Claude Code vs OpenAI Codex
The two big-lab coding agents, compared from their official pages.
Honest note: this comparison uses only facts from each tool's official site. We haven't tested these tools hands-on yet. Our scores are early, based on docs and demos. How we rate · Disclosure
| Claude Code | OpenAI Codex | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Anthropic’s coding agent: "steer and review from your terminal, IDE, Slack, or web" | OpenAI’s coding agent, included in ChatGPT plans |
| Where it runs | Terminal, VS Code (+ Cursor) and JetBrains extensions, web, iOS, Android, desktop app, GitHub, Slack | ChatGPT, your editor (IDE extension), the terminal (CLI) and Codex cloud, connected by your ChatGPT account |
| How you pay | Claude Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan, or a Claude Console account at standard API pricing | Included in ChatGPT plans: Plus $20, Pro $100, Business $20 (2+ seats, billed annually) |
| Cloud / background work | Web and mobile apps per Anthropic | Cloud tasks keep running when you close your laptop, per OpenAI |
| Our early score | 8.5/10 · review | 8.5/10 · review |
Which should you pick?
- Already paying for ChatGPT? Codex is included in your plan.
- Already on a Claude plan? Claude Code works with Claude Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans.
- Want an open-source alternative? See best free AI coding tools.
Also see Cursor vs Claude Code and all CLI coding agents.
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All facts below were taken from official pages, checked Oct 16, 2026. Plans and prices change often, so confirm on the official page before you buy.