ChatGPT vs Claude
The two most popular general AI assistants. Both have free tiers and coding agents (Codex and Claude Code).
| ChatGPT ↗ | Claude ↗ | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Unlimited text chats with GPT-6, limited uploads, images, voice, deep research | Chat, web search, file creation, code execution, memory, Artifacts |
| Paid plans | Go, Plus, Pro (Pro has 3 usage tiers) | Pro $17/month annual ($20 monthly), Max from $100/month |
| Coding agent | Codex: limited on Free/Go, included on Plus, expanded on Pro | Claude Code: Pro, Max and Team |
| Image generation | Yes (limited on Free) | Not listed on the pricing page |
| Always-on agent | Dot (Pro only) | Hand off and schedule tasks (Pro and up) |
Which should you pick?
Pick ChatGPT if you want image generation and a generous free tier. Pick Claude if you want Claude Code and long-context work on a single paid plan.
FAQ
Is ChatGPT free?
Yes. The Free plan includes unlimited text chats with GPT-6, subject to abuse guardrails.
Is Claude free?
Yes. Free includes chat, web search, files, code execution and memory.
Which includes a coding agent?
Both: Codex in ChatGPT and Claude Code in paid Claude plans.
Sources (official pages, checked 2026-10-15): ChatGPT pricing · Claude pricing. Prices change often, so check the official page before buying.
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