By Phil Gee · AI Academy, Southport
Two names keep coming up in every conversation about AI — Claude and ChatGPT. And the question I hear most is simple: "Phil, which one should I actually be using?"
Both are brilliant. Both can transform how you work. But they are not the same tool, and they are not built for the same jobs. Picking the wrong one will not break your business — but it will make things harder than they need to be.
Here is the honest, plain English comparison from someone who uses both every single day.
The 10-Second Summary
ChatGPT is the all-rounder. The Swiss Army knife. It does a bit of everything — writing, images, coding, custom assistants — and it is the one everyone has heard of.
Claude is the writer and thinker. It produces the most human-sounding output of any AI I have used, and it handles long, complex documents better than anything else on the market.
ChatGPT: The Popular All-Rounder
ChatGPT, made by OpenAI, is the tool that started the whole AI conversation. It is the one your mate down the pub has heard of. It is the one with the most tutorials, the most courses, and the most community support online.
What it does well:
- A bit of everything — writing, brainstorming, coding, analysing data
- Image generation (it can create pictures alongside text)
- Custom assistants (they call them "GPTs") for specific tasks
- Voice conversations on the mobile app
- The widest range of features in one place
Where it falls short:
- Writing can feel generic — everything has a vaguely similar "ChatGPT tone"
- It can be verbose and over-explain things
- The free version is limited; the good stuff is behind a paywall
- On long documents, it can lose track of earlier context
Best for: Business owners who want one tool that does everything, who are new to AI, or who want the comfort of the most-documented tool on the planet.
Claude: The Thoughtful Writer
Claude, made by Anthropic, is the tool I personally reach for when the output matters. If I am writing a client proposal, a tricky email, or a piece of content that needs to sound like me — not like a robot — Claude is the one I trust.
The difference is in the writing. Claude's output reads like it was written by a thoughtful human. ChatGPT's output reads like it was written by a very capable machine. Both are useful — but they suit different jobs.
What it does well:
- The most natural, human-sounding writing of any AI
- Long documents — it holds context across hundreds of pages
- Analysing PDFs and documents you upload
- Strategy work and "help me think this through" conversations
- Following your brand voice consistently across multiple outputs
Where it falls short:
- No image generation (you need a separate tool for that)
- Less well-known, so fewer tutorials and courses available
- Fewer bells and whistles — it is focused on text, not everything-at-once
Best for: Business owners who write a lot — proposals, content, client communications — and who care about the output sounding professional and human.
The Real-World Test
Here is how I actually use them both in my own business.
For a quick social media post: ChatGPT. Fast, easy, good enough for a throwaway caption.
For a 5-page client proposal: Claude. Every time. The writing quality is noticeably better, and it holds the tone across the whole document.
For brainstorming ideas: ChatGPT. It throws out more ideas, faster. Not all of them are good — but volume matters when you are brainstorming.
For a tricky client email: Claude. It handles tone better. It will not accidentally sound blunt or overly formal. It reads the room.
For creating an image: ChatGPT. Claude cannot do images.
For analysing a 100-page document: Claude. Its context window is bigger, so it remembers the first page by the time it reaches the last.
What About Price?
Both have free versions. Both have paid plans at around £17-20 a month.
ChatGPT Plus gives you access to GPT-4, image generation, custom GPTs, and data analysis.
Claude Pro gives you access to Claude's best model, bigger context windows, and priority access during busy periods.
For most small business owners, the free version of either is enough to start. Upgrade when you hit the limits.
The Mistake Most People Make
Here is the thing I see more than any other. Someone signs up for both, spends five minutes in each, feels overwhelmed, and quits.
Pick one. Learn it for 30 days. Then decide.
The tool matters less than how you use it. I have watched business owners get better results from the free version of ChatGPT than others get from a £150-a-month setup. The difference was not the tool — it was knowing how to ask the right questions.
My Honest Recommendation
Start with ChatGPT if:
- You are completely new to AI
- You want images as well as text
- You want the most tutorials and community support
- You want one tool that does everything
Start with Claude if:
- You write a lot — proposals, emails, content, reports
- You want output that sounds human, not robotic
- You work with long documents
- You care about tone and nuance
Want Help Getting Started?
If you want to actually learn how to use whichever one you pick — properly, not just dabbling — book a free chat with me. I will help you figure out which tool fits your business and show you how to get real value from it in the first session.
Or come to a hands-on workshop at The Arch in Southport. Small group, real laptops, plain English. You will leave with something working.
Phil Gee is the founder of AI Academy, based at The Arch, Crossens, Southport. He helps businesses across Merseyside and the North West get real, practical value from AI — without the jargon, the hype, or the overwhelm.