Teach AI once. Reuse it forever.
How to save your workflow as a Custom GPT, a Gem, a Space, or a Project. Including which ones are free.
By Anna Curry
5 min read
Updated June 2026
Y ou ran the prompt, and the assistant handed you a clean set of instructions. Now save them somewhere you can reach again, so you never have to re-explain yourself. That saved spot has a different name on every platform, but the move is identical. Paste your instructions once, and the assistant works your way every time. Here’s where each one lives, and how to set it up in a few minutes.
Good news first. Three of these cost nothing. Gemini Gems, Perplexity Spaces, and Claude Projects are all free to build. Only Custom GPTs need a paid plan, ChatGPT Plus. So if you’re not paying for an AI tool yet, you can still do this today.
| Gemini Gem | Perplexity Space | Custom GPT | Claude Project | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where to set it up | Sidebar, then Gems | Sidebar, then Spaces | Explore GPTs, then Configure | Sidebar, then Projects |
| What it costs | Free | Free to create | ChatGPT Plus | Free, up to 5 |
| Setup time | About 5 min | About 5 min | About 10 min | About 5 min |
| Best for | Google users | Research and sources | ChatGPT all day | Saved instructions and files |
Here’s where to paste it.
Build a Gem
- Go to gemini.google.com and open the sidebar. Click Gems.
- Click New Gem and give it a name.
- Paste your saved instructions. If they’re rough, click “Use Gemini to re-write instructions” to tidy them up.
- Preview it on the right, then click Save. The preview alone doesn’t save it.
Create a Space
- Go to perplexity.ai. In the left sidebar, click Spaces.
- Click Create a Space and name it.
- Click Add Instructions and paste your saved instructions.
- Add files as sources if you want, then save.
If you don’t see Spaces in your sidebar, it’s gated to Pro on your account.
Open Perplexity →Make a Custom GPT
- On a computer, go to chatgpt.com and click Explore GPTs, then Create.
- Open the Configure tab.
- Add a name and short description, then paste your saved instructions into Instructions.
- Click Create and set it to “Only me.”
No paid plan? Paste the instructions into Settings, Personalization, Custom Instructions instead. That part is free.
Open ChatGPT →Set up a Project
- Go to claude.ai and open Projects in the sidebar, or go straight to claude.ai/projects.
- Click New Project and give it a name.
- Open the project, find the instructions field, and paste your saved instructions there.
- Add reference files to the project knowledge if you want, then start a chat. Every chat in the project follows your instructions.
Want one workflow that follows you across every project and chat? Build it as a Skill instead. Skills travel with Claude everywhere, with a little more setup.
Open Claude →Which one should you build first?
Not paying for anything yet? Build a Gem, a Space, or a Claude Project. All three are free and take about five minutes. Live in ChatGPT Plus all day? Make it a Custom GPT. Want one workflow that follows you across every Claude project, not just one? Build a Skill, the most portable option, since it follows an open standard you can reuse across other tools. Pick the one you already have. The point is to save your workflow somewhere, not to collect all four.
Before you start.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. Every option here is just simple text instructions, not code. With Claude you paste your instructions straight into a Project, and Gemini will rewrite your instructions for you if you ask.
Which ones are free?
Gemini Gems, Perplexity Spaces, and Claude Projects are all free to build. Only Custom GPTs need a paid plan. If you’re not paying for anything yet, you can still build three of the four today.
What task should I turn into a workflow first?
Pick the one thing you explain over and over. Replying to inquiries, writing the same kind of post, quoting a job. One task, one workflow. You can always build more.
Can I use the same workflow across different AI tools?
Mostly, yes. The instructions are just text, so you can paste the same set into a Gem, a Space, a Custom GPT, or a Claude Project. If you want one that travels across every Claude conversation, build it as a Skill. Skills follow an open standard, so they’re the most portable of the bunch.
Anna Curry is the founder of Top of Search, a marketing consultancy in Wilmington, NC that helps owner-operated local businesses get cited by AI search engines. She has worked in marketing since 2008 and writes Cited, a weekly newsletter on AI visibility for local business owners.
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