Which fits your task?
All three write, research, read files and search the web, and all three cost about $20 per month at the main paid tier. The choice comes down to the free plan you start on, the extras you need, such as coding agents, image and video tools or office apps, and where you already work.
What we compared
We compared the individual plans of ChatGPT, Claude and Google Gemini: free plans, the main paid tier, top tiers and the work features each adds. We read each company's pricing page on October 24, 2026; this overview reflects what they publish, not a test we ran ourselves.
The differences that matter
Free plans: ChatGPT Free offers unlimited text chats with GPT-6 within abuse guardrails, plus limited uploads, images, voice, deep research and Codex. Claude Free includes web search, file creation, code execution, connectors and up to five projects with the Sonnet and Haiku models. Gemini Free uses Flash-Lite and includes image generation, Deep Research and Gemini Live.
Coding: Claude Code comes with every paid Claude plan, Codex is included in ChatGPT with wider access from Plus, and Google AI Pro adds the Jules coding agent.
Where they work: Gemini is built into Gmail and other Google apps on paid plans, Claude Pro adds Claude in Chrome and Claude for Microsoft 365, and ChatGPT adds ChatGPT Work, projects, scheduled tasks and custom GPTs.
Limits: Claude and Gemini both reset usage in five-hour windows with weekly caps; OpenAI describes ChatGPT's limits as limited, expanded or maximum by plan.
Cost and constraints
Main tier (monthly, US prices): ChatGPT Plus $20, Claude Pro $20 or $17 per month billed annually, Google AI Pro $19.99. Cheaper entry tiers exist only for ChatGPT (Go, $8, may include ads) and Gemini (Google AI Plus, $4.99).
Top tiers: ChatGPT Pro from $100 with three usage tiers, Claude Max from $100 for 5x or 20x the Pro usage, and Google AI Ultra at $99.99 or $199.99. Only Google bundles cloud storage into its AI plans. Prices and features vary by country.
Choose based on your needs
Not sure? Start on the free plans and give all three the same real task, such as summarizing a long PDF and drafting a reply, then note where you had to correct them. For head-to-head detail, see Claude vs ChatGPT, ChatGPT vs Gemini and Claude vs Gemini.
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Sources & further reading
Based on the official documentation below. Features and access can change; check the provider before making a decision.
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