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Draft sample comparison

Claude Code vs Codex

Two coding agents that read your repo, edit files and run commands. Claude Code starts in your terminal. Codex spans a CLI, an editor extension and cloud tasks.

Claude Code

  • Terminal first. Runs in your shell[1], on the repo you already have open.
  • Claude models. Uses Anthropic’s Claude models through a Claude plan or the API.
  • Easy to extend. Connects to outside tools through MCP servers and follows project notes in CLAUDE.md.
  • In your editor too. Extensions bring it into VS Code and JetBrains IDEs.
Compare side by side

Sample copy. Check each vendor’s site for current plans and prices.

Codex

  • Local and cloud. An open-source CLI[2] runs on your machine, and cloud tasks[3] run in a sandbox.
  • OpenAI models. Runs on OpenAI models tuned for coding.
  • Comes with ChatGPT. Included with paid ChatGPT plans, with API access for teams.
  • In your editor too. An extension works in VS Code and editors built on it.
Screenshot 01
Screenshot coming soonClaude Code in a terminal next to a Codex cloud task list.

Where does the agent do its work?

Claude Code works where you are. It runs in your terminal[1], inside the project you have checked out, and shows its plan as it goes.

Codex can also work away from your machine. Besides the local CLI, you can send a task to a cloud sandbox[3] and review the result as a diff.

Pick by where you want the work to run.

Screenshot 02
Screenshot coming soonThe approval prompt from each tool, side by side.

How much control do you keep?

Both ask before risky steps. Claude Code uses permission settings[4] to decide which edits and commands need your OK.

Codex uses approval modes and a sandbox to limit what the CLI[2] can change without asking.

Start strict with either one, then loosen up as you learn to trust it.

Screenshot 03
Screenshot coming soonA pull request opened by each agent.

How do they fit into a team?

Claude Code shares its setup through the repo. Project notes and settings files can be committed, so everyone on the team gets the same behavior.

Codex connects to GitHub for cloud tasks, so a finished task can become a pull request that a teammate reviews.

Both fit a workflow where people review every change.

Try both on the same task.

The quickest way to choose is to give each agent the same small, real task and compare what comes back.

Compare side by side

Sample copy. Check each vendor’s site for current plans and prices.

  1. Pick a small bug or feature in a repo you know well.
  2. Run the task in Claude Code from your terminal.
  3. Run the same task in Codex, locally or as a cloud task.
  4. Compare the diffs, the questions each agent asked and the time you spent reviewing.

Claude Code vs Codex, in detail

Sample rows for layout testing. Each claim links to the vendor documentation it came from.

Everyday use: Claude Code and Codex
What mattersClaude CodeCodex
Where it runsYour terminal, plus extensions for VS Code and JetBrains IDEs.[1]A local CLI, an editor extension and cloud tasks in a sandbox.[3]
ModelsAnthropic’s Claude models.OpenAI models tuned for coding.
Work in the backgroundRuns while your session is open. You can also script it in CI.Cloud tasks keep running after you close your laptop.[3]
ApprovalsPermission settings decide which edits and commands need your OK.[4]Approval modes and a sandbox limit what runs without asking.[2]
Extending itMCP servers, hooks and project notes in CLAUDE.md.MCP servers and project notes in AGENTS.md.
How you payA Claude subscription, or pay as you go through the API.Included with paid ChatGPT plans, or pay as you go through the API.

Draft sample copy for layout testing. Claims come from vendor documentation and have not been checked hands-on yet.

Frequently asked questions

Is this comparison final?

No. This is draft sample copy used to test the page layout. We will check every claim against the vendor documentation before it goes live.

Can I use both?

Yes. Both work on an ordinary git repository, so you can keep one in the terminal and hand longer tasks to the other.

Which one costs less?

It depends on how much you use them and which plan you already pay for. See Claude pricing[5] and ChatGPT pricing[6] for current prices.

Pick the agent that fits how you work.

Run the same task through both, and keep the one whose work you trust to review.

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