I gave ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity the identical Android chores to see who really deserves my energy button

I’ve by no means modified the assistant on my Pixel 9 Pro XL. Gemini was there once I arrange the telephone, and I simply saved long-pressing the ability button with out pondering. Meanwhile, I pay for ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, and Perplexity Pro each month, and none of them ever obtained a flip.

Android permits you to swap the assistant that solutions while you maintain down the ability button, and all 4 of the large AI apps now qualify. Gemini comes preinstalled on my Pixel. ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity every confirmed up within the default assistant menu as quickly as I put in them. So I gave every one the identical checklist of on a regular basis telephone chores and saved rating.

How I examined AI assistants on the Android energy button

Same Pixel, identical script, and one shot per chore

Everything ran on my Pixel 9 Pro XL with the most recent model of Android 17, which has lots of new features, and I pay for all 4 companies for testing functions. I left every app on its default mannequin, since that is what most individuals get after they maintain the ability button. You do not want a subscription to make any of those your default assistant, however as a result of I pay for all 4, my outcomes replicate every firm’s paid fashions, every with its own pros and cons. Free customers might get much less detailed solutions.

Swapping assistants took about 10 seconds every time. On my Pixel, that is Settings > Apps > Default apps > Digital assistant app. Once every one was set, I held the ability button and browse from the identical script of 10 requests, phrase for phrase, so no person obtained a better model.

Half the script was boring on goal: a 12-minute timer, a 6:45 a.m. alarm, a “operating 10 minutes late” textual content, a Friday lunch on my calendar, and a few Phoebe Bridgers on Spotify. Those are the roles I’d hand off whereas I made espresso. The relaxation wanted the assistant to see or look one thing up. It needed to summarize a information article sitting on my display screen, discover a gasoline station, and examine Miami’s weekend forecast. And as a result of I write about cruises, I closed each spherical with Cozumel. Pesos or {dollars}, and the way ought to I tip?

Each chore obtained certainly one of 4 grades. Done meant no further faucets. Assisted meant I needed to verify one thing or faucet by means of. Handed off meant it defined the best way to do the duty as an alternative of doing it, and Failed meant it obtained it unsuitable or could not do it in any respect. I additionally examined every one from the lock display screen and timed how lengthy it took for a climate reply to begin.

ChatGPT vs. Claude vs. Gemini vs. Perplexity

Only one assistant completed each chore I gave it

*ChatGPT set the timer and alarm inside its personal app fairly than in Android’s Clock app.

Gemini remains to be the very best default assistant on a Pixel

It did every thing I requested and answered quickest

The ever-useful Gemini was the one assistant that completed all 10 chores. It turned on the flashlight, wrote and despatched the textual content after confirming it with me, and began Phoebe Bridgers on Spotify with none further faucets. Before including my Friday lunch, it checked my calendar to verify I used to be free, which not one of the others bothered to do.

It was additionally the one one that would learn my display screen. With a information article open, I requested for a abstract and obtained one. The three others requested me to stick the textual content or ship a screenshot.

None of that is shocking, since Google builds each Gemini and Android. It wasn’t flawless, although. The timer took noticeably longer to set than the opposite chores, and Gemini solely obtained there after I granted it display screen entry. From the lock display screen, my spoken request did not undergo till I tapped the Gemini icon to substantiate it.

Gemini was additionally the quickest. The climate reply began in about 2 seconds. Its replies have been the shortest of the 4, although. When I requested about Cozumel, it advised me {dollars} and pesos are each accepted, with out the exchange-rate recommendation ChatGPT and Claude gave me.

Perplexity is the very best Gemini various for Android

It practically matched Gemini, so long as you do not thoughts ready

Perplexity completed eight of 10 chores, greater than ChatGPT or Claude. It was the one third-party assistant that would activate the flashlight, and its Spotify dealing with impressed me. Phoebe Bridgers began enjoying immediately, with album artwork on the display screen. When I requested for instructions to the closest gasoline station, it opened Google Maps with the route already loaded.

The textual content message took it a step additional. Perplexity could not discover my contact although it is in my telephone, so it requested for the quantity after which despatched the message. Like ChatGPT and Claude, it could not summarize my display screen.

Speed is the place Perplexity misplaced me. The climate reply took about 45 seconds to begin, greater than 20 occasions slower than Gemini, and the Cozumel query took a very long time too, though the reply was thorough. I additionally needed to faucet the microphone icon earlier than each query, which obtained outdated shortly. From the lock display screen, it requested me to unlock the telephone first.

