Should I buy ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro?
In the world of AI chatbots, the paid versions of ChatGPT and Claude are leading in performance. Both have been tested to determine which version, ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro, offers the best performance and value for money based on its language model.
Tip : If you can't decide between ChatGPT and Claude Pro, try these Chrome extensions first to see if they suit your needs.
Learn about ChatGPT Plus and Claude Pro
The AI chatbot craze was certainly sparked by the launch of the free version of ChatGPT on November 30, 2022. Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT attracted over 100 million users in just a few months and contributed to OpenAI's current valuation of over $80 billion.
OpenAI is backed by significant investment from Microsoft (which provides its own AI assistant, Copilot), and the company has had a tumultuous relationship with co-founder Elon Musk, who left the company in 2018 due to disagreements over direction.
The premium version of ChatGPT, called ChatGPT Plus , was released in February 2023, offering the latest models, priority access during peak hours, and several other perks.
Anthropic, a US-based AI startup, released its own AI chatbot, Claude, in March 2023. According to the company's mission statement, Anthropic specializes in researching and developing safe, reliable AI technologies based on a unique approach. Called "Constitutional AI," its goal is to make AI systems helpful, honest, and harmless.
While Anthropic may not be as well-known as OpenAI, the company has made a significant impact in the AI community, with its most capable model, Opus. This model is included in Anthropic's Claude Pro , a monthly subscription package introduced in September 2023 in the US and UK, and now also available in the EU.
Features of ChatGPT Plus and Claude Pro
ChatGPT Plus costs $20 per month and includes the following:
- Access to the GPT-4 model and five times the message capacity for GPT-4o.
- Create images with DALL-E based on text descriptions.
- Early access to new features. For example, only ChatGPT Plus subscribers can use the ChatGPT app for macOS at the time of writing this comparison.
- Minimal waiting times, even during peak hours.
- The ability to analyze datasets and integrate content directly into conversations.
- Create custom GPTs, tailored to the specific needs of individuals or organizations.
Claude Pro also costs $20/month, but the list of features included in the subscription plan is shorter:
- The Claude Pro line includes the most powerful model, the Opus.
- Users can expect stable performance, even when demand spikes and they ask Claude more questions (at least five times as many).
- Subscribers receive priority access to new features.
Clearly, the ChatGPT Plus subscription package offers a more comprehensive feature set than Claude Pro. While both AI chatbots can understand and analyze images, only ChatGPT Plus can generate images from text prompts using DALL-E. Furthermore, the ability to create custom GPTs tailored to specific needs is a significant advantage for ChatGPT Plus users, as it allows for greater flexibility and personalization.
It's also worth mentioning that Claude Pro users don't have access to any voice chat capabilities – something even free ChatGPT users enjoy. If you want to experience the movie Her in real life, then ChatGPT is the obvious choice.
However, the value of a subscription package depends not only on the features offered but also on the actual effectiveness of those features. Let's examine this.
Comparing the performance of ChatGPT Plus and Claude Pro.
Because ChatGPT Plus and Claude Pro have different features, with Claude Pro lacking image creation and voice chat capabilities, we will focus on testing their text generation performance by assigning both chatbots (specifically the GPT-4 and Opus models) the following three tasks:
Writing task
To assess their writing abilities, ask both AI chatbots to write a 500-word essay on the topic 'The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare'. Evaluate the generated essays based on coherence, relevance to the topic, and overall quality.
This is the exact question that was used:
Viết một bài báo 500 từ về chủ đề 'Tương lai của Trí tuệ Nhân tạo trong Chăm sóc Sức khỏe'. Bao gồm một số tài liệu tham khảo để hỗ trợ luận điểm của bạn. Sử dụng phong cách viết hấp dẫn và tránh những từ ngữ sáo rỗng. 
In the writing task, both ChatGPT Plus and Claude Pro performed impressively, producing around 500 words and including numerous references as instructed. However, Claude Pro went a step further by providing a formatted bibliography at the end of the essay, complete with author information, source titles, publication year, and even specific page numbers.
Interestingly, ChatGPT Plus chose to structure its text using subheadings, a common practice for web articles. This can make the content easier to skim and more user-friendly. However, Claude Pro's text feels more like an essay, lacking distinct sections or subheadings.
In terms of content, both AI chatbots provide similar information, including numerous examples and addressing ethical issues related to AI in healthcare. However, Claude Pro's writing style is more engaging and fluent.
Winning option: Claude
Data analysis task
Both AI chatbots were provided with New York City weather data collected in 2016 in .csv format. They were then asked to find the hottest day of the year.
This is the exact question that was used:
Tôi cung cấp cho bạn một tập dữ liệu chứa dữ liệu thời tiết New York năm 2016. Hãy tìm ngày nóng nhất trong năm. 
Both ChatGPT Plus and Claude Pro are capable of processing and analyzing New York City weather data from 2016.
ChatGPT Plus identified July 23rd as the hottest day, with a maximum temperature of 96°F and a minimum temperature of 80°F, averaging 88°F. While this day did indeed have the highest temperature, it wasn't the only one.
Claude Pro provides a better answer by noting that the highest maximum temperature of 96°F was recorded on two days: July 23rd and August 13th. It also provides a detailed temperature analysis for both days, noting an average temperature of 88°F on July 23rd and a slightly higher 88.5°F on August 13th.
Winning option: Claude
Programming tasks
To test your programming skills, copy and paste Python code with intentionally placed errors, then ask the chatbot to find and fix them, explaining what the problems are.
This is the exact request being used:
Zem xét đoạn code Python sau và xác định bất kỳ lỗi hoặc vấn đề nào. Đối với mỗi vấn đề bạn tìm thấy, hãy cung cấp lời giải thích về vấn đề và đề xuất giải pháp. Sau khi giải quyết tất cả các vấn đề, hãy trình bày phiên bản code đã được sửa. 
Both ChatGPT Plus and Claude Pro demonstrated impressive programming capabilities by quickly identifying all six issues in the provided Python code snippet and providing accurate solutions. The results were consistent across other code snippets and popular programming languages, such as JavaScript, PHP, SQL, and Java.
This high level of programming proficiency may be due to the widespread presence of these languages in the training data for both models. Therefore, users can confidently rely on both ChatGPT Plus and Claude Pro for programming-related tasks, such as debugging, code interpretation, and creating simple programs.
Winning option: Draw
