Claude AI for business · Comparison
Claude AI vs ChatGPT for small business
By Limon Ghosh, Sydney · Updated 24 October 2026 · 7 min read
Short answer: Both have a free plan and paid plans for individuals and teams, and both business plans say they do not train on your data by default. ChatGPT includes image creation and has a cheaper Go plan that may show ads. Claude’s pricing page does not list image creation, but Pro includes Claude Code and Claude in Chrome. For most small businesses the right choice depends on the jobs you give it, so test both free plans on the same real tasks for a week.
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Plans and prices side by side
| Plan level | Claude (USD, before tax) | ChatGPT (local currency shown to us) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | NZ$0 |
| Entry paid | No equivalent | Go: NZ$14 a month. OpenAI says this plan may include ads |
| Main individual plan | Pro: $20 a month, or $17 a month billed annually | Plus: NZ$40 a month |
| Heavy use | Max: from $100 a month | Pro: from NZ$190 a month |
| Team, standard seat | Team Standard: $20 a seat a month annually, $25 monthly | Business Standard: NZ$33 a seat a month annually, NZ$41 monthly |
| Team, premium seat | Team Premium: $100 a seat annually, $125 monthly | Business Premium: NZ$165 annually, NZ$205 monthly |
| Enterprise | US$20 a seat a month annually, 20-seat minimum, plus usage at API rates | Contact sales |
Sources: Claude pricing and ChatGPT pricing, both read 24 October 2026. Claude lists US dollars before tax. ChatGPT showed prices in New Zealand dollars when we checked, because it prices in local currency. Open both pages from Australia to see your own price.
Why the currencies differ. Anthropic’s pricing page shows US dollars and says prices do not include tax. OpenAI’s page shows local prices, and ours loaded in New Zealand dollars. Do not compare the two columns as if they were the same currency. See is Claude AI free for how tax works on Claude.
Free plans compared
Claude Free
- Chat on web, desktop and mobile
- Web search, file creation and running code
- Memory and up to 5 projects
- Sonnet and Haiku models
- No Opus, Research, Claude Code or Claude in Chrome
- Limits reset on a rolling five-hour window
ChatGPT Free
- Unlimited text chats, subject to abuse guardrails
- Limited uploads, image creation and voice chats
- Limited deep research
- Limited memory and context
- Limited Codex and ChatGPT Work access on desktop
- Content used for training unless you opt out
Sources: Claude pricing and ChatGPT pricing pages, read 24 October 2026.
Features that matter for a small business
| Job | Claude | ChatGPT |
|---|---|---|
| Writing emails, product descriptions and ads | All plans | All plans |
| Creating images | Not listed on the pricing page | Limited on Free, more on paid plans |
| Research with sources | Web search on all plans. Research needs Pro or above | Deep research limited on Free, expanded on Plus |
| Projects to keep work organised | Up to 5 on Free, unlimited on Pro | Projects, scheduled tasks and custom GPTs on Plus |
| Working in your browser | Claude in Chrome on Pro and above | Built-in browser listed in the plan comparison |
| Coding and automations | Claude Code on Pro and above | Codex limited on Free, expanded on Plus |
| Office apps | Microsoft 365 on Pro and Team | Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Google Sheets extensions |
| Connecting business tools | Connectors on all plans | Business connects Google Workspace, Slack, GitHub, Microsoft 365 and more |
Sources: Claude pricing and ChatGPT pricing, read 24 October 2026. Feature names change often, so check before you buy.
Privacy and your data
| Claude | ChatGPT | |
|---|---|---|
| Personal plans | A “Model Improvement” setting in Privacy Settings controls whether your chats are used to improve Claude. Incognito chats are excluded | Content is used to train models, with an opt-out available |
| Business plans | Team: no model training on your content by default | Business: no training on your business data by default |
Sources: Claude Privacy Center, Claude pricing and ChatGPT pricing pages.
Our rule for clients: if staff will paste customer names, emails or order details, use a business plan (Claude Team or ChatGPT Business), not personal accounts.
Which one should you choose?
| If you mostly need… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Images for social posts and ads | ChatGPT, because image creation is part of its plans |
| Long documents, reports and careful writing | Try both on the same document. This is where we use Claude most |
| A browser assistant or coding help on one paid plan | Claude Pro, which includes Claude in Chrome and Claude Code |
| The lowest paid price | ChatGPT Go, if ads are acceptable |
| A team of 2 or more with admin controls | Claude Team or ChatGPT Business. Compare the seat prices in your currency |
Many small businesses end up using both: one for images and quick questions, the other for writing and reports. That is fine, as long as customer data stays on a business plan.
How to test them in one week
- Pick 3 real jobsFor example, a customer email reply, a product description and a weekly sales summary.
- Give both the same prompt and filesUse the free plans. Do not paste customer personal data.
- Score each answerAccuracy, tone, how much you had to edit, and time saved.
- Check the limitsNote when each one asks you to wait or upgrade.
- Pay for the winner onlyStart with one paid seat, then move to a team plan when others need it.
Want a number before you pay? Use our Claude time-saver calculator. We set up Claude for Australian B2B teams, connected to the CRM and email. See Claude AI for B2B in Australia.
Sources
- Claude pricing (plans and features)
- ChatGPT pricing (individual and business plans)
- Claude Privacy Center: is my data used for model training?
Questions answered
Is Claude better than ChatGPT for small business?
Neither is better for every job. ChatGPT includes image creation and a cheaper Go plan. Claude Pro includes Claude Code and Claude in Chrome. Test both free plans on the same real tasks before you pay.
Which is cheaper, Claude or ChatGPT?
Claude lists Pro at US$20 a month (US$17 on annual billing) before tax. ChatGPT shows local prices and has a cheaper Go plan that may include ads. Compare both in Australian dollars at checkout.
Do Claude and ChatGPT have free plans?
Yes. Both offer a free plan to everyone, with lower limits and fewer features than paid plans.
Do they train on my business data?
Both business plans, Claude Team and ChatGPT Business, say they do not train on your data by default. On personal plans, each has a setting that controls whether your chats are used for training.
Can a small business use both?
Yes. Many use one for images and quick questions and the other for writing and reports. Keep customer data on a business plan.
Does Claude create images?
Claude’s pricing page does not list image creation. ChatGPT lists image creation on all plans, with limits on Free.
Limon Ghosh runs MindfulClicks from Sydney and manages paid ads, tracking and Claude AI automation for online stores and B2B companies in Australia and the USA.
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