Current Claude and Gemini models (October 2026)
Both companies ship new versions often, so check model names before you trust any comparison. These are the models each company lists today.
Anthropic Claude
- Claude Fable 5.1 — Anthropic’s most capable model, for demanding reasoning and long agentic work. Pro (usage credits), Max and higher.
- Claude Opus 5.5 — the recommended starting point for most work, including long-running agentic coding. Pro and above.
- Claude Sonnet 5.5 — the speed/intelligence balance. Available on every plan, including Free.
- Claude Haiku 5.5 — fastest and cheapest, for high-volume tasks.
- 1M-token context on all four current models (API).
Google Gemini
- Gemini 4 Argon — Google’s flagship reasoning model with a 1M-token context window. Included from Google AI Plus upward.
- Gemini 3.8 Flash — Google’s most capable Flash model, built for speed.
- Flash-Lite — the low-cost model on the Free plan and for high-volume API use.
- Nano Banana & Veo 3.1 — image and video generation in the Gemini app (limits by plan).
Sources: claude.com/pricing, Anthropic’s model overview, gemini.google/subscriptions and Google’s Gemini API model list, checked 22 October 2026.
Claude vs Gemini: category by category
| Category | Claude | Gemini | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flagship model | Fable 5.1; Opus 5.5 for most work | Gemini 4 Argon | Tie |
| Fast model | Sonnet 5.5, Haiku 5.5 | Gemini 3.8 Flash, Flash-Lite | Tie |
| Context window (API) | 1M tokens | 1M tokens (Gemini 4 Argon) | Tie |
| Coding | Claude Code included from Pro | Strong reasoning, 1M-token context | Claude |
| Long-form writing | More natural voice, follows style guides | Accurate, more generic tone | Claude |
| Web search | All plans; Research mode on Pro | Native Google Search grounding | Gemini |
| Google Workspace | Connectors and a Workspace extension | Built into Gmail, Docs, Vids | Gemini |
| Image & video | Not a plan feature | Nano Banana images, Veo video | Gemini |
| Cheapest paid plan | Pro $20/mo ($17/mo yearly) | AI Plus $4.99/mo | Gemini |
| Main paid plan | Pro $20/mo | AI Pro $19.99/mo + 5 TB storage | Tie |
| Top plan | Max from $100/mo (5x or 20x Pro) | AI Ultra $99.99 or $199.99/mo | Tie |
US prices, checked 22 October 2026. We no longer quote benchmark scores here: model versions change faster than public leaderboards, so test both on your own tasks.
Claude vs Gemini for coding
Claude is the better default for most developers. The difference is less about one benchmark and more about tooling: every paid Claude plan includes Claude Code, Anthropic’s coding agent for the terminal and IDE, and it shares one usage allowance with the Claude apps. Anthropic positions Opus 5.5 for long-running agentic coding, with Fable 5.1 for the hardest reasoning problems.
Gemini is worth a test if your code or data already lives in Google’s ecosystem. Gemini 4 Argon is Google’s flagship reasoning model with a 1M-token context window, which helps when you paste large files or logs.
How to decide for your codebase
Give both models the same real task — a bug from your tracker, a refactor, a test to write — and compare the diffs. Ten minutes of side-by-side testing tells you more than any leaderboard.
Writing, research and everyday answers
Long-form writing: Claude
Claude’s prose is usually more natural and less formulaic, and it sticks to tone and style guides over long drafts. That makes it the common pick for reports, essays, marketing copy and editing.
Current facts and search: Gemini
Gemini is grounded in Google Search, so it is strong on recent events, local information and cited answers. Claude includes web search on every plan and a deeper Research mode on Pro, which is good for sourced reports but is not native Google Search.
Long documents: close
Both offer a 1M-token context window on their current API models. In practice Claude is known for careful, well-structured answers about long contracts and papers; Gemini is convenient when the files already sit in Google Drive.
Google Workspace, images and video
Gemini wins this category clearly. On Google’s paid plans Gemini is built into Gmail, Docs, Vids and other Google apps, and the plans add Nano Banana image generation, Veo video generation and Google storage (5 TB on AI Pro).
Claude connects to other tools through connectors, offers a Claude for Google Workspace extension and includes Microsoft 365 integration on Pro, but it does not live inside Google’s apps the way Gemini does. Image and video generation are not Claude plan features.
Claude vs Gemini plans and pricing
At the main paid tier the two cost the same. Gemini is cheaper to start with; the top tiers are close.
Claude plans
API per 1M tokens (input / output): Opus 5.5 $4 / $20 · Sonnet 5.5 $2 / $10 · Haiku 5.5 from $0.10 / $0.50 · Fable 5.1 $10 / $50
Google AI (Gemini) plans
Gemini API pricing is usage-based and listed separately by Google.
Sources: claude.com/pricing and gemini.google/subscriptions, US prices checked 22 October 2026. Usage limits on both are set by the providers and can change.
Pricing verdict
Claude Pro ($20) and Google AI Pro ($19.99) are a tie on price. Gemini wins on value extras (storage, media generation, the $4.99 AI Plus tier); Claude Pro wins if you will use Claude Code, which is included rather than sold separately.
✦ MultipleChat — stop picking one
Claude for the draft, Gemini for the fact-check — in one window.
MultipleChat Pro ($20/month) includes ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and Perplexity. Send one prompt to Claude and Gemini, compare the answers side by side, see where they disagree and run Auto Verification before you use the result.
Who should choose Claude, and who should choose Gemini?
Choose Claude if you…
- —Write or review code every day and want Claude Code included
- —Produce long-form content: reports, essays, marketing copy
- —Need an assistant that follows detailed instructions and style guides
- —Analyse long contracts, papers or transcripts
- —Want Microsoft 365 or Chrome integration on Pro
Choose Gemini if you…
- —Work inside Gmail, Docs, Drive or Sheets all day
- —Need current, search-grounded answers with sources
- —Create images or video as part of your work
- —Want the cheapest paid entry ($4.99) or bundled storage
- —Already pay for Google One storage
Use both via MultipleChat if you…
- —Want Claude’s writing and Gemini’s search grounding in the same workflow
- —Are choosing a model for your team or product and want to compare real outputs first
- —Would rather pay one $20 plan than two separate subscriptions
Claude vs Gemini: frequently asked questions
Is Claude better than Gemini in 2026?
Is Claude better than Gemini for coding?
What are the latest Claude and Gemini models?
Which is cheaper, Claude or Gemini?
Does Claude work with Google Docs and Gmail?
Gemini vs Claude: which has the bigger context window?
Can I use Claude and Gemini at the same time?
Final word
Gemini vs Claude is not a quality gap; it is a fit question. Pick Claude if your work is code, writing or long documents. Pick Gemini if your work runs through Google Workspace or needs images and video. If you switch between both kinds of work, compare them on the same prompt before you pay for two subscriptions.
See the difference for yourself
One prompt to Claude and Gemini at the same time. Compare the answers side by side. No switching tabs.
Get started at multiplechat.ai