Custom GPTs vs saved prompts: which one do you actually need?
A question I keep seeing from business owners here: should I build a Custom GPT, or is a good saved prompt enough? The honest answer is that most people reach for a Custom GPT too early, when a saved prompt would do the same job with a lot less faff. Here is the simple way to decide. Use a saved prompt when the task is a one-off shape you repeat. Things like "turn these notes into a follow-up email" or "summarise this article in five bullets". You paste the prompt, drop in your content, and you are done. Keep these in a notes file or a doc so you are not rewriting them from scratch every time. Build a Custom GPT when you need the same instructions, tone, and reference material applied again and again, especially if other people on your team will use it too. A Custom GPT lets you bake in the role, the rules, and any files it should always refer to. Good examples: a support assistant that already knows your refund policy, or one that writes in your brand voice every single time. Rough rule of thumb: if you would have to paste the same background into the chat more than a few times a week, it is worth turning into a Custom GPT. If not, a saved prompt is faster to set up and easier to tweak when you change your mind. What are you leaning on more right now, Custom GPTs or a prompt library?