Pick DeepL if…
you translate documents or client correspondence regularly and need glossaries, file translation and data-privacy controls.
These aren't the same kind of product. DeepL is a neural translator built for text, files and full pages, with glossaries, translation memory and team controls, plus Write Pro for rewriting. ChatGPT is a general-purpose assistant for everyday writing, brainstorming and images. They overlap only where you'd ask a chatbot to translate as part of a writing task; DeepL's translation tooling has no listed equivalent in ChatGPT.
Pick DeepL (Individual at $10.49/mo) if translation is the job: documents, correspondence, consistent terminology through glossaries, and no data training from the Individual plan. Pick ChatGPT (Go at $8/mo, Plus at $20/mo) if translating is occasional and you want one assistant for writing, images and voice.
| App | Free tier | Paid from | Top plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeepL | Yes | $10.49/mo | $68.99/mo | Professionals and companies translating documents and correspondence who need glossaries, data privacy and team controls |
| ChatGPT | Yes | $8/mo | $500/mo | Everyday writing, brainstorming, image generation, casual coding |
Monthly prices in US dollars before tax, from each vendor's official pricing (US list price; weekly-billed plans converted to a monthly figure). Updated November 2, 2026
| DeepL | ChatGPT | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Translation of text, files and full pages | General writing, brainstorming, images |
| Free tier | 50,000 characters/mo, 1 file/mo up to 5 MB | GPT-6 Luna, unlimited text chats, file uploads |
| Entry plan | Individual: 300,000 characters/mo, 3 files/mo up to 30 MB | Go: image generation, memory & projects |
| Terminology control | Glossaries (1 on Free/Individual, 5 on Team); translation memory on Business | No glossary features listed |
| Teams | Team and Business per user: SSO, admin, bulk file translation | Business and Enterprise plans (not priced here) |
| Voice | 30 min DeepL Voice/mo on Individual | Voice mode, including on Free |
you translate documents or client correspondence regularly and need glossaries, file translation and data-privacy controls.
you need a general assistant for writing and ideas, and translation is an occasional side task.
DeepL's paid plans meter both characters and file translations: Individual gives 300,000 characters and 3 files a month, Team 1,000,000 characters per user and 20 files, and Business unlimited characters under fair use with 100 files. If you translate many documents, check the file count first, since the Individual plan's 3 files can run out long before the character allowance. Write Pro, DeepL's rewriting tool, is a paid add-on below Business.
DeepL is the dedicated tool: it translates files and full pages, keeps terminology consistent with glossaries, and doesn't train on your data on its Individual plan. ChatGPT is a general assistant without those translation-specific controls.
Yes: 50,000 characters and 1 file translation (up to 5 MB) a month, plus one small glossary. ChatGPT's free plan has unlimited text chats on GPT-6 Luna.
ChatGPT Go ($8/mo) is a little cheaper than DeepL Individual ($10.49/mo), which is itself cheaper on annual billing. They're priced for different jobs, so pick by what you need to do.
How we choose: prices come from each vendor's official pricing page and are re-checked every week. We take no affiliate fees, so rankings aren't for sale.