Picking between ChatGPT and Claude? We get it. Both cost $20/month, but they're surprisingly different. Let's figure out which one actually works for you.
| Feature | ChatGPT Plus | Claude Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $20 | $20 |
| Context Window | 128k tokens | 200k tokens |
| Web Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Image Generation | ✓ DALL-E 3 | ✗ |
| Coding Performance | Good | Excellent |
| Memory Feature | ✓ | ✗ |
| File Uploads | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile App | iOS & Android | Web Only |
GPT-5 hits 74.9% on SWE-bench tests. Really good at React and front-end work. Sometimes gets a bit verbose with explanations, but the code usually works.
Works well for most coding tasks, just don't expect it to remember much between conversations.
Claude 4 scores 72.5% on SWE-bench but here's the thing - developers actually prefer it. Much better at editing multiple files at once. The code comes out cleaner and better documented.
If you're doing serious coding work, Claude's 200k context window is a game-changer for large codebases.
This one's pretty cool - ChatGPT actually remembers things between chats. Like, if you tell it you're working on a React project, it'll remember that next week. The 128k context is decent for most tasks.
The memory thing is honestly underrated. It's like having a conversation with someone who actually pays attention.
No memory between chats (bummer), but it can handle way more text in one go. 200k tokens means you can dump entire research papers or codebases and it'll actually read through all of it.
If you need to analyze a 50-page document, Claude's your friend. ChatGPT would lose track halfway through.
Gets the job done but sounds like it swallowed a business textbook. Loves saying things like "It's important to note that..." and "Furthermore." Great for school essays, less great for anything that needs personality.
Though honestly, it's gotten better lately. GPT-5 feels less robotic than before.
Actually sounds human. It'll crack jokes, use slang when appropriate, and doesn't feel the need to over-explain everything. If you're writing creative stuff or just want responses that don't sound like they came from a corporate memo, Claude wins.
Sometimes it's almost too casual, but that's better than sounding like a robot.
| Model | Input | Output |
|---|---|---|
| GPT-4o | $2.50 | $10.00 |
| GPT-4o mini | $0.15 | $0.60 |
| Claude 4 Sonnet | $3.00 | $15.00 |
| Claude 3.5 Haiku | $0.80 | $4.00 |
Web browsing for latest news, sports scores, or what's trending right now
DALL-E 3 built right in. No switching between tools
Picks up where you left off, even days later. Pretty convenient
Works great on your phone. Voice mode is actually pretty good
Handles complex projects better. The 200k context means it won't forget what you're building
Can analyze entire research papers or legal documents without losing track
Blog posts, stories, anything where you don't want it to sound like a robot
Really good at working through complicated problems step by step
| Tool | Price | Primary Model | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor | $20/mo | Claude 3.5 Sonnet | Advanced features, multi-file edits |
| GitHub Copilot | $10/mo | GPT-4o | Budget-friendly, wide IDE support |
| Windsurf | $15/mo | Various | Flow technology, real-time sync |
| Claude Code | Part of Pro | Claude Opus 4 | Background tasks, GitHub integration |
The choice depends on your specific needs. ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) offers the best overall features with web search, image generation, and memory. Claude Pro ($20/month) excels at coding, has a larger context window (200k tokens), and provides more natural conversational responses.
Yes, Claude is generally considered better for coding. Claude 3.5 Sonnet leads on SWE-bench (72.5%) and coding benchmarks. It excels at multi-file edits, debugging, and provides cleaner, more documented code compared to ChatGPT.
Key differences: ChatGPT has web access, image generation, and memory features, while Claude has a much larger context window (200k vs 128k tokens), better coding performance, and more natural writing style. ChatGPT is more feature-rich, Claude is better for deep analysis and coding.
Both ChatGPT Plus and Claude Pro cost $20/month. However, ChatGPT has a more expensive Pro tier at $200/month with o1/o3 access, while Claude has a Max plan with higher usage limits at varying prices.
Claude generally excels at creative writing with a more natural, conversational tone. It's better at dialogue, humor, and creative exercises. ChatGPT provides more detailed, educational content but can be verbose and repetitive with jargon.
Yes, both offer free tiers. ChatGPT Free provides limited GPT-4o access and unlimited GPT-4o mini. Claude Free offers limited daily messages with Claude 3.5 Sonnet. Free tiers are good for testing but paid plans offer significantly more features and usage.
ChatGPT has dedicated iOS and Android apps with Advanced Voice Mode and full feature access. Claude is currently web-only, though the web interface works well on mobile browsers. For mobile users, ChatGPT is the clear winner.
Claude is significantly better for long documents with its 200k token context window (vs ChatGPT's 128k). You can paste entire chapters, articles, or research papers into Claude for detailed analysis and questions. This makes Claude ideal for academic and research work.
Both models can hallucinate, but Claude's Constitutional AI training makes it more likely to express uncertainty when unsure. ChatGPT with web access can verify current information, reducing hallucinations for recent events. Overall, both are quite reliable when used properly.
Absolutely! Many users subscribe to both to leverage their different strengths. Use ChatGPT for web research, image generation, and general tasks, while using Claude for coding, long document analysis, and creative writing. At $20/month each, it's affordable for heavy users.
For general business use, ChatGPT's web access and comprehensive features make it versatile. For coding teams and technical work, Claude's superior coding performance and large context window are preferred. Both offer enterprise plans with enhanced security and privacy features.
GPT-4o costs $2.50 input/$10.00 output per 1M tokens, while Claude 4 Sonnet costs $3.00 input/$15.00 output per 1M tokens. For budget API usage, GPT-4o mini at $0.15/$0.60 per 1M tokens is significantly cheaper than Claude 3.5 Haiku at $0.80/$4.00 per 1M tokens.
Both companies prioritize user privacy and don't train on user conversations from paid plans. Claude's Constitutional AI training makes it particularly suitable for sensitive work in healthcare, finance, and legal fields. Both offer enterprise plans with enhanced security measures.
Honestly? If you're just getting started, try ChatGPT Plus. The web access and image generation make it more versatile for everyday stuff. But if you code for a living or write a lot, Claude's probably worth the switch. The quality difference is real.
Or do what a lot of people do - use both. $40/month sounds like a lot, but if you use AI daily, having the right tool for each job is worth it.
Curious how Claude stacks up against Google's Gemini? Explore our detailed comparison covering multimodal capabilities, Google ecosystem integration, and pricing differences.
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