
In this article you will learnwhere the two top AI models differ. Claude 4 (Anthropic) and o3-Pro (OpenAI) and which model is the most for which task really worthwhile. While o3-Pro particularly strong with logical analyses, technical code and legal precision is convincing Claude 4 through Linguistic nuances, creative ideas and strategic thinking on a human level.
OpenAI has presented its new flagship generation with o3 and o3-Pro. At the same time, Anthropic is increasingly moving into the limelight with Claude 4. Both models are currently regarded as top class - but they are fundamentally different.
This raises a central question:
Which model should you use for which application?
In this article, we will not only show you how to Claude 4 and o3-Pro differ in style, mindset and performancebut above all, when which model is the better choice for you - whether for content, code, strategy or analysis.
But when it comes to top performance - what is the real difference between Claude 4 and o3-Pro?
Chat GPT o3-Pro and Claude 4 - new flagship models at a glance
OpenAI and Anthropic recently presented their strongest models: Claude Opus 4 and o3-Pro. Both are aimed at complex thinking, demanding tasks - and business use. But what are the differences?
- Claude Opus 4 from Anthropic is known for its excellent code quality and long, coherent thinking. It works almost like an experienced developer: structured, clear and with "flavour" in the code. It also builds complex games, websites and tools cleanly.
- o3-Pro of OpenAI is currently considered the strongest model for Structured analysis, argumentation and precise reasoning. It visibly "thinks" about problems for longer and delivers particularly reliable results - ideal for reports, scientific work or business logic.
This is also reflected in the style: while Claude Opus often appears creative and elegant, o3-Pro delivers focussed, sober and resilient.
Yes, it is: o3-Pro is extremely slow - and expensive. A simple "Hi" in the wrong tool setup can cost over 20 minutes and 80 dollars. You should therefore only use it if you really need a lot of context and precision. The standard o3 model, on the other hand, has been reduced in price by 80 % - an interesting alternative.
Direct comparison: What should you use and when?
The comparison shows that
- Claude Opus 4 is the best choice for you when it comes to Coding, interface design, complex automationor creative technical concepts. Claude also plays to his strengths in long-term projects and tool-supported agent workflows.
- o3-Pro is particularly suitable for Complex reasoning, strategic decision-making processes, data-driven business cases or scientific work.
Both models offer tool access, memory functions and are integrated into platforms such as http://Claude.ai OpenAI Playground or via API.
Use cases in practice
Claude Opus 4 is particularly suitable for:
- AI-supported software development and refactorin
- Complex prompt workflows with multiple steps
- Creative tasks with structural requirements (e.g. design systems, interactive interfaces)
- Agent tools with local file or long-term memory
OpenAI o3-Pro shines in these areas:
- Thinking deeply about data, strategies or contexts
- Creation of reports, argumentation and clear decision trees
- Use cases with many "if-then" rules or complex business logic
- High-quality justification for sensitive content
Google Gemini 2.5 Pro: Strengths in the Google cosmos
Of course, with Gemini 2.5 Pro from Google another strong flagship on the market. Particularly impressive is the huge context window (up to 1 million tokens) and the Seamless integration with Google services like NotebookLM, Search or YouTube.
This makes Gemini ideal for:
- the Processing of very long documents
- Search workflows with tool access
- smart applications around the Google Workspace cosmos.
Conclusion: Gemini brings its own strengths to the table - and perfectly complements models such as Claude Opus 4 and o3-Pro, depending on the use case.
And what if you just want to be productive?
Honestly: You don't always need the most expensive model.
If you simply
- want to write good texts,
- have to summarise tasks or
- plan simple automations,
then a free model is often sufficient - for example the freely accessible versions of Claude (Anthropic) or Google Gemini.
And with ChatGPT?
The many model variants can quickly become confusing. In our guide to the ChatGPT models we show you which model you really need - clearly, simply and with application examples.
Prices at a glance (as at June 2025)
Model | Input / output price per 1 M tokens | Special features |
---|---|---|
Claude Opus 4 | $15 / $75 | Best code quality, memory files |
OpenAI o3-Pro | $20 / $80 | Extremely deep thinking, but slow |
OpenAI o3 | $2 / $8 (standard model) | Much cheaper, usually sufficient for everyday use |
What are tokens actually?
Tokens are the smallest computing unit of a language model - comparable to words or parts of words. For example:
- "Hello world" = 2 tokens
- "Internationalisation" = 1 token
- An entire paragraph can quickly comprise 50-100 tokens.
Why is this important?
Costs, speed and context limits of the models depend directly on the number of tokens. Large models calculate in "tokens per million" - so it quickly becomes expensive with long prompts or many queries.
Conclusion: your model depends on your goal
If you:
- build complex tools, process many files or want to "work" with a model for longer → Claude Opus 4
- need clear decisions, think through business strategies, need particularly reliable answers → o3-Pro
- integrate many sources, use Google services and analyse huge documents → Gemini 2.5 Pro
For everyday use: free models are often sufficient - and are significantly cheaper and faster.
And if you Using AI professionally want?
The right use of AI saves time, reduces costs - and brings real added value. We will help you, the right model for your team, it integrate data protection-compliant and with targeted AI training sensibly into your processes to be integrated.
Whether model selection, hosting or employee training: We make AI simple, secure and effective for your company.
AI Agency in Cologne - Contact
Your personalContact us
We look forward to every enquiry and will respond as quickly as possible.
AI Agency in Cologne - Contact form
These are ourFrequently asked questions
Which AI model is best suited for programmers?
If you are developing complex software or working with a model over the long term, the Claude Opus 4 is currently the best choice. It shines with code quality, clear structure and endurance for long projects.
What can OpenAI's o3-Pro do better than other models?
o3-Pro delivers especially Reliable, considered answers - ideal for business strategies, decision analyses and logical thinking. It "thinks longer", but is also slower and more expensive.
What is Google Gemini 2.5 Pro best suited for?
Gemini 2.5 Pro scores with a huge context window and strong Google integration. It is ideal for the Analysing large documentsreal-time research or use with tools such as NotebookLM, Docs or YouTube.
Do I have to use one of the expensive models?
No - for Text creation, emails, summaries or social posts are usually enough free models such as Claude Sonnet or ChatGPT-4o are completely sufficient.
How much does it cost to use o3-Pro or Claude Opus 4?
Prices vary depending on the platform, but are up to $80 per million output tokens (Claude Opus 4) and $40 with o3-Pro. This is often unnecessarily expensive for simple tasks.
What are tokens and why are they important?
A Token is a text module, usually a word or part of a word. Models charge by token - the longer your prompt or response, the More tokens = higher costs.