WhichBot › Compare › ChatGPT vs Claude
Last checked Oct 28, 2026 · plain English · no paid picks
ChatGPT vs Claude
Short answer: neither wins at everything.
Pick ChatGPT if you want one app that does a bit of everything: chat, voice, images, files and deep research.
Pick Claude if you mostly write, edit or work through long documents and want the most natural-sounding writing.
ChatGPT vs Claude side by side
| ChatGPT | Claude | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Chat app from OpenAI | Chat app from Anthropic |
| Made by | OpenAI | Anthropic |
| Price | Free $0; Go $8/mo (US); Plus $20/mo; Pro 100 $100, Pro 200 $200, Pro 500 $500 /mo | Free $0; Pro $20/mo ($17/mo annual); Max from $100/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Good at | Broadest feature set in one app: voice, images, files, deep research; Best for: all-rounder, data analysis, images, voice | Natural-sounding writing; good with long documents; Best for: writing, long documents, coding, homework |
| Watch out for | Go plan may include ads (OpenAI pricing page) | No built-in image generation |
| Privacy | Personal accounts: chats may train models by default; turn off 'Improve the model for everyone' in Data Controls. Business/Enterprise: no training by default | Consumer (Free/Pro/Max): model training is opt-out, meaning it's on unless you turn it off. Team/Enterprise: no training by default |
| Where it runs | web, iOS, Android | web, desktop, iOS, Android |
| Status | Current. Custom GPTs retire Dec 11, 2026 (Enterprise workspaces with an approved delay: Feb 11, 2027); OpenAI says move them to Plugins. Existing chats with GPTs stay accessible. New Oct 20, 2026: locked chats (hide a chat behind a 4-digit PIN or device unlock) rolling out to Free, Go, Plus and Pro | Current |
| Sources | chatgpt.com · openai.com · help.openai.com · help.openai.com (2) · help.openai.com (3) · help.openai.com (4) | claude.com · claude.com (2) · support.claude.com |
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Questions people ask
Is ChatGPT or Claude better?
It depends on what you do. Pick ChatGPT if you want one app that does a bit of everything: chat, voice, images, files and deep research. Pick Claude if you mostly write, edit or work through long documents and want the most natural-sounding writing.
Is ChatGPT free?
Yes. ChatGPT has a free plan. Plans: Free $0; Go $8/mo (US); Plus $20/mo; Pro 100 $100, Pro 200 $200, Pro 500 $500 /mo.
Is Claude free?
Yes. Claude has a free plan. Plans: Free $0; Pro $20/mo ($17/mo annual); Max from $100/mo.
Can I try both ChatGPT and Claude?
Yes. Both have a free plan, so you can try each one on the same task and keep the one you like.
How does WhichBot decide?
Hector uses a written rubric: everyday usefulness, cost and free plans, privacy, reliability, ease of use, availability and safety. Rankings are one input, not the answer.
Facts come from the companies' own pages, linked above, and were last checked Oct 28, 2026. Prices are US and can change. Picks are Hector's: no paid picks, sponsors always labeled, and no sponsorship from AI labs. Our policy.