Guides · Claude & ChatGPT
Claude or ChatGPT? How to choose (honestly)
Both are excellent and both are free to start. Here’s how they differ, and a simple way to pick the right one for you.
We’re not affiliated with either company, so here’s our straight answer.
The short version
You can’t go badly wrong with either. Both are excellent, both have a free version, and the skills you learn on one carry straight over to the other. The biggest mistake is spending weeks deciding instead of starting.
If you want a rule of thumb:
- Choose ChatGPT if you want the best-known tool with the widest range of features: images, voice conversations and a huge library of add-ons. It’s also the one your friends and colleagues are most likely to be using, which makes swapping tips easy.
- Choose Claude if most of what you’ll do is writing, reading and thinking things through: emails, letters, reports, long documents. Many people find Claude’s writing more natural and less “robotic”, and it’s very good at working with long documents and following careful instructions.
Side by side
| ChatGPT | Claude | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | OpenAI | Anthropic |
| Free version? | Yes | Yes |
| Typical paid plan | About £20 a month (a cheaper “Go” plan is also available) | About £18–£20 a month |
| Writing quality | Very good | Excellent, often more natural |
| Long documents and PDFs | Good | Excellent |
| Creating pictures and photos | Yes, a real strength | More limited: great for charts, diagrams and simple designs |
| Voice conversations | Yes, very polished | Yes |
| Projects (organise chats and files) | Yes | Yes |
| Remembers you between chats | Yes (can be turned off) | Yes (can be turned off) |
| Phone app | Yes | Yes |
Prices change. We check these regularly, and this table was last checked when this guide was updated.
Three questions to help you choose
1. What will you mostly use it for? Writing, letters, documents and thinking? Lean towards Claude. A bit of everything, including pictures? Lean towards ChatGPT.
2. What does your workplace use? If your employer already provides one, start there. Many workplaces provide Microsoft Copilot, which is built on the same technology as ChatGPT. The skills transfer.
3. Which one do you enjoy talking to? Seriously. Try both for ten minutes with the same request, for example “Help me write a friendly note to my neighbour about their hedge.” Pick the one whose answer you liked more.
Can I use both?
Absolutely, and many people do. Both free versions are good, so there’s nothing to lose. Some people use ChatGPT for images and quick questions, and Claude for writing and documents. Our AI Foundations course teaches both side by side.
What about Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and the rest?
They’re good too. Gemini is built into many Google products, and Copilot into Microsoft Office. Everything you learn from our guides (how to ask well, how to stay safe, how to check answers) works in any of them. We focus on Claude and ChatGPT because they’re the two most people start with.
Our suggestion
Not sure? Start with ChatGPT or Claude’s free version today, and try the other one next week. You’ll know within a few days which suits you. Then read our guide on setting it up properly, for Claude too.