Claude vs ChatGPT vs Grok vs Gemini: 2026 Comparison
Bottom line: If you want one assistant for mixed work, pick ChatGPT. For code and long-form writing, pick Claude. For real-time topics, pick Grok. For deep research and the Google ecosystem, pick Gemini. Buying all four usually wastes money.
📌 Updated 2026-10-25. Models, prices and regional policies change quickly; this article follows our material, and official pages are the reference before ordering.
📚 Contents
- Comparison table
- Recommendations by scenario
- Price comparison
- Ease of use from China
- Best combinations
- FAQ
- Related tutorials
Comparison table
| Dimension | ChatGPT | Claude | Grok | Gemini |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developer | OpenAI | Anthropic | xAI | |
| Representative models | GPT-5.6 series | Opus 5.5, Sonnet 5.5 | Grok 4.5 | Gemini 4 Argon |
| Individual price | $20/month | $20/month | $30/month | About $20/month |
| Context | Long | 200K | 2M | 1 million |
| Strengths | General, multimodal, ecosystem | Long documents, code, deep analysis | Real-time information, image/video | Multimodal, Deep Research |
| Real-time information | Average | Average | Strong (X data) | Fairly strong (search) |
| Coding | Strong (Codex) | Very strong | Medium | Medium |
| Chinese | Balanced | Natural | Average | Balanced |
| Friction from China | Medium | Medium | Medium | Higher |
Recommendations by scenario
Writing / long documents / contracts / papers
Claude first. A 200K context can take a whole book or a hundred-page PDF in one go, and both long-form structure and Chinese expression are solid. Add ChatGPT if you need multimodal image work.
→ How to subscribe to Claude Pro
Coding / reading a codebase
Claude and ChatGPT are both strong, with different emphases:
- Claude: Opus 5.5 plus Claude Code is steadier for large codebases, refactoring and long tasks.
- ChatGPT: the Codex ecosystem is more complete, with more GitHub and IDE integrations and more quota tiers.
Heavy developers can keep both: Claude as the main tool, Codex as the complement. → Codex quota comparison
Real-time information / trends / public opinion
Grok first. It taps real-time X data, which gives it a unique edge on trends, sentiment and breaking events, and its image and video generation is strong too.
→ How to subscribe to SuperGrok
Multimodal work / deep research
Gemini first. Text, image, audio and video input are all covered, Deep Research runs multi-round retrieval and produces a cited report, and it connects to Google Search and Workspace.
One assistant for everything
Pick ChatGPT. It is the most general, covering writing, translation, file analysis, image generation, voice and Codex, with the broadest ecosystem and plugins.
Price comparison
| Product | Individual tier | Higher tier | China top-up reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Plus $20/month | Pro 100 / 200 / 500 | Plus ¥165/month, Pro from ¥790 |
| Claude | Pro $20/month | Max 5x $100, 20x $200 | Pro ¥179/month |
| Grok | SuperGrok $30/month | 3-in-1 bundle by tier | ¥220/month, ¥580/quarter |
| Gemini | Google AI Pro about $20/month | Higher tiers by region | No top-up service here yet |
Prices move with exchange rates and official policy; the service page and official checkout page are the reference.
→ Full payment comparison: How to pay for overseas AI memberships
Top-up services: UPGPTs · ChatGPT Plus / Pro, Claude Pro / Max, SuperGrok.
Ease of use from China
| Product | Network | Registration | Payment | Overall difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Overseas network needed | Email + possible phone verification | Official card / App Store / top-up | Medium |
| Claude | Overseas network with stricter IP requirements | Email + possible phone verification | Official card / ID top-up | Medium |
| Grok | Overseas network needed | Email or X account | Official card / ID top-up | Medium |
| Gemini | Overseas network needed | Google account | Official card / Google Play | Higher |
- ChatGPT / Claude: the most mature tutorial and top-up ecosystems, so answers are easy to find.
- Grok: simple registration, but the 3-in-1 bundle requires card checkout.
- Gemini: account and payment both depend on Google, and Chinese cards have a low success rate.
Best combinations
- One only: ChatGPT or Claude, depending on whether you mainly code or write long pieces.
- Two: one daily driver plus one gap-filler, such as ChatGPT + Claude (general + code) or Claude + Grok (long-form + real-time).
- No more than three: unless the work really demands it, quota and features overlap heavily and you pay twice for the same capability.
A practical suggestion: run one for a month and note which you actually open every day. Cancel the ones you don't use next month.
FAQ
Is Claude or ChatGPT better?
Is Grok worth buying?
What is Gemini's strength?
Is buying all four a waste?
Which one is easiest to use from China?
How much do AI assistants cost?
Related tutorials
- Grok vs ChatGPT — the trade-off between real-time information and writing
- ChatGPT Plus vs Pro — choosing a tier
- Claude Pro vs Max — quota and pricing
- How to use ChatGPT in China — entry points and payment
- How to use Claude in China — web, app and API
- Paying for overseas AI memberships — virtual cards, gift cards and top-up