ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini (2026): Which AI Chatbot Is Best?
Practical comparison of ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini across coding, writing, context handling, and ecosystem fit.
Last updated: February 18, 2026
Quick Verdict by Use Case
Opus 4.6 leads SWE-bench Verified (80.8%) with 128K token output for full-file generation
800M+ weekly users, GPT-5.2 excels across reasoning benchmarks with broadest plugin ecosystem
1M token context window on Gemini 3 Pro enables full-book and codebase analysis
AI Plus tier at $7.99/month is the most affordable paid option among the three
Our Verdict
Claude leads for coding and careful analysis. ChatGPT leads for general-purpose versatility. Gemini leads for long-context tasks and Google ecosystem integration. The best choice depends on your primary workflow.
Try the Winners
Claude
Best for: Coding & software engineering
ChatGPT
Best for: Everyday versatility
Gemini
Best for: Long-context research, Budget-friendly access
Still deciding? Our AI Tool Decision Matrix lets you compare features, pricing, and fit for your team. ($9)
In February 2026, Claude (Opus 4.6) leads for coding and technical analysis with the highest SWE-bench score. ChatGPT (GPT-5.2) leads for general-purpose use with 800M+ weekly active users and the broadest plugin ecosystem. Gemini (3 Pro) leads for long-context tasks with its 1M token window and deepest Google integration. All three offer free tiers — test with your actual prompts before paying.
TL;DR
- Best for coding: Claude (Opus 4.6) — 80.8% SWE-bench Verified, 128K token output, Claude Code CLI
- Best all-rounder: ChatGPT (GPT-5.2) — strongest reasoning benchmarks, 800M+ weekly users, broadest ecosystem
- Best for long documents: Gemini (3 Pro) — 1M token context window, native Google Workspace integration
- Best budget option: Gemini AI Plus at $7.99/month; Claude and ChatGPT both at $20/month
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | ChatGPT | Claude | Gemini |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | Anthropic | |
| Flagship Model | GPT-5.2 | Opus 4.6 | Gemini 3 Pro (preview) |
| Paid From | $8/mo (Go) or $20/mo (Plus) | $20/mo (Pro) | $7.99/mo (AI Plus) |
| Premium Tier | $200/mo (Pro) | Max tier available | $249.99/mo (AI Ultra) |
| Context Window | 16K–128K (varies by tier) | 200K (1M available) | Up to 1M tokens |
| Max Output | Up to 32K tokens | Up to 128K tokens | Varies by model |
| Image Understanding | |||
| Image Generation | |||
| Code Execution | |||
| Web Browsing | |||
| Voice Mode | |||
| API Available | |||
| Self-Hosted |
Pricing Comparison
All three chatbots offer free tiers with usage limits. Here’s how their paid plans compare as of February 2026:
| Tier | ChatGPT | Claude | Gemini |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | GPT-5.2 Instant, 16K context | Sonnet 4.5, rate-limited | Gemini 3 Flash, 50 daily AI credits |
| Entry Paid | Go: $8/mo | Pro: $20/mo ($200/yr) | AI Plus: $7.99/mo |
| Standard Paid | Plus: $20/mo | Team: $25/seat/mo | AI Pro: $19.99/mo |
| Premium | Pro: $200/mo | Enterprise: from $125/seat | AI Ultra: $249.99/mo |
| Business | Business: ~$25/user/mo | Team/Enterprise tiers | Workspace add-on |
Key pricing differences:
- Cheapest entry: Gemini AI Plus at $7.99/month
- Best free tier for coding: Claude’s Sonnet 4.5 is capable for free-tier coding tasks
- Annual savings: Claude Pro offers $200/year (saves $40 vs monthly billing)
- Most expensive premium: Gemini AI Ultra at $249.99/month, but includes YouTube Premium and 30TB storage
Pricing was last verified on February 18, 2026 from official pages: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google.
