If you've been using ChatGPT for a while and something about it has started to feel… off, you're not alone. I spent two and a half years using it every single day, and I recently found myself reaching for Claude instead. Here's my honest take on ChatGPT vs Claude, and why I made the switch.
How I Used ChatGPT (And Why It Started to Bug Me)
I started with ChatGPT the way a lot of people do. Checking my writing before I sent an email, tidying up a social media post, that kind of thing. Over time it became more of a thinking partner, somewhere to run ideas past. As a freelancer who'd worked solo for over 25 years, having something to bounce ideas off was genuinely useful.
But towards the end of last year, it started to get on my nerves. It kept ending conversations with "I have an even better suggestion, would you like it?" Every time, I'd think, well why didn't you just give me that one in the first place? It felt like it was working harder to keep me on the platform than to actually help me.
The Inconsistent Advice Was the Real Problem
The bit that really got to me was the inconsistency. We'd brainstorm, it would suggest something for a social media campaign, I'd go away and try it, and if it didn't work, it would turn around and tell me it was a terrible idea in the first place. Ugh.
I know you shouldn't rely on AI completely, and you should trust your own instinct too. But marketing isn't really my strength. After 25 years as a graphic designer, I could design anything you threw at me, but selling it? That's where I probably lean on AI more than I should. So when the advice kept contradicting itself, it made me not trust myself or it.
What Claude Feels Like to Use Instead
I think most large language models forget what they've said previously, even within a project. But with ChatGPT it seemed to be getting worse, so I gave Claude a try.
The difference was noticeable straight away. Claude feels more like it's actually trying to give me a good answer rather than keep me engaged. It'll tell me something and then tell me to go and get on with it, or not start something new until I've finished what I'm meant to be doing. A bit like a mentor would, rather than dangling a carrot to keep you on the platform.
I don't know about you, but I find that refreshing. I'd rather an AI tool that's honest and slightly blunt than one that's constantly trying to impress me.
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What Are Claude's Main Tools?
Claude isn't just a chatbot. It's got three main tools, and they're worth knowing about:
Chat is the one most people know. It's great for brainstorming, writing, and thinking things through. It also connects to other apps. I've got mine linked to Notion, but you can connect it to plenty of others too.
Claude Cowork can do things on your desktop for you. Things like tidying up a folder of screenshots or, in my case, helping with my bookkeeping. It works by watching your screen and taking actions, which sounds a bit strange until you see it in action.
Claude Code sounds more technical than it is. You just write in plain English and it writes the code for you. I've used it to build a little tool that turns a Word doc into a blog post and schedules it on WordPress. If someone had told me I'd be doing that a couple of years ago, I'd have laughed.
Have I Dropped ChatGPT Completely?
No. Its image creation is still brilliant, and sometimes I'll ask Claude something and then go and check what ChatGPT thinks too. It's good to get a second opinion. But Claude's become the one I reach for first now.
Things move so fast in AI that I might be saying something completely different in six months. But if ChatGPT's been bugging you lately, it's probably worth giving Claude a go. You might find, like I did, that you just needed a different kind of AI partner.
Quick FAQ
Is Claude free to use?
Yes, Claude has a free tier you can use to try it out. There's a paid Pro plan too, which gives you more usage and access to the latest models. I use the paid version, but the free one is a perfectly good starting point.
Can I use both ChatGPT and Claude?
Absolutely. I still use both. They have different strengths, and there's nothing wrong with switching between them depending on what you need.
Do I need to be technical to use Claude Code?
Not at all. You write what you want in plain English. I had no idea what I was doing when I first tried it, and I still managed to build a working tool.
I'm Tara, and I write weekly AI tips for over-50s who want to use AI practically, without the jargon or the hype. If that sounds like your kind of thing, you can sign up for my weekly AI emails and I'll share what I'm learning along the way.