Claude vs Gemini
Gemini scores 7.9 to Claude's 7.8 among the AI assistants we rate, and is the better pick for 2 of the 4 kinds of buyer below.
Gemini wins, 7.9 to 7.8
Claude and Gemini both have a free plan, apps on every major platform, web search, file analysis, memory and voice. The choice usually comes down to where your work lives. Gemini is built into Google's own apps and makes images, while Claude connects to a long list of work tools and gives even free users a very large context window.
Pick Claude if you work with long documents, want a large context window without paying, or need connectors for tools like Notion, Slack, HubSpot and Atlassian. A Team plan adds a shared workspace with single sign-on.
Pick Gemini if your day runs on Gmail, Calendar and Drive, you want image generation on every plan, or you want the cheapest paid start at $4.99 a month. Gemini 4 Argon comes with Google AI Pro at $19.99.
Best for
Who each one suits, decided on the criteria that matter to that buyer and the checked facts where the two differ.
- Makes images: Gemini yes, Claude no
- Team workspace: Claude yes, Gemini no
- Cheapest paid plan, monthly: $4.99 against $20
- But Claude leads on full use on the cheapest paid plan: Included against Limited
- SOC 2: Claude yes, Gemini does not say
How they score
Both are scored the same way, against the other AI assistants we rate, from facts on each vendor's own pages. They split the criteria 2 each.
Where they differ
Every point where the two vendors' published facts disagree, with a link to where each fact was read. "Not published" means the vendor does not say either way.
Published by only one of them
Where they match (8)
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
Claude
Gemini
For everything else about each tool, read the full Claude review and Gemini review.
The free plans
Claude's free plan runs its Sonnet and Haiku models with web search, code execution, memory, voice and up to five projects, and states a 1 million token context window that varies by model. Gemini's free plan runs Google's Flash models with limits that refresh every five hours up to a weekly cap, and a 32,000 token context window. Gemini makes images on every plan, including free; Claude doesn't generate photos or illustrations, though it can design graphics.
Prices and the models each plan unlocks
Gemini has the cheaper first step: Google AI Plus at $4.99 a month, then Pro at $19.99 and Ultra at $99.99 or $199.99. Gemini 4 Argon, Google's newest frontier model, needs Pro or Ultra. Claude Pro is $20 a month, or $17 billed yearly, and Max is $100 or $200 a month, with Opus and Fable from Pro up. Google's plans are personal and can be shared with up to five family members; Claude is priced per user.
How much they can read at once
Claude states 1 million tokens on every plan. Gemini reaches 1 million on Pro and Ultra, 128,000 on Plus and 32,000 on free. On a paid mid-tier plan they match; on the free and cheapest plans, Claude holds far more.
What each connects to
Gemini's Connected Apps reach Gmail, Google Calendar, Drive, Maps, YouTube, Google Photos, Spotify and WhatsApp. Claude's directory lists 824 connectors, among them Google Drive, Gmail, Microsoft 365, Notion, Figma, Slack, HubSpot, Asana, Linear and Atlassian. Claude also has a Team plan with a shared workspace and single sign-on; Gemini's consumer app has no shared team workspace.
Voice and privacy
Claude's voice mode is on every plan. Gemini's voice conversations are in the mobile app only. Both use your chats for training unless you opt out, and in Gemini switching off Keep Activity also switches off memory.
Claude vs Gemini: common questions
Is Claude or Gemini better?
Gemini suits people who live in Gmail, Calendar and Drive and want image generation. Claude suits long documents and work tools: it states a 1 million token context window on every plan and lists 824 connectors.
Which has the better free plan?
For reading long files, Claude: its free plan states a 1 million token context window against Gemini's 32,000. For images, Gemini: it generates images on the free plan, and Claude doesn't generate photos or illustrations, though it can design graphics.
Which is cheaper?
Gemini's Google AI Plus plan at $4.99 a month is the cheapest paid option. At the main tier they are close: Google AI Pro is $19.99 a month and Claude Pro is $20, or $17 a month billed yearly.
