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Quick answer: ChatGPT if you want one app for everything. Claude if you write a lot. Gemini if you live in Google (Gmail, Docs, Drive) or want the biggest free plan.
Price, side by side
| ChatGPT | Gemini | Claude | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Yes, may show ads | Yes | Yes |
| Cheap tier | Go $8 | AI Plus $4.99 | None |
| Main tier | Plus $20 | AI Pro $19.99 | Pro $20 ($17 yearly) |
| Heavy use | Pro from $100 | Ultra from $99.99 | Max from $100 |
ChatGPT
Good: the most features in one place (images, voice, custom GPTs, projects), and the app is very easy to use. Not so good: the free plan has a smaller memory for long documents, and ads can show on Free and Go.
Gemini
Good: the most generous free plan, with Deep Research and image generation included. It works inside Gmail and Docs on paid plans, and AI Pro comes with 5 TB of storage. Not so good: its answers can feel more generic for creative writing.
Claude
Good: writing and editing that sounds like a person. It handles long documents well and is great for coding. Not so good: no cheap middle tier, and you hit usage caps faster on heavy days.
What we'd do
Use the free versions of all three for a week on your real tasks, then pay for the one you keep opening. For content and marketing, Claude for drafts plus ChatGPT for images covers most of it.
Want to get better results from whichever you pick? AI Master Pro teaches prompting for $12.99/mo, and the $17 prompts pack works in all three.