Head to Head

ChatGPT Agent vs Claude Cowork

ChatGPT Agent and Claude Cowork compared on where they run, how your team reaches them, capabilities, live momentum and cost.

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CChatGPT Agent

CClaude Cowork

Profile

Runs

SaaS, Enterprise

Desktop, SaaS, Enterprise

Where You Talk to It

Web, Desktop

Desktop, Web

License

Proprietary

Pricing

Included in paid ChatGPT plans (Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise). Monthly task limits vary by plan.

Included in Claude Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans. Usage counts toward plan limits.

Maintained by

OpenAI

Anthropic

Best for

ChatGPT users who want web research and tasks done end to end

Knowledge workers who want finished documents, not just answers

Live Data

GitHub Stars

–

Last Commit

—

Vendor Status

All Systems Operational

Price per 1M Tokens (In / Out)

–

Capabilities

Local Models

Cloud Models

MCP Support

Strengths

Built into ChatGPT, so there is nothing to install for most teams.
Combines browsing, code execution and connected apps in one task.
Asks before consequential actions, and you can take over at any time.
Produces editable slides and spreadsheets, not just text.

Delivers finished files such as spreadsheets, decks and documents for review.
No setup or servers: it runs in the Claude app you already use.
Connectors and plugins reach tools like Microsoft 365 and analytics platforms.
Admin controls for access by role, spend limits and usage analytics.

Trade-offs

Monthly task limits on lower plans.
Slower than a normal chat answer, since it works step by step on a virtual computer.
Only works with OpenAI models.

Only works with Claude models.
Long tasks use a lot of your plan allowance.
Computer use is still a research preview.

Key Differences

ChatGPT Agent is the more mature project, first released in 2025. Claude Cowork followed in 2026.

Which One Should You Pick?

ChatGPT Agent

Pick ChatGPT Agent if you need: ChatGPT users who want web research and tasks done end to end

Full ChatGPT Agent profile

Claude Cowork

Pick Claude Cowork if you need: Knowledge workers who want finished documents, not just answers

Full Claude Cowork profile

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Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers to the questions we hear most often.

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Which is older, ChatGPT Agent or Claude Cowork?

ChatGPT Agent was first released in 2025 and Claude Cowork in 2026. A longer track record usually means more examples, integrations and answered questions.

What is the main difference between ChatGPT Agent and Claude Cowork?

ChatGPT Agent runs as saas, enterprise. Claude Cowork runs as desktop, saas, enterprise. That choice decides where your data lives, who maintains the agent and how fast you can roll it out.

Is ChatGPT Agent or Claude Cowork cheaper?

ChatGPT Agent is paid and Claude Cowork is paid. For both, the model bill usually matters more than the license. Use the agent cost calculator to estimate it for your workload.