ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Claude Pricing (October 2026): What's Free and What Paid Plans Cost
ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude compared in one table: what the free plans include, the standard ₩29,000-tier plans, and top plans for heavy users. Covers Gemini's October plan changes and the Google AI Pro discount, based on official sources. Prices are for South Korea.
"Which should I pay for: ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude?" is one of the most common AI questions right now. All three overhauled their plans in the second half of 2026. Since October 9, Gemini has narrowed the models available on its free and low-cost plans, and ChatGPT has split Pro into several tiers. This comparison was checked against each company's official pricing page and Korean press coverage as of October 14, 2026. Won (₩) prices apply to South Korea. Prices change often, so always check the final amount at checkout.
Price table at a glance
| Plan | ChatGPT | Gemini (Google AI) | Claude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | ₩0 | ₩0 | $0 |
| Low-cost paid | Go ₩13,000/month | AI Plus ₩7,500/month | No such tier |
| Standard paid | Plus ₩29,000/month | AI Pro ₩29,000/month | Pro $20/month ($17/month billed annually) |
| Heavy users | Pro from ₩159,000/month | AI Ultra ₩119,000 / ₩300,000 per month | Max from $100/month |
- ChatGPT won prices are those SSD Nodes checked on the Korean App Store on October 4, 2026 and compared with web won prices (source). According to the same article, the Pro 200 tier is ₩299,000 a month. OpenAI's official Korean pricing page (chatgpt.com/ko-KR/pricing) showed plan features, but its price figures couldn't be read automatically, so won amounts follow the source above.
- Gemini's AI Plus ₩7,500 and AI Ultra ₩119,000 / ₩300,000 are the amounts shown on Google's official subscription page for South Korea. AI Pro at ₩29,000 a month follows an Edaily report.
- Claude's official pricing page shows prices in dollars only and states that "prices shown don't include applicable tax". Annual billing is $200 up front.
How far do the free plans go?
Whether free is enough is the first fork in the road. All three free plans are fairly generous, but models and limits differ.
| Item | ChatGPT Free | Gemini free | Claude Free |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default model | GPT-6 (unlimited text chat, with abuse safeguards) | 3.5 Flash-Lite | Sonnet, Haiku |
| Image generation | Limited | Create and edit | No separate item in the official feature list |
| Research | Limited deep research | Deep Research | Research not included |
| Other features | Limited voice chat, limited memory, limited Codex | Gemini Live, Canvas, Gems, 15GB storage | Web search, file creation and code execution, memory, Artifacts, up to 5 projects |
| Context | 27K for GPT Instant | 32,000 tokens | Up to 1 million tokens (varies by model) |
Sources are each company's official pricing page (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude); Gemini's 32,000-token free context follows Edaily.
Gemini free got lighter in October
According to Edaily, from October 9 Google moved free users to mainly the Flash-Lite model. The low-cost AI Plus plan now offers only Flash-Lite and Flash, with the Pro model removed. To keep using Pro models you need AI Pro (₩29,000 a month) or higher.
ChatGPT Free and Go may show ads
The Go card on OpenAI's official pricing page says "this plan may include ads". According to SSD Nodes, Free and Go may carry ads, while Plus and above are ad-free.
Standard plans around ₩29,000 compared
This is the tier most office workers and students weigh up. ChatGPT Plus and Google AI Pro cost the same in won, while Claude Pro is billed in dollars.
| Item | ChatGPT Plus | Google AI Pro | Claude Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ₩29,000/month | ₩29,000/month | $20/month, tax extra |
| Main models | Advanced reasoning on GPT-6, limited GPT-6.1 Sol and GPT-6 Astra | Gemini 4 Argon, 3.1 Pro, 3.8 Flash | More models, including Opus |
| Usage | Expanded message and upload limits | 4x free | At least 5x free per 5-hour session |
| Coding tools | Higher Codex limits | Google Antigravity standard limits | Includes Claude Code |
| Work features | Projects, scheduled tasks, custom GPTs, ChatGPT Work | Gemini in Gmail, Docs and other Google apps, Gemini Notebook | Research, Claude in Chrome, Microsoft 365 integration, scheduled tasks |
| Extras | No ads | 5TB storage, 1,000 Flow credits | Usage credits let you keep going at API rates past the limit |
Sources: ChatGPT pricing, Gemini subscriptions, Claude pricing.
