By the end of this guide you will have run the same question through several AI models, looked at the answers next to each other, and picked the one that suits your task with a reason you can explain. To compare AI models side by side you need either one app that talks to several models at once, or a workspace where you can send one prompt to each model in turn.
The decision is how much setup and privacy you want: a hosted multi-model app, a desktop workspace that can also run local models, or a self-hosted tool you control. This guide gives a fair-test method and compares five tools from our Chat assistants category.
Key takeaways
- Write a small set of real test prompts, send each one to every model with identical wording, and judge the answers against criteria you set beforehand.
- The main decision is the tool: a hosted app with a shared credit pool, a desktop workspace that mixes local and online models, or a self-hosted or open-source playground.
- Many apps count usage in credits or tokens, and different models cost different amounts, so a comparison can use up a free plan quickly.
- A model that sounds confident can still be wrong. Check facts, figures and sources yourself, and do not paste confidential data into models you have not vetted.
What you need before you start
- Three to five real prompts. Use tasks you actually do, such as summarizing a report, drafting a reply or explaining a concept to a beginner.
- Judging criteria. For example accuracy, clarity, tone, length and whether it followed instructions. Write them down first.
- Access to the models. Either direct accounts with each provider, or one multi-model tool.
- A place to record results. A spreadsheet with one row per prompt and one column per model works well.
- Time. A first comparison takes under an hour.
- Difficulty. Easy for the hosted apps, moderate for desktop workspaces, and harder for self-hosted setups that need installing.
- A data rule. Decide what you will not paste into any model.
Which kind of AI tool fits this job
You can compare ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini by opening each in its own tab and pasting the same prompt. A multi-model tool saves time and shows answers together.
A hosted app with several models behind one account. Anuma puts GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and open-source models behind one account and one memory. Council Mode asks up to four models at once, and Second Opinion regenerates an answer with a different model. It runs on the web, iOS and Android. SmophyAI has Multi-Chat, which sends one prompt to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, Perplexity and DeepSeek at once, and a Best Answer option that merges the strongest points into one result.
A desktop and web workspace that mixes local and online models. Msty connects local engines such as Ollama, llama.cpp and MLX with hosted providers, and adds Split Chats for comparing models side by side. The listing says data stays on your device. This suits people who want to compare private, local models against cloud ones.
A self-hosted chat interface. Open WebUI gives one interface for local and cloud models, including Ollama, OpenAI and Anthropic, and lets you run two models side by side. You host and maintain it yourself, and it can run on-premise.
An open-source playground for developers. openplayground runs on your own laptop through pip or Docker, connects to models from providers such as OpenAI and Anthropic and to local models through llama.cpp, and has a compare view that sends the same prompt to several models and lets you set each model's parameters.
Step 1: Choose what you are comparing and why
A comparison without a purpose produces opinions, not decisions.
- Name the decision, such as "which model should our team use for drafting customer emails".
- List the models you want to test. ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are common starting points.
- List the tasks that matter for your decision and weight them.
- Write the criteria: accuracy, instruction-following, tone, length, speed and cost.
Check it worked by ensuring someone else could repeat the test from your notes.
Step 2: Write a small, fair set of prompts
The same prompts must go to every model.
- Write three to five prompts based on real work, with a mix of easy and hard.
- Include one with a known correct answer, so you can check facts.
- Include one with a clear format instruction, such as "answer in three bullet points".
- Save the prompts in a document, and paste them exactly. Do not reword them between models.
Check it worked by reading each prompt as a stranger and confirming it is clear without extra context.
Step 3: Pick a tool and check the limits
Choose the tool that fits your privacy needs and budget.
- For a quick hosted comparison, consider Anuma or SmophyAI. For a mix of local and online models, consider Msty. For full control, consider Open WebUI or openplayground.
- Check which models are available in the plan. SmophyAI's free trial covers only 3 of its 6 chat models, and Anuma's credits are used at different rates by different models and media types.
- Check the usage limits. Anuma's credits reset monthly and do not carry over.
- Check whether you need your own API keys. openplayground needs your own keys for hosted model providers.
Check it worked by running one short prompt and seeing answers from every model you want to test.
Step 4: Run the same prompts across the models
Send every prompt to every model, in the same conditions.
- Use the multi-model view. Anuma's Council Mode, SmophyAI's Multi-Chat, Msty's Split Chats and Open WebUI's side-by-side chats all show answers together.
- Keep settings the same. In openplayground you can set each model's parameters, so use matching values unless you are testing them.