Benchmark Comparison
AI benchmarks provide one signal — not the full picture. Still, they help compare raw capability across standardized tasks. Data sourced from official model announcements and Chatbot Arena.
| Benchmark | ChatGPT (GPT-5.2) | Claude (Opus 4.6) | Gemini (3 Pro) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SWE-bench Verified (coding) | 80.0% (Thinking) | 80.8% | 76.2% |
| GPQA Diamond (science reasoning) | 93.2% (Pro) | 91.3% | 91.9% |
| AIME 2025 (math competition) | 100% | — | 95% |
| Chatbot Arena (human preference) | ~1,475 | ~1,468 | ~1,487 |
What the benchmarks tell us:
- Coding: Claude and ChatGPT are neck-and-neck on SWE-bench Verified, with Claude’s Opus slightly ahead at 80.8% vs 80.0%. Gemini 3 Pro trails at 76.2% but is still highly capable.
- Science reasoning: GPT-5.2 Pro leads GPQA Diamond at 93.2% — a graduate-level science benchmark. All three score above 91%.
- Math: GPT-5.2 achieved a perfect 100% on AIME 2025. Gemini 3 Pro scored 95%.
- Human preference: Chatbot Arena Elo scores are remarkably close. Rankings fluctuate weekly, reflecting genuine competitive parity.
Coding Comparison
Coding is where the differences between these models become most apparent.
Claude (Opus 4.6) is the top choice for serious coding workflows:
- Highest SWE-bench Verified score (80.8%) — the industry’s most credible coding benchmark
- 128K token max output means it can generate entire files, not just snippets
- Claude Code is a dedicated CLI tool for agentic terminal-based development
- Artifacts feature provides interactive code previews in the web interface
- Strong at following complex system prompts and maintaining architectural patterns
ChatGPT (GPT-5.2) excels at interactive coding:
- Code Interpreter executes Python, generates charts and data analysis in-conversation
- Canvas mode provides a side-by-side editor for iterating on code
- GPT-5.2 Thinking mode excels at multi-step debugging and problem solving
- Broad language support across Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Rust, Go, and more
Gemini (3 Pro) brings unique advantages for code analysis:
- 1M token context window lets you load entire codebases for cross-file analysis
- Deep integration with Google Cloud and Firebase for deployment workflows
- Gemini Code Assist provides IDE integration for VS Code and JetBrains
Writing & Creative Tasks
ChatGPT generally produces the most versatile writing output:
- Adapts tone and style quickly across creative, professional, and casual registers
- Custom GPTs enable fine-tuned writing personas and brand voices
- Strong at marketing copy, social media posts, and SEO content
Claude excels at nuanced, long-form writing:
- Known for following detailed style guides and maintaining consistency over long outputs
- Projects feature keeps context across multiple writing sessions
- Strong at academic writing, technical documentation, and structured analysis
Gemini leverages Google’s knowledge graph:
- Strongest for research-backed writing with access to current web information
- Native Google Docs integration for in-place editing and suggestions
- Good at summarizing and synthesizing multiple sources quickly
Context Window & Document Analysis
Context window size determines how much text you can feed the model in a single conversation:
| Feature | ChatGPT | Claude | Gemini |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier context | 16K tokens | ~100K (Sonnet) | Varies |
| Max context | 128K–196K (Enterprise) | 200K (1M at premium rate) | 1M tokens |
| Max output | ~32K tokens | 128K tokens | Varies |
| File uploads | PDF, images, code | PDF, images, code | PDF, images, video, audio |
| Multimodal input | Text, image, audio | Text, image | Text, image, video, audio |
Key takeaways:
- Gemini wins on raw context size — 1M tokens can handle a full novel or entire codebase in a single prompt
- Claude wins on output length — 128K token output is 4x ChatGPT’s, critical for generating long documents or full code files
- Gemini is the most multimodal — it natively handles video and audio input in addition to text and images
Ecosystem & Integration
ChatGPT ecosystem (strongest breadth):
- 800M+ weekly active users as of late 2025 (TechCrunch)
- GPT Store with thousands of custom agents and assistants
- Plugins and integrations with Slack, Notion, Zapier, and most major SaaS tools
- Available on web, iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows
Claude ecosystem (fastest growing):
- Artifacts for interactive content creation and code previews
- Projects for persistent context and team collaboration
- Claude Code CLI for agentic developer workflows
- Memory across conversations for personalization
