5 ChatGPT alternatives to try when the AI chatbot is at capacity

You've got options.
 By 
Tim Marcin
 on 
illustrated search bar of chatgpt
ChatGPT might be the best known option, but there are other chatbots out there. Credit: Mashable / Bob Al-Greene

People have already found countless uses for ChatGPT, the AI chatbot that's gone viral for its ability to create passable text for just about any prompt.

The thing is, ChatGPT is often over capacity. There's some indeterminate amount of users that then keeps you from firing it up. You end up with a an over capacity message and not much else to do.

Thankfully there are other options out there, even if ChatGPT is the most popular AI chatbot right now. We've collected a few of the other chatbots that could fill-in if you can't get into ChatGPT.


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1. Microsoft's AI-powered Bing

This one might be a bit tougher to actually make use of, considering you need to get approval to use Microsoft's AI-powered Bing tool. Thankfully, we've got a primer on how you might be able to jump the waiting list.

Just be warned, if you do eventually get access, the AI-powered Bing has apparently developed a habit of delivering strange, creepy answers.

Try it out, without signing up.

There's also a way you can try the AI-powered Bing without actually signing up. As Mashable's Cecily Mauran wrote, you can preview the tool on Bing's homepage. You just have to click "learn more" to a prompt about the new Bing coming down the pipeline.

2. Google's Bard

Again, this one might be a bit difficult to actually access. It'll likely involve a waitlist. Right now the only people who've gotten access to Bard are certain testers and, so far, it's apparently been underwhelming in its performance. Still, that's one to keep an eye on, once full access is given to the public.

3. Jasper

Jasper is more focused on business uses than something like ChatGPT, but it is an option. It'll cost money, but it promises to be an AI copywriter that'll improve blogs, ad material, and social copy.

4. YouChat

Sure, it's not as sleek as ChatGPT, but YouChat has a slimmed down version of what ChatGPT does. Here's a song I had it write about chicken wings, in the style of the Beatles, for instance. It responded to the prompt pretty much just how ChatGPT probably would.

screenshot of song about chicken wings
Not a good song, but impressive. Credit: screenshot: YouChat

Unlike ChatGPT, YouChat also lists the sources it pulled from to give you an answer. It's focused on being a search tool, but still does a pretty good job of responding to prompts like ChatGPT.

5. Chatsonic

ChatSonic will cost you a subscription fee, but it is designed to be a chatbot just like ChatGPT. In fact, its site markets the tool as a better version of ChatGPT. You can get a free trial, but after that it'll cost about $13 bucks per month.

close-up of man's face
Tim Marcin
Associate Editor, Culture

Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, trends, and the occasional hot take. You can find him on Bluesky (sometimes), Instagram (infrequently), or eating Buffalo wings (as often as possible).

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