Claude Code vs Codex: which should you use?
Claude Code runs on Anthropic's Claude models and starts at $20 a month with no free option. Codex runs on OpenAI's GPT-5.6 models and gives a real, if capped, free tier before asking for a cent.
Last verified 29 September 2026. Every priced or limited claim below links to its source.
How do the prices compare?
Claude Code: the Free plan does not include it at all. Pro is $20 a month, or $17 a month billed annually. Max 5x is $100 a month, Max 20x is $200 a month. source, checked 29 September 2026.
Codex: the Free plan gets limited access. Plus is $20 a month with expanded usage. Pro starts at $100 a month, with Pro 200 at $200 and, since 29 September 2026, Pro 500 at $500. source, checked 29 September 2026.
Where does each one run?
Claude Code runs in a terminal or inside VS Code, Cursor and other VS Code forks, and JetBrains IDEs, signed in with the same Claude account across all of them. source, checked 29 September 2026.
Codex runs in its own CLI, an IDE extension, on the web, and on iOS, plus cloud based features like automatic code review and a Slack integration that Claude Code does not offer. source, checked 29 September 2026.
How do their instruction files differ?
Claude Code reads CLAUDE.md with no hard size cap, though Anthropic's own docs recommend staying under roughly 200 lines because longer files reduce how reliably Claude follows them. Codex reads AGENTS.md with a hard 32 KiB combined cap; content past that limit is silently truncated. See the full CLAUDE.md vs AGENTS.md breakdown for the details. source, checked 29 September 2026.
What do the usage limits look like?
Both share their coding usage with the rest of the account rather than metering the terminal separately. Claude's limits reset every five hours with an added weekly cap. Codex's five hour window currently applies to the $20 Plus plan; OpenAI has kept the $100 and $200 Pro tiers without a five hour window for the time being, so only their weekly cap applies. source, checked 29 September 2026.
Which should you pick?
If you already pay for Claude and want one account across chat and code, Claude Code adds coding to a subscription you may already have at Pro's $20. If you want to try agentic coding for nothing first, or you want cloud code review and Slack integration, Codex on the Free or Plus tier gets there without commitment. Neither replaces a plan, a memory that survives across both tools, or a review of what actually got done, which is what Mover OS adds on top of either one. Mover OS is not for anyone who wants a phone app or a tool that runs while the agent is closed.
Common questions
Can I use both Claude Code and Codex at once?
Yes, they are separate subscriptions with no exclusivity between them. Many developers run both and switch by task.
Which one is cheaper for a solo developer?
Codex, if you can work inside its free tier's limits. Once you need reliable daily use, both start at $20 a month for their first paid step.
Does either one remember what I did yesterday?
Not much on its own, past a session's context and, for Claude Code, an auto memory file capped at 25KB. Neither tool ships a cross session daily plan or drift check by default.
Picked one? The instructions file is the next thing to set up. Or Mover OS, $49 once. It is the wrong choice if you want something that keeps running while your computer is off.