Head to head
Claude Code vs Codex
Two coding & dev tools compared on Enki's editor score, pricing, and the trade-offs that actually matter.
Enki verdict
Claude Code and Codex are the two big labs' coding agents, and neither is sold on its own: Claude Code comes with Claude Pro and above, Codex with ChatGPT. Both run in the terminal, in VS Code and JetBrains, in a desktop app and on the web, and both can take on tasks in the cloud and open pull requests.
The clearest difference is the entry price. Codex has limited access even on ChatGPT Free and the $8 Go plan, and fuller access from Plus at $20. Claude Code has no free access and starts with Claude Pro at $17 a month billed annually or $20 monthly. At the top, Claude Max is $100 or $200 a month, while ChatGPT Pro is $100, $200 or $500 with no five-hour limit.
Codex's CLI is open source and its paid plans add automatic GitHub code review and Slack. Claude Code also runs through Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud and Microsoft Foundry, which matters if your company already buys AI through one of them.
Pick Claude Code if
- You already pay for Claude, or want the agent across terminal, IDE, desktop and web on one plan
- Your company buys AI through Bedrock, Google Cloud or Microsoft Foundry
- You want a clear no-training default under commercial terms
Pick Codex if
- You already pay for ChatGPT, or want to try an agent for free first
- You want an open-source CLI
- You want automatic code review on GitHub pull requests
Checked against both tools Oct 1, 2026.
Frequently asked
Is Claude Code better than Codex?
Both are strong agents with similar reach. The deciding factors are usually which subscription you already have, whether you need a free starting point (only Codex offers one) and whether you buy AI through a cloud provider (Claude Code supports Bedrock, Google Cloud and Foundry).
Which is cheaper, Claude Code or Codex?
Codex is cheaper to start: limited access on ChatGPT Free and Go ($8), full access on Plus ($20). Claude Code needs Claude Pro at $17 a month billed annually or $20 monthly. Team plans for both are $20 per user billed annually.
Can I use Claude Code or Codex inside Cursor?
Yes. Both offer extensions that install in VS Code and in Cursor.