' button, and the spelling is perfect. I use this constantly for quick slide deck assets, simple infographics, social media pictures, and of course, memes.

Editing is equally frictionless. If something looks off, I just say “change the background” or “add a CTA,” and it updates the image without reworking the entire prompt.

This feature is a particular goldmine for marketers and small business owners. It effectively unlocks a "zero-budget" photoshoot. You can upload a boring photo of your product, like a candle or a coffee bag, and tell ChatGPT to place it on a rustic table with morning sunlight.

6. Data analysis

If you have ever spent an hour fighting with an Excel formula only to get a #VALUE! error, this is for you. ChatGPT changed that equation overnight by turning "data analysis" into a plain English conversation.

The workflow is deceptively simple: I upload a messy CSV file, say, a year’s worth of traffic data or a chaotic export from a survey tool, and simply ask, "Clean this up and tell me what the main trends are." In seconds, it writes and runs its own Python code to scrub the data, handle missing values, and output a clean summary. It handles the grunt work of data cleaning that usually eats up half my morning.

This is super-helpful for managers, consultants, and operations leads who need answers, not just spreadsheets. You can upload your raw data and ask specific, strategic questions like, "Which region had the highest profit margin variance in Q4?" or "Graph the relationship between team headcount and output." It doesn't just give you a table; it generates actual charts, bar graphs, scatter plots, and heatmaps.

I might not drop the chart directly in my deck or something, but it's definitely my starting point, and for 90% of ad hoc data tasks, ChatGPT does the job.

7. Voice chat

Voice assistants have been around for years, but they were never something I relied on for real work. ChatGPT’s Voice Mode is the first time that’s changed.

Now I don’t use Voice Mode every day, but it’s carved out a specific, high-value niche in my workflow: rehearsal. It’s especially effective for preparing for high-stakes conversations like practicing a salary negotiation, warming up for an interview, or pressure-testing how to get project buy-in from skeptical leadership. I’ve even found it useful for personal situations, acting as a private sounding board when I need to vent or untangle complex thoughts out loud.

That said, it can be overly agreeable by default and tends to jump in the moment I pause when I use the Advanced Voice Mode. Unless I explicitly tell it to “be critical,” “play devil’s advocate,” or “push back,” it can feel more like a cheerleader than a challenger. Once you set those ground rules, though, it becomes a powerful way to stress-test arguments in a safe, low-risk environment before having the real conversation.

Other tasks I’ve tried with ChatGPT

Here are the other tasks I have explored on ChatGPT.

• Agent Mode: I’ve used Agent Mode for tasks like updating spreadsheets, creating travel plans, and sending personalized messages. When it works, it’s impressive — but it can occasionally get stuck in loops or need manual nudging to finish a task cleanly.
• Integrations: Being able to reference my Google Drive files, past chats, and ongoing projects is a game-changer. I can ask ChatGPT to review documents, plan next steps, or continue work without re-uploading context. Other integrations are useful too, but Drive access is the one I rely on most.
• Image understanding and visual feedback: I’ve used ChatGPT to analyze screenshots, diagrams, and visuals — whether that’s debugging a UI issue or getting feedback on a design. It’s not a replacement for a designer, but it’s surprisingly helpful for quick checks.
• Custom GPTs: I’ve tested Custom GPTs tailored to specific tasks and styles, which can be helpful for repetitive workflows. They definitely take some time building, but they reduce setup time when I want consistent outputs without re-explaining instructions.

What are the pros and cons of ChatGPT (Based on my experience and G2 reviews)

To balance my own long-term experience, I looked at recurring themes in G2 reviews. Here’s how ChatGPT stacks up in practice, pros and cons included.

Pros of ChatGPT: What do G2 users like?

The following are the areas where ChatGPT delivers continuous value according to 1000+ users.

• Versatility: It’s my coder, my illustrator, my data analyst, and my writer all in one tab. The "all-in-one" ecosystem is hard to beat.
• Powerful models: The paid plans give you access to the real "brain" of the operation (like GPT-5.2 Thinking, Pro). When I throw complex, multi-step prompts at it, it doesn't just guess—it breaks down the logic and solves it.
• Surprisingly low learning curve: Despite the fact that OpenAI keeps stuffing it with new features, it’s still dead simple to use. You don't need a manual to figure it out. That ease shows up in G2 data too, where ChatGPT scores highly for ease of use and setup (96%), something I’ve felt firsthand as the product has grown more complex without becoming harder to use.
• The features: Features like Deep Research, web search, Voice Mode, and image generation add serious value. I find myself using the entire toolkit, not just the chat.

Cons of ChatGPT: What do G2 users dislike?

That said, both my experience and G2 feedback point to a few recurring limitations worth keeping in mind.

