Claude or ChatGPT? They are the two biggest AI assistants in the world, and both now cost exactly the same for their main paid plan: $20 a month. So which one actually gives you more for your money?
We compared the prices, the free plans and what each one is best at. Here is how they stack up in November 2026.
Claude vs ChatGPT: the prices
| Plan | Claude (Anthropic) | ChatGPT (OpenAI) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 |
| Budget | – | Go: $8/month (may show ads) |
| Main paid plan | Pro: $20/month, or $17/month paid yearly | Plus: $20/month (monthly only) |
| Heavy users | Max: $100/month | Pro: $100/month |
| Top tier | Ultra: $200/month | Pro: $200 or $500/month |
Prices are the US list prices from Claude’s pricing page and OpenAI’s pricing as reported by SSD Nodes on 5 November 2026. Irish prices are charged in euro, and tax can differ.
Why Claude wins on price
- Cheaper if you pay yearly. Claude Pro drops to $17 a month on an annual plan ($200 a year). ChatGPT Plus has no annual discount, so it costs $240 a year.
- A powerful free plan. Claude’s free plan includes web search, creating files, running code, memory across chats, connecting your apps, and its Docs, Slides and Design tools, according to Claude’s own plan list.
- Claude Code included. Claude Pro includes Claude Code, Anthropic’s coding tool, which Anthropic’s help centre lists as a key benefit.
- Top model on the big plans. Max and Ultra include Fable, Anthropic’s most powerful model, for up to half your weekly limit, plus $100 or $200 a month in credits to build your own AI tools.
Where ChatGPT fights back
- The cheapest paid option. ChatGPT Go costs just $8 a month, though Magai notes that the Free and Go plans can carry ads.
- Images and video. ChatGPT can create images, and Plus includes voice chat with video, areas where it is stronger than Claude.
- Familiar and everywhere. ChatGPT is the name most people know, and features like custom GPTs and scheduled tasks are well established.
- A bigger top tier. For the very heaviest users, ChatGPT’s $500 Pro plan offers more usage and an “Ultrafast” mode, NoCode MBA reports.
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Which is better for you?
Choose Claude if you write, research, code or build documents and want the most for your money, especially if you pay yearly. Its free plan is one of the most generous around.
Choose ChatGPT if you mainly want image generation, voice chat, or the cheapest possible paid plan and don’t mind ads.
Our verdict
In our view, Claude edges it on value. Both charge $20 a month, but Claude is cheaper on an annual plan, packs more into its free tier, and includes tools like Claude Code at no extra cost. ChatGPT still wins for images and for people on the tightest budget.
The good news: both have free plans, so you can try each one before paying a cent.
Disclosure: Connemara Journal uses AI tools, including Claude, in its newsroom. This comparison was prepared with AI assistance and checked against each company’s published pricing.
Sources
- Claude: Plans and pricing
- Claude Help Centre: What is the Pro plan?
- SSD Nodes: ChatGPT price sheet (5 November 2026)
- NoCode MBA: ChatGPT pricing 2026
- Magai: ChatGPT pricing 2026
Featured image: Person typing at keyboard with screen overlays by ResDigital18, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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