ChatGPT GPTs
A ChatGPT GPT is a custom assistant created with ChatGPT's GPT builder — essentially a saved prompt template with optional files, instructions, and limited custom actions. GPTs are not the same thing as apps: apps connect to third-party services, GPTs encapsulate a task or persona inside ChatGPT itself.
What a GPT actually is
A GPT is a configuration of ChatGPT — system instructions, attached reference files, a name, an icon, and (optionally) a small set of custom actions. Anyone with a paid ChatGPT plan can build one. Once published, a GPT can be shared via a link or, for some accounts, listed in the GPT discovery surface. GPTs do not connect to third-party services in the way apps do; the actions feature is a constrained way to call simple APIs, but it's not the same model as a full app integration.
GPTs vs apps: the key difference
An app is a third-party product running inside ChatGPT — Canva, Wolfram, Spotify, Google Drive. A GPT is a configuration of the model itself. If you need to read or write to a real account on a real service, you need an app. If you need a focused, repeatable assistant for a self-contained task (a Python tutor, a brand-voice editor, an interview prep coach), a GPT is the right tool. They live on the same chat surface but solve different problems.
Why we don't rank GPTs
Three reasons. First, GPTs are user-generated and change constantly — there's no stable surface to rank. Second, there's no partner agreement gating quality; anyone can publish a GPT, which makes editorial ranking closer to ranking individual prompts than ranking products. Third, the GPT discovery problem is fundamentally a search/recommendation problem, not a small-set comparison problem like apps. We focus on apps because they're stable enough to compare meaningfully.
When you should use a GPT, not an app
Use a GPT when the task is self-contained, doesn't need third-party data access, and benefits from a consistent prompt+persona. Examples: a recurring writing style you want to apply, a quiz or tutoring scenario, an interview prep simulator, a code-review assistant focused on your team's conventions. Use an app when the task crosses into a real service you have an account on.