AI assistants: what they can really do
The three big AI assistants now look alike on price, so the questions people ask are about what each plan really includes, coding agents, and privacy. Answers come from each company's own pages, read on Oct 22, 2026.
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Every product at a glance
| Product | Where it stands | In one line |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropic ClaudeAnthropic | Anthropic's assistant. Free, Pro $20/month, Max from $100. Claude Code on paid plans. | |
| Google GeminiGoogle | Google's assistant. Free, AI Plus $4.99, AI Pro $19.99, Ultra from $99.99 (US). | |
| OpenAI ChatGPTOpenAI | OpenAI's assistant. Free, Go, Plus $20/month, Pro $100-$500. Codex on Pro. |
Labels: In stores. How we label
What people ask
How much do Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini cost?
All three are free to start. The main paid tier is about $20 a month: Claude Pro $20 ($17 billed yearly), ChatGPT Plus $20, Google AI Pro $19.99. Top tiers run from about $100 to $500 a month.
Sources: [1] Anthropic, [2] OpenAI, [3] Google, [4] OpenAI
Can I pay yearly?
For Claude Pro, yes ($200 a year). OpenAI says ChatGPT Go, Plus and Pro are monthly only.
Sources: [1] Anthropic, [2] OpenAI
Is API use included in my subscription?
Usually not. OpenAI bills API use separately from Plus. Claude Max is an exception: it includes $100 to $200 a month in API credits.
Sources: [2] OpenAI, [1] Anthropic
Do they train on my chats?
By default, they can. Claude and ChatGPT let you opt out in settings. Google doesn't train on chats when Keep Activity is off or in temporary chats.
Sources: [1] Anthropic, [2] OpenAI, [5] Google
Guides
- Claude vs ChatGPT vs Gemini: what every plan costs (October 2026)Free, $20 and premium tiers for Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini, what each includes, and what's billed separately, from the companies' own pages.
- Do Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini train on your chats? How to opt outWhat each company says it does with your conversations, how long they're kept, and the setting that stops training.
What can they do?
- Question · AI assistants
Can you use Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini for free?
Yes, all three have a free plan with everyday chat, web search and file uploads. Paid plans start around $20 a month for more usage and stronger models.
3 sourcesChecked - Question · AI assistants
Can an AI assistant write and run code for you?
Yes. Paid plans include coding agents: Claude Code with Claude Pro and up, Codex with ChatGPT Pro, and Jules with Google AI Pro.
3 sourcesChecked - Question · AI assistants
Can you stop AI companies training on your chats?
Yes, in settings. Claude and ChatGPT let you opt out of training; with Gemini you turn off Keep Activity or use temporary chats.
3 sourcesChecked
The products, most ready first
- Anthropic
Anthropic Claude
Anthropic's assistant. Free, Pro $20/month, Max from $100. Claude Code on paid plans.
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Start with your problem
How we know (5 sources)
Claude plans as listed on Oct 22, 2026: Free ($0: chat, web search, file creation and code execution, memory, connectors, Artifacts); Pro ($20/month, $17/month billed annually: more usage, Claude Code, Research, Projects, Opus models, Claude in Chrome and Microsoft 365); Max (from $100/month: 5x or 20x Pro usage, plus $100-$200 in monthly API credits). Model training is opt-out on all individual plans. Usage limits reset in five-hour windows plus weekly caps on paid plans.
Read the sourceHelp article (read Oct 22, 2026): ChatGPT Plus is $20/month, billed monthly, no annual plan. Adds priority access, higher limits, reasoning models, voice, image generation, file analysis and deep research where available. API usage is billed separately. OpenAI may use conversations to improve models; you can opt out in Data Controls.
Read the sourceGoogle AI plans in the US as listed on Oct 22, 2026: Free ($0: Flash-Lite model, Deep Research, Gemini Live, 15 GB storage); AI Plus ($4.99/month, 400 GB); AI Pro ($19.99/month: Gemini 4 Argon, Pro model, Jules coding agent, Gemini in Gmail and Docs, 5 TB); AI Ultra ($99.99 or $199.99/month for 5x or 20x Pro limits, from 20 TB).
Read the sourceHelp article (read Oct 22, 2026): three ChatGPT Pro plans, Pro 100 ($100), Pro 200 ($200) and Pro 500 ($500, the only one with Ultrafast models). Pro includes Pro models, Codex, deep research, image creation, memory and file uploads. New Pro 200 subscriptions get a lower usage allowance than before.
Read the sourceGemini Apps Privacy Hub (last updated Oct 19, 2026): with Keep Activity on, Google uses activity to improve services, including training generative AI, with help from human reviewers; reviewed data is disconnected from the account and kept 3 years. With Keep Activity off or in temporary chats, chats are kept 72 hours and not used to train models unless you send feedback.
Read the source