ChatGPT and Claude are both general AI assistants you can chat with on the web, on your phone and on your computer. This guide is for anyone picking one to use day to day. We compared what each vendor says its assistant does, plus plans and platforms, from official pages checked on 2026-11-01.
1
A wide range of tasks, including images and voiceChatGPT
Free plan; paid plans ChatGPT is OpenAI's AI chatbot for conversation and assistance. OpenAI describes it as helping with answering questions, voice conversations, image creation, working with files, research and coding, across the web and apps. There's a free plan, and paid individual plans called Go, Plus and Pro, plus Business and Enterprise plans. OpenAI shows prices by region and billing, so check the official pricing page for what you'd pay.
Pick it if you want one assistant for many kinds of tasks, including creating images and talking out loud.
2
Writing, research, coding and work with files and toolsClaude
Free plan; Pro and Max plans Claude is Anthropic's AI assistant for conversation, research, writing, coding and working with files. Its apps run on the web, mobile and desktop, including Linux, with a Chrome extension too. Features include web search, projects for keeping related work together, artifacts for creating documents and other outputs, and connections to other tools. The free plan lets you try it, and Pro is $20 a month, or $17 a month billed annually.
Pick it if most of your use is writing, research, coding or working through documents, or you want a Linux app.
Both are capable general assistants with free plans, so the best test is your own work. ChatGPT is the broader pick if image creation and voice chat matter to you. Claude is a strong pick for writing, research and coding, with clear published pricing and the widest platform list of the two. Try the same real task in each before you pay.
