Claude vs Gemini
Short answer: Both have free plans, so try both. Pick Claude if you want writing, long documents and careful reasoning; pick Gemini if you want people who live in gmail, docs, android and google photos.
| Claude | Gemini | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Anthropic | |
| Free plan | Yes, free plan | Yes, free with a Google account |
| Paid plans | Pro $20/mo ($17/mo billed annually); Max $100 or $200/mo | Google AI Plus $4.99/mo; AI Pro $19.99/mo; AI Ultra $99.99 or $199.99/mo (US) |
| Best for | Writing, long documents and careful reasoning | People who live in Gmail, Docs, Android and Google Photos |
| Strengths | Strong at reading and rewriting long documents; paid plans include the Cowork agent mode. | Works inside Google apps; paid plans include extra Google storage (400 GB to 30 TB). |
| Watch out for | Free plan usage limits are lower; Cowork is not on the free plan. | Agent Mode is Ultra-only and US-only; Plus price dropped from $7.99 to $4.99 in June 2026. |
| First prompt to try | Here is an email I need to send. Make it clearer and friendlier, keep it under 120 words, and explain what you changed. | Look at my Google Calendar for next week and tell me which day is the least busy for a 2-hour focus block. |
Prices verified 2026-10-15 from official pages.