- Desktop apps for macOS and Windows
- MCP (Model Context Protocol) for extensible tool integrations
Gemini ecosystem (deepest platform integration):
- Native in Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Meet
- AI Plus/Pro/Ultra bundled with Google One storage (2TB–30TB)
- AI Ultra includes YouTube Premium and additional Google services
- Android integration as default AI assistant
- Deep Google Cloud and Firebase integration for developers
Who Should Choose What
| If you need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best coding assistant | Claude (Opus 4.6) | Highest SWE-bench score, 128K output, Claude Code CLI |
| General everyday assistant | ChatGPT (GPT-5.2) | Broadest ecosystem, strongest reasoning, massive user community |
| Long document analysis | Gemini (3 Pro) | 1M token context window handles full books and codebases |
| Cheapest paid plan | Gemini (AI Plus) | $7.99/month vs $20/month for Claude and ChatGPT |
| Google Workspace user | Gemini | Native integration in Docs, Sheets, Gmail, Meet |
| Enterprise team | Evaluate all three | Each offers enterprise plans — test with your actual workflows |
| Content writing | ChatGPT or Claude | ChatGPT for versatility, Claude for consistency and nuance |
| Math & science reasoning | ChatGPT (GPT-5.2 Pro) | 100% on AIME 2025, 93.2% on GPQA Diamond |
Adoption & Market Context
According to McKinsey’s State of AI report (November 2025), 88% of organizations now use AI regularly — up from 78% the prior year. Additionally, 62% of companies are experimenting with AI agents that go beyond simple chat interactions.
ChatGPT remains the market leader with 800M+ weekly active users as of late 2025 (TechCrunch). But the competitive gap is narrowing — Claude and Gemini have both gained significant enterprise traction, and benchmark differences between the three are increasingly marginal.
Methodology
We tested all three chatbots across identical prompts covering coding, writing, analysis, and creative tasks during a 30-day evaluation period. Benchmark data is sourced from official model announcements and third-party evaluation platforms. Pricing was verified from official vendor pages on February 18, 2026. We maintain no affiliate relationships with OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google — our comparison is independent.
For individual deep dives, read our reviews of ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. For head-to-head matchups, see Gemini vs ChatGPT and Notion AI vs ChatGPT vs Claude. Considering alternatives? Check our ChatGPT alternatives and Claude alternatives guides.
Looking for role-specific AI tool recommendations? See our guides for freelancers, small businesses, solopreneurs, content creators, marketing agencies, real estate professionals, and ADHD productivity support.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better: ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini?
It depends on your use case. Claude (Opus 4.6) leads for coding with 80.8% on SWE-bench Verified. ChatGPT (GPT-5.2) leads for general reasoning with 93.2% on GPQA Diamond. Gemini (3 Pro) leads for long-context tasks with a 1M token window. For most users, try the free tier of each with your actual prompts before subscribing.
How much do ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini cost?
All three offer free tiers. ChatGPT Plus is $20/month, Claude Pro is $20/month, and Gemini AI Plus starts at $7.99/month. ChatGPT also has Go ($8/month) and Pro ($200/month) tiers. Gemini offers AI Pro ($19.99/month) and AI Ultra ($249.99/month). As of February 2026, verify on official pricing pages as plans change frequently.
Which AI chatbot is best for coding?
Claude is the top choice for coding in 2026. Claude Opus 4.6 scores 80.8% on SWE-bench Verified and can output up to 128K tokens — enough for full file generation. Its Claude Code CLI tool integrates directly into terminal workflows. ChatGPT's GPT-5.2 Thinking is close at 80.0% on SWE-bench, with strong Code Interpreter support.
Do they all have free plans?
Yes. ChatGPT Free gives access to GPT-5.2 Instant with a 16K context window. Claude Free provides access to Sonnet 4.5. Gemini Free includes access to Gemini models with limited daily usage. All free tiers have rate limits and may restrict access to the most powerful model variants.
Which AI has the largest context window?
Gemini 3 Pro leads with a 1M token context window (per ai.google.dev). Claude Opus 4.6 offers 200K tokens standard, with 1M context available at a premium rate (per anthropic.com/pricing). ChatGPT's context varies by tier: 16K (Free), 32K (Go/Plus), and up to 128K-196K (Pro/Enterprise) per openai.com/chatgpt/pricing/.