ChatGPT vs Claude: which free plan is better?
Which one to pick
ChatGPT is the most complete option without an account, with images and voice. Claude needs an account and has a 5-hour session limit, but it's strong with long texts and documents; it doesn't create images.
| Free plan | ChatGPT | Claude |
|---|---|---|
| What's free | Everyday text chats with no fixed message cap (with abuse protection). File uploads, image creation, voice and deep research are limited, with no numbers published. | A usage limit per session that resets every 5 hours; the exact number isn't published. Pro gives at least 5× more usage. No image generation. |
| Account | not needed | required |
| Minimum age | 13+ | 18+ |
| What it does | text, images, files, voice, code, web search | text, files, voice, code, web search |
| Paid plan | Go / Plus: $8 / $20 | Pro: $20 ($17 billed yearly) |
| Checked on | October 16, 2026 | October 16, 2026 |
We compare what the official pages say about each free plan; we don't rate which AI is "smarter".
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