- Avoid follow-ups at first. Judge the first answer, because that is what you will usually get in daily use.
- Copy each answer into your results sheet.
Check it worked by confirming every prompt has an answer from every model.
Step 5: Score the answers against your criteria
Judge by evidence, not by which answer sounds most confident.
- Check facts against a reliable source. A fluent answer can be wrong.
- Score each criterion from your list, and write one line of reason.
- Hide the model names while scoring if you can, so brand does not sway you.
- Note failures, such as ignoring a format instruction or inventing a source.
Check it worked by having a second person score two prompts and seeing whether the results broadly match.
Step 6: Test follow-ups, long inputs and special features
Daily use involves more than a single question.
- Ask a follow-up that depends on the first answer, and see which model keeps the thread.
- Try a longer input, such as a pasted article or an uploaded file, if the tool supports it.
- Test features that matter to you, such as web search, memory or file handling. Anuma shares memory across models, and SmophyAI has live web search on by default.
- Try Second Opinion or Best Answer style features, but treat a merged answer as one more option to check, not as the truth.
Check it worked by adding a short note on follow-up behaviour for each model.
Step 7: Decide, record and re-test later
Pick a model, write down why, and plan to repeat the test.
- Choose the model or models that scored best on the criteria you weighted most.
- Record the decision, the date and the model versions if shown.
- Consider using more than one model: one for drafting and another for checking.
- Re-run the test when models or your needs change. Model lists and plans change, so confirm availability in the live app.
Check it worked by explaining the decision to a colleague using your results sheet.
Tools for this job compared
| Tool | Good fit for | Pricing | Stated limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anuma | Hosted comparison on web, iOS and Android, with shared memory | Freemium, paid from $9.99/mo (checked 24 Oct 2026) | Credits reset monthly and do not carry over; video uses more credits than images |
| SmophyAI | Sending one prompt to six chat models at once | Free trial, paid from $19.98/mo (checked 24 Oct 2026) | Free trial covers only 3 of the 6 chat models; usage capped by monthly tokens |
| Msty | Mixing local and online models on macOS, Windows and Linux | Freemium, paid from $149/yr (checked 24 Oct 2026) | Data does not sync between devices; several Studio features are limited on the Free plan |
| Open WebUI | A self-hosted interface for local and cloud models | Open source | You host and maintain the deployment; white-labeling needs an enterprise license |
| openplayground | Developers comparing models and parameters on a laptop | Open source | Needs your own API keys for hosted providers; adding a model needs code changes |
Prices and plan limits change, so confirm the current terms on each vendor's site before you subscribe.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Changing the prompt between models. Different wording changes the answer, which makes the comparison meaningless. Fix it by pasting identical text everywhere.
- Judging on one prompt. A single question can favour one model by chance. Fix it by testing several prompts that reflect your real work.
- Trusting the most confident answer. Fluent text can hide errors. Fix it by checking facts against reliable sources and scoring against written criteria.
- Ignoring cost and limits. Credits and tokens run down faster with multiple models and with media. Fix it by checking plan limits before you start, as with Anuma's monthly credits.
- Pasting confidential data into every model. Each provider has its own data terms. Fix it by using non-sensitive test prompts, or by using local models through a tool like Msty when privacy matters.
How we put this together
This is an evidence-based guide built from each tool's listing in our directory, which is compiled from the vendor's own site and pricing page. It is not a review based on using the tools. We don't rank tools, and nobody paid to be included. Some outbound links may be affiliate links; see our disclosure.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free way to compare AI models side by side?
Yes, within limits. Anuma has a Free plan with monthly credits, Msty's Studio Desktop has a Free plan, SmophyAI has a free trial that needs no credit card, and Open WebUI and openplayground are free to use, though you may pay model providers for API use.
Can I compare ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini in one place?
Yes. Anuma lists GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and open-source models, and SmophyAI's Multi-Chat covers ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, Perplexity and DeepSeek. Check the live app for the exact models in your plan.
Can I compare models without sending data to the cloud?
Partly. Msty can connect local engines such as Ollama, llama.cpp and MLX, and Open WebUI can run on-premise. Local models keep prompts on your hardware, while any hosted model you add still receives what you send it.
Which tool is good for comparing models on a phone?
Anuma lists iOS and Android apps. The other tools here are web, desktop or self-hosted. Check each vendor's site for current mobile support.
How many models should I compare?
Start with two or three. Anuma's Council Mode asks up to four at once, and a long list makes scoring slow. Add more only if your first round does not give a clear winner.
Compare more options in our Chat assistants category.
