ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and Llama: the differences between apps and APIs, 25 example tasks and a selection guide for comparing results yourself.
- The differences between apps, APIs and local models.
- 25 example tasks for five groups of tools, and how to check the results.
- Decision criteria for your own work instead of an unmeasured ranking of who is best.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a single best AI?
This page is not a performance test run on a shared data set. The suggestions show where you could start trying things. Compare the tools using the same task, the same file and the same success criterion.
Does a subscription also cover API use?
Do not count a chat app subscription as developer API credit or quota. Check the product, model, region and plan terms separately on the provider’s relevant page.
Does Grok search find every post accurately?
Search results can be a selected sample. Check the source link, the author and the date; finding a post does not prove that the claim is true.
Does a local model run on every computer?
Model size, compression, memory and context length affect the hardware needs. Do not count the upper limits on a Llama model card as usable capacity without measuring them on your own device.
Official sources and the limits of this comparison
This guide is an editorial assessment meant to help you choose a tool for a task; it is not a benchmark in which every model was measured under the same conditions. The app, the API and a local model are different products. Features, prices and access limits vary by model, plan and region.
- Anthropic: Computer use tool loop — Screen, mouse and keyboard tools; a runtime environment is needed separately.
- xAI: X Search — Scope of the API search tool; it does not guarantee that every post or claim is accurate.
- OpenAI: ChatGPT features and use — What the chat app is used for; API and subscription limits are not the same.
- Anthropic: Claude product overview — Features and workspaces of the Claude app.
- Google: Gemini API model catalog — Input types and limits by model; they do not replace the subscription quota in the Gemini app.
- Grok: model and tool documentation — API models and current tool scope; check the app plan separately.
- Meta: Llama 4 model family — Scout and Maverick model details. Scout’s 10M context does not mean the Meta AI app or every local computer offers the same limit.
These links were checked on October 27, 2026; a link check does not mean every technical claim in the article was independently tested. If you spot a mistake, report a correction. Read our streamer guidelines.