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Editorial snapshot from September 2026. Prices, models and interface labels may change; this is a practical guide, not a live product feed.
Compare the working environment, model access, capabilities and billing before choosing a tool.
Claude Code — Anthropic’s coding agent for terminal and editor workflows.
Codex — OpenAI’s coding agent for local projects and cloud tasks.
Verified capabilities. “Not verified” is an evidence gap, not a claim that a feature is unavailable. Features can depend on plan, platform and selected agent.
| Decision | Claude Code 2026-09-21 | Codex 2026-09-21 |
|---|---|---|
| Environment | Coding agent | Coding agent |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux, Web | macOS, Windows, Linux, Web |
| Good starting point for | Developers who want an agent alongside their preferred editor. | Developers evaluating a coding agent without making it their editor. |
| Pricing model | Claude subscription or provider usage billingSee official pricing | ChatGPT plan or API usagePaid from $8/mo |
| Free access | Not verified | Available; limits apply |
| Model access | Anthropic subscription, Console or supported third-party provider. | Model access varies by ChatGPT plan or API credentials. |
| Agent workflow | Verified | Verified |
| CLI surface | Verified | Verified |
| MCP | Verified | Verified |
| Skills | Verified | Verified |
| Rules / instructions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Hooks | Verified | Not verified |
| Memory | Not verified | Not verified |
| Bring your own key | Not verified | Not verified |
| Local models | Not verified | Not verified |
| Cloud agents | Not verified | Verified |
| Parallel agents | Not verified | Not verified |
| Check before switching | Choose between subscription and provider billing deliberately; the editor is a separate choice. | ChatGPT access and API billing are separate options. Features and limits depend on sign-in method. |
Compare both tools on the same project
Use the same small repository task in both environments. Note setup time, review steps, the checks the agent ran and the usage charged. Keep the task, acceptance criteria and model choice as comparable as possible.
Choose based on the result and your existing tools. Published feature availability does not establish code quality, reliability or which product is faster on your codebase.
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