Anthropic Claude vs Google Gemini
5 questions both answer, side by side. Every answer is backed by the dated sources at the bottom.
Side by side
Can an AI assistant remember you between chats?
Claude's memory is on by default on Free, Pro and Max: it saves topics as you chat, and you can tell it to remember something.
Good to know: Searching past chats is paid plans only. Each project keeps its own memory; incognito chats aren't remembered.
Gemini keeps info you ask it to save under Personal context, and can look at your past chats before answering.
Good to know: Sign-in required; not for under-18s or Gemini Live. Past-chat referencing is still rolling out on mobile.
Can an AI assistant work inside your other apps?
Claude's connectors (built on MCP) reach apps like Slack, Linear and Google Drive, for all users.
Good to know: Claude can access and potentially change data with your permissions; only connect services you trust.
Gemini's Connected Apps can summarize Gmail, add calendar events, play Spotify and control Google Home devices.
Good to know: Unavailable on the web and iOS if Keep Activity is off.
Can an AI assistant write and run code for you?
Claude Code is included in all paid Claude plans and shares the plan's usage limits.
Good to know: Pro from $20/month; heavier use may need Max or pay-as-you-go API credits.
Google AI Pro and Ultra include Jules, Google's asynchronous coding agent, with higher limits on Ultra.
Good to know: AI Pro is $19.99/month in the US.
Can you stop AI companies training on your chats?
Anthropic lists model training as opt-out on Claude's Free, Pro and Max plans.
Good to know: Opt-out means it's on until you turn it off.
With Keep Activity off or in temporary chats, Google doesn't use your future chats to train its models, unless you send feedback.
Good to know: Chats are still kept 72 hours. With Keep Activity on, human reviewers may see chats; reviewed data is kept 3 years.
Can you use Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini for free?
Claude Free includes chat, web search, file creation with code execution, memory, connectors and Artifacts.
Good to know: Usage limits reset in five-hour windows; Claude Code, Research and Opus models need a paid plan.
Gemini Free includes the Flash-Lite model, Deep Research, Gemini Live and 15 GB of Google storage.
Good to know: The strongest models need AI Pro or Ultra.
Only checked for one of them
Can you build your own AI plugin without coding?
Plugin Create helps you build custom Claude plugins that bundle skills, connectors and sub-agents.
Good to know: Plugins are on paid plans; local MCP servers in a plugin run with your computer's permissions.
How we know (9 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): connectors let Claude access apps such as Slack, Linear and Google Drive, retrieve data and take actions, for all users on web, desktop and mobile. Claude inherits each person's permissions in the connected service. Connecting grants permission to access and potentially modify data, so only connect services you trust. Team and Enterprise owners can restrict actions, such as read-only.
Read the sourceHelp article (read Oct 22, 2026): plugins, on all paid plans, bundle skills, connectors and sub-agents for a role such as sales, finance or legal, and sync to Claude Code. Plugin Create helps build custom plugins. Plugins may include local MCP servers that run on your computer with the same permissions as any program, so install only from trusted sources.
Read the sourceOfficial introduction (read Oct 22, 2026): MCP is an open-source standard for connecting AI applications like Claude or ChatGPT to data sources, tools and workflows, described as "a USB-C port for AI applications". Supported by assistants including Claude and ChatGPT and by developer tools like VS Code and Cursor.
Read the sourceHelp article on chat search and memory (updated Oct 22, 2026, read that day): memory is on by default for Free, Pro and Max on web, desktop and mobile; Claude saves memory as individual topics while you chat, and you can ask it to remember something. Searching past chats is for paid plans only. Projects keep separate memory; incognito chats aren't saved or searched. Toggles live under Settings > Memory.
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): with permission, Gemini can use Connected Apps to summarize Gmail, create calendar events, play music from YouTube Music or Spotify, and control Google Home devices. You connect or disconnect apps under Customize > Connectors. With Keep Activity off, Connected Apps are unavailable on the web and iOS.
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"Save info and reference past chats in Gemini Apps" (read Oct 22, 2026): you can save info about your life, work or preferences under Personal context, or ask Gemini to look at past chats. Requires sign-in; not for users under 18 and not in Gemini Live; referencing past chats is still rolling out on mobile. Saved info can be edited, deleted or switched off.
Read the source