One element about Perplexity stunned me. Its mannequin picker would not checklist Sonar, Perplexity’s personal mannequin, on any model I checked: Android, iOS, Mac, or the online. You get a Best choice that picks for you, plus fashions from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, xAI, and others. In different phrases, a Perplexity subscription is now largely a manner to make use of different firms’ AI.

Claude has an amazing voice, however restricted management

The nicest one to speak to could not activate my flashlight

Claude matched ChatGPT on 5 of 10 chores, however it dealt with them higher. Its timer and alarm went into Android’s Clock app in order that I might watch the countdown in my notifications, and the calendar occasion landed in Google Calendar. It additionally responded shortly, beginning the climate reply in about 3 seconds.

It could not activate the flashlight, ship the textual content, or get me instructions, although. For every one, it advised me the best way to do the duty myself. For instructions, it instructed Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze, which is odd recommendation on an Android telephone. The Spotify request obtained midway there: Claude gave me a hyperlink that opened Phoebe Bridgers’ web page, and I needed to press play myself. It additionally could not use the lock display screen in any respect and requested me to unlock the telephone first.

What Claude had over the others was its voice. It stayed nice and constant the entire time, and it sounded prefer it was making an attempt to assist. Its Cozumel reply was an excellent instance. Dollars are broadly accepted, it mentioned, however pesos might get you a greater price, and it’s best to carry small payments.

ChatGPT has probably the most to repair as an Android assistant

It missed instructions, could not learn my display screen, and saved altering its voice

ChatGPT completed final. It set the timer and alarm, however contained in the ChatGPT app as an alternative of the Clock app, so when the timer ran out, all I obtained was a notification. It could not activate the flashlight, ship the textual content, or play Spotify, and every time it advised me to do it myself.

Directions have been a large number. ChatGPT requested me three or 4 occasions to activate exact location, although my Pixel had it on the entire time, and I gave up earlier than it produced a route. Screen summaries did not work both. With the information article open, ChatGPT requested me for a screenshot, which is the one factor I hoped to keep away from.

Its voice additionally saved altering. Every new query introduced a special accent, so it by no means felt like I used to be speaking to the identical assistant twice. (Picking a selected voice in settings mounted this, as I clarify under.) That’s a disgrace, as a result of ChatGPT gave the very best Cozumel reply of the 4. It defined that {dollars} work advantageous in vacationer areas, however that pesos are normally the higher selection due to trade charges. On the plus facet, it labored from the lock display screen with out asking me to unlock, and the climate took about 10 seconds.

There’s an odd wrinkle with ChatGPT’s mannequin, too. The Android app on my Pixel runs GPT-5.6 Sol. On my iPhone, the identical ChatGPT Plus account lets me select GPT-6.1 Sol, and Perplexity’s picker already gives GPT-6 Sol. So Android customers paying OpenAI straight are a step behind.

AI assistant permissions that you must grant on Android

Making an app your default is not sufficient by itself

None of those assistants can do a lot till you grant them permissions of their app settings. Making an app your default assistant is not sufficient.

For this check, I gave all 4 the identical entry: notifications, location, calendar, and contacts. Gemini additionally wanted display screen entry earlier than it might set a timer or summarize what I used to be taking a look at. If an assistant claims it could possibly’t do one thing, examine its permissions earlier than you hand over.

After just a few rounds of chores, I cared extra in regards to the voices than I deliberate. ChatGPT used a special accent for each new query, whereas Claude sounded the identical from begin to end. All 4 apps allow you to select a voice, and it is price a minute in every one’s settings.

Which AI assistant ought to get your Android energy button?

Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude did a good job, and ChatGPT trailed behind. If you are invested in Google’s apps, Gemini is difficult to beat, because it was the one one that would do every thing I requested.

Perplexity is the very best various in the event you can dwell with the wait and the additional faucet earlier than each query. Claude is probably the most pleasant to speak to, however it could possibly’t management your telephone practically as effectively.

For now, Gemini stays on my Pixel’s energy button. It was the one assistant that by no means made me decide up the slack, and on a telephone Google constructed, that counts for greater than a pleasant voice.

I’ll be operating this check once more in just a few months, although. Perplexity got here inside two chores of matching Gemini, and the hole retains shrinking.