What the Heck Is the Difference Between Chats, GPTs, Projects & Agents

This information is also available on my YouTube Channel at: https://youtu.be/Vq-cOC5e0Is

If you prefer, you can also listen to this information on my Podcast at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/norbert-gostischa/episodes/What-the-Heck-Is-the-Difference-Between-Chats--GPTs--Projects--Agents-e35qfl6

A Plain-English Guide to ChatGPT’s Growing Toolbox — And What’s Free vs. Paid

Let’s be honest - If you’ve opened ChatGPT lately and noticed all the new tabs—Chats, GPTs, Projects, and Agents—you may have thought, “Did I miss a memo - When did this get so complicated?”

No worries. You don’t need a computer science degree to understand what these tools do. In fact, you’ll probably find that each one has a very specific purpose—and once you know how they work, you’ll be using them like a pro. So let’s break them down in plain English.

💬1 - Chats — Your Classic Back-and-Forth with ChatGPT

This is where it all started. A simple chat box where you type something and ChatGPT gives you a response. Need help writing a speech? Fixing a grammar mistake? Wondering why your coffee maker sounds like a blender with asthma? Just ask. Chats are your go-to for everyday help, ideas, troubleshooting, or even a little digital therapy (hey, it listens!).

Think of it like talking to a super-smart assistant who’s always available, doesn’t judge, and doesn’t need coffee breaks.

Free or Paid?

✅Free if you're using GPT-3.5

💳Paid gives you access to GPT-4-turbo, which is faster, smarter, and can remember your preferences

🧠2 - GPTs — Personalized Experts in Their Field

This is where things get a little more advanced—but in a fun way. GPTs are custom versions of ChatGPT trained for specific purposes. Want help with writing a legal document? There’s a GPT for that. Need a virtual Dungeon Master for your next game night? Someone’s made one. Want a bedtime storyteller - Boom—done.

Imagine walking into a room full of helpful bots—each one trained to do a single job incredibly well. You can browse, use, or even create your own GPTs with a few clicks and no coding required.

Free or Paid?

✅Some GPTs are available for free

💳Using the best ones (built on GPT-4) or making your own requires a paid subscription

📁3 - Projects — A Digital Workspace with Memory

Ever wish ChatGPT could remember what you’re working on between sessions? That’s exactly what Projects are for.

Projects are like a shared workspace between you and ChatGPT. You can start something today—like writing a book, planning an event, or coding an app—and come back tomorrow to pick up right where you left off. It keeps your files, context, and goals all in one neat package.

Perfect for big ideas, long-term writing, and anything you don’t want to explain over and over again.

Free or Paid?

❌Not available to free users

💳Only available to paid users using GPT-4

🤖4 - Agents — ChatGPT That Takes the Wheel

Agents are brand new and still rolling out, but they’re a game-changer. Instead of giving you a single response and waiting, an Agent can take a complex goal and figure out the steps on its own.

Think of an Agent as giving ChatGPT a mission. You say:

“Find the five cheapest flights from New York to London next week and summarize the best one.”

An Agent will go to work—researching, comparing, and giving you the answer without needing hand-holding.

This is ChatGPT on auto-pilot. It’s like giving your AI a brain, a checklist, and a cup of coffee—and saying “go handle it.”

Free or Paid?

❌Not available to free users

💳Only available with a GPT-4 Plus subscription (and still rolling out gradually)

🧾Putting It All Together — What's Free and What Costs Money?

Here’s the bottom line:

If you’re on the free plan, you can use Chats with GPT-3.5 and try out some GPTs.

If you upgrade to ChatGPT Plus, you unlock GPT-4-turbo, and gain access to smarter chats, custom GPTs, Projects, and now Agents—making ChatGPT less of a chatbot and more of a digital assistant that remembers your work and completes real tasks.

💡Final Thought

Don’t feel like you have to use everything at once. Start with Chats. Explore some GPTs when you want more specialized help. And if you're ever think, “It’d be great if ChatGPT just remembered what I’m working on,” — that’s your cue to try Projects. When you want it to handle full-on jobs from start to finish? That’s where Agents come in.

Stay safe, stay secure and the next time you see all those tabs, don’t panic—just smile and say, “I know what you do now.”

(AI was used to aid in the creation of this article.)

“Thanks for tuning in — now go hit that subscribe button and stay curious, my friends!👋”