I tested ChatGPT vs. Claude to see which is better - and if it's worth switching

## Summary
Show more Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET 2. Also, I'm just two tests in, and ChatGPT has already told me I have "3 messages remaining" and is pushing me to upgrade to ChatGPT Go to "keep the conversation going." Show more Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET 3. Shopping recommendations Winner: Claude, for more products and shopping links For this test, I'm trying something I've actually been meaning to do: find my husband a John F Kennedy Jr inspired outfit from the 1990s, and I've been loving the new Love Story TV show. Explain the best option step by step, with sources, including what they need to do, where to go, which forms they need to complete with official links, and the expected costs." Results In ChatGPT, I selected Deep Research.

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I tested ChatGPT vs. Claude to see which is better - and if it's worth switching
Considering ditching ChatGPT for Claude? I tested both on the same 10 tasks. Here's which came out on top.
Written by
Elyse Betters Picaro,
Senior Contributing Editor
Senior Contributing Editor
April 1, 2026 at 5:07 a.m. PT
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
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ZDNET's key takeaways
Both excel at different tasks.
The free tiers are very limited.
Don't use one AI for everything.
I've used
ChatGPT
for years, but
OpenAI's recent missteps
, along with the
growing number of people flocking
to
Claude
, have had me looking at the competition. I'm not ready to completely abandon the platform I've spent countless hours learning and becoming proficient with because others seem to be jumping ship. But I am curious: which AI is better?
So, I ran tests comparing ChatGPT and Claude across different tasks that people use AI for, myself included, on a daily basis. The one exception is
coding
. I'm not a programmer or developer, so I can't fairly evaluate those results. (ZDNET's
David Gewirtz
tests AI tools extensively for coding, though. Be sure to check out his recommendations.)
Also:
Switching to Claude? How to take your ChatGPT memories with you
I looked at data to help inform which tests I'd conduct, including a
2025 Associated Press-NORC poll
of 1,093 US adults on AI use, a
Talker Research
survey of 2,000 adults -- commissioned by Samsung in late 2025 -- on how people use AI on their phones, and OpenAI's own '
How people use ChatGPT
' study, which shows usage shifting in mid-2025 from work to everyday tasks.
ChatGPT vs. Claude: Which is better?
Consider this a casual comparison for everyday users. I'm using only the free versions of ChatGPT (GPT-5.3) and Claude (Sonnet 4.6 and Haiku 4.5). There's nothing complicated here -- just the kinds of prompts you might realistically give either tool. I'm testing both AIs in my web browser and in their mobile apps, and I'm not using other tools, like Atlas or Claude Code.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's parent company, filed an April 2025 lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
1. Writing and editing
Winner: Claude, for sounding more natural
Personally, I don't use AI for writing or editing. I genuinely enjoy the process. It's also my job, and I want to stay sharp and use my own words. But I'm not naive. Plenty of
people turn to AI for writing
, so let's test it.
Test prompt: "
Write a brief email asking my manager Aly if I can get more time on an assignment due Friday. I want to sound confident and not overly apologetic."
Results
Claude on Sonnet 4.6 took several minutes to respond to my prompt, repeatedly saying it was "taking longer than usual," even after I started a new chat. When it worked, its writing was concise and more natural than ChatGPT, but both responses were still too formal for me and needed editing.
Also:
Did AI write that? 5 ways to distinguish
ChatGPT replied instantly and offered tone customization, though it also showed an ad for email templates, while Claude was ad-free. I liked that Claude's response also included a "Send via Gmail" button.
Ultimately, the delay would push me to use ChatGPT in real life, even if Claude's writing is margin

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- Innovation Why you can trust ZDNET : ZDNET independently tests and researches products to bring you our best recommendations and advice.
- Close Home Innovation Artificial Intelligence I tested ChatGPT vs.
- Overall, it was a strong starter outfit, but I was hoping for links to retailers that sell used clothing.

### Areas for Consideration
- I'm using a somewhat difficult word to pronounce, and I have a Canadian-leaning accent, so I'm curious if they will understand.

### Implications
- When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.
- When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions.
- This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay.
- If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers chatgpt, claude, test topics. Notable strengths include discussion of chatgpt. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 2583.