• It still hallucinates: Even with the advanced models, I still catch it making things up. You cannot blindly trust it; you have to verify. In fact, 5% of G2 reviews explicitly mention accuracy issues with ChatGPT.
•  Memory: The memory feature is promising, but in practice, it can feel a bit inconsistent. Users often mention that ChatGPT doesn’t always remember preferences or prior context as reliably as they expect, which limits how useful the feature feels day to day. 
• Usage limits: The free and lower-cost plans come with tighter message limits, slower performance, and restricted access to advanced models and features. Nearly 8% of G2 reviewers flag ChatGPT’s usage limits as what they dislike. And when servers are under heavy load, or when using the most advanced models, ChatGPT can feel sluggish.
• Privacy: Users share concerns about data privacy, especially when using ChatGPT for work-related or sensitive tasks. While OpenAI has published documentation on how data is handled, some questions remain. With ads being introduced in the Free and Go tiers, users may become even more attentive to how their data is handled

ChatGPT pricing: How much does ChatGPT cost?

OpenAI’s pricing structure has gotten a lot more crowded in 2026. What used to be a simple 'Free vs. Paid' choice has expanded into four distinct tiers, with the biggest differences showing up in model access, reasoning strength, and usage limits.

Which plan is right for you?

I’ve spent some time digging through the new tiers, and I think the best choice really depends on how you plan to use it every day. Here’s my recommendation: 

• For casuals: Stick with Free if you don’t mind ads, or grab Go ($8) to remove message caps on a budget.
• For power users: Plus ($20) remains the best value, offering essential access to Sora video and advanced Codex agents.
• For experts: Only choose Pro ($200) if your workflow requires 24/7 high-compute reasoning and zero rate limits.
• For teams: Business is the smartest move for secure collaboration and integrating company data.

If you are on the fence about getting the ChatGPT subscription, read my in-depth review on whether ChatGPT Plus is worth it.

Who is ChatGPT best for, based on G2 Data?

My experience points to a clear "sweet spot" for who gets the most value out of this tool. Interestingly, my personal observations align almost perfectly with G2 Data from thousands of verified reviews.

According to the numbers, the heaviest users come from information Ttechnology, software, and marketing industries. Here is who should be using ChatGPT right now:

It’s clear that while almost anyone can use ChatGPT, the real winners are the professionals who use it as a 'force multiplier' to skip the blank-page phase and get straight to the final polish."

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Is it worth using ChatGPT?

Got more questions? G2 has the answers.

Q. Is ChatGPT free or paid?

ChatGPT offers a free plan with basic functionality, along with paid plans like Go ($8/month), Plus ($20/month), Pro (~$200/month), and business-focused tiers. Paid plans unlock more advanced models, higher limits, and additional features.

Q. Is ChatGPT actually good?

Yes. ChatGPT has a 4.7/5 rating on G2 and is rated #1 AI chatbot based on the latest grid report. It is one of the most capable and versatile AI assistants available and excels at writing, research, coding help, and everyday productivity — especially in paid tiers.

Q. Is ChatGPT safe to use?

ChatGPT is generally safe for everyday tasks, but it shouldn’t be treated as a source of absolute truth or used to handle highly sensitive data without caution. Outputs should be reviewed, especially for critical or regulated work.

Q. Is there any risk in using ChatGPT?

The main risks are over-reliance, occasional hallucinations, and privacy concerns related to memory and data handling. These risks are manageable with verification, clear prompts, and mindful use of sensitive information.

Q. Is ChatGPT Go worth it?

ChatGPT Go for $8 per month makes sense if you’ve outgrown the free plan but don’t need Plus-level features yet. It’s best for frequent users who want higher limits and better performance without paying $20 a month.

Q. Is the $200/month ChatGPT Pro plan worth it?

For personal use, no. ChatGPT Pro is designed for power users and teams running heavy, advanced workflows that require maximum performance and unlimited access. For everyday professional use, Plus is usually sufficient.

Q. What are the negatives of ChatGPT?

ChatGPT can hallucinate, provide shallow answers without careful prompting, slow down during peak usage, and raise privacy questions around memory and ads in lower tiers. It’s powerful — but not flawless.

My final verdict: Is ChatGPT still worth using in 2026?

ChatGPT is my default AI assistant — and that hasn’t happened by accident. Despite an increasingly crowded AI landscape, it continues to stand out for one simple reason: it does more things well than almost any other tool I’ve tried.

ChatGPT isn’t perfect, and there are other AI chatbots that are better at specific tasks, for example, MidJourney and Nano Banana Pro with images, Perplexity with sources, Gemini with up-to-date information, and Claude for coding. But ChatGPT is the only tool that does all of those things well enough to be indispensable.

For casual users, the free plan is a solid starting point. For anyone using ChatGPT regularly for professional work, ChatGPT Plus is where the tool truly shines. The higher tiers make sense only for power users or teams with demanding, large-scale workflows.

The bottom line: ChatGPT may not be the best tool for every single task, but it’s still the most reliable, versatile AI assistant available in 2026. And for me, that’s what keeps it open in a browser tab every single day.

Still exploring your options? Check out G2’s breakdown of free AI chatbots to see how ChatGPT compares to free tools based on real user reviews.