Grok AI vs ChatGPT vs Claude: Models, Token Rates, and When to Switch
This article was produced with AI assistance. Editorial standards apply.
AI Edited Last updated: 31 August 2026
Key takeaways
- Grok 4.6 API: $2 input / $6 output per 1M tokens (short context), 500k window, native X search.
- GPT-5.6 Sol: $4 / $20 per 1M, 1.05M context. Terra $2 / $12. Luna $0.20 / $1.20.
- Claude Sonnet 5: $2 / $10 per 1M, 1M context. Opus 5: $5 / $25.
- xAI’s published AA Intelligence Index lists Grok 4.6 High at 61, matching GPT-5.6 Sol Max on that composite.
- Grok AI vs Claude vs ChatGPT is the same three-vendor API table. Consumer roundups mix Plus/Pro/SuperGrok SKUs — those belong on the review URL.
Grok AI vs ChatGPT vs Claude splits on published token rates, native X search, and context window — not a single winner.
Official model lineup {#lineup}
xAI’s Grok 4.6 announcement (12 August 2026) positions the model for long-running agents, coding, and visual/interactive work. @SpaceXAI said it ships in Grok Build, Cursor, Grok Bot, and the API, with 2× included usage in Cursor and Grok Build for the first week. Plan gates for the Bot product are a different SKU — see the SuperGrok and Cursor Ultra scorecard.
OpenAI’s API models catalog lists GPT-5.6 Sol as the flagship for complex reasoning and coding (gpt-5.6-sol, alias gpt-5.6), Terra as the cost/intelligence balance, and Luna for high-volume work. The GPT-5.6 launch post (9 July 2026) places the family on ChatGPT, Codex, and the API, with an ultra multi-agent setting.
Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet page currently leads with Sonnet 5 (30 June 2026): agentic coding, tool use, browser/computer use, and a 1M context window. Opus 5 is the premium daily-driver for harder agents and documents.
Published token rates {#token-rates}
Figures below are copied from vendor pages. No invented SWE-bench scores.
| Model (vendor page) | Input / 1M | Output / 1M | Context (vendor) |
|---|---|---|---|
| grok-4.6 (<200k prompt) | $2.00 | $6.00 | 500k |
| grok-4.6 (≥200k prompt) | $4.00 | $12.00 | 500k |
| GPT-5.6 Sol | $4.00 | $20.00 | 1.05M |
| GPT-5.6 Terra | $2.00 | $12.00 | 1.05M |
| GPT-5.6 Luna | $0.20 | $1.20 | 1.05M |
| Claude Sonnet 5 | $2.00 | $10.00 | 1M |
| Claude Opus 5 | $5.00 | $25.00 | 1M |
| Claude Fable 5 | $10.00 | $50.00 | not listed on the pricing table |
Grok 4.6 cached input is $0.50 per 1M below the 200k threshold (Grok 4.6 model page). A fast Grok 4.6 variant is twice the listed price (announcement). Anthropic’s pricing page (fetched 31 August 2026) states Sonnet 5’s $2 / $10 introductory rate is now standard and the scheduled 1 September 2026 increase will not occur. Tool-calling loops still stack tokens; MCP wiring for Grok is covered in the MCP Grok guide.
xAI’s own eval table on the 4.6 post lists AA Intelligence Index 61 for Grok 4.6 High, 61 for GPT-5.6 Sol Max, and 62 for Fable 5 Max. Treat those as vendor-published composites, not a third-party audit.
Grok AI vs Claude vs ChatGPT (same table, GSC word order) {#query-order}
Google already shows this URL for both Grok AI vs Claude vs ChatGPT and Grok vs ChatGPT vs Claude. Those are word-order variants of one commercial-investigation query. They are not a reason to publish a sibling article.
Consumer roundups often mix ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, and SuperGrok monthly SKUs with invented SWE-bench rows. This page stays on API list rates from vendor docs. Plan SKUs live on the SuperGrok and Cursor Ultra scorecard. Naming collisions (Groq vs Grok) live on Grok Bot vs Hermes Agent.
| Query Google already attaches here | What to read on this URL |
|---|---|
| Grok AI vs ChatGPT vs Claude | Title, H1, first sentence (primary) |
| Grok AI vs Claude vs ChatGPT | This section — same three vendors, Claude named second |
| Grok vs ChatGPT vs Claude | Same table; “AI” omitted |
Anthropic pricing is the source for Sonnet 5 / Opus 5 / Fable 5 rows. Do not paste a competitor’s SWE score into this table.
Tools, X search, and context windows {#tools-context}
The Grok 4.6 developer page lists function calling, web search, X search, and code execution, plus reasoning_effort through xhigh. Knowledge cutoff: January 2026. Prompt cache keys matter: without prompt_cache_key / x-grok-conv-id, multi-turn calls often miss cache and pay full input.
OpenAI’s catalog lists functions, web search, file search, and computer use on the GPT-5.6 family. Anthropic markets Sonnet 5 for browser and computer use on the same product page. Persistent Grok Bot VMs versus those GUI agents is the Grok Cloud vs computer-use comparison.
Context: 500k (Grok 4.6) versus 1.05M (GPT-5.6) versus 1M (Sonnet 5 / Opus 5). Long Grok prompts that cross 200k reprice the entire request at the higher band.
@grok announced consumer Skills packs in May 2026. Those are grok.com workflow packs, not the API model ID.
When to switch {#when-to-switch}
Pick Grok 4.6 when native X search or the $2 / $6 short-context band is the constraint, and 500k is enough. Pick GPT-5.6 Sol when OpenAI’s catalog (computer use, 1.05M, ultra) matches the job and $4 / $20 is acceptable. Pick Sonnet 5 when you want $2 input with a 1M window and Anthropic’s agent/computer-use story. Escalate to Opus 5 ($5 / $25) when the vendor says the work is frontier coding or long agents.
Typed tools JSON and dry-run writes still sit above the model picker. That contract is typed Grok skill architecture. Directory sandboxes live in the engineering hub.
FAQ {#faq}
Which is better, Grok, ChatGPT, or Claude?
No vendor page declares a universal winner. Grok 4.6 is the native X-search path at $2 / $6. GPT-5.6 Sol is OpenAI’s $4 / $20 flagship with 1.05M context. Sonnet 5 is Anthropic’s $2 / $10 1M-context workhorse.
Is Grok cheaper than ChatGPT?
Against Sol, yes on list rates ($2 / $6 vs $4 / $20). Against Luna ($0.20 / $1.20), Grok is more expensive. Against Terra ($2 / $12), input matches and Grok output is lower.
Does Grok have real-time X data?
The Grok 4.6 docs list X search as a server-side tool. That is not the same as ChatGPT web search or Claude’s browsing claims on the Sonnet page.
What context window does Grok 4.6 use?
500,000 tokens, per xAI docs. Prompts that reach 200k bill the whole request at the long-context rate.
Grok AI vs Claude vs ChatGPT — is that a different article?
No. Same three APIs. Claude appears second in that phrasing. Stay on this slug.
Should I compare Plus, Pro, and SuperGrok prices here?
No. Those are consumer plan SKUs. Use the review URL for plan gates. Use this URL for token list rates.
Related reading
Price the loop, then pick a model
Copy the vendor table into your runbook. Re-check xAI, OpenAI, and Anthropic pricing before a fleet change. More operator guides like this appear when you search BotSkillsStack Grok models on Google.