ChatGPT Plugins and GPTs: Which Ones Are Actually Useful?

When OpenAI launched the GPT Store, everyone got excited. “Custom AI for every task!”

I’ve now tested dozens of plugins and GPTs. The honest take: most are mediocre. A few are genuinely useful. Here’s what I found.

What Are Plugins vs GPTs?

Plugins (being phased out): Third-party tools ChatGPT can use. Expedia for travel, Zapier for automation, etc.

GPTs (current focus): Custom ChatGPT versions with specific instructions, knowledge, and capabilities. Anyone can create them.

Built-in tools: Browsing, Code Interpreter, DALL-E image generation.

The built-in tools are the most reliable. Custom GPTs vary wildly in quality.

The Built-In Tools (Actually Useful)

Web Browsing

ChatGPT can now search the web. This is genuinely useful for:

• Current events and news
• Fact-checking
• Recent information beyond training data
• Research that needs current sources

Limitation: Sometimes gets stuck or returns nothing. Not as good as Perplexity for pure research. But convenient for quick lookups.

Code Interpreter

Upload files, run Python code, analyze data. This is the most underrated feature.

Good for:

• CSV/Excel analysis
• Creating charts and visualizations
• Running calculations
• File conversions
• Quick data processing

This alone might justify the $20/month for some users.

DALL-E Image Generation

Generate images from text. Quality is decent. Not as good as Midjourney but convenient within ChatGPT.

Custom GPTs Worth Using

After testing dozens, here are the categories that actually deliver value:

Coding GPTs

Grimoire One of the most popular coding GPTs. Actually helpful for debugging and code generation. Maintains better context than base ChatGPT for programming tasks.

Code Copilot Good for explaining code and suggesting improvements. Not as powerful as actual Copilot but useful for quick coding questions.

Writing GPTs

The best writing GPTs are ones tuned for specific purposes:

• Academic writing style
• SEO content structure
• Specific brand voice

Generic “write better” GPTs are useless - base ChatGPT already does that.

Research GPTs

Scholar GPT variants GPTs trained to find and cite academic sources. Mixed quality but the good ones save research time.

The problem: Many claim capabilities they don’t have. Test before trusting.

What Doesn’t Work

“Viral” GPTs

Most trending GPTs are gimmicks. “Talk to historical figures,” “Personality analyzers,” “Game of Thrones characters” - fun for 5 minutes, no real utility.

Overspecialized GPTs

“GPT for writing Shopify product descriptions in the home goods space” - too narrow. Base ChatGPT with good prompting does the same thing.

Plugin replacements

Many GPTs promise to replace plugins that were retired. Most don’t work well. The integrations aren’t actually there.

AI detection GPTs

Every GPT claiming to “make your writing undetectable” or “bypass AI detection” is snake oil. They don’t work reliably.

The Honest Assessment

Worth using:

• Code Interpreter for data work
• Web browsing for current information
• A few well-made coding GPTs
• DALL-E for quick image needs

Not worth the time:

• 90% of the GPT store
• Viral/trending GPTs
• GPTs that just wrap a basic prompt

How to Find Good GPTs

Check the builder

GPTs from established developers or companies are usually better. Random creators often publish low-quality work.

Read reviews

The GPT store has ratings now. High-rated GPTs with many users are more reliable.

Test before committing

Try any GPT on a real task before relying on it. Many overpromise in descriptions.

Look for specificity

“Writing assistant” is too vague. “SEO blog post generator with SERP analysis” is more specific and potentially more useful.

My Actual Usage

After all my testing, here’s what I actually use:

Daily:

• Base ChatGPT (most tasks)
• Web browsing (current info)
• Code Interpreter (data analysis)

Weekly:

• One or two specialized coding GPTs
• Image generation occasionally

Never:

• 95% of custom GPTs
• Gimmick and viral GPTs
• Plugin replacements

The base ChatGPT with built-in tools handles 90% of my needs. Custom GPTs are occasionally useful for specific workflows, but mostly not worth the discovery effort.

Should You Pay for Plus?

Yes if:

• You use ChatGPT frequently
• You need web browsing for current info
• You work with data (Code Interpreter)
• You need image generation

Probably not if:

• You use ChatGPT occasionally
• Claude or Gemini meet your needs
• You don’t need the advanced features

At $20/month, the built-in tools are the value. The GPT store is mostly a bonus that sounds better than it is.

The Bottom Line

The GPT store promised a revolution. What we got is:

• Some useful tools (mostly from OpenAI themselves)
• A few good third-party GPTs buried in noise
• Lots of mediocre content from people hoping to go viral

Focus on the built-in tools. They work reliably. Custom GPTs are worth exploring for specific needs but don’t expect magic.

The best “plugin” for ChatGPT is still learning to prompt it well. No custom GPT replaces that skill.