ChatGPT vs Claude
ChatGPT (AI chat assistant for questions, writing, images, voice and coding work.) and Claude (AI assistant for analysis, writing, coding and longer tasks.) compared side by side: plans and prices, vendor-stated features, platforms and sign-in, with the date each fact was checked. Matches based on official product information.
- Based on official vendor pages, linked below
- ChatGPT pricing checked: 2026-10-27
- Claude pricing checked: 2026-10-27
At a glance
ChatGPT
OpenAI- What it does
- AI chat assistant for questions, writing, images, voice and coding work.
- Strong at
- Strong fit for general-purpose assistance: writing, brainstorming, coding help and image-aware questions in one app.
- Free plan
- Yes - ongoing free plan
- Paid plans from
- US$8 / month
Pricing checked 2026-10-27 · Full ChatGPT record · Official site
Claude
Anthropic- What it does
- AI assistant for analysis, writing, coding and longer tasks.
- Strong at
- Strong fit for long-document analysis, careful writing and nuanced reasoning over large inputs.
- Free plan
- Yes - ongoing free plan
- Paid plans from
- US$20 / month
Pricing checked 2026-10-27 · Full Claude record · Official site
Plans & pricing
ChatGPT plans & pricing
Checked 2026-10-27. · Vendor pricing page Confirm prices and terms with the vendor before buying.
Free
$0 / month
Go
$8 / month
This plan may include ads.
Plus
$20 / month
Pro
From $100 / month
Claude plans & pricing
Checked 2026-10-27. · Vendor pricing page Confirm prices and terms with the vendor before buying.
Free
$0 / month
Pro
$20/month ($17/month billed annually)
$200 billed up front annually
Max
From $100/month
5x or 20x usage tiers
Side-by-side facts
| ChatGPT | Claude | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes - ongoing free plan | Yes - ongoing free plan |
| Paid plans from | US$8 / month | US$20 / month |
| Platforms | Web, iPhone/iPad, Android, macOS and Windows. Also available on Apple Vision Pro. | Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and Linux (beta). |
| Sign-in | Optional for basic web chat in supported regions. Sign in to save history and use account features; desktop apps require sign-in. | Yes, sign in to a Claude account using Google or an emailed login link. |
| API | OpenAI API is a separate developer product, billed separately from ChatGPT. | Separate Claude Console/API setup and billing. Some Max/Team plans include monthly API credits; check plan terms. |
What each tool says it does
ChatGPT - vendor-stated features
- Writing
- Images
- Voice
- Codex
Claude - vendor-stated features
- Problem solving
- Work collaboration
Worth knowing before you choose
ChatGPT - worth knowing
- The Go plan may include ads.
- Pro starts at USD 100/month.
- The Free plan has renewable, model-specific usage limits. Limits pause and reset; exact quotas are shown in the app.
- Images, voice, deep research and Codex have Free-plan limits. Everyday text chats remain subject to abuse guardrails.
- Business, Enterprise and annual prices are not included here.
Claude - worth knowing
- Pro is USD 20/month with monthly billing. USD 17/month is the annual-billed equivalent, not a month-to-month price.
- Prices exclude applicable tax.
- The Free plan has session-based limits that reset every five hours. Message counts vary with demand.
Common questions
Is ChatGPT or Claude free to use?
ChatGPT: Yes - ongoing free plan (checked 2026-10-27). Claude: Yes - ongoing free plan (checked 2026-10-27).
What do ChatGPT and Claude cost?
ChatGPT's entry paid plan is US$8 / month and Claude's is US$20 / month, from each vendor's pricing page (2026-10-27 and 2026-10-27 respectively). The tables above list every plan each vendor published.
Which is better, ChatGPT or Claude?
It depends on the job. ChatGPT: Strong fit for general-purpose assistance: writing, brainstorming, coding help and image-aware questions in one app. Claude: Strong fit for long-document analysis, careful writing and nuanced reasoning over large inputs. The feature and pricing tables above show where they differ.
Where do these facts come from?
Every fact on this page is read from the vendors' own product and pricing pages, with the checked date shown beside it. Links to both official pages are at the top of each column.
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This comparison is not a recommendation: it sets out what each vendor states on its own pages, with the dates those pages were checked. Prices and features change - confirm with the vendor before buying.