Google AI Pro: 40% off annual plans until October 31
According to Newstap, Google is running a promotion in South Korea until October 31, 2026 that cuts the Google AI Pro annual price from ₩290,000 to ₩174,000 for eligible new annual subscribers, or ₩14,500 a month (source). Edaily reported that AI Pro is gaining the advanced reasoning feature "Deep Think".
Context (how much it reads at once) differs too
- ChatGPT Plus: 256K total context for GPT reasoning models, about 320 pages of input (official pricing page).
- Google AI Pro: 1-million-token context (official subscription page FAQ).
- Claude Pro: up to 1 million tokens, depending on the model (official pricing page).
If you often analyse long PDFs or several documents at once, compare this closely.
Top plans for heavy users
| Item | ChatGPT Pro | Google AI Ultra | Claude Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiers | Three usage tiers | Two (5x and 20x Pro) | Two (5x and 20x Pro) |
| Price | From ₩159,000/month | ₩119,000 / ₩300,000 per month | From $100/month |
| Highlights | Expert-level reasoning on GPT-6 Astra, Dots agent, unlimited image generation (abuse safeguards apply) | 20TB+ storage, Project Genie, higher Antigravity limits | Priority access at peak times, $100–200/month in API credits |
ChatGPT Pro comes in $100, $200 and $500 tiers. According to Yonhap, on September 10 (local time) OpenAI paused new sign-ups for the $200 Pro plan, citing surging demand for GPT-6 Astra (source). SSD Nodes reports that the plan reopened at DevDay on September 29 with lower limits for new subscribers, and that Pro 500 launched the same day at ₩790,000 on the Korean App Store.
Which plan suits whom?
This guide is based on the official feature lists.
- Occasional questions: start with all three for free. If you keep hitting the limit on one, upgrade only that one.
- Paid, but cheap: ChatGPT Go (₩13,000) or Google AI Plus (₩7,500) are the cheapest. Note that AI Plus lost Pro models in the October change, and ChatGPT Go excludes the advanced reasoning models (GPT-6.1 Sol, GPT-6 Astra).
- Heavy Google users: Google AI Pro makes sense. It comes with 5TB of storage and Gemini inside Gmail and Docs, plus the annual discount until October 31.
- Lots of coding: Claude Pro includes Claude Code, and ChatGPT Plus includes Codex. Both share usage limits with chat, so judge whether to upgrade by how often you hit them.
- All-day AI work: consider the top plans (ChatGPT Pro, Google AI Ultra, Claude Max), but first check how often you actually hit limits on a standard plan.
Before you pay
- Where you pay: the same ChatGPT Plus is billed by OpenAI if you pay on the web and by Apple if you pay in the iPhone app, and you can cancel only where you paid. Korean App Store won prices include VAT (per SSD Nodes).
- Switching currency: according to OpenAI help content cited by SSD Nodes, existing dollar subscriptions don't switch to won automatically. To switch, cancel and resubscribe after the billing period ends.
- Claude excludes tax: official prices exclude tax, so check the total at checkout.
- Usage limits: Claude has 5-hour session limits plus weekly limits, and Gemini applies usage limits that refresh every five hours plus weekly limits (per each official page).
Frequently asked questions
Q1. Which is cheaper, ChatGPT Plus or Google AI Pro?
As of October 2026, both are listed at ₩29,000 a month in South Korea. Google AI Pro, however, has a promotion until October 31 for eligible new annual subscribers at ₩174,000 a year (₩14,500 a month).
Q2. Can I pay for Claude in won?
Claude's official pricing page shows dollar prices only, with tax extra. The amount charged in won depends on your payment method and exchange rate, so check at checkout.
Q3. Can I use Gemini's Pro model for free?
Since the October 9 change, free users mainly get Flash-Lite, and AI Plus also lost the Pro model. Pro models start at AI Pro.
Q4. Does ChatGPT Free show ads?
The official pricing page says the Go plan may include ads, and roundups explain that Free and Go may carry ads while Plus and above don't.
Q5. Which plan is best for coding?
Around $20 a month, Claude Pro (with Claude Code) and ChatGPT Plus (with Codex) compare directly. Google AI Pro also includes standard Antigravity limits. We recommend trying the free or standard plans first and deciding by how often you hit the limits.
Sources: OpenAI ChatGPT Korea pricing page, Google Gemini South Korea subscription page, Anthropic Claude pricing page, Edaily (2026-10-05), Yonhap (2026-09-11), Newstap (2026-10-02), SSD Nodes (2026-10-04). All prices checked on October 14, 2026.