OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex vs Anthropic: Claude Opus 4: Which AI Model Is Better?
Updated March 24, 2026· Based on independent benchmark data
Quick Verdict
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex and Anthropic: Claude Opus 4 are virtually tied on intelligence (44.6 vs 46.5). OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex is 12.0x cheaper at $1.25/1M tokens vs $15/1M. For speed, OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex wins at 170 tok/s vs 44 tok/s.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex | Anthropic: Claude Opus 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Score | 44.6 | 46.5 |
| Coding Score | 38.9 | 47.6 |
| Math Score | 98.7 | N/A |
| Speed (tok/s) | 170 tok/s | 44 tok/s |
| Latency (TTFT) | 4.79s | 1.94s |
| Input Price / 1M tokens | $1.25 | $15 |
| Output Price / 1M tokens | $10 | $75 |
| Context Window | 400K | 200K |
| Max Output Tokens | 128K | 32K |
| Input Modalities | Text + Image | Image + Text + File |
| Output Modalities | Text | Text |
| Free Tier | No | No |
Detailed Analysis
Intelligence & Quality
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex and Anthropic: Claude Opus 4 perform similarly on overall intelligence, scoring 44.6 and 46.5 respectively. For coding tasks, Anthropic: Claude Opus 4 has the edge with a coding score of 47.6 vs 38.9.
Speed & Latency
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex generates output significantly faster at 170 tok/s compared to Anthropic: Claude Opus 4's 44 tok/s, making it 3.8x faster for streaming responses. Time to first token is 1.94s for Anthropic: Claude Opus 4 vs 4.79s for OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex, which affects perceived responsiveness in interactive applications.
Pricing
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex is more affordable at $1.25/1M input tokens ($10/1M output), while Anthropic: Claude Opus 4 costs $15/1M input ($75/1M output). That makes Anthropic: Claude Opus 4 12.0x more expensive per token, which can add up significantly at scale. For a typical workload of 100 requests per day at 2,000 tokens each, OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex would cost approximately $7.50/month vs $90.00/month for Anthropic: Claude Opus 4 in input costs alone.
Context Window
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex offers a larger context window at 400K tokens compared to Anthropic: Claude Opus 4's 200K. For output length, OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex can generate up to 128K tokens per response vs 32K for Anthropic: Claude Opus 4.
Best Use Cases
Choose OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex when you need faster output (170 tok/s), lower cost. Choose Anthropic: Claude Opus 4 when you need stronger coding performance (47.6).
Choose OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex if:
- ✓You need faster throughput (170 tok/s vs 44 tok/s)
- ✓Budget is a concern ($1.25/1M vs $15/1M)
- ✓You need a larger context window (400K vs 200K)
Choose Anthropic: Claude Opus 4 if:
- ✓You need higher intelligence (score: 46.5 vs 44.6)
- ✓You prioritize coding performance (score: 47.6 vs 38.9)
- ✓You want lower latency (1.94s vs 4.79s TTFT)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex better than Anthropic: Claude Opus 4 for coding?
Anthropic: Claude Opus 4 scores higher on coding benchmarks (47.6 vs 38.9), making it the better choice for programming tasks.
Which is cheaper, OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex or Anthropic: Claude Opus 4?
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex is cheaper at $1.25/1M input tokens vs $15/1M for Anthropic: Claude Opus 4.
Is OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex faster than Anthropic: Claude Opus 4?
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex is faster, producing output at 170 tok/s compared to Anthropic: Claude Opus 4's 44 tok/s.
Can OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex process images?
Yes, OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex supports image input. Anthropic: Claude Opus 4 also supports images.
Which has a larger context window, OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex or Anthropic: Claude Opus 4?
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex has a larger context window at 400K compared to Anthropic: Claude Opus 4's 200K.
Should I use OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex or Anthropic: Claude Opus 4?
Both models perform similarly on intelligence benchmarks. Choose based on specific needs: pricing, speed, context window, or provider ecosystem.
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Benchmark data by Artificial Analysis
Data last synced: March 24, 2026