Pencil vs ChatGPT

A side-by-side look at Pencil and ChatGPT — pricing, features and where each one wins. Both are reviewed independently on Curata AI.

PencilChatGPT
SummaryAI ad creative platform that aggregates multiple AI models to generate and manage static and video ad creatives for Meta, TikTok, YouTube, Google Ads and LinkedIn.Conversational AI assistant for writing, coding and research.
PricingFreemiumFreemium
CategoryMarketingWriting
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
Key features
  • Multi-Model Ad Creative Generation
  • Static & Video Ad Support
  • Multi-Platform Export (Meta, TikTok, YouTube, Google Ads, LinkedIn)
  • Enterprise Governance Controls
  • Web Browsing
  • Code Interpreter
  • Image Generation
  • Custom GPTs
  • Voice Mode
  • File Uploads
Pros
  • Free guided trial (6 ads free, no card required) makes it easy to judge output quality before paying
  • 4.8/5 rating on G2, with users reporting Pencil-generated ads among their best-performing creative
  • Real enterprise customers (William Grant & Sons, Barilla, Japan Airlines) suggest genuine reliability at scale
  • Continuously updates and improves generated video ad variations over time, per user reports
  • Extremely versatile across tasks
  • Fastest ecosystem of integrations and GPTs
  • Reliable uptime and mobile apps
  • Strong at code and structured output
  • Improves noticeably every quarter
Cons
  • No working public affiliate program — a Tapfiliate-powered program appears to have existed but now redirects away, suggesting it's discontinued
  • Generation caps are restrictive for high-volume teams (Core tier's 50/month burns fast; Pro requires a sales call for custom volume)
  • Some negative reviews cite account lockouts and slow or unresponsive support
  • Can still hallucinate facts confidently
  • Free-tier limits are hit quickly on hard tasks
  • Not the best at very long documents versus Claude

Which one should you choose?

Pencil

Best for: Marketing teams that want multi-model ad creative generation with enterprise governance, and are comfortable starting with a capped free trial.

ChatGPT

Best for: Anyone who wants one reliable AI in their pocket.

Read the full Pencil review

Pencil (trypencil.com) aggregates multiple AI models — including OpenAI, Google, Adobe, Runway and Bria — into one platform for generating and managing static and video ad creatives across Meta, TikTok, YouTube, Google Ads and LinkedIn, with enterprise governance controls. It's used by enterprise brands including William Grant & Sons, Barilla and Japan Airlines.

Read the full ChatGPT review

ChatGPT by OpenAI is the most widely adopted general-purpose AI assistant. It handles drafting, editing, coding, document analysis, live web browsing, image generation and voice conversations from a single interface. Because the ecosystem of Custom GPTs and integrations is so deep, most professionals treat it as their default thinking partner — the first tab they open when a task is ambiguous. Free users get access to a strong baseline model with meaningful daily limits; paid tiers unlock the newest reasoning models, higher usage, larger file uploads and priority speed. It is not the best at every specialty, but the breadth, reliability and pace of updates make it the safest starting point for anyone